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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

children keeping underwear on

40 replies

megwhitesdrumkit · 30/08/2015 21:57

I'm a regular poster (not some kind of creepy troll) but have NC so as not to out myself here.

We have had family staying over the weekend and although it's been lovely having them here I was extremely glad when they departed this evening.
Their children are very noisy and boisterous and barely listen to a word anyone says to them.
Their parents are the only people who can say anything they'll take notice of but trying to get them to in the first place can be hard work.
Anyway, the point of my post...We were sat in the kitchen yesterday chatting over coffee, and the children were playing in the living room, when the 2 eldest (7 & 8), came in giggling to themselves. We asked what they were laughing at, the 8yo pulls up her skirt, flashes her (bare) bottom, bursts out laughing, then runs away. The 7yo is in fits of laughter.
Shortly after the 8yo comes back, does a bit of a cartwheel through the kitchen, still with no pants on, and then runs off again. Next she comes back with her pants on her head and flashes herself to us all again! The 7yo thought it was hysterical and by this point the 5yo was joining in too! The parents just chuckled and ignored it.
I was Confused and Shock.
I appreciate that I've posted this in Chat not AIBU?, (mainly because I feel I'll get a wider range of responses here) but AIBU to think that, especially at that age, children should be keeping their underwear on and being told that this kind of behaviour is not acceptable, or am I just a killjoy who should accept it for the silliness that it is? (I should also point out that I put a stop to talking about 'poo' at the dinner table, so maybe I just don't 'get' 7/8yo humour?)

OP posts:
Original poster
megwhitesdrumkit · 30/08/2015 21:59

Oops, wrong board, went to AIBU anyway! Grin

OP posts:
Gileswithachainsaw · 30/08/2015 22:03

I had to laugh sorry.

Grin
Gileswithachainsaw · 30/08/2015 22:03

I have 2 Dds so I do sympathise

spanisharmada · 30/08/2015 22:06

Personally I think 7/8 is too old for that and they'd be told to pack it in.

Itsmine · 30/08/2015 22:06

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

ChristineDePisan · 30/08/2015 22:07

I agree it's a bit old to be doing that

thehypocritesoaf · 30/08/2015 22:08

Yeah I probably would have said- 'oy...'

Helenluvsrob · 30/08/2015 22:08

Not your kids I guess thiugh chuckling parents is rather encouraging a behaviour you might think really might be reaching the end of its life at aged 8.

I'm afraid I'd have to enforce the " pants on of sitting on furniture / pants on when sitting at the table rule " that we used to have though!

Supermanspants · 30/08/2015 22:09

If I was a guest in someone's home I would have pulled my kids up on that. They may well do that in their own home. That said, it is all part of growing up and bums being funny and all that. Plus kids love an audience so the parents laughing probably kept it going a bit.

AuntyMag10 · 30/08/2015 22:09

Yanbu, I can understand at 3/4 as they're still learning but at 7 and 8 it's really not ok or funny. I would have had no problem in saying please behave to those children. And their parents sitting there thinking everyone is charmed by the darlings are idiots. These are school aged children, I wonder if they're doing it elsewhere too.

Aeroflotgirl · 30/08/2015 22:10

They are too old to be doing that, and shou,d be talked to about privacy and keeping privates private.

Gileswithachainsaw · 30/08/2015 22:12

Do they watch youtube or anything. I find sone of the ridiculous things my dd funds funny come from one if these youtube clips

Shineyshoes10 · 30/08/2015 22:13

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Original poster
megwhitesdrumkit · 30/08/2015 22:14

Thank you. I'm glad it's not just me!
Having started my periods at 10, I was very aware of changes to my body happening at around her age.
I'm not saying children need to grow up any faster than they already are, but I think boundaries really should be in place already by her age.

I hope it isn't going to happen again, but if it does I'll have to have a firm word with her parents about how uncomfortable it makes DH and I feel.

OP posts:
rollonthesummer · 30/08/2015 22:15

Have you got children, OP?

Original poster
megwhitesdrumkit · 30/08/2015 22:16

Yes giles they do watch YouTube.

I do have children rollon but they're a bit younger than the relatives children.

OP posts:
littlejohnnydory · 30/08/2015 22:17

I wouldn't let my three year old do it, let alone my 8 year old.

ShelaghTurner · 30/08/2015 22:19

My 7 and 3yo daughters are often naked at home and think it's hilarious to wiggle their bums at me. So I can totally imagine them doing this. However, not in someone else's house or if we had visitors.

Gileswithachainsaw · 30/08/2015 22:19

possible they got it off that then.

I think by 7/8 they have usually got over thee flashing bums being funny thing as that's when they do get a bit more aware if their bodies.

However younger siblings can be a convenient excise to act like an idiot Hmm

yes the parents should have pulled them.up on it not being appropriate but i don't think. It's abnormal behaviour as such.

TheFairyCaravan · 30/08/2015 22:22

I wouldn't have allowed it.

I wouldn't allow cartwheels indoors regardless of the pants situation either.

Original poster
megwhitesdrumkit · 30/08/2015 22:25

fairy that was another issue entirely! As was playing with a football in the house and riding the bike up and down the hallway! Angry

OP posts:
Bellebella · 30/08/2015 22:29

I have cousins who are 7 and 8 and they have flashed myself and my partner when we have been visiting them. They actually wiggled their bottoms. We are a close family though so we just told them to put it away and thought nothing of it. Some kids do it but not at someone else's house so I would have put a stop to as soon as they did it.

HicDraconis · 30/08/2015 22:31

My boys are 7&9 and wouldn't find this funny any more, although they found wiggling bare bottoms at me hilarious when they were 5ish.

They still think poo jokes are the funniest things ever since ever though /sigh. I work in a predominantly male department and sadly it looks like the chortling at poo jokes is still funny for some in their 40s...

Absolutely a pants on rule for sitting on furniture, in the kitchen and with guests or at someone else's home. Likewise they play with soccer balls inside our house but wouldn't in anyone else's.

Rainuntilseptember15 · 30/08/2015 23:32

Mine would do this but not in front of visitors. A sign of how relaxed they were, perhaps? Grin

Pranmasghost · 30/08/2015 23:59

TheFairyCaravan...by Beatrix Potter :)

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