Meet the Other Phone. Protection built in.

Meet the Other Phone.
Protection built in.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

To be sick of DHs excuses for DD's bad behaviour!

99 replies

Fatlapdancer · 09/03/2015 08:07

We have two DD's eldest is 5 and youngest 19 months. We have quite literally had the weekend from hell with both of them winding each other up.

DD1 has been going through an awkward phase for the last 3+ years now. Nothing is ever right for her! She won't eat anything I cook for her, every meal she's had she's thrown on the floor this weekend!! I use the naughty step and take away treats butDH says I'm being too harsh. Like yesterday morning when she threw her crumpets on the floor "oh she's tired". NO SHE IS FUCKING NOT!! She's been up an hour and had 12 hours sleep 7pm-7am!! NOT.TIRED.

She has moaned, screamed and cried all weekend. We went out for dinner yesterday as a very rare treat. Sunday dinner all over the floor due to my Brazilla daughter and my sackless DH "oh she's tired". No she's turning into a complete and utter prissy princess because you have never backed me up with punishments and you have always pussy footed around your PFB!!!

OP posts:
Orangeanddemons · 09/03/2015 21:24

My dd is like this, and has been for the 8 years of her life. I second reading the Explosive Child. It really really helped me understand her. And I spent all her life looking for help with her. It has helped create a more peaceful and calmer environment, although we still have those days. Sanctions never ever ever worked with her, ever, they just made the whole situation worse. Much worse. We were desperate and at loggerheads all the time.

Normal sanctions just do not work with these types of children. We had 3 others, but then we had the Tazmanian Devil. But reading that book helped us a lot, and she is lovely despite her moments.

She is also angelic at school. But as a lot of the behaviour is anxiety driven, she is likely to behave well in situations like school. Home can be a different matter......

Fatlapdancer · 09/03/2015 22:01

It's funny you should say that as he says to them "I'll set bad cop on you" or "you don't want to upset bad cop."

DH is more laid back than me and I accept this. I don't accept being undermined! I feel as though I am consistent.

It's like he's trying to get them to take sides. He thinks they'll favour him if he gives in to them all of the time. He gives them both plenty of attention and is lovely with them to be fair!

I knew as soon as I'd written the "control" comment I should've reworded it. I meant control their tantrums and outbursts. I also agree that there are a lot of people on these kinds of threads who are out for blood! Though most have been very supportive and helpful so I thank you for that!

We had another teatime tantrum tonight. DH said "right no bath". See, I don't think personal hygiene is something that should be missed as a punishment. It's part of the wind down routine and its vital IMO to get them to sleep well. Esp on a school night. She DID clean her food up however which is a step in the right direction.

OP posts:
zzzzz · 09/03/2015 22:22

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

BertieBotts · 09/03/2015 22:26

I know what you meant about control, and I've been known to get a bee in my bonnet about "controlling" parents in the past. It was clear that you don't expect her to be a little obedient robot, don't worry.

I agree that missing a bath is a strange and counterproductive threat/sanction.

I think you need to have a serious talk with him. I think it can be good when parents have different approaches. DH and I certainly do. I found it difficult at first, because I was brought up by a single parent, so it was outside my range of experience. And when I spent time with my dad, although he was different to mum, my stepmum and he were very similar in their attitude and approach so I sort of learned that as the norm, if that makes sense. Whereas PIL are still together, and had very different parenting styles. DH explained to me that this is very helpful for a child because they can see different approaches in practice. It does, however, depend on three solid things to be in place. 1, that you always back up anything the other has said if they come and ask you, 2, that you don't undermine each other in front of the children and 3, that you agree on the ultimate boundaries/rules of what is OK and what isn't OK in the house, you're singing from the same hymn sheet, as it were, even if you're the soprano and he's the tenor. You complement each other. If and when you do have issues about how the other is handling something then you talk when you're alone, never in front of them.

