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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

To thinkbeing in care, as a child, doesn't mean I'll be a bad mum

228 replies

daffodildandeliondaisy · 17/03/2017 22:11

I feel I am treated with hostility for this,and it upsets me.Can anyone explain why?

OP posts:
FlappinSwazy · 23/03/2017 21:28

"they don't want me to do anything"

They want you to access / form a support network. You are contradicting yourself with every post you make almost.

Chattymummyhere · 23/03/2017 21:29

Do you not have friends with babies/children? That is the likely network they want you to have.

daffodildandeliondaisy · 23/03/2017 21:29

No, your just being rude to me but thats okay if it makes you feel good? They would LIKE me to access a support network. One that doesn't exist and never did. So its not posible. Ill live, Ive got DH

OP posts:
HerBluebiro · 23/03/2017 21:30

weebarra how did you find your courses? I've had friends go on them, but they were specific courses because their children had behavioural difficulties. And they were learning to manage those difficulties.

They were really good courses. But not open to general public to go to (I asked because I saw the transformation in my friends' relationships with their children)

daffodildandeliondaisy · 23/03/2017 21:31

My friends don't really have children yet

OP posts:
FlappinSwazy · 23/03/2017 21:35

I'm not the one being rude. You are shunning every suggestion immediately that has been offered. Why bother coming on and starting an AIBU thread? If you are happy just you and your DH then why post on Mumsnet?

daffodildandeliondaisy · 23/03/2017 21:38

Because I didn't come on for suggestions I was just sounding off a bit. And in any case the suggestions have assumed I'm as i said being monitored in some way. Baby groups and parenting classes are fine, although i don't think parenting classses are appropriate really but i don't think baby classes can replace my own family and i feel it's unfair for people to suggest they can. I wouldn't say I was happy as I say I'm finding it tough but I wish I felt I could ask for support without feeling I'm being told off, which tbh is what your also doing to me even if you don't mean to.

OP posts:
HerBluebiro · 23/03/2017 21:44

Noone here has said they'll take your child off you. You raised the possibility early on.

You have reacted with hostility to questions. And granted posters on Aibu can ask searching questions. But you dismiss out of hand when people make suggestions like baby groups etc. There are hoops we all have to jump through to reassure hv, mw, gps, ss that we are doing the best we can to provide a living stable safe home for our children. Your hoop seems to be to show something placating that you are not isolated. But instead you seem to be revelling that it is just you and dh and dc against the world. That you dont need anyone else. And how dare anyone suggest that it is a lot of pressure on one person to be another person's sole support network. And that maybe, just maybe, there are other places to look. Yes the support they provide will be nothing like the support your dh provides. It will be far lesser. But still quite valuable in its own way. To talk to someone else, any one else who has had the sleep battle, the feeding, the mess, the late night fears. Someone else who has been there before.

HerBluebiro · 23/03/2017 21:47

Who has suggested that baby classes can replace your family? They can't.

But people with and without family near by/ inolved at all can find them helpful.

daffodildandeliondaisy · 23/03/2017 21:47

I'm not revelling in it, just accepting it really. Believe me i feel very sad sometimes, especially when I've no one i can just stick the baby with for a bit which sounds awful but sometimes you need that. But the problem is people you meet at baby groups don't provide that support and in fact it just yawns open the difference between your life and theirs and anyway I don't feel like HV wants me to go to baby groups its like she's convinced I just had a silly argument with my family and now I should make up with them when thats not the case. to be honest I don't know what people are getting upset about but it doesn't matter :)

OP posts:
sherazade · 23/03/2017 21:48

The op is getting a hard time here which is quite sad . Why should she have to go to toddler groups full of smug, cliquey mums to prove a point ? They are there for mums who need them and don't in any way make you a better mum for attending . There's no moral high ground for attending them or having a big support network . She never asked for suggestions on how to be a better mum and some of the ideas here are quite patronising . Good luck , OP

picklemepopcorn · 23/03/2017 21:48

I don't think people are shouting at you for having no support. They are worried because you are refusing to consider you might need support or that support is available to you if you are prepared to access it/engage with it/look for it/make an effort.

daffodildandeliondaisy · 23/03/2017 21:50

thanks sheraz :) Idon't think my hv is worried. Imean if your worried about someone you ask them stuff not tell them dont you?

