To let my baby play with glass jars?

[Goldfishshoals]

My 5 month old is fascinated watching peoples drinks, especially if they have ice/fruit etc floating in them.

So I thought he might find it fun if I half filled a couple of small very sturdy jars with water and various floating/sinking objects to push around and look at on the soft floor of his playmat (while constantly supervised, lids taped down for extra paranoia even though I know he can't open them).

My DM saw and has basically had a go for my dangerous parenting - glass is a terribly bad idea and that the baby might suddenly learn to throw them.

I'm pretty sure I would struggle to break one by throwing, I know I've dropped one from counter height into a tiled floor and it didn't break, and the baby can't really throw at all (he can drop things, but I was only playing down on the floor on a soft mat where they had no where to fall). Plus I was right there helping him roll the jars.

My instinct is to ignore my DM (long history may be clouding my judgement) but the doubt is in my mind. So mumsnet jury, was I unreasonable to let my baby play like this?

I don't see a problem with it, especially as he's being supervised. I'm sure you're sensible enough not to put your baby in any risky situations.

You probably shouldn't have asked, just gone with your own judgement

As an aside, mine loved clear plastic bottles filled with glitter, sand, beads etc at that age.

I wouldn't give my baby glass to play with, it's not ideal really is it? Just because a child likes something doesn't mean they should be given it. My son loves watching Daddy do archery, but I wouldn't let him have a go even under supervision.

My baby's 5 months old. I don't see the issue as I agree, she wouldn't possibly be able to lift or move a glass jar full of water.

FWIW I am a truly terrible mother and I occasionally let her gum the edge of my coffee cup when I'm finished drinking, because she's also at the stage of being fascinated by drinks. It's solid with a thick rim and I doubt she's going to do herself any harm.

I don't really see any big issue with it either. A toddler, definitely not, because they are strong enough to pick it up and throw it.

But a baby lying on their tummy with their mum rolling a jar about on the floor in front of them, and the baby occasionally reaching out and touching it, doesn't sound risky at all to me.

I will accept the mumsnet opinion that my child is lucky to have survived the water filled jar rolling game and not risk any hypothetical future children with that particular improvised game in the future (but no, I'm not going to go out and buy plastic jars for a one off few mins of baby entertainment ).

I do accept glass can be unpredictable, but I didn't consider the risk high (a friend had a glass shower screen randomly shatter - I know it's possible but I still take the baby in the bathroom).

glass feeding bottles are all the rage in some circles

If I confess that the babies only feeding bottle is glass will I get lynched?

It was a risky thing to do. YABU.

I kind of disagree. I can't see what the risk is. Yes it could break. The child could hit themselves with it? The child could bruise themselves? Yes, they could with lots of toys. Cars? Wooden hammer set etc. Etc.

A 5 month old will not pick up the jar and smash their head, but a 5 month old on their tummy with a glass jar may pick up their HEAD and smash it on the jar - common sense seems to go out the window on both sides.

They couldn't do any more damage by whacking themselves over the head with it than with any other plastic toy really, people are being a bit melodramatic I think.

My DS1 also learned to drink from shot glasses as a pp mentioned, it's very typical in Montessori nurseries, he's never broken one.

Threads like this genuinely baffle me

OP describes frankly ridiculous/totally avoidable scenario

OP asks AIBU?

Everybody replies yes

OP states that she wants opinions

OP states that opinions differing with her above scenario are from "people who have misunderstood"
Im not interested in arguing with peoples opinions, just correcting people who seemed not to have understood the OP because they repeatedly talked about the jar 'dropping

Folks highlight to OP that she asked their opinion

OP argues further

And it continues.......

This toy says under 1. You could hurt yourself with this if you stabbed the triangle into yourself!!

I'm really not getting why you posted here. Would we all let our babies play with glass jars? Most of us wouldn't, because it seems like a (very small) unnecessary risk when they have safe toys they could be playing with. That's all. Nobody thinks your child is lucky not to have died. I'm sure the poster who suggested you bought plastic jars if your child really likes them is now suitably chastised for this totally absurd and unreasonable suggestion, punctuated by both a and a . It's all good.

Hashtag. Just say'in

I have a bit of a background working withglass especially from an art point of view- what you did was actually really dangerous. Glass isn't an inherently stable material like most plastics. You can't see most of the damage to a glass jar. In fact if you look into how to cut glass you score it and tap it and you can break massive chunks like that. Yes you played and yes your child was fine. But it wasn't worth the risk

I'm going to swim against the tide here and say I think it's ok under these circumstances (soft flat surface, close supervision). As a toy, it sounds eye-catching and fascinating for a baby of that age. Just make sure baby can't bash the jar into anything hard (including another jar!). And if you buy some plastic jars to use in the future, your baby will be able to play safely with this toy for longer.

You asked if you were unreasonable. You were told it was a stupid idea. Why then get annoyed? Maybe people are just trying to help stop your baby be injured

Empty plastic bottles work really well for this kind of play, fill them with water and glitter or bubbles or oil and add some food colouring. Tape up the lids. Babies love them.

Following the logic that there is a potential risk of injury, then everything you do with a baby carries the same risk. Baby in a sling? you could fall over, Baby with a hard wooden toy? they could bash their head, Baby with a spoon? they could poke it in their eye.

Unless you wrap them in cotton wool and only let them play with smooth foam objects then there will always be a tiny risk of minor injury.

a 5 month old on their tummy with a glass jar may pick up their HEAD and smash it on the jar

Erm ... yes ... but have you been headbutted by a five month old recently? I have a violent little thug and she cracks me a good 'un on a regular basis. It's not remotely close to enough force to break a jar.

By using plastic and not glass you avoid the potential risk / harm. I am not a fan of courting injury or disaster and playing with glass is making friends with both!

I'd do it, under supervision. But I would add that taping the lids is a very sensible precaution, my first opened a medicine bottle (kid proof etc) at about 6m!

I sort of understand where you were coming from re: your DM overreacting to an unlikely scenario- my own got very upset to see me sat with 9mo DS doing some sensory play with a length of ribbon, some fabric and a silk scarf ("what if he hangs himself... !!!!") - but I think even I - with my nonchalant attitude to supervised ribbon play, would hesitate about the glass tbh- especially as there is a comparable game to be played, simply by substituting plastic.

I'm in the minority then as I have given babies water out of heavy tumblers plenty of times to drink so what you're doing sounds fine to me. I give all kinds of real life objects. China plates at dinner times too. I don't use plastic except for picnics and storage.

A baby will also enjoy drinking water out of a shot glass which I saw on a montessori page once. Mine loved it!

One jar, seems OK, but it's the "couple of" I'd pause at--because of the risk of one bashing the other.

(Mine rolled off beds etc. a few times when she was learning to roll; and even now, at 22mo, will regularly whack her head on playground equipment. But seems fine (so far...).

I'd never let the baby near a drinking type glass!

And your baby knows to keep away from them? Maybe it is safe now but will it be in a couple of months?