To think my mum is anxious about nothing

[monkeynuts123]

We were out with my mum for a walk and to go for tea and she was so anxious I ended up questioning my decisions as a parent. I have a 5 year old ds and an 18 month old dd, so one on a scooter and other one in buggy but my mum was so anxious about one on scooter. I let him scoot just ahead of me with me watching out the whole time for unsafe situations. He knows to stop at the road and to go slow down hill and it's a walk we've done thousands of times before but my mum was freaking out because he was on the pavement and she thinks this something that should just happen in the park. He has never bumped into anyone and always listens to me. Then I got dd out of the buggy when we were at the park and my mum started saying she couldn't cope anymore because her 'nerves were shattered'. The toddler was toddling along pottering in and out of puddles, sometimes putting his hands in puddles and stroking willing dogs and ds was on scooter having fun, but for my mum this combination of free-range kids was nerve-wracking. As if all this wasn't enough we went to a cafe and the kids moved in and out of their seats and dropped biscuits and youngest lunged for hot cups etc but to me this is all normal with young kids. We were away from other people in the cafe and the kids weren't crying or screaming or running around. Is she over anxious or am I overly liberal?

People will have different attitudes about the things you mention (dogs, scooters, cafes), your mum's is obviously different to yours. Perhaps the issue is that she thinks she's right and should help you see the light!

My parents are like that. They're super anxious about everything including "safety". I struggle with anxiety myself but try to manage it.

When they visit they hover and interfere, eg trying to discipline my DC in our home, not letting them do things they're allowed to do (eg clamber on the back of the sofa, go on certain things in the playground) because they consider it dangerous. It's stifling, and very annoying when I am there and am the parent! DC are . Parents can't see it and honestly think they know best and need to teach me!

Am with your mum on the scooter issue, op. Every day I have to drive past a primary school on my way to work. There is a sloping part of pavement leading down to a small roundabout. Kids scoot on ahead of their parents. Yes they know to stop at the road but it only needs them to get tangled in the scooter, hit a stone etc and skid out into the road. Kids much older than 5. My heart is in my mouth every day.

Am with your mum on the scooters. They piss me off no end on the footpaths. I let DS walk ahead of me, even run ahead a reasonable distance when we're not by a road, because I trust him to stop when I ask him to, so I understand that. However, it isn't just your child on the footpath, and if there are puddles around then the route could be slippy. Scooters are to be ridden in parks with a helmet on.

I think you lot are right about the scooter