To think that if people didn't pay their kids so much attention...

[nenevomito]

Children would be more independent and adventurous, and, more to the point, that the evil tortured genius to bland boring average child ratio would benefit greatly.

I mean, come on! How is your child ever going to get to where they can buy their own volcanic island staffed with pliant henchmen if you spend your whole days baking fucking cupcakes with them?

Never. They will grow up, buy a semi, drive a Prius and worry about the food miles generated by their cucumbers.

Seriously, just gnore them for a few hours and do your bit to push them to wards evil greatness.

At the very least bake EVIL cupcakes.

I try this but the toddler forces me to parent now and again.

I never, not once, baked anything with mine.

I left that for my mother to do.

Mine just went outside and got up to mischief in the certain knowledge that I wouldnt notice.

We do not own a Prius and the DC don't even like cucumber anyway.

And I now adopt a similar approach to the grandchildren.

If they aren't crying or bleeding I leave 'em to it.

I should point out that I quite simply never have baked.

That's what shops are for.

DD 24months is more than happy to be given a trowel and a bucket and have the back door opened.

She's been digging for "treasure" under a tree for half an hour.

I got one of those Bounty emails that told me my child should be allowed "some" unstructured play during the day...ERM... I'm not sure what kind of "structured" play we've done really! She brings me a book, I read it, she goes off and hatches an evil plan for an hour by herself, I get something done :)

She like lining teddies up and telling them off?! DH is scared.

Benign neglect is my style of parenting I often practised it when bringing up my two.

at evil cupcakes

What ThisReally said.

Its not fair is it unexpected

My MIL drives me mad, I hate going there.

Constantly fussing, interferring and managing. Sometimes I just want to scream, leave them to it! It makes them wired too.

I do interact with them but i'm a big believer in if they're playing leave them to it

Taken it to a new level. Bought teen 3 a 1 way ticket to Spain dropped him off at the airport Monday to go stay with a family he has never met.

Oh you win Zumba - international!!

I have spent many hours of quality time today playing a wii game with my dc.

"SDTG - studiously ignoring her children since 1999"

That's my mission statement, that is. And it works a treat. No1 has just finished his first year at university and didn't starve or wear the same clothes all year, so he must have learnt some survival skills from my benign neglect. Both 2 and 3 can cater reasonably well for themselves, so I have no qualms about2 heading off to university in the autumn.

And frankly, 3 would prefer I didn't exist, apart from when I am needed to answer a question. I have joined the same gym as him - he would rather go alone on his bike, than get a lift with me and then have me in the gym with him - smiling at him and even talking to him!

I popped in to see my dil and 3kids middle dgd (age 3) had beautiful blue eyes, blonde hair, floral summer dress, stood in middle of lawn and did a wee!! Dil said oh we forgot pants today didn't we?YYY to life is too short!!!

Love this thread! I was inside the other day and dd1 (3 1/2) was outside in her pjs having a play. After about 15 mins I hear a noise and go to see what's happening. She's riding her bike round and round the table, naked, and laughing her head off.

It's winter at the moment where we are.

I had a surprise extra child as I found I was carrying twins. I decided early on that I could only look after two at a time so one gets neglected per day. Sundays all get neglected. I do mix up the days so they can't accuse me of playing favourites!

I think dh and myself like childhood things too much to leave them to it for too long.
Although I think dh went over the top today when he was digging with both spades on beach happy as larry whilst the toddlers just stood staring at him in the hope they can play again!

Another one whose mother-in-law feels that she constantly has to entertain and interact with my 2-year-old. She even flips if I let him go to another room unmonitored, and as for him playing outside alone on the patio, that was deemed "dangerous".

I suppose I do a blend of playing tea parties (I enjoy it ) and reading books, and letting my son get on with things.

See I left mine to her own devices and she bloody ate all the ripe strawberries. I didn't even get one - and I was the one who lovingly weeded and watered them.

But I suppose it's an improvement on the time she wrote her name in bright blue chalk (which surprisingly, doesn't quite come off so you can still see it in the right light) on the very freshly painted hallway wall.

She has been wearing clothes to do the above though. Sort of. Well, she was if wellies count as clothes. No? Ok, she was down the garden eating my precious strawberries wearing nothing but a pair of bright pink wellies and some stickers on her tummy.

middleclassdystopia same here. "Oh no, that doesn't go there does it? Let's put dolly in the buggy instead"

No MIL. If DD wants to take her plastic fried egg and sausage for a walk in the buggy and wear a sock on her head whilst doing so let her get on with it :)

Apparently I used to eat dads prized vegetables raw, straight out of the garden.

Never did me any harm.

I am definitely doing something wrong

my Ds had a melt down yesterday because I wouldn't let him wear pants in bed

he's turning into a square .

The perfect thread for the start of those long summer holidays....

This is all very well, folks, but what about when they ignore you when you are dying for a cup of coffee and some attention? I don't care about evil greatness- I just want to be waited on head and foot! And not have to cook supper!

Babybythesea -I hope you have a picture of her clad only in willies and stickers, to put on her cake on her 18th birthday!