So talk. You need to agree broadly on what kind of behaviour is OK and what isn't and where the boundaries lie. They can vary a little bit - DH is more tolerant of noise whereas I am more tolerant of mess. When a boundary is approached or crossed, it needs dealing with. Ignoring is not dealing with something - it's neutral. It's fine to use ignoring as a discipline strategy as long as it's coupled with something, like high praise for doing the right thing, a lot of micromanaging and signposting, other encouragement to do the desired behaviour etc. But ignoring everything or ignoring plus punishment/threats is not an effective strategy, it's just doing nothing.

If you're going to do sanctions you need to agree what the sanctions will be. If they are vague then put some things off limits - for example some people say that the bedtime story is off limits for a sanction. Others might say that a reward the child has earned for being good can't be removed as a sanction. Things which affect others, e.g. cancelling a playdate, might also be off limits. And of course a lot of people decide that physical punishment is off limits.

The Team Daddy thing (and bad cop) have to stop. Anything like that is undermining you, and yes you are totally right - he is doing it because he is picking sides, perhaps scared of losing that relationship with them. Unfortunately, he's throwing you under the bus to do so. Every time he puts himself on a "team" with the children against "bad cop", he's painting you as somebody bad or scary, which is just totally selfish as well as being unhelpful. It's great that he wants to have a good relationship with them - he does not have to do that at the expense of your relationship with them. In fact to do so is so grossly unfair. He really has to get over the fear that if he disciplines them, they will stop liking him, doesn't he? Do you think he might read some parenting books (123 magic is pretty good for this "They won't stop loving you" pep talk, and is a nice easy system to learn because it's step by step) at all? Or How To Talk, Playful Parenting, if he wants something more positive. Ultimately there should be no sides. Your whole family is a team but you and he are the leaders or the coaches.

I think you need to get him to try some structured discipline tactics including giving some consequences, get him to try them out over a weekend and then witness how the DC don't stop loving him or wanting to play with him, and are just the same afterwards. Perhaps even better, because they know where the lines are more.

MrsCakesPrecognition · 09/03/2015 22:29

I agree that missing a bath isn't a great sanction - but having some bubble bath / fun bath toy etc. which only come out if her behaviour is up to scratch might be useful. I know I used to feel that bad behaviour at the end of the day was hard to deal with as there wasn't a lot of time left to impose a sanction without impacting on hard-won routines, so I sneakily started building in some extra "treat" bits of the routine which could be left out if necessary. It did help.

MrsCakesPrecognition · 09/03/2015 22:31

The other bedtime sanction that worked for us was that DS usually had two (short) bedtime stories, but if he played up then, very sadly but what could we do?, we would only have time for one story.

BertieBotts · 09/03/2015 22:34

I think I'm leaning to what zzzzzz is saying. The boundaries can be flexible with each parent and they don't have to have exactly the same rules, but they can't contradict each other either.

If one parent says "We must always be kind and gentle to animals" and the other says "Yeah! Let's go and hunt cats in the neighbourhood and throw stones at them and hurt them for fun!" (Random extreme example there) then the child is confused, and they will often be getting told off for being too mean or too gentle with animals.

Although, I suppose, it does then have the advantage that when they come across a cat themselves without either parent present they are able to think for themselves "Hmm, which course of action do I prefer? Being nice to cats or being mean to cats?" having had the experience of both. Whereas if they have been taught one way and one way only they may be less likely to stop and think.

Hmm. Taking the morals out of it, though, because that example has a clear right/wrong side to it, that's food for thought.

VirginiaTonic · 10/03/2015 06:30

There's a difference between mum and dad having different personalities which reflect on their manner with their children and how they deal with their child, and one parent having total disrespect for the other parent's authority. After all, you both have to parent at the same time, parenting isn't about 'turn taking' so one has to support the other for a great majority of the time in the same home. It's ok for a school or nursey to have a different approach and rules to home, children get that, but house rules have to remain the same whichever parent is in charge or one parent will automatically be the 'baddy'.

As for you dd's behaviour, unless she has SNs then then throwing food on the floor (in a resaturant Shock )and mega lie down supermarket tantrums at 5 years are not the norm. You are right not to accept excuses for this.

zzzzz · 10/03/2015 07:29

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Lovemycatsandkids · 10/03/2015 08:08

zzzz now why would you think you were irritating me or any poster? Mumsnet is about opinions and debate. That's the whole point. Confused

As I have also said parents have different approaches and yes one parent might say yes to toast in front of the tele while the other days no. The 'don't tell mom/dad whispers are fun of course.

