Skip to main content
Skip to main navigation
Skip to talk navigation

Active discussions

Please or to access all these features

Add post

Watch this thread

Save thread

Start a new thread

Flip thread

Hide thread

My feed

Saved Active Unanswered threads

Getting started FAQ's

Unanswered threads Acronyms Talk guidelines

Hide shortcut buttons

Talk

Flip

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8

AIBU?

AIBU to let my dt's sleep in the back garden?

193 replies

inmyplace · 27/08/2016 19:59

Reassurrance needed. Trying to be chilled. Dt's are 8. In a tent, in our tiny back garden. We live on a cul de sac on edge of a town. Low crime rate but shed did get broken into a couple of years ago. Dh will be in the conservatory with the door open- about 8ish feet away. I thought they'd cave, but no sign of going off the idea. Both just really happy and excited. I need to let them don't I?

OP posts:

Report

AnnieOnnieMouse · 27/08/2016 22:34

I can understand you worrying, OP, but I do agree with your DH. One important thing is that there are two of them, together, so much, much safer than one child. I can't recall at what age my ds camped out in the garden, but it really is good for them. I seem to remember that I was the one who slept in the conservatory.

paddlingpool · 27/08/2016 22:34

Hey OP, you weren't going to sleep soundly anyway before anything else was brought up so I think you are doing the right thing for you and your family by watching out too. I hope they have a great time and you catch up on sleep tomorrow x

squoosh · 27/08/2016 22:34

They'll be absolutely fine!

BertrandRussell · 27/08/2016 22:35

God, there a lot of bollocks on this thread.

OPa they will be absolutely fine- their dad is 8 feet away.

Something horrible happened once 21 years ago. A bloody stupid reason for stopping your children have adventures. Go to bed. Your DP is there. Your children are asleep.

Champagneformyrealfriends · 27/08/2016 22:35

Op I'm so sorry this has made you more worried. I'm sure it was nobody's intention to upset you.

They'll be fine-you're a good mum.

JaimeLannister · 27/08/2016 22:36

Inmyplace nothing worse than thoughts like those at night. I feel for you.

Could you or their dad go in the tent with them?

BertrandRussell · 27/08/2016 22:36

And why on earth is it OK to tell your do that you don't trust him- you have to stay up too.........

MrsFionaCharming · 27/08/2016 22:37

Between us all on the thread, we can name 1 child who's been taken from a tent. But I bet we can each name a child who's been injured in or by a car. They'll be fine - I loved sleeping out as a child!

BertrandRussell · 27/08/2016 22:37

"Could you or their dad go in the tent with them?"

And completely spoil it for them?

Hunsnetloser · 27/08/2016 22:37

shouldwest idea is good. Go camp out with them

BertrandRussell · 27/08/2016 22:38

No it isn't- it's a crap idea.

squoosh · 27/08/2016 22:38

Yes imagine your mum or dad sleeping in the tent with you on your exciting garden sleepout! Er, no.

inmyplace · 27/08/2016 22:39

Shouldwest- that did make me smile
Yes i did think about getting in there with them (after dh refused!), but it's a two man tent and there is a (more rational) part of me that wants to let them do it as they'll be so pleased with themselves. I know i won't sleep all night sitting on guard, but I doubt I'd sleep much more crammed between the two of them.

OP posts:

Tabsicle · 27/08/2016 22:39

I used to sleep in a tent in the back garden at that age. I think I was a few years older (10 or so) when I got my own tent for camping trips with my parents instead of going in with them. I was so proud.

Nothing happened. Statistically it was highly unlikely it was ever going to and I really believe that in these horrible outlier cases, the monster will find a way and there's little a parent can do to stop that, any more than a plane crash (which is about as likely). All any parent can do is protect their kids from the likely dangers while the little ones grow and learn how to be independent and look after themselves. I bet your kids will be fine.

QueenLizIII · 27/08/2016 22:40

Havent read the thread but wasnt a 7 year old girl abducted from a tent from in between her two cousins and murdered?

No way and never would I allow it. Sorry.

MakeMyWineADouble · 27/08/2016 22:41

They will be so happy in the morning proper little adventures keep that in mind as the nights goes on it will be worth it for them and the story's they will tell back at school

TondelayaDellaVentamiglia · 27/08/2016 22:41

wow, what a lot of salacious doom mongering

just look at it logically you do not restrict car journeys/ crossing roads and bike rides..all are more likely to result in accidental death than camping in the back yard

dh and i were just talking about ours....as soon as the summer holidays started they had the tent in the garden and had the best time over the summer

please do not torment yourself or spoil their fun for the sake of some outrageously rare incident many many years ago. and some holier than thou nellies who think they are better parents than anyone else who ever lived.

INeedNewShoes · 27/08/2016 22:42

Oh FFS.

Bubbinsmakesthree · 27/08/2016 22:42

They're probably more likely to come to harm sleeping in their own beds. 250 people died last year in house fires. Camping in the garden has, albeit tragically, killed only one person in over 20 years.

It's natural to feel nervous but they will be fine. My DBro had a horrible accident in a playground when he was my DSs age. I hate taking my DS to the playground, I feel sick watching him on the slide but I can't let my fears prevent him enjoying normal childhood activities.

CoolCarrie · 27/08/2016 22:42

Honestly they will be fine, please don't worry yourself sick about it. Leave the back door open and sleep downstairs if you want to. They will probably be in around 4 am if they are anything like our ds, probably for a wee & maybe back to their own beds. Make sure you have a nice breakfast for them & next time give them extra phone or walkie talkies. They will be fine, it is a rite of passage. I know how you feel, but it will be ok.

sleepachu · 27/08/2016 22:42

yeah, 21 years ago in (I assume) a different place to the OP, by a man who'll never leave prison. but why contextualise when there's drama to be had?

INeedNewShoes · 27/08/2016 22:43

Sorry my FFS was a little slow in posting.

Good for you OP in letting your DT have this experience. I camped out in the garden quite a bit as a kid and loved it.

Don’t want to miss threads like this?

Weekly

Sign up to our weekly round up and get all the best threads sent straight to your inbox!

Email address

Log in to update your newsletter preferences.

You've subscribed!

DameDiazepamTheDramaQueen · 27/08/2016 22:44

Good Lord, so much drama!

You're more likely to have a car accident than someone come in and snatch your children but that wouldn't stop you driving , would it?

Think of all the millions of kids who have camped in their garden and been fine. Yes, one poor little girl was taken and of course we all remember it but that shouldn't stop us doing perfectly ordinary things. As a pp said you're watching them closer than if they were in their beds!

squoosh · 27/08/2016 22:45

Travelling in a car or crossing a road are far riskier things than sleeping in a tent in your back garden. A bit of persepctive!

x2boys · 27/08/2016 22:46

There's some awful posts on here children have been murdered doing errands for their parents, going to school playing out etc honestly I would never let my kids out if I thought about it too much I, m sure ops dt will be fine their dad is just a few feet away.

Flip

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8

Please create an account

To comment on this thread you need to create a Mumsnet account.