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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

We chased some sheep!!

233 replies

Mybeardeddragonjustdied2016 · 18/10/2016 20:36

I never let my kids chase pigeons in town or torment our cats or dogs. But today I actively encouraged my adult dd to carry my 2 year old ds to chase after some sheep.

The reason being ds wanted to cuddle one!! His little face crumpled when they obviously didn't catch one. We took loads of photos instead and he has talked about his wish to cuddle one for hours now. Looks like we will be visiting our nearby kids farm when we get back off holiday!
Are we as parents unreasonable in supporting our kids dreams even if they are somewhat strange?? Should I have told him it was a ridiculous idea or to let him think he had a chance??
The sheep by the way didn't look like they cared less about having to hurry off from a skinny dd carrying a well - clothed ds up a steep grassy hill - before I get rspca flamed!

OP posts:
Sparklesilverglitter · 18/10/2016 20:56

supporting our kids dreams what? He wanted to hug a sleep not climb Kilimanjaro

Yes yabu! The sheep wants to live in peace and not be hugged by children, maybe say "No ds as its not a very kind thing to do-the sheep don't like it"

Children can't always do what they want OP, even if it's there "dream"

TheWitTank · 18/10/2016 20:56

I got butted by the ram not long ago. It fucking hurts!

WappersReturns · 18/10/2016 20:57

Being chased, even for a very short while is very distressing for sheep. It can and does cause them to abort their lambs and can cause sudden death.
I lost my beautiful pet ewe that way just this spring, apparently being on holiday in my area is a wonderful opportunity for tourists to have a bit of a run around the fields with my flock in them. Wasn't much fun for me watching my girl abort her lambs and die with her head on my knee. Wasn't much fun for her either. Or for DH who had to physically carry me out of the barn because I couldn't walk I was sobbing so much.
Hooray for the right to roam.

If your DS loves sheep, please encourage that in a way that's safe, and not distressing for the animals or the people who care for them. If people pass by my place and show an interest I'd be more than happy to let them meet my pet animals if only they'd ask.

Ghostsandpumpkins · 18/10/2016 20:58

Blimey the weirdo threads are out tonight

Yes yabu, leave the fucking sheep alone and explain to your child that it would be cruel to the sheep.

supporting our kids dreams 😂😂😂 ffs! He wants to hug a sodding sheep hardly a fucking dream

Soubriquet · 18/10/2016 20:58

Yabu

You shouldn't let your children chase animals full stop

Even if it's just a pidgeon

StarryIllusion · 18/10/2016 20:59

LOL if you lived near our local petting zoo/farm type thing you wouldn't have let them do that. Those sheep were psychotic and have been known to chase down children that climb into the field and pester them. I did my work experience there as a teen (over a decade ago!) and they had to be guarded by a member of staff to make sure kids stay out. They weren't messing about either, I remember one of the yard managers throwing a spade at them once to make them back off when they caught a little boy and rammed him so he fell down.

YABU to let them chase any animal, they should be taught to respect animals and if that animal doesn't want to be cuddled don't bloody chase it.

Nigglenaggle · 18/10/2016 20:59

Hopefully you are winding us up. Lambing may be starting as early as February on this farm in which case you have very likely made a load of ewes abort and caused the farmer significant financial loss to boot. Some innocent dog walkers will get the blame. Wow. Your Dc has learnt a great life lesson from you today! Well done!

Foxysoxy01 · 18/10/2016 21:00

I presume you checked the field first before allowing your DC to chase the sheep just invade there were any large holes the sheep could have broken their legs in, there were no drops they could have fallen down and died/got stuck/broken neck or legs, there was no sharp barbed wire sticking out of the fence invade they ran towards it and caught an eye, there were no sharp branches on the ground they could have inpaled themselves on? All of these things could've easily happened because they were running away from a threat (your DC!)

I take it you have never seen a herd of sheep aborting their lambs because some silly woman allowed their delightful children/dogs/etc chase the sheep.

ghostyslovesheep · 18/10/2016 21:01

yes YABU maybe teach him to respect animals

Billben · 18/10/2016 21:01

I wonder if OP is gonna be back to try to defend herself or is just sitting back with a glass of wine and enjoying the show.
I'm starting to doubt whether this whole scenario had actually happened, cos surely nobody is THAT stupid

Foxysoxy01 · 18/10/2016 21:02

*invade = incase Blush damn my fat fingers

EdmundCleverClogs · 18/10/2016 21:03

This must be a wind-up. Surely no one is this fucking stupid Angry. It's not even funny, worrying sheep is an offence for a reason!

TheWitTank · 18/10/2016 21:05

Let me guess, OP isn't coming back. Predictable.

BennyTheBall · 18/10/2016 21:05

Idiotic. Really idiotic.

OurBlanche · 18/10/2016 21:06

As nigglenaggle said, that little jaunt could have cost some poor farmer a huge amount of money and his sheep medical distress.

Still, it was worth it, if Little Tarquin had his dream fulfilled.

Pillock!

viques · 18/10/2016 21:06

Isn't it fairly common to pick up ticks from sheep fields, so maybe not the place to encourage your child to explore.

hefzi · 18/10/2016 21:07

So you don't allow him to "chase pigeons... or torment" your own pets but you think it's fine for him to terrorise animals that are also someone else's livelihood so that he can live his dream of cuddling a sheep Hmm?

This absolutely has to be a wind-up thread or a reverse: surely no-one is so divorced from reality that they think chasing farm animals (particularly sheep which, as PP have said, have a tendency to abort if frightened like this) is a lesser evil than chasing pigeons or, for that matter, tormenting any kind of animal at all?

ZippyNeedsFeeding · 18/10/2016 21:07

If those had been my sheep I would have been furious. This far north it isn't tupping time yet, so no sheep would be in lamb, but you stressed them unnecessarily. The sheep you chased may well have been pregnant though at it takes much less than you would think to make them abort(we never use a dog to herd sheep after the ram is let out, for example). If the tup had been with them, you could have been seriously injured- it isn't unusual for a ram to break the legs of an adult and a child would obviously be more seriously injured.

If your kid wants to pet sheep, wait until lambing and ask a farmer if you can help to feed the orphan lambs. Or visit a city farm. Just leave other people's sheep alone.

NoTractorsAtTheTable · 18/10/2016 21:07

Sheep are idiots and get stressed very easily - it's in their nature as a herd animal with a flight instinct. In danger = run.

You'd have to be a bigger idiot than the most stupid of sheep to actively encourage your kids to chase them Hmm

derxa · 18/10/2016 21:08

Oh FFS!!!!

Ausernotanumber · 18/10/2016 21:08

You can't worry sheep! Supporting your kids dreams. Don't be ridiculous.

Tomorrowillbeachicken · 18/10/2016 21:08

You sound like a dick and totally baaaarmy

ZippyNeedsFeeding · 18/10/2016 21:08

Isn't it fairly common to pick up ticks from sheep fields, so maybe not the place to encourage your child to explore.
Yes, especially if those sheep have recently been grazing on moorland. We keep a little tick-removing gadget and inspect the children frequently because of this.

selsigfach · 18/10/2016 21:10

You are an absolute fucking idiot.

ItShouldHaveBeenJessMass · 18/10/2016 21:10

I think the clue is in the OP: we don't let DS chase pigeons in town so I'm guessing she comes from an urban area, rather than rural and may have been genuinely unaware of the potential health hazards and problems this may have caused. Unwise but not malicious.