Oh the shame! I'm a big old judgypants wearing judger

[Honeydragon]

...my inner Mumsnet has failed me. At DDs toddler group, one toddler has pierced ears. I've done enough threads to know all the "get your big nose out" point of views.

However the dd is always wearing sleeper hoops, quite large ones. I keep thinking "tch, that's an accident waiting to happen".

Well now it has.

Child was messing around under the floaty parachute, when the Mums and dc's were meant to be waving it and started screaming blue murder. Mum was nowhere to be seen. Went in found her, Mum was at other side of room trying to stop other child escaping, so fair enough. Passed her over to Mum who asked what happened. I explained that she had run under parachute and got her ear caught. Mum went "really? is that all?".

The Mum refastened earring, cue more screaming and then wondered off. I am hoping she hadn't heard me properly re the "really" comment as she didn't appear to be being rude, but my face STIll hurts from holding a smile when all my facial muscles were attempting to form the cats arse.

dr said no earings back in.

mum said - well for a while.

Having read that Giraffe, I still might take the cowards way out and mention it to the organizers.

The problem with common sense is that it isn't that common.

"Not horrified at all ragged...it's common sense for the staff to want to minimise injuries ... "

What do you mean "staff"? Most toddler groups are run by an irregular pool of volunteers. I can't stand the idea that EVERY organised event in this world has to be run with legal liability and health and safety as the first concern.

Yesterday, I was helping a friend run her group (she does this completely off her own back as a volunteer). Everything is done officially according to somebody's policy, she paid for liability insurance out of her own pocket, she got her CM friend to do the risk assessment, there's a stonking great big first aid box, can't have pushchairs in the hall or bags on chairs because the PLA said so. Hot drinks restricted to small area of the room. Signs have to be tacked up and down every time to remind everyone that THEY are responsible for their children, don't let the children go to the toilets alone, no pushchairs in the hall (plenty big enough, space isn't the problem).

It feels like a military control freak operation, I'm left uptight & feel like I'm visiting Army barracks. I don't know a single other toddler group run according to all those rules, but they are considered best practice by Ofsted/PLA. All I want is a warm social cheap place for me & DC to socialise. Please let ME be responsible for my child's risks. Please let ME make decisions you wouldn't take.

Sorry Bacchus, but based on observation, I reckon 70% of the population are either neutral (like me) on the baby earrings thing or actively like them.

Crazy - piercings on children no, catchy earings on children (if they must be pierced) - madness and stupied fecking mother for not removing them during an activity.

Oh my god what is a degloving injury? I alerady have a bit of sick in my mouth in anticipation of the response...

I wear hoops occasionally and have occasionally got them caught - personally I think anyone with half a brain cell would know its a dumb idea for an active small child.

I also think Ragged's comment that "70% of the population are either neutral ...or actively like them" would vary massively depending on where in the UK you live, im in a small extremely conservative village and I would imagine % against would be much higher than % for whereas in a larger multicultural town it would swing the other way.

They are chavvy though, them hoops with the bits on, are they creole style

I thought I was being conservative in my estimate. I come from a background of middle class people, but also spend lots of time with friends who would be considered less 'well-to-do' by many. About 95% of them think earrings on a child is either 'trashy' or 'dangerous'. One of whom even had hers done at that age!

I think 70% the population don't want to upset who they are addressing with their opinion either way and the other 30% don't care what people think. Hence MN being fairly anonymous ends up in earpiercing bun fights as people say what they really think