WIBU to refuse an request for my 4 year old to participate in the ice bucket challenge?

[SpidersDontWashTheirHands]

I appreciate that it has done wonders for an underfunded and very deserving charity (though it annoys me massively that people are now doing it for any old charity of their choice) but I don't think it's appropriate for me to sit my four year old son on a deck chair and drench him with iced water. If he were fourteen I'd do it because he'd understand the concept. If it were a roaring hot July day we'd probably play out with water pistols. I just don't feel comfortable about doing this. So WIBU and curmudgeonly to refuse?

Oh and the person who nominated him was asking us to donate to MacMillan.

entertainment.ie/wtf/Watch-2-year-old-girl-take-on-the-Ice-Bucket-Challenge-and-wins-the-hearts-of-the-world/282504.htm

Yanbu, children shouldn't be made to do this.

people regularly hose horses down, they aren't bothered.

op my 5yo has been nominated. She's been at granny's all day and isn't even back, me at work. There is no freaking way I'm chucking a bucket of water over her before bed while I'm trying to cook the dinner or before work in the morning! It may be a laugh if you are at home all day but really? Silence speaks chapters imo.

facebook at its worst.

Was the person who nominated him childless, by any chance?

FWIW, I don't have kids, and I certainly won't be nominating anyone, child or adult, to do this.

DH has been nominated by his mother. He's just ignored it. The sky hasn't fallen in.

Have you seen the one where the woman runs into a washing line pole?

Ouch!!

Was the person who nominated him childless, by any chance?

Oh yes childless people are endlessly cruel and are bound to nominate a 4 year old

Someone recently posted that one onto my Facebook page. If you listen carefully there's somewhat ironic plea for the whereabouts of any ice.

Do we really, as a society, want our children to think that being challenged to do something silly or reckless means that they have to do it even if they don't really want to?

This isn't a challenge, it's a 'dare' - as in "Go on, I dare you!". Kids have dared one another to do stupid things for years. Occasionally somebody gets killed.

This whole 'I've/she was/my sister was etc been nominated' therefore I have to do it ... Is so so so so cringey. The whole nominated thing makes my toes curl up. Nominate this nominated that nominates ..... cringe

Exactly taxi. Its a bit worrying what children could be learning about consent issues because of this.

Just say you don't feel comfortable with him doing it.
Or if you don't mind him doing it, make it cool but not cold water and without ice.

Ignore those who bully.
We are all adults here and if we don't want to do something, we don't want to do it.
If someone else gives you grief for it, defriend the twat because they obviously have no compassion.

I haven't been nominated and haven't decided yet whether I'll do it or not.
It'll depend how cold it is outside I think.

At the end of the day it's up to the individual.

Oh yes childless people are endlessly cruel and are bound to nominate a 4 year old

Yes, indeed...

children shouldn't be made to do this.
NOBODY is making children do this!
The ones who I have seen doing it, have loved it.
I don't see how anyone could describe this as reckless. Silly, yes, but people often do silly things for charity.

I support a charity for a friends DD to have an operation to get her walking.

So did the ice bucket challenge for her.

If he doesn't want to do it then he shouldn't. If he does, then a teacupful of warm water should do the trick. That's what I do.

@jamtoast12

Yes, I think I would report someone if they did this to an animal as 'entertainment'. I certainly wouldn't be friends with that person anymore. I heard of a video a few days ago when a man in America did the ice bucket challenge to a PUPPY! That is just horrible, maybe not quite abuse, but verging on it.

@Tobysmum

So, just because one type of animal 'isnt bothered', we should feel free to do it to all animals? Humans are an animal. Can I hose you and your family down?

NOBODY is making children do this!

I wouldn't bet on that. I'm pretty sure there are quite a few children reluctantly caving into peer pressure/bullying from other kids or adults.

And I'm pretty sure that there are some adults around who think the shocked and confused face of a pre-school child is oh-so-hilarious regardless of the child's views on the matter .

5yr old niece done it today! She asked to be nominated! We just done it with a biggish jug of lukewarm water and a small amount of water in the basin her feet were in! She loved it!!!

Children are being made to do this. See @TheVagendaTeam twitter feed.

Can't see any evidence on that twitter account darkesteyes I can only see a discussion about a parent who filmed their child doing it and enjoying it.

The Vagenda Team @VagendaMagazine · 5h
My cousin just nominated her own 4 year old child for the ice bucket challenge, then filmed herself carrying it out

She didn't MAKE her child do it fgs! She also posted to say that she watched the video and the girl loved it. Are you saying that children should be allowed to do this?

My friend has just nominated her son. He asked to do it because he wants to do it. Lots of my little nieces and nephews are doing it, mostly with fairly warm water. One didn't want it over her head so it was poured over her shoulders instead. They all thought it was hilarious. Lots of giggles and squeals.

ALL the children I have seen doing it have been doing it through choice. NONE have been forced.
Obviously they have been filmed by someone like a parent, or had a parent help them.
They have all been laughing afterwards, none have been upset in any way!