OP posts:
weebarra · 23/03/2017 22:05

biro - I just went to my health visitor. I was having some issues with DC1, but not what I'd call major behavioural stuff. They were great and I met some fantastic women from all sorts of different backgrounds.

HerBluebiro · 23/03/2017 22:09

Thanks I'll ask again. I've moved house so there may be more options in this area

Charley50 · 23/03/2017 22:29

DDD - blimey! You are very defensive. You said you are feeling low; it's clearly because you don't have a support network aka friends!!

When you go to baby groups it's easy to feel a little intimidated, but all new mums (esp. First time mums) are feeling their way, out of sorts, knackered, sleepless nights, thinking wtf have I done (?!) etc.

Some of them will have been in care, or are adopted, or had a shit childhood, or be a victim of DV, or be a single parent or a lesbian or live in insecure rented accommodation, or are asylum seekers.. People don't have perfect lives; but they tend not to mention the shitty parts until they know someone better.

Anyway we don't live in little bubbles and we all need friends; you deserve a few more friends, it's too much pressure on you and your DH just to be 'two against the world.' Mums are just people who happen to have kids, like you.

Kahlua4me · 23/03/2017 22:43

My friend grew up in care and he is now a fantastic dad. It took time though and he had to learn how to trust others and how to rely on them.

There is a group called homestart that may be good for you. They offer help, support and guidance to families. Hopefully there will be one in your area.

I didn't get on at all at any baby groups - far too clicky and judgemental for my liking but I made some great friends once dc started nursery and school. Friends that share parenting/babysitting/ coffee/wine etc Grin Your support network will build over time but you must allow it to happen.

redexpat · 24/03/2017 13:23

OP can you just clarify if anyone of the professionals involved are suggesting parenting classes. Im sorry if Ive missed it. Are SS in your life? If any of them are suggesting parenting class then this is the reasoning behind it: you have been in care. This means that either you were abused or neglected, or possibly that both your parents died. This means that you dont necessarily know what good parenting looks like because you didnt see it growing up. Yes lots of people who werent in care make piss poor parents, but as I said earlier statistically you are more likely to fall into this category. A parenting class would in theory show you what good parenting looks like.

A lot of people on this thread have tried to explain why the professionals are worried, acknowledged that maybe they are putting it in unhelpful terms, given suggestions as to how to allay their fears, and have been broadly sympathetic.

Your assertion that DH says we dont need anyone else does sound like a recipe for abuse. No one wants that to happen to you, everyone wants the best possible outcome.

TheFirstMrsDV · 24/03/2017 13:48

daffodil unfortunately you fall into a 'high risk group' through no fault of your own.
Just because women who have been in care are statistically more likely to have involvement from SS when they become mothers it does NOT mean that being care as a child will make you a bad mother.

Something that some people struggle to understand Hmm

I doubt there is a single person on this thread who would enjoy being told what to do by a sw or hv. No one would relish their parental capacity being assessed 'just because...'

I didn't go to any parent groups when I had DC4 and 5 because I didn't like them.

Its nice if you can make friends so keep an open mind about parenting classes and toddler groups. Also remember that not all professionals are horrible and some will really want to help you.

Flowers
Roomba · 24/03/2017 15:24

I agree completely with TheFirstMrsDV, OP.

None of this is your fault, it is just unfortunate that you fall into a higher risk category. But so does anyone who has experienced prior mental illness, domestic abuse or violence, is an asylum seeker, an eating disorder, is in poverty or any number of prior life experiences. A lot more people than you would think fall into these categories, and everyone is very quick to criticise social services if a parent fails and they haven't picked up on any risk factors, so they have to ask the questions - they are just doing their job. The manner in which they actually do their job and ask the questions can leave an awful lot to be desired on occasion though, which can result in parents actively shying away from seeking help and engaging with professionals.

