Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Only the apps you allow.

Meet the Other Phone.
Only the apps you allow.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Is this the most stupid parent ever?

169 replies

Booboostwo · 30/05/2017 20:09

Beat this one if you can.

DD has a best friend at school. We often invite the little girl and her parents reciprocate. The first time DD was to be driven by the friend's mum I asked if they needed to take DD's car seat, but the mum said that it was not needed as she had a lot of spare ones.

DD came back from that visit saying that the friend's mum had not strapped her into the car seat but DD was 4yo at the time and I put it down to DD making up stories. DD was driven twice more each time saying she had not been strapped in which got me a bit worried.

The friend had picked up her DD the other day and we were chatting to them while they were both in the car. The friend was not strapped in as she was standing up and showing DD something out of the window. The friend sat back down in her seat and the mum went to drive off, so I said 'oh be careful she doesn't have her seat belt on', to which the mum replied 'It's OK she's sitting in her car seat'.

Is this the world's stupidest parent? Does she really think that the seat itself somehow magically keeps a child safe in case of an accident? Or am I even more stupid for entrusting my DD to this woman?

OP posts:
TheNoodlesIncident · 31/05/2017 00:29

I remember someone going on a horse ride with her little baby held on the saddle in front of her.

A HORSE RIDE. WITH AN UNRESTRAINED BABY perched on a slithery leather saddle, held with one hand (the other holding the reins of course). She wasn't an experienced rider either, looked a total novice.

I was Shock and couldn't believe she was allowed to proceed. If it was now I would intervene, regardless of the reaction of the parent.

Solo · 31/05/2017 01:55

A 5/6 month old being given bubblewrap to play with; he was chewing on it!

quizqueen · 31/05/2017 02:21

The car seat issue and the guns are the reason you should base your decision on as to whether you let your child be looked after by this woman. Her voting preference is her own business. France is a democratic country and the Front National are a legal political party.

Pallisers · 31/05/2017 02:32

To be honest, you might want to focus less on the stupid parent (yes they are very stupid indeed) who doesn't strap in and more on your own attitude of not believing your child when they tell you something straight.

DD came back from that visit saying that the friend's mum had not strapped her into the car seat but DD was 4yo at the time and I put it down to DD making up stories.

This is certainly not a "cover yourself in glory" parenting moment either.

user1491572121 · 31/05/2017 02:36

She must think the carseat has magial properties! An invisibility cloak of protection! Shock

Eminado · 31/05/2017 03:00

It's quite stressful reading these examples Shock

Pallisers · 31/05/2017 03:33

Actually I find it quite stressful reading how the OP ignored what her child was telling her.

JeNeSuisPasVotreMiel · 31/05/2017 05:40

I used to have a friend who would give her 1yr old a nightly bottle of Coca Cola to drink in his bed.

Because he really liked it.

It was ok though, it was flat not fizzy.

Original poster
Booboostwo · 31/05/2017 05:56

Mumoftu we were stood by the car for a while and I had a good, nosy look as I wanted to figure this one out. I had seen the friend's DD loose in the back seat of the car before but it was always arriving at the school car park and I thought the little girl had gotten into the habit of undoing her seatbelt early but no, she just sits in a seat. The seatbis a HBB with no harness. I cannot swear to this but the car looks far too old to have isofix, but either way the seatbelt was not being used and the child just sat on the seat unrestrained and left.

Biscuits in a cot is scary!

OP posts:
ArgyMargy · 31/05/2017 06:05

Ooh yes let's have a go at the OP, because no child ever made up a story or got facts wrong, ever.

Instasista · 31/05/2017 07:32

joffmognum you've reminded me of a family friend who had 3 children, and had tried to BF all 3 before stopping because she didn't have enough milk.

She had her 3rd at the same time as my 2nd and told me on the 3rd night she'd given formula because the baby kept waking up at night so she can't have enough milk again.
A 3 Day old baby. And it was her third.
And she expected it to sleep all night.

Not bad parenting but I was Shock

Twoevils · 31/05/2017 07:48

On a skiing holiday last Feb we were happily pootling down a very quiet blue run when a snowboarder whizzed past with a baby (maybe 7-8 months) strapped to his front. My jaw dragged on the floor for the rest of that run - couldn't believe the stupidity.

Also saw a Dad on school run recently cycling with a toddler in one of those large framed bachpack carriers. He looked really unsteady weaving through all the pedestrians Shock

HearTheThunderRoar · 31/05/2017 08:01

About 10 years ago, a woman who was driving some school kids to an activity as part of a school trip (parent's would provide transport to save money on a coach), said she seat six children in her car, yet she could seat four but put the other two in the boot Shock

I am just thankful, I had my own DD with me.

BetterEatCheese · 31/05/2017 08:17

I didn't let one of my friends look after dd as she never strapped her dds in and let them sit on the front seat next to each other. I mentioned it once and she got very cross with me

PainCanBeBeautiful · 31/05/2017 10:22

I haven't read everything yet. I don't understand how she drove off with your daughter unstrapped? Surely you must have helped her into the car and waved her off so you should have noticed.

Squishedstrawberry4 · 31/05/2017 10:25

Just say something. I have in the past. 'DD needs to be strapped in please. I don't feel comfortable about her being loose in the back'

GabsAlot · 31/05/2017 10:33

wish people wold rtft first

its funny though how far weve come a a child i used to sit on the floor of the car sit on peoples laps all crushed in we thought it was fun can u imagine if we had a crash

MissionItsPossible · 31/05/2017 10:43

GabsAlot I was all agog reading this thread until I saw your post and remembered how in my uncle and my dad's cars as kids we used to sit in the back seat, seatbelts off, crushed together and my uncle or my dad purposely swerving the car from side to side on empty roads to make us laugh

PainCanBeBeautiful · 31/05/2017 10:46

Gabs. It says in the first post that her dad was repeatedly not strapped in. Why did the op not know this when she brought her child out to the car?

PainCanBeBeautiful · 31/05/2017 10:47

Daughter sorry, not dad.

LoisWilkersonsLastNerve · 31/05/2017 10:52

My ds was driven about by a friends mum IN THE FOOTWELL as she was squeezing 5 kids in the car, he was 5. Needless to say I was the bad guy calling her out when I should be grateful she was taking him outAngry

Solo · 31/05/2017 10:52

My mum used to carry me as a tiny baby in her arms on the back of dad's motorbike in the 60's.

Agerbilatemycardigan · 31/05/2017 10:54

She's plumbed the depths of dumb.

DorkMaiden · 31/05/2017 10:57

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

DorkMaiden · 31/05/2017 10:58

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Swipe left for the next trending thread