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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

To think pinning a child down is absolutely unacceptable?

118 replies

LottieG100 · 02/06/2017 23:50

My DD is 10 and sees her dad every other weekend and some extra during holidays. I have wondered about mild SN in the past - one of the reasons being because she can get very hysterical very quickly over minor things. She hates being enclosed, any slight injury or pain and bodily related things like being ill, having her hair or nails cut.

Bearing this in mind; her toe nails have a fungal infection. She can't bare to look at them and getting samples to send for analysis was extremely difficult. Because of the infection, they grow very slowly yet her dad is insisting on cutting them every time she sees him. I'm not exaggerating when I say that she is horrifically upset over having her nails cut. She panics and screams like she's being murdered.

She's come back from his several times now saying he has forced her to let him cut her nails. I've asked how he can force her (knowing how difficult it is to persuade her) and she's said she gets as upset as she does at home but he pins her down and does it anyway. He later laughs about it. I've pointed out to her that she would be absolutely livid about being pinned down if I were to do it and that she'd tell me so and that no one has a right to do something to her body that she doesn't want them to. I've told her she needs to stand up to him and say it's unacceptable but she said she's worried he won't see her anymore if she does. I said that she can't carry on letting him hurt and upset her on that basis but she then clams up.

Having tackled him, he thinks she needs to get over it and is being ridiculous to get in such a state about it all. He doesn't see anything wrong in what he's doing. AIBU to think pinning a child down is absolutely wrong and to take matters out of her hands and tell him that if it happens again then contact will be restricted until he takes matters to court?

OP posts:
LottieG100 · 03/06/2017 00:15

I cut her nails a day or two before she goes. They absolutely do not need doing. She clearly says he has forced her and pinned her down despite her explaining I've already done them and her screaming and crying for him not to.

OP posts:
NeedsAsockamnesty · 03/06/2017 00:16

Sorry just seen she's getting treatment

LottieG100 · 03/06/2017 00:16

He mocks her and tells her she's an idiot baby for getting so het up about nails.

OP posts:
WorraLiberty · 03/06/2017 00:16

If you're cutting them short enough, there'll be nothing for him to cut Confused

Pollyanna9 · 03/06/2017 00:17

Good points whattodo - I think he's causing more of a problem than helping. But it's not her job to stand up to him - how's she supposed to fight off a grown man!!

If you don't want it doing by him you have two choices either she does it herself or you do it for her - if she doesn't want to go there and have him force it on her. And you can advise him that you have it sorted and you're following a specific treatment regime so he needs to NOT go anywhere near her toenails.

Happy to PM you with my (pretty successful) fungal nail-fighting techniques if you'd like OP!

SmitheringSmithison · 03/06/2017 00:17

With your updates it sounds like he's not doing it for her benefit then.

If she'll let you do it with persuasion (my daughter is the same and I always have to negotiate nail cutting, guaranteed it will be at least one night after I say I want to do them that she allows me too!) could you arrange to do them the night or two before she goes to her father (even if it's just filing them so that there is nothing for him to cut). That way you're taking the issue out of his hands and your daughter should feel less anxiety and upset at being able to show him they don't need doing thus he may get bored of that power play and give up trying.

Pollyanna9 · 03/06/2017 00:18

He sounds like a bullying wanker the more I hear about how he's going about this. Seems like a bloody great power trip for him.

RedHelenB · 03/06/2017 00:18

She wants to see her Dad so you threatening no contact isn't helping her. He s doing it for her own good, not to torture her.

rolopolovolo · 03/06/2017 00:19

He sounds awful but it sounds like you let your daughter get a fungal infection rather than treat it because she doesn't like her toes touched and that doesn't sound good either.

Are you just leaving her with the infection? Not treating it?

SmitheringSmithison · 03/06/2017 00:19

Sorry cross posted I see that you already do that.

IDontBowlOnShabbos · 03/06/2017 00:19

Sorry was writing my reply before your update of abusive behaviour.

Could you say to him that her nails have been cut the day before she is due at his so there's no need for him to cut them? You could try and convince your dd to cut them herself the day before so its not as stressful as being held down.

LottieG100 · 03/06/2017 00:19

I don't think he actually is cutting them, WorraLiberty. Like you say - there's nothing left to cut. I think he just enjoys enforcing his power over her.

OP posts:
rolopolovolo · 03/06/2017 00:20

wait just saw it was being treated. if they've been cut already, what is he cutting?

Is he just cutting her?

rolopolovolo · 03/06/2017 00:21

so much crossposting. lol. can you just be clear: is he actually physically cutting anything or not? Is he not actually cutting anything or is he cutting "nothing" in your opinion?

LottieG100 · 03/06/2017 00:21

It is being treated. She treats it herself (with supervision). The ironic thing is, she caught it from him.

OP posts:
Snap8TheCat · 03/06/2017 00:22

I don't see why he needs to get involved.

He's her parent as much as you are. How would you feel if he said that about you getting involved with any aspect of your dd's care?

Smeaton · 03/06/2017 00:22

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

LottieG100 · 03/06/2017 00:23

I don't see that there's anything left to cut. They don't look any different when she comes home. She's so hysterical when being pinned down that she wouldn't know if he's actually cutting or not.

OP posts:
WhatToDoAboutThis2017 · 03/06/2017 00:23

He sounds awful but it sounds like you let your daughter get a fungal infection rather than treat it because she doesn't like her toes touched and that doesn't sound good either.

You don't get a fungal infection from not touching your toes Confused

SmitheringSmithison · 03/06/2017 00:24

Does your daughter want to go to him? I'm just wondering if you said to him that she's upset that he keeps trying to cut her nails when you've already done them, if he then did it again after you told him how he was making her feel could you then back your daughter up by telling her you won't make her go and telling him so on her behalf?

LottieG100 · 03/06/2017 00:25

Snap if he could do something with DD that caused one thousand times less upset than if I did it, I'd let him get on it. Not carry on doing it just because I could.

OP posts:
StrumpersPlunkett · 03/06/2017 00:25

She is perfectly old enough to do it herself
Buy her a set and get her used to doing it.
When she goes to Dads she makes sure he sees she is doing it and there will be nothing for him to restrain her over.
If she doesn't like him doing it she is old enough to take control and cut her own nails.

LottieG100 · 03/06/2017 00:26

She absolutely will not go against him in any way Smithering. Even if that means she's upset as a result.

OP posts:
SpareASquare · 03/06/2017 00:28

I think you telling her to let him know he won't see her if he does it, far worse, as is the idea you'll restrict contact.
I've held my children down for things many times. Medicine being one. There are just things that have to be done and if that is the only way, then no, I'm not going to mess around trying to 'persuade' my child to go along with it. To make a production over getting my child to agree would, I imagine, just foster hysteria and screamiing. I'd much rather get it over with and move on. Not feed into the drama of it all.

Seeingadistance · 03/06/2017 00:30

I agree that this sounds like a power trip for him, and actually has nothing to do with his daughter's toe nails.

Could she take clippers or nail scissors with her, and as part of her treating the infections show her dad that she is cutting her nails, even a little, herself? That way, he has no reason to do it himself.

Some of the other behaviours you describe do sound like sensory processing issues, which my son has - he also has a diagnosis of Asperger's. I'd recommend, if you haven't already done so, speaking to your GP about this.

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