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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Wibu? Dragging my son across the room?

317 replies

FuryFowler · 01/09/2015 19:48

My son is 6 and was being a pain at bedtime this evening. I asked him repeatedly to come to bed. I just kept getting an outright no from him as he lay on the sofa. I asked and asked nicely, then I told him, then I shouted at him. Still saying no and basically being rude. I threatened him with dragging him off the sofa to his room, he still refused. So with 2yr old in arms I pulled him off the sofa by his arm and dragged him halfway across the room. I wasn't rough and was going to stop by the doorway in the hope that he would get the message and get up and walk.
I was stopped by my husband who yelled in my face scaring my 2yr old, shouting that "if I ever see you do anything like that again I'll slap you across this room!" He then took both crying kids off me, took them in to the bedroom and closed the door.
I was shocked. I'm now sitting in the car outside not wanting to go back in.
Not sure what to do now? Wibu?..... Tag, I've never dragged him before, he's never been so resistant before and my dh has never yelled like that before Sad

OP posts:
YouTheCat · 01/09/2015 20:30

How come your ds is 6 and only just going into year 1?

Also why not just hand your dh the 2 year old and take the 6 year old up first?

You shouldn't have dragged him. But then your dh shouldn't have sat doing nothing.

WorraLiberty · 01/09/2015 20:31

Neither of you handled this well but you obviously know that.

Tomorrow is another day and you and your DH need to chat about this. In particular, you need to chat about why he didn't help you in the first place.

As an aside, I've never asked my kids to go to bed because that kind of gives the impression they have a choice. I've always said, "OK come on then. It's time for bed".

I don't know if that approach might help in the future?

FuryFowler · 01/09/2015 20:32

youthecat he is 6 in 3 days time. Making him the oldest in yr1

OP posts:
FuryFowler · 01/09/2015 20:32

Thank you worral

OP posts:
Aeroflotgirl · 01/09/2015 20:33

Op you are getting a very hard time on her from the oh so perfect parents brigade on here who can never put a foot wrong. No of course you did not handle the situation very well, you know that, as a good parent recognise that. Your dh dud nit either. You should go in, sit down and talk, apologise to your ds and to one another and move forward. Do not dwell on it, see how you can handle it better next time. Most of us have been there, even if we don't admit it on here.

BrandNewAndImproved · 01/09/2015 20:33

Op I don't think you've done the worst thing ever. I probably would of put the 2yr old down and given a fireman's lift to the 6yr old and plopped him into bed if he was defiant like that. In fact once when my darling son refused to leave the park I did just that.

Dragging was a bit much but your husband is being a twat.

Spartans · 01/09/2015 20:34

Ah I can see why it upset him so much. His words though are not great. But not many are great at dealing with these sort of things without help. And yes can over react.

He doesn't want to be like his dad though either, I assume and so the threatening is not on.

I am glad you are ok and you and your dh are ok. You really need to work out a plan for future though.

BrandNewAndImproved · 01/09/2015 20:35

I am really really really against smacking, but that doesn't mean I'm a wishy washy but oh please darling tarquin you will make mummy said if you don't do what I'm asking you sort of parent.

BrockAuLit · 01/09/2015 20:38

I've just skimmed the thread, but I'm going to go against the grain and say that actually with a 6yo and a 2yo, at the end of the day, at the end of the holidays, sometimes needs must. You asked and asked, then told. Enough is enough. I'm assuming here it wasn't a painful actual dragging, more of a frog-marching. If it was this, I think you can be forgiven.

What can never be forgiven is your DH threatening you with physical violence, especially in front of your DC (one of whom is a boy FFS - way to set an example). How fucking dare he? Who does he think he is??

I see you've resolved the matter, but when tempers have subsided and some time has passed, I would be having a serious conversation with DH. I understand his fears from childhood - honestly - but he needs to learn to control his temper. It's hard, but you are not his DF, and there is absolutely no circumstance on this planet in which him yelling violent threats in front of your DC is acceptable. Under no circumstances is this okay for your children to witness.

Purplepoodle · 01/09/2015 20:40

ok so dragging not ideal but most of us have lost the bop at some point. If anything like my ds he would probably have laughed if I pulled him across the floor by his arm (his brother often caught dragging him around the wood floor and spinning him for fun but that's another story).

however your dh behaviour was harsh esp his language - bit worrying tbh

MsJamieFraser · 01/09/2015 20:40

I don't think YABU, it's not as if you punched or kicked him, you can use physical chastisement. You asked repeatedly, he became rude and you told him you would follow the action threw if he did not go to bed.

The husband however is not BU either, however that a parenting issue you both need to address. Personally I also would be having serious words with my husband if he spoke to me like that.

you done nothing wrong in disaplining your child, however you both need to decide how to dosapine your children together.

WorraLiberty · 01/09/2015 20:41

I'm assuming here it wasn't a painful actual dragging, more of a frog-marching. If it was this, I think you can be forgiven.

I know you said you've only skimmed the thread, but if you just read the OP you'd realise you're assuming wrongly.

threenotfour · 01/09/2015 20:51

I think ywbu to drag him by his arm but you could have done something similar in a more controlled way. I probably would have put the 2yr old down and actually picked up your DS and removed him up to his room or wherever. I woudn't let him just get away with it. But I would have acted differently. Easy for us all to say when not in the moment though.

Your DH is being v. unreasonable though in the way he reacted to you and spoke to you. You need to work together to parent and not let the DC see any divides between you. I would go back in and when all DC are asleep have a conversation about it. Or possible tomorrow if tempers and emotions are running high. I think you may need to consider apologising for your part in the incident. But I would be very clear with your DH that you will not accept threatening behaviour towards you ever again. Very clear.

