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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Smacking a 10 month old? AIBU?

52 replies

pickledparsnip · 20/05/2011 22:10

Talking to another mum last week who told me that she had to discipline her 10 month old son for the first time recently. He wouldn't stop wriggling when having his nappy changed/being dressed, so she slapped him on the hand.

I was speechless!

AIBU to pretty bloody horrified?

OP posts:
LynetteScavo · 20/05/2011 22:12

YANBU.

There was a parenting book I read when DS1 was little which advocated a slap when babies wriggled on changing mats. Confused

indiechick · 20/05/2011 22:12

No YANBU, I really don't think you should be disciplining a 10m old baby.

Beamur · 20/05/2011 22:13

YANBU
Babies wriggle, they aren't being naughty. ffs.

ManicAnnie · 20/05/2011 22:14

YANBU. Ridiculous. Said mum needs to read a book on basic child development. Silly woman.

plonker · 20/05/2011 22:14

Sad Sad

maristella · 20/05/2011 22:14

physical chastisement for a 10m old? Shock

WRONG

DuelingFanjo · 20/05/2011 22:15

yanbu :(

Original poster
pickledparsnip · 20/05/2011 22:17

I know. She began with "I'm not sure what other people think of smacking...." I didn't know what to say. Wish I'd bloody said something now.

OP posts:
saffy85 · 20/05/2011 22:18

YANBU.

You can't discipline a 10 month old baby, it just doesn't work. She lost her temper and smacked him. She shouldn't have done it, her son will keep on wriggling while having a nappy change- it's what they do at that age.

Original poster
pickledparsnip · 20/05/2011 22:18

Makes me so sad that a baby was told off for simply being a baby

OP posts:
Original poster
pickledparsnip · 20/05/2011 22:18

Well according to her he hasn't done it since!

OP posts:
CucumberMuncher · 20/05/2011 22:19

YANBU Sad

That is awful. Surely quite pointless as well at 10 months.

Morph2 · 20/05/2011 22:20

Bloody hell i would be whipping the hell out of my 12 month old i can't remember the last time i actually got him to lie or even sit on the changing mat never mind keep still. Strangly enough yesterday and today he has started saying 'good boy'- well at least its sounds like that and we are always telling him what a good boy he is but in your friends book in would not be.

CucumberMuncher · 20/05/2011 22:21

ah x-post

FabbyChic · 20/05/2011 22:21

I'd like to slap the woman silly, what a nasty bitch.

Original poster
pickledparsnip · 20/05/2011 22:21

Oh heck should I have said something?

OP posts:
MarioandLuigi · 20/05/2011 22:22

I thought a friend of mine was bad enough - she has a naughty step for her 13mo.

Firawla · 20/05/2011 22:22

YANBU
if she mentions it again i would say something

Original poster
pickledparsnip · 20/05/2011 22:23

Fabby I wish I'd told her how horrified I was.

OP posts:
Firawla · 20/05/2011 22:23

mario i have come across people with naughty step for those ages too! they justify it that 'oh my child's understanding was much higher than their age' but so many people all saying it, they can't all be! i think its ridiculous

gabid · 20/05/2011 22:26

Sad Yes, you probably should have said something. One of these situations that play on your mind - I wish I had ....

BertieBotts · 20/05/2011 22:27

My ex smacked DS' hand when he was 10 months old for "pinching" (he was gripping while crawling). He only did it once!

BertieBotts · 20/05/2011 22:27

Ex only did it once. Not DS!

davidtennantsmistress · 20/05/2011 22:28

:( how awful, maybe about 2 naughty step but not before, their understanding is no where near at that age, all they understand is they've been hurt by their care provider.

next time if he wiggles tell her to change him inbetween her legs - Ds did this, my legs would be out straight & he'd be changed in about 2 minutes - not once was he smacked.

saffy85 · 20/05/2011 22:29

A naughty step for a 1 year old?! Confused Mad.

I'm sure your friend's 10 month old will remember to never wriggle again during a nappy change now she's disciplined him. Hmm bloody berk. Her that is, not you OP.