To find this slightly disturbing?

[PrettyCandles]

When talking about foods to a group of Year 1 children, I mentioned horseradish and one of the children said "I know what horseradish is! My mum gives it me when I'm naughty."

[3andnomore]

WTF Xenia...bit rich coming from a person that doesn't actually spend much time with her own children....sorry...but this really wound me up now!

[3andnomore]

Oh, and I don't mean people that use nannies in general, just Xenia in specific....because I know many peopel that use Nannies also spend a lot of time with their Kids and don't say things like...don't want to spend more then a maximum of 2 hours a day with them, etc...

[beckybrastraps]

The 'give over' is in response to the suggestion that I am commiting a crime when I threaten to eviscerate my children. Or, more accurately, say to my children that I will eviscerate them. Because if you think I actually intend to do so, or that they think for one moment that I would, you are barking.

[Judy1234]

I didn't invent English law actually so I suggest people be careful. If you didn't obey your husband would you be happy he threaten you with violence and put n oxious substances on your tongue to cow you into obedience?

[beckybrastraps]

If my husband said that he would eviscerate me if I didn't empty the dishwasher I would laugh. Just as my children do when I say it to them. And when they hurt themselves I say 'Oh, is it really bad, shall I amputate?'

You are far too po-faced about this.

[chocolattegirl]

I'd ask him 'you and whose army'? (I'm the same height and build as my DP) but I get your point Xenia. My DD would have got me hung sometimes the classics she's come out with at times but I'd never horseradish or anything else as a punishment. There are other means.

[Judy1234]

bb, depends entirely how it's said, I'm sure. I still don't think it's good to say even in jest though as sometimes children take things too literally. May be a good test would be would someone be happy for how they treat their children to be filmed on a video and show to their child's school friends' parents.

[beckybrastraps]

Well, I say what I say in front of whoever is around, so I think I would pass your test.

And there is no way my children think I would remove any of their vital organs. That's why I make my threats so outrageous. I used to say things like that to the children I taught.

'What will happen if I don't hand in my homework?'

'I shall remove your small intestine so year 7 can stretch it out and measure it - or I shall give you a detention'. Child laughs, homework delivered. No-one ever complained, and I even did it in front of an OFSTED inspector

[yellowrose]

so is it ok if the nanny/childminder/other person looking after your child also threatens the child with horseradish or finger chopping ? because some of them do and they do it behind your back so you will never know !

[yellowrose]

unless you have cctv all over your house

[Judy1234]

My children are very good at letting me know what goes on and nowadays I'm often around when the nanny is. Also I just don't think most nannies do that kind of thing. I never knew parents in the UK did until I read this thread! I am actually appalled; I really am. I'm not saying I've never in 22 years shouted at my children more than I should and lost my temper but I'd never put a substance on their tongue. It's an archaic and in my view illegal practice.

People who think it's a great punishment why don't you write to nursery world or woman's own recommending it as the best way to bring up a child tip of the month and see if you win £100 for such a clever good way to treat children or recommend your husband does it to you next time you aren't respectful to him.

[yellowrose]

i would never do such a thing to my son. but other people do what they do.

i don't think horseradish/chilli is the worst thing i have ever heard or seen. i see/hear far worse things in my local supermarkets.

[yellowrose]

also most people are not home while the nanny is there too, which is what would concern me. i have control over what dh and i do to ds. i am not sure i would have that level of control over a nanny.

[yellowrose]

i don't agree that MOST nannies are that brilliant, either here or abroad. you are lucky if you have a good one, but there is no hard evidence that they are all that amazing.

[Judy1234]

I think they tend to be just that little bit more careful than a parent and they've been trained not to smack and stuff like that and some of them do tend to do thing by the rule book of stuff they were taught on their 2 year course etc

[pointydog]

Making a child eat something nippy and horrid as a punishment?

Pure bastard behaviour

[Rachmumoftwo]

I must say, I find it shocking that so many people think this is an ok thing to do to a child. I would never do this, as I think it is a cruel, humiliating, degrading thing to do. Do to others as you would have done to you and all that...

[Judy1234]

Absolutely. If you think it's fine to do to children then presumably you'd be happy for an employer do to it to you at lunch time if you'd made too many errors in your typing?

[LilRedWG]

If you'd asked me at that age if I liked Colman's mustard I would have gone white and said, "No! Because C (my big sister) pushed my nose in the jar." To be fair I'd probably answer the same now Which reminds me, C is soming for a bbq tomorrow - must remind of the abuse she inflicted on me.

[LilRedWG]

But totally agree with other posters that this is inappropriate for an adult to do. Big sisters are allowed to by law apparently.

[kittypants]

3andnomore i cant believe what you said to xenia!
i totally agree its soooo wrong!it is abuse!

[strongteabag]

I would never threaten a child with a punishment like that. I hope I would never need to, there are so many more ways of disciplining children that are more humane. Makes me sad that a parent could act like this towards a child. Kids learn more by example than anything else and purposely putting horseradish on a child's tongue (or threatening) is bullying.

Maybe though the horesradish scenario is a family joke. Likely that the child was getting confused and remembering her parents telling her that that is what happened to them when they were little??

[Judy1234]

I am happy to say I prefer to spend 2 or 3 hour stints with the children and no more. I don't have a problem with that. Many many parents feel the same, both fathers and mothers. Some parents love spending 12 hours periods with their under 5s - which is great for them but personally I find it very difficult but even then I've never resorted to the tongue damage school of discipline.

[JetPeanut]

Xenia, you don't have to explain yourself. Those comments about how much time you spend with your kids were completely inappropriate IMO, as they were irrelevant to the subject matter in hand. I share your outrage at all the people who punish their kids in this sick, old-fashioned and degrading way. It makes me feel very upset actually. What the hell is WRONG with people that think this is OK? If somebody bigger than me pinned me down and shoved mustard/soap/vinegar/ anything in my mouth because they were offended by somthing I had said I would be traumatised. They might not be showing it outwardly, but so are your children.

[zookeeper]

I find myself in the unusual position of agreeing with you xenia . I would never do that to my children. Would any of you think it was acceptable if someone did that to you?