I hope you get it all sorted and you can clear the air and move on.

BeaufortBelle · 01/09/2015 20:51

Let me tell you a little story OP.

When dd was 3(ish) and DS was (6ish) and it had been a very long day and I was beyond knackered I said it was bedtime. DD refused to get up for bed, she was lying on the floor in the sitting room. There were several requests and she was being stubborn. After about the nth time of asking I took her right hand in mind and pulled thinking it would just make her sit up. It didn't, she screamed and her arm was hanging at her side. In doing that I had dislocated her elbow. There was no undue force at all.

Of course we went to a&e and were treated by the nicest doctor imaginable. I told him it was all my fault, almost in tears. Do you know what he said? He just smiled and said "Mrs Belle, I don't worry about the parents who tell me they did it and it was their fault, I worry about the parents who tell me a story and try to cover things up. This is a very common injury and can happen to anyone; some children can be dragged by the arm through a shopping centre and aren't affected, others are like your daughter. looking at your daughter in your lap, with her head in your chest, crying for mummy and with her arm round your neck, I know she feels safe with you, far safer than with me". And with that he got hold of her arm, yanked it, I heard the crunch, she screamed and all was well. He told me to have a glass of wine when I got home and had put her to bed.

This parenting lark is jolly tricky, even for the best and most caring parents Wink. Tonight wasn't your greatest hurrah; it's part of the big parenting learning curve.

Move on, tomorrow's another day. They know you love them and feel safe with you. Being a parent is very hard and I really admire all the perfect parents out there and now mine are grown I know some of those seemingly perfect parents weren't as perfect as they liked us all to think

hug

InimitableJeeves · 01/09/2015 21:35

OP, I hope you've had a discussion with your DH why he did nothing to help. He could have taken the 2 year old off you, for instance, or he could have gone and picked DS up himself and carried him to bed. I don't understand why he seems just to have sat there watching you.

FuryFowler · 01/09/2015 21:35

Thank you three you've made me cry a little!.... I would feel awful doing that, just like you did x

OP posts:
DixieNormas · 01/09/2015 21:37

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

werewolfinladderedtights · 01/09/2015 21:52

How would you feel if your husband dragged you across the room by your arm?
If it would be unacceptable in those circumstances then it's unacceptable in the circumstances you describe with your son.

Hygge · 01/09/2015 22:02

I'm not going to comment on the dragging your son by his arm, because everything has been said and you yourself have said you were wrong and regret it.

But your DH threatened to beat you up, in front of both of your children, and frightened you so much you went to sit in the car and didn't want to go back inside.

His explanation about being beaten as a child might explain his behaviour, but it doesn't excuse it now, because he's behaved just like his father in front of his own children. Has he had counselling? Because if not he may benefit from having some.

You might have been the one dragging your son but in that moment he also became violent, to you, frightening your youngest, frightening you and with both children in tears.

Your children heard their father threaten to beat their mother. That will stay with them, certainly your eldest is old enough to remember it for a long time.

He did nothing to help you with your older son, not even step in and take your younger one off your hands.

Who knows what your DS will make of that? Will he think that you can't tell him what to do now, because his Dad will stick up for him and side with him against you? Will he think it's okay to drag people, or threaten to slap them across the room if they don't do as he wants them to do? Or will he be scared that his Dad will carry out the threat to slap you across the room if he does anything wrong in the future?

You say you are going to apologise to the children tomorrow, but your DH needs to do the same. He's possibly been more damaging to them than you have.

And you need to sort out why he just sat there ignoring the situation and left you to it. It escalated in part because you were dealing with two children at once, one being very challenging, and he just left you to it.

NotMeNotYouNotAnyone · 01/09/2015 22:04

You were both being unreasonable, you both lost your tempers.

Iliveinalighthousewiththeghost · 01/09/2015 22:14

Okay you lost it. You're not just a mum. You're human being with limits. As we all none of us are perfect. Oh don't get me wrong, there are people who are delued that they perfect, but it just makes them even more inperfect.

Theydontknowweknowtheyknow · 01/09/2015 22:30

Oh FGS. OP you made a mistake, it happens. Like Belle's nice doctor said if you were a bad parent you wouldn't be on MN beating yourself up about it.

DH also acted unreasonably and it's pretty awful that he threatened to slap you. But maybe considering the past he's had he flipped out in the same way you did. I do think if you are to apologise to DC then he should also apologise for his threat of violence

Chalk it all up to experience Flowers

featherandblack · 01/09/2015 22:36

I agree with Hyge that the potential for serious damage to the children lies with what your DH said to you. You both need to think, talk and take advice about how to handle that as a family. Your children need to know it's unacceptable and will never happen again. Your DS also needs to know it wasn't his fault. Maybe a few family counselling sessions would be good. And I don't for a moment feel this is an over-reaction. FWIW, I don't think you did a terrible thing - it wasn't done in anger, wasn't done to hurt, wasn't hurting - and you must have felt so upset afterwards for all sorts of reasons. Thank goodness your DH is decent enough to react the way he has - sounds like his outburst was completely out of character. Many people grow up to repeat childhood abuse but it sounds like he's gone the other way - good for him.

featherandblack · 01/09/2015 22:38

I meant react the way you described your dh reacting in your update BTW

Hellocampers · 01/09/2015 22:45

TouTheCat not really helpful there.

beau think we saw the same doctor as I dislocated dd 3s arm pulling her back as she ran away from me towards the main road.

Was totally upfront as obviously a dislocated arm is less painful than a car running over her body.

He agreed.