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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Not to let my dcs go on inflatable floats in sea?

69 replies

fabuLou · 22/08/2015 16:04

So not to drip feed, pil took dcs to seaside and allowed them to do this. I am not happy. UR? Over protective?

OP posts:
TwoFoldBenifit · 22/08/2015 16:53

Definite YANBU, also grew up near the sea, and it was drummed into us.

Incidently ...... does anyone remember filling in the danger pictures at primary school?
We had to colour in a picture, set on a beach, whilst colouring in we had to put right anything that was wrong, like a hat on a child, or draw a rope from a dingy to a rock /post on a beach.... It so stuck in my mind, I think we did simular ones on the countryside code and busy roads in town.

Original poster
fabuLou · 22/08/2015 16:55

The second of her name. In all honesty, i didn't want them to go but agreed this one last time as they mil has form for being nasty to dcs and pil argue which upsets them too. They have done stupid things in the past but I guess I thought they'd learned when we spoke to them about it.Sad

OP posts:
Osmiornica · 22/08/2015 17:08

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

SuperFlyHigh · 22/08/2015 17:13

There was a drama involving the parents of a friend of mine and an inflatable dinghy when the parent went out on it (not the children) - this was told to me when I was a child… so no I wouldn't allow it.

I also live in an area when a few years back 2 children got washed out to sea in Norfolk I think…. when they were on holiday, the parents moved away afterwards, awful.

HackerFucker22 · 22/08/2015 17:25

I'd be absolutely fucking livid and I'd be having words.

Original poster
fabuLou · 22/08/2015 17:28

Dh wanted to us to leave toddler with them while we pick oldest dd up. He said what can happen in the house?Hmm

OP posts:
Theimpossiblegirl · 22/08/2015 17:28

YANBU

I live a few miles from the sea and people often underestimate the strength of the current, with sometimes tragic results.

There is an artificial beach with an enclosed area of water where we will use dinghies but absolutely nowhere else.

A couple of years ago, my friend (Coastguard volunteer) rescued the same teens twice in one weekend. The second time, he punctured the dinghy so it couldn't happen a third time.

Original poster
fabuLou · 22/08/2015 17:28

Hackerfucker22, I've had words. Idiots.

OP posts:
DoreenLethal · 22/08/2015 17:50

Do they not know that the sea has tides and a swimming pool hasn't?

Marynary · 22/08/2015 17:51

I don't think it is safe in the UK as it is easy to drift off but we certainly go on inflatable floats in the mediterranean sea as do many others.

WankerDeAsalWipe · 22/08/2015 17:59

I've let mine do it abroad in a roped off bay, with a lifeguard, as young teenagers who are competent swimmers and have done life guard training themselves and also while me and DP were there. I wouldn't let them do it in this country.

PennyPants · 22/08/2015 18:00

Yanbu riptides and the like and I'm as inland as you can get. Once saw a RNLI rescue at Lyme Regis luckily these girls were OK

Egosumquisum · 22/08/2015 18:07

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Fluffyears · 22/08/2015 19:24

I grew up on the coast and saw many people do idiotic things and have to be rescued. We had respect for the sea as it can change in an instant. Saw some tourists jumping off the harbour last year, good luck to them there is a strong current there and it can smash you back into the wall!

feezap · 22/08/2015 20:48

YANBU! Your PIL are idiots for this.

GoooRooo · 22/08/2015 20:51

YANBU. DH is lifeboat crew and goes mad when people let their kids in the sea on inflatables. Come to that, he doesn't like adults using them either. They are dangerous and put people's lives at risk - including the lifeboat crew who have to go out and rescue them when the current sweeps them away.

Twowrongsdontmakearight · 22/08/2015 20:56

What feezap said. I wouldn't want adults to go out on them either.

PunkrockerGirl · 22/08/2015 20:57

YANBU
You don't mess with the sea.

LumelaMme · 22/08/2015 20:59

YANBU. I'd never let my DC do this (not when they were little and not now they are teenagers) and I was always one of the more easy-going parents when it came to things like how old they had to be to play out or walk alone to the nearest shop.

JoyceDivision · 22/08/2015 21:02

yanbu... my cousins got swept out and had to be rescued years ago... they were waving frantically but because they were not miles out people were just waving back but the currents weredragging them out further...

Tokelau · 22/08/2015 21:05

YANBU OP.

Skiptonlass · 22/08/2015 21:07

Yanbu- not at all!

I've done an awful lot of cold water diving in my time and have a healthy respect for the sea. A rip can drag you out a very long way in seconds. I've been caught in rips, tidal races etc whilst out swimming and diving and its astonishing how fast and far they can take you. Luckily I've always been in a dry suit with boat cover and I know what I'm doing - the thought of a six or ten year old being in that situation is terrifying. Even strong adult swimmers get into difficulty every year.
I'd be pretty livid with your pils - they've been very irresponsible.

mumofboyo · 22/08/2015 21:12

Yanbu. At all. I would also be livid and I consider myself to be quite a laid back parent.

On Monday just gone we went to North Landing at Flamborough and watched a group of lads paddle off in their inflatable dinghy, in what looked like quite calm sea, only to get swept away by the tide and topple over. The lasses who were waiting for them on the beach had to go and get the coastguard (luckily for them, Flamborough RNLI are very close by).

mumofboyo · 22/08/2015 21:13

When I say lads, I mean young adults who looked to be in their early 20s.

hideandseekpig · 22/08/2015 21:19

Yanbu. I will never forget my older cousin about 14 at the time on his inflatable crocodile and he just got further and further away and everyone was calling him back. He was a speck in the distance and everyone was frantic. He was rescued by a couple of blokes who were in a boat nearby luckily. That crocodile never appeared at another holiday.

We had an inflatable boat that my dad took me and my brother out in the sea on but he basically put us in the boat and then held onto it the entire time. He had it tied round his wrist.

My dd is only 18 months old but I already know the answer will be no if she ever asks! So much other fun stuff to do at the beach.