OP, whatever their life experiences, most parents will read a book (or few) about babies/parenting, will attend antenatal/NCT/breastfeeding classes/baby groups or will seek advice from friends or family about their baby. If you don't do these things, and you don't have children already, how do you learn what is normal and what to be concerned about? How do you know whether your baby not sitting up yet/not eating much/getting a funny rash/not walking or talking yet is normal or not? If you go to baby groups, you tend to see what the other babies of the same age are like, how they are developing, and what is normal or out of the ordinary in your own child in comparison. Say your baby isn't walking yet by a certain age - without using these resources how do you know when you need to see the GP and when things are just fine and you are worrying unnecessarily?

I didn't grow up in care, but rarely see my family due to distance. I was the first of my friendship group to have a baby and had never even held a baby before. I had no clue what to expect and how to perform the most basic of childcare tasks, so I went to the classes and groups and read many books and websites to help me know what to do. My HV wasn't overly concerned about us as she saw I was doing these things.

Now, I hated going to baby group. Most of the other mums were much older than me, were all married (I wasn't), had huge houses in nice areas and fancy cars (unlike me!) and appeared to have family incomes way, way higher than mine. I felt very intimidated by that and felt I stuck out like a sore thumb - hated well meaning mums with plummy accents asking 'So, what does your husband do?' and so on. But actually, once I got over myself a bit and made an effort to keep going, they turned out to be pretty nice and good to chat to about general child development stuff. They didn't look down on me at all, I'd just felt like they would. They weren't 'friends', we didn't socialise outside the group and I never saw them again after I went back to work full time. But they served a purpose for me at the time, and kept the HV off my case as they could see I was trying to 'access support' as they saw it.

Roomba · 24/03/2017 15:33

Posted too soon by mistake, sorry...

Are there any baby or toddler activities that you could attend that aren't as focussed on you 'making friends' as such? Maybe a bounce and rhyme or baby signing type group, baby yoga or library storytime sessions? Maybe you'd find it easier to do something like that, where most of the time you'd be focussing on doing an activity with your baby, rather than being expected to it round talking to other mums, if you see what I mean? Something like that may be a lot easier for you to go along to without feeling as though you were being forced to interact with parents who may judge you - you'd just be doing something fun with your baby for their benefit, but may meet others you get along with if you're lucky? Then you can tell your HV 'Yes, we go along to Baby Gym sessions and Storytime at the library', she'll be happy that she can tick her box and may ease the pressure off a bit. Just a thought.

daffodildandeliondaisy · 25/03/2017 11:59

MrsDV I just really want to say thank you for understanding what I mean. If someone had said that, if they'd said look I am really sorry but because you've been in care there's a couple of questions I have to ask you I wouldn't actually mind.

I quite like the swimming group and some of the others. But I don't find i make friends there. Maybe it's me lol. But the mums are either quite a lot older or a fair bit younger than me and sort of hang round with each other and they are friendly and nice but friends wise I'm not sure.

Plus the songs get stuck in my head, I find. Lol.

OP posts:
Motherof3beautfulgirls · 25/03/2017 12:09

That's strange.... Why would you even tell
Them??? It's nothing to do with them Confused

I used to be in care and had my first child at 20.... Would I even mention it to them? No. That's something personal and I something I wouldn't dream of mentioning to people I don't know. Plus.... What reaction would you expect from them?? A good one? They will think that you don't have a clue and have no support so you've brought that on yourself there.

And no, it does not make you a bad parent, you are not your parents! I had mine young and before that I went through all sorts. My kids are even more taken care of now even more so than the people I know who had kids and wasn't in care.

daffodildandeliondaisy · 25/03/2017 12:10

I didn't, i guess it must be on a record somewhere.

OP posts:
PandaPolar · 25/03/2017 12:12

It's on your medical records - the NHS have codes for people who've been in the care system (as well as a bunch of other things).

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