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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

My child's not perfect.

83 replies

CarolCervix · 30/11/2011 21:51

Series of documentaries coming up on ITV next week.

surely no bloody children are perfect. does this mean children with additional needs are less perfect than others?

I have no idea if the series is any good but I think the name is really really shit.

AIBU and irrationaly Angry

OP posts:
NinkyNonker · 30/11/2011 21:52

I understand you.

Crabapple99 · 30/11/2011 21:55

There would be something very seriously wrong with a child who was perfect!

SoftKittyWarmKitty · 30/11/2011 21:56

YANBU. It's a very negative title imo. It would have been better called something like 'Special Needs, Special Children' or the like. But then that wouldn't be car crash/tragic/super emotive enough to get people viewing, now, would it? Hmm

MollieO · 30/11/2011 21:58

From looking at the programme blurb it seems to be a clumsy way of showing that the children featured may look 'perfect' but have not obvious additional needs. ITV is the tv equivalent of tabloid journalism so it is probably asking a bit much to have a title that is empathetic.

SatisfiedOtter · 30/11/2011 21:59

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

DooinMeCleanin · 30/11/2011 22:00

My children are not perfect. They have no additional needs, though. Unless being in need of some long over due discipline is an additional need?

YANBU. What a horrid and un thought out title.

MissPenteuth · 30/11/2011 22:03

YANBU about the title. But actually I think all children are perfect :)

Thereistoomuchconfusion · 30/11/2011 22:04

Yanbu silly thoughtless title as you say no child (noone) is perfect,

hellhasnofury · 30/11/2011 22:05

My DS (Asperger's syndrome) said "everyone's child is perfect. To them". He was insulted to be seen as less than perfect because he has AS and insulted that anyone should see someone else as less than perfect.

Original poster
CarolCervix · 30/11/2011 22:06

I'm thinking of complaining.

OP posts:
ouryve · 30/11/2011 22:06

I'm sure, being on ITV, it'll be narrated by an appropriately serious voice of doom, anyhow.

Original poster
CarolCervix · 30/11/2011 22:16

I have emailed a complaint. I am cross.

OP posts:
hanaka88 · 30/11/2011 22:19

My child is perfect to me he has ASD YANBU

RachelHRD · 30/11/2011 22:21

Very badly worded and very upsetting for parents of children with special needs.

My DD (21 mths) was born with several birth defects which have required numerous surgeries and will affect her throughout her life. I recall a while back reading something a new parent had posted about her 'perfect' healthy newborn baby and it upset me :( It's a word which should be used carefully.

coff33pot · 30/11/2011 22:31

YANBU the title is thoughtless. Seeing as it is about children that slip through the net for diagnosis they could have titled it "left in limbo" "not understood" or the "unsupported children" anything that what they have chosen.

No one is perfect.

babybarrister · 30/11/2011 22:38

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

ModreB · 30/11/2011 22:43

YANBU. 2 of my DS's are not perfect. But they are beautiful, loyal, hardworking, intelligent, loved, socially acceptable people.

Each of us is an individual. The rest of the world GET OVER IT

JellyBelly10 · 30/11/2011 22:45

I saw the advert for this and in the sequence they showed there was writing over the screen with lists of these "imperfections" and one of them said "stammer". My child has a serious stammer and I must admit it really shocked me to see it written (as the first word!) on a list of words that included ADHD and Aspergers and others. So my son has a stammer! He's still perfect to me!

Hassled · 30/11/2011 22:47

That's piss poor - I'm with you in your anger. You'd think they'd run these ideas past something like, oh I dunno, a parenting website before they went live with it.

sheepgomeep · 30/11/2011 22:47

awful title. I hope ds hasn't seen this, he's already having a hard enough time accepting he has adhd and probably aspergers, this could send him over the edge Sad

Original poster
CarolCervix · 30/11/2011 22:50

DD was here when i saw the trailer. i ranted. she ranted. we ranted together.

OP posts:
schobe · 30/11/2011 22:50

I interpreted it as being meant in an ironic way, ie we are shocked to find there is something 'wrong' with our child as we have this misconception that 'perfection' means being able to do stuff, doing well at school, having friends etc.

Arguably it's a misconception that people are more likely to continue with when they don't come into contact with SN, whereas those of us that do soon realise its absurdity.

I speak from the standpoint of having a DS with severe ASD btw.

I may be being too charitable to the program makers of course

MincePieFlavouredVoidka · 30/11/2011 22:53

Shite title - as a parent of a child with SN I think the title is insensitive.

ITV will say its 'celebrating' the differences. It sounds to me like its highlighting the differences in a negative way.

LadyBeagleBaublesAndBells · 30/11/2011 22:56

Channelling MisPentyouth and Mary Poppins.
To me my son is perfect. I wouldn't change him for the world.
They are what they are.

duchesse · 30/11/2011 23:06

I have never met a perfect child in 18.5 years of parenting and working as a teacher for 11 years.

Come to think of it I have never met a perfect person in 43.11 years on this planet.

Stupid title. Many of them are. Radio 4 programme titles for example make me want to hurl stuff at the radio.