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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To think that parents sound stupid when they use baby talk?

68 replies

Sallystyle · 04/03/2013 17:19

I was out walking my dog and a mother stopped me so her nursery age child could look at my "woo woo" "Look at the cutey woo woo"

It's a dog not a bloody cutey woo woo!

I admit that I might be more easily annoyed today because I have an infection in my gum and didn't sleep.

OP posts:
Pagwatch · 04/03/2013 17:21

Yabvu

Parents engaging with their DC is fine. Don't be such a curmudgeon.

HousewifeFromHeaven · 04/03/2013 17:22

Yabu. My woo woo loves being spoke to like a baby.

On the other hand, my kids speak to me like i'm a baby, so I guess in that case yanbu Grin

Dottiespots · 04/03/2013 17:23

Do you not have children then Samu2???

aldiwhore · 04/03/2013 17:24

YANBU to think that us parents that use baby speak sound crackers, I certainly sounded crackers for many years.

YABU to think we should stop, or that your opinion means anything to us. Smile

I STILL say (and always will) Glubs (gloves), Pindowie (peanut butter) and plitters (slippers) although these were invented by my young children.

Original poster
Sallystyle · 04/03/2013 17:24

Yes, I have five.

I don't call dogs woo woo's though!

OP posts:
FeckOffCup · 04/03/2013 17:24

Are you sure it wasn't woof woof not woo woo?

YABU, it's easy to slip into repeating things back to toddlers that they say when they can't say the right thing yet, at least they are talking to the child.

vladthedisorganised · 04/03/2013 17:25

Could be worse.. She could have said it to another adult (aaaaargh)

Original poster
Sallystyle · 04/03/2013 17:26

aldiwhore.. that is different and funny. My Mum still calls jumpers Jumpies as that is what I used to call them when I was little.

OP posts:
JamieandtheMagicTorch · 04/03/2013 17:26

I don't have a problem with baby talk, at some point the DC will learn the word dog.

If it's loud and Ostentatious talking then that grates a bit.

Grin Housewife You are talking about your dog aren't you?

HollyBerryBush · 04/03/2013 17:26

Could have been worse, she ould have sais "oi ya little fecker, look at the fecking dog, innit"

A woo woo is tame in comparison.

Original poster
Sallystyle · 04/03/2013 17:28

No, definitely woo woo.

It wasn't a toddler, the child was around 4 years old at a guess.

Do I get a pass at being unreasonable as I am in pain? Grin

OP posts:
JamieandtheMagicTorch · 04/03/2013 17:28

Hands are pannies in our house (courtesy of my dad)

Trousers are towfer (courtesy of DS1)

WilsonFrickett · 04/03/2013 17:28

I do understand what you mean, honest. But having lived in an area where 4 yo's were routinely called 'stupid c**ts' I'll take a woo woo any day!

Original poster
Sallystyle · 04/03/2013 17:30

4 year olds saying stupid cunts?

Yes, woo woo doesn't sound so bad in comparison!

I think it was a combination of her voice grating on me as well.. as the pain Confused

OP posts:
Greythorne · 04/03/2013 17:31

It's called motherese.

Original poster
Sallystyle · 04/03/2013 17:32

I don't know how those two .. got in my above post.

OP posts:
KitCat26 · 04/03/2013 17:32

Phew, it wasn't me. Only this morning I refered to a dog as a doggy (then felt a right tit).

A 'Woo woo' is a bit much though, did you laugh? Grin.

digerd · 04/03/2013 17:32

Babies love it. They don't understand language yet, but tone of voice they do react to. Just like dogs do.
Hope you are not taking your grumpiness out on your darling cutey Woo Woo.
My little cutey Woo Woo also loves my baby talk.

You have my sympathy with a gum infection. I had one last year all over Xmas and the newyear. I kept my grumpiness to myself and stayed home alone.

TarkaTheOtter · 04/03/2013 17:36

KitCat I heard that saying "doggy" helps them realise there is a g at the end of dog. That's my excuse anyway.

WilsonFrickett · 04/03/2013 17:36

Well, more parents using language like that to their children. Of course some of it gets repeated by said children, but at 4 it's mostly the parents.

Your situation would be translated as 'leave that fucking dog alone you stupid cunt.' Perspective is wonderful thing Wink.

Have you got any nurofen for your sore gum?

Flobbadobs · 04/03/2013 17:37

Could be worse, it could be typed on people's FB statuses. Now that is bloody irritating! Ikle man, pwincess and baa lamb all over my front page last weekend.
My real problem is with animal names though. It's all very well calling it a woof woof or a moo cow or whatever but when the baby stops being a baby it suddenly gets told that they are wrong and they have to call the animal by a different name. That and it sounds bloody stupid.

foxache · 04/03/2013 17:38

I still say doggy and horsey, ds is 11yo Blush He is no longer impressed.

Original poster
Sallystyle · 04/03/2013 17:38

digerd I managed to keep my grumpiness to myself. I smiled and made v polite conversation Grin It wasn't a baby though, the child was around 4 years old.

I wish I could have stayed in but my woo woo really needed to let off some steam.

OP posts:
crashdoll · 04/03/2013 17:38

YANBU, I hate it when parents interact nicely with their children.

mamapants · 04/03/2013 17:38

I would say you are half reasonable and half unreasonable.

Baby talk to babys is fine and a good thing really.
Baby talk to a 4 year old is unnecessary and weird!

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