However this case isn't like that is it. We are trying to help the op. This case sounds like severe and repeated undermining of the op by her dh and this may not be helping her dds obviously out of control and odd behaviour.

Subtle differences are nice and human but in my view huge inconsistencies in parenting are unfair to the child.

zzzzz · 10/03/2015 08:30

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Lovemycatsandkids · 10/03/2015 08:40

I would agree with you if the child was older but no at 4 such huge inconsistencies and disagreements are unfair.

The ops dd is unsettled so these inconsistencies are clearly not working here or she wouldn't have posted.

Many people are drawn together as a couple but we all know that adding children to the mix can make or break a couple.

In my view the op and her dh need to sit down and work out what they see as fair and sensible parenting and then apply it.

zzzzz · 10/03/2015 09:14

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

LondonZoo · 10/03/2015 11:19

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

LondonZoo · 10/03/2015 11:20

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Eva50 · 10/03/2015 11:26

Your main problem is the lack of consistency and boundaries as PP's have said but Ds3 (8) used to have some epic meltdowns (I have two older boys one with ADHD and one with ASD so I have seen a few) and I can see that the worst ones were when he was tired, hungry or was asked to do something without being given fair warning.

At mealtimes I found it best to warn him I was going to start dinner, what it would be and what time it would be ready. Then I would give a five minute warning and ask him to wash his hands and help set the table/choose the colour of straw for his drink or any other little task. At bath time I give a 15/10/5 minute warning and ask him to do the bubble bath. Same warning for bedtime and choose the book/find the chapter. He still responds better to knowing exactly what's expected of him although he hasn't had a meltdown since Boxing Day 2013 witnessed by hundreds at the Boxing Day sales! Blush

Littleen · 10/03/2015 11:28

It sounds like you need to do a very thorough exercise of putting yourself in your daughters shoes, with eyes wide open, chuck away any judgement of yourself, and just try to feel what she feels. Something's wrong for her to behave the way she does, your anger will not help solve the problem.

OnlyLovers · 10/03/2015 11:34

Your DH would drive me mad. 'team daddy'? Hmm Encouraging them to the sides and actually saying 'bad cop'?

She may well have underlying issues that are contributing to her behaviour, but surely the first step in addressing them is for both parents to present a united front?

Isetan · 10/03/2015 11:42

Every child is different and what works for one won't work go the other.

However, before you tackle your DD behaviour you need to have an open discussion with your H. Consistency and backing each other up is essential, if you don't , you'll risk sabotaging any measures before you have started.

LondonZoo · 10/03/2015 11:42

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

OnlyLovers · 10/03/2015 11:43

London, yes, that was my point!

Isetan · 10/03/2015 11:54

Crap! Posted while still drafting.

My point is, talk to you H and find out what motivates his parenting choices. Is he lazy or is he over compensating. Discipline starts with the parents.

It appears shes capable of behaving at school, which is encouraging. Get some of the books recommended up thread and look out for parenting support in your area.

Good luck and don't take her behaviour personally.

Lovemycatsandkids · 10/03/2015 12:10

She's behaving at school because she understands the concequences when she doesn't.

Team daddy is such a undermining fairly nasty way to isolate the other parent.

My df used to do this with my older boys and talk about boys clubs to exclude my dds.

Stamped on that pretty hard. It can be a control issue too as in he's exerting control over your dd to behave badly and direct that behaviour at you op. My df is extremely controlling so I recognise that as a potential behaviour.

Either way it's either calculated or at best lazy and careless parenting.

It would be hard for me to parent with someone so uncooperative and unsupportive.

Hope you get it sorted.

notquiteruralbliss · 10/03/2015 12:48

You could always try lightening up on any rules that aren't absolutely necessary. We have never really had much in the way of rules in our house (or consciously done anything that we would describe as parenting) and DCs seem to have coped just fine. They do find their own boundaries.

New posts on this thread. Refresh page