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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

in telling DS age 3 the 9 o'clock horses are coming

63 replies

Chasdingle · 03/01/2014 22:14

Went down the pub tonite, its a family pub and DS didn't want to leave as was playing with his mates who are all older (when i say older i mean 5 and 7 years old), so told DS we had to get home as the nine o'clock horses were coming!!!

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Passmethecrisps · 03/01/2014 22:37

Found this on the bbc

I'm in my pyjamas
All ready for bed
When up pop the words that my Grandmother said.

Come my love
Brush your teeth
Lay down your head.

Switch out your light
Come kiss me goodnight
The nine o'clock horses are taking flight.

Soon the moon will rise
The sun will fall
Lay still my child or heed my call.

Sleepy one
Do not look to the sky
Empty your thoughts, close your eyes.

Hold on to Ted
Snuggle down
In your bed.

Stay inside your covers
Or I must tell your mother
And NO talking 'til quarter to nine.

Switch out your light
Come kiss me goodnight
The nine o'clock horses are taking flight.

My sister she fears
Fierce horses, sharp teeth
Like thunder, like waves on the sea.

I tell her, my honey
There's no need to worry
But she is only three.

I think these horses
Glow, shimmering bright
Casting around a silvery light.

Cross the sky like a song
Whispering
'Sweet dreams won't be long.'

These nightmares
You'll find
Are gentle and kind.

Catch a ride
Softly fall
Into sleep.

To a land full of dreams
Where there's chocolate streams
Mountain tops with blankets of cream.

But still…

If my grandmother knew
How we worry with fright
'Bout the nine o'clock horses, deep into the night,
Perhaps she'd just wish us a
'Goodnight.'

Sadoldbag · 03/01/2014 22:37

9 o'clock horses

Chasdingle · 03/01/2014 22:39

maybe i'll print that out and read it to him tomorrow will be a change from the usual gruffalo and don't seem any worse

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Passmethecrisps · 03/01/2014 22:41

That may, or may not be how op's 3 year old sees them.

He might see some toothless old cuddies clip
Clopping dully towards him about to bore him to sleep with stories of life down the coal mines

trashcanjunkie · 03/01/2014 22:41

oh fucking hell *sadoldbag. I have a '9 o'clock horse tattooed on my bliddy forearm! Who knew???

Passmethecrisps · 03/01/2014 22:42

Rock a bye baby? Scary as fuck!

sadlonelyandconfused · 03/01/2014 22:44

I learnt something new tonight Chasdingle... If it ever comes up in a quiz I will remember it ;) I always use Santa from November till Christmas day so I am not judging, its a little defunck for a while now though!!

Passmethecrisps · 03/01/2014 22:47

Personally, I have the horses packed away for emergency use when all my parenting books have failed Grin

Sadly dd is only 1 so it may be some time before she gives a shiny shit about anything other than the sanitary towels in my handbag which waved alluringly can tempt her from any situation.

Edinbugger · 03/01/2014 22:48

Thanks for posting this OP and to sadoldbag for providing the meaning. I'd never heard the expression before tonight so have learnt something new and I think it's lovely you're passing the expression on to your ds.

Yanbu.

Weasleyismyking · 03/01/2014 22:49

So long as you didn't threaten violence then I think it's quite funny. Especially as he instinctively knew that meant business.
I can imagine he'll wise up one day and ask you what they are and you'll have to say 'no idea dear, I thought you knew' Grin

And the rest of you - really? You tell you kids it's time to go and they just comply? Really?! Shock it takes massive amounts of negotiation and 'thinking time' to get DS1 (2.6) to do anything! Confused

Chasdingle · 03/01/2014 22:50

well we always become our parents even if we don't want to!! I went through years of having to get in before the nine o clock horses, then when i got to a certain age (must have been about 9 or 10) and it was summer so still light it changed to 10 o clock horses. I don't think i am mentally scarred, maybe i am!!! when i went out of pub tonight i said tongue in cheek to a few people can't stop we're in a rush have to get home before the 9 o'clock horses and they all seemed to know what we were on about so obviously a local thing!!!

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trashcanjunkie · 03/01/2014 22:51

weasley honestly yes!

Passmethecrisps · 03/01/2014 22:53

Genuinely? The world is full of stories and folklore. Working it all out is part of the wonder of childhood. Done in a normal, caring setting and within reason no one could sensibly judge.

Chasdingle · 03/01/2014 22:53

To be fair if i'd have told him he would never ever play angry bird ever again he prob would have been quicker- maybe thats the modern equivalent????

Out of interest i've just posted on my facebook status to see if any one else has heard of nine of clock horses as think it must be a local thing

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Nerfmother · 03/01/2014 22:54

It's fine. So long as you don't rope any one in (that man will tell you off) needs must. I got so desperate I invented Mr Pumpkin one year. By god they behave around the end of October.

5OBalesofHay · 03/01/2014 22:55

Leicestershire here and brought up with the threat of 9o clock horses (all of us have horses so not too scarred)

Weasleyismyking · 03/01/2014 22:59

But how?

Me: we're going now
DS1: no
Me: Hmm

I like the idea of the world being full of stories as passmethecrisps says ^^ but maybe that's because mine don't seem to comply the normal way Confused

Passmethecrisps · 03/01/2014 23:04

As I said weasley I know naff all as dd is 1. Her world is my handbag and anything which makes a noise.

I remember being told stories by my granny of spooks and ghouls and they meant little. The stories my mum told about real things - awful. Really awful. I would likely have been much older though.

Chasdingle · 03/01/2014 23:12

weasley> i have no idea>

Me> we're going now
DS> in a minute
Me> have to go now or the the nine o'clock horses will be coming

Ds gets on his coat and home we go no questions or further explanation required!!

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Weasleyismyking · 03/01/2014 23:16

Brilliant. I'm doing that ^^. I understand all the other stuff - I'm the adult, blah blah blah, but he doesn't seem to care/believe me so that's it, I'm making up stuff from now on Wink

LedareAnsley · 03/01/2014 23:19

I've never heard of the horses.

My parents terrified me with Goosey Gander if I didn't go to sleep.

He broke both your arms then threw you down the fecking stairs!

trashcanjunkie · 03/01/2014 23:22

ok, this is my way, and may not be for everyone.

me - time to go (stand up and begin leaving)

trash twin one - oh, she's leaving.

trash twin two - er, right, had we better not go too then? and sharpish.

trashcanjunkie · 03/01/2014 23:26

or alternatively

me (to a mindee) time to go

mindee - no

me (pick up child and leave, all thrashing and yowping ignored) oh but we must go as it's time. (followed by rapid change of subject) ooh look there's a pretty flower can you see? What colour is it? etc.

Chasdingle · 03/01/2014 23:26

well from my grand FB experiment i have had:

3- yes comments we remember our mum or dad saying this

1 - no i don't remember this

3 likes- so i presume it means they remember this being said being as that was my status.

so think this proves its a local thing

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