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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To ask if you have ever forgotten a child?

89 replies

Dontgiveaflyingfuck · 16/10/2017 17:20

Especially one thats not yours! Blush neighbour text at 1 p.m. to say she was going to be held up at work and could i walk A home (17 year old sibling gets in from work at the same time we get back from school). I said yes...

Then utterly and totally forgot. Luckily school put A into after school club till neighbour could get her. I have apologised profusely and feel utterly awful.

AIBU to ask if anyone else has done similliar to make me feel better?

OP posts:
tellitlikeitispls · 16/10/2017 17:21

I left my youngest at a party a few months back. I've never done that before, but it was only at the neighbours and I lost track of time because I knew I didn't have to collect him by car. The neighbour brought him back and I was suitably sheepish...

pinkblink · 16/10/2017 17:22

I worry myself silly that I'm going to, but luckily so far the worrying has helped me remember the neighbours kid, you're only human don't beat yourself up about it

shushpenfold · 16/10/2017 17:23

Yup....12 yr old dd and she walked home instead. It’s not far thankfully.

Tissunnyupnorth · 16/10/2017 17:24

Due to sleep deprivation, DS1, when 2 weeks old! Got DD1 into the car, strapped her in and started the drive to nursery. At the top of the road she asks me where her brother is. Quickly drive back home and there is DS1, fast asleep in the hall, all ready to go in his car seat Blush. I’ve aleays consoled myself by insisting I would have noticed anyway!

ineedamoreadultieradult · 16/10/2017 17:24

I forgot two child I was supposed to be keeping an eye on at DS birthday party. They were both aged 4/5 it was the first party I had even been in charge of and I hadn't quite prepared myself for drop and run parents. The parents asked and I said 'yeah fine' then completely forgot until they came to pick them up and said 'has X been ol' and I was like 'oh yeah fine' while inside I was thinking 'shit shit shit I forgot them'.

Luckily there was enough parents there making sure kids knew where the toilets were and making sure they got some of the party food that I don't think they went without but I felt so guilty!

Pascall · 16/10/2017 17:25

I have forgotten a friends child in very similar circumstances. Highly embarrassing. My friend was lovely about it though.

ThroughThickAndThin01 · 16/10/2017 17:26

Yes I forgot to drop a child home from school. Really distraught when I found out I had completely forgotten him. You feel so guilty and useless.

just5morepeas · 16/10/2017 17:29

My Mum always told me the story of a friend of her who (in the late 70's I think) left her new born baby asleep in his pram outside a shop and walked home without him!

AutumnalLeaves38 · 16/10/2017 17:36

David & Samantha Cameron left their 8 yr old in a pub once, I seem to remember. Only realised once they got home.

MrsC2000 · 16/10/2017 17:39

My husband went to pick the kids up from school, on the way home my son asked where his sister was and it was only then he realised he hadn't picked her up. She very clearly remembers it and still tries to guilt trip with it 😂

Myheartbelongsto · 16/10/2017 17:39

Yep, forgot my own son on his communion day!

beela · 16/10/2017 17:41

I forgot to keep an eye on my friend's 4 year old at a christening party while she went to the loo / bar.

In my defence it was my ds's christening and I hadn't slept for longer than 2 hours in a row in the year since he had been born

Shockers · 16/10/2017 17:43

My friend (and boss) asked me to work a shift which meant I couldn't pick DS1 up from school. She said she'd collect him and bring him into work for the end of my shift.

When there was no sign of her, I phoned to ask how long they'd be; she'd completely forgotten. I was 40 minutes late picking him up. The next time I saw her, I told her how upset I was. "Don't worry about it; I'm not." was her reply. I handed in my notice soon after.

ZanyMobster · 16/10/2017 17:45

When my DCs were at preschool a dad walked their newborn baby to pre school in the pram along with the toddler. It was the first time he had taken the baby out alone as it was only a couple of weeks old. He then left to go home and left the pram behind. The preschool called the mum once they realised and she was waiting on the doorstep asking him if he's forgotten anything Grin

I left DS2 in DS1s playground once as I had DS1s friend to take home so guessing in my head I had 2 DCs, only got to the car park when I realised.

therealpippi · 16/10/2017 17:50

Yes. Mine and others. Head like a colander here.

Andrewofgg · 16/10/2017 17:56

When I was two my sister and her friend, both nine, forgot me in my buggy outside a shop. Panic stations, or so I am told as they and my DM hotfooted it back but there I was!

MissClareRemembers · 16/10/2017 17:57

Yes, I once had an arrangement with a friend whereby I would collect her DC from an after school club that my DC also attended. Managed the first week fine but the second week I forgot the poor wee soul!

I got a call from the school to say "errr...are you meant to be collecting X today?" I've never shifted so fast in my life! Poor kid wasn't phased at all.

Arrowfanatic · 16/10/2017 18:13

Oh yes. My eldest DD wee forgot to collect from her first day at preschool. I'm our In defence we had just had her brother and had the midwife round teaching us baby massage. We then forgot her again the first time she went to Rainbows luckily was only round the corner and they were always late finishing so DH ran round there and just looked like the last parent in. Finally we forgot her the first day of brownies, it finished after all 3 kids were usually in bed so wasn't unusual having no kids around, again thankfully they finished late so was ok.

I wonder if she will develop a complex? We've never forgotten her younger siblings, although I now set alarms giving me a 10 minute warning. Grin

isseywithcats · 16/10/2017 18:19

Yes my 3 weeks old daughter, she is no 2 in line up, was a high maintenance baby hardly ever slept, took older brother to playgroup went in tescos, went home, did the housework, went to pick brother up from playgroup, something missing oh shit the baby, have never run half a mile up a hill so fast in all my life she was still outside tescos in her pram two hours later and fast asleep , and no one had noticed, shes 38 now and i still remember doing it

Rufustherenegadereindeer1 · 16/10/2017 18:22

Only my child

Dd was born after playschool broke up for Christmas

First day of preschool in January get out of car, dd fast asleep in her car seat

Put PFB indoor shoes on, take of his coat, start him off on an activity big hug and kiss goodbye.

Leave get into car

FFFUUUUUCCCCCKKKK

I had to walk back in pretending id just got something out of the car...i think i got away with it

Katedotness1963 · 16/10/2017 18:23

I have not (perfect parent Halo ) (yeah, right!?!) but last year my husband forgot to pick up youngest child on his way home from work. He walked in and I asked "where is child", he looked at me and said "how would I know?" I said nothing. A minute later he went "Oh! Bugger!" Grabbed his keys and ran back to the car.

Dutchoma · 16/10/2017 18:27

We left our baby daughter in her pram once when we were going out to dinner at the local NSPCC’s house. My husband though I had got her, but I had accepted a lift from Sally, thinking that my husband would wheel her over. When he arried without her we scooted back to church and found the organist cooing over her pram.

liz70 · 16/10/2017 18:27

No, but my mum did the leaving baby in pram outside shop and walking home with shopping minus baby with my brother. That was 50 years ago though.

SallyOMalley · 16/10/2017 18:28

My dad let me and my sister in a public library while he went supermarket shopping (we were 7 and 5 - mid 1970s). Half way home and he realises it's very quiet in the back of the car. He turned up just as the library was shutting, with cross librarian

SallyOMalley · 16/10/2017 18:29

Oops! Cross librarian tapping her foot at the entrance. 40 years on and we don't let him forget it!

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