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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Mothers with enormous toddlers in slings...

725 replies

CheapSausagesAndSpam · 06/12/2017 00:15

AIBU to wonder how the feck they manage?

My neighbour has just walked past my window with her son dangling in front of her like a bloody giant in a harness!

He's almost 4! No SEN and very sturdy/capable.

We live in a tiny town/village and she can drive etc....she's probably just going to the shop down the road.

Why??

OP posts:
Thread gallery
15
paxillin · 06/12/2017 09:49

I have a couple of friends who pushed their kids in buggies for so long I wondered if they'll stop before puberty. The kids' peers asking about it was what ultimately made the little emperors walk. If it is just a neighbour you might not know the whole story, but over-babyfication definitely exists.

Zoomaa · 06/12/2017 09:49

Slings don't cause fat kids, lack of exercise causes fat kids.

Why can't a four year old ride a bike or scoot if it's a bit too far for a comfortable walk?

Wellandtrulyoutnumbered · 06/12/2017 09:50

and they all look the same... long hair with grey roots, pear shaped

Not this woman shes super hot and superfit. Lovely clothes and hair. I'd love to look like her and have her lovely personality. Probably why she's a friend.

CheeriosEverywhere · 06/12/2017 09:50

I can find a forward facing sling that can be used for up to 36 months. But unless this nearly 4 year old is particularly small for their age, I suspect the mother is using a sling beyond the recommended age and weight

A woven wrap, a mei tei etc etc have no age or weight recommendations. They are simply cloth. You can carry anything or anyone you like in a piece of cloth.
she doesn't have to buy an engineered metal framed hiking carrier or anything else.

Ididnthearanything · 06/12/2017 09:50

Oh my. What a judgey thread. Goddness, OP knows nothing of that carrying-her-4year-old's snapshot. There may be all sorts of reasons. He might have walked 6 miles and was tired. WTF. The mum was probably just responding to his needs - I thought that was what parents do.
What does it matter. He was probably happy, as was his mum. Do you think it will have a long lasting detrimental effect on his well being? And somehow or other, if a child doesn't want to be carried, I don't think it's that easy to force them.

Heavens. At least she wasn't breastfeeding him at 4 years. In public. Wink (Should I really throw that one out there??)

Wellandtrulyoutnumbered · 06/12/2017 09:51

Why can't a four year old ride a bike or scoot if it's a bit too far for a comfortable walk?

Something else for mum to carry!

brasty · 06/12/2017 09:51

Yes over babyfication exists. Which is why it is mainly hikers using back packs with 4 year olds. Some of these people will be walking 10-15 miles. So the child will walk some of it and be carried for some of it.

brasty · 06/12/2017 09:53

cheerioseverywhere But forward facing slings do come with age and weight recommendations. I suspect this is to prevent injury to the parent using it, nothing to do with the needs of the child. Backs can carry far heavier weights.

Callamia · 06/12/2017 09:53

Children get less exercise because:
Everyone drives everywhere
Weird fear of paedophiles
Green spaces becoming shitty supermarkets
Television
Schools having to spend all their time preparing for crappy exams
Schools having their green space sold off
Not bloody slings. Or buggies.
Get angry about the right thing.

CheeriosEverywhere · 06/12/2017 09:54

a woven wrap can be a "forward facing sling". That's my point. you are imagining the type of sling that has age and weight guides, but its not very likely at all that anyone is putting a 4 year old into one of those.

Ididnthearanything · 06/12/2017 09:55

Ooh and the pear shaped grey rooted thing.

Yes to the pear shape, but thank you I have quite lovely, extremely well cut and highlighted hair, and nicely slim and fit, rarely exit the door with out makeup and (IMO) well dressed. Aw shame I don't fit your stereotype. But even if I did....

Go on, post a picture of your own perfectness

Zoomaa · 06/12/2017 09:56

I'm not angry. I just like to see opportunities for exercise :)

Ididnthearanything · 06/12/2017 09:57

Well said @Callamia

Zoomaa · 06/12/2017 09:57

Wellandtruly you wouldn't be carrying the scooter if the kid was riding it!

I find it a bit backwards to worry about having to carry a scooter but having no issue carrying a 4.5 year old

Emerald92 · 06/12/2017 09:58

@Zoomaa Good point!

victoire1208 · 06/12/2017 09:59

I back carried my big 3 year old. It was to keep her safe as I pushed her 1 year old sister in a buggy. She loved it, saw it as an excuse to cuddle and reconnect with me at a time I had been hijacked by a demanding baby. I am not a frump or a competitive attachment parent martyr type. And it worked wonders for my core strength and post baby belly!

Anatidae · 06/12/2017 09:59

I will be transporting my toddler locally on his sledge this winter. Much easier than a pushchair, much faster than walking and great excercise.

I hope that’s allowed.

StubbleTurnips · 06/12/2017 09:59

DS is 25lbs and not 1 yet, he's a monster in the sling - but I front carry him still. I do 2 aerobics classes with him in it too.

We've had DD 4 in a back carry in the toddler sling, it's like a supported piggy back.

badabing36 · 06/12/2017 10:00

I was in a cafe, minding my own business when a sling lady accosted me. No one had come to her sling meet I can't think why. She wouldn't give up when I said my 2 year old was too big to carry, her 4 year old is massive apparently. You must be so much stronger than me and a much better mother then.Confused

I said ds has always hated slings or being constrained in any way. Apparently I must have tied the slings wrong Hmm. Should've told her to fuck off with her bloody organic slings and pushy attitude. Not all kids like slings and I know my kid better than you do.

Wellandtrulyoutnumbered · 06/12/2017 10:00

Zoomaa kids get bored after 5 minutes , find a tree to explore or something to balance on. Almost all the people I see locally carrying older children in slings also have a dog they are walking or a younger sibling in pushchair.....

BankWadger · 06/12/2017 10:00

Of course you can't carry a toddler in an ergo 360. It's designed for babies. Slings are like car seats. You go up a size as the child grows.

DS would run into town at just turned 3 (an hour walk) home in push chair. DD is her own child and would not. Plus by then we had the school run to deal with. Why should ds be late because dd took 3 times as long to walk? Then I went back to work. I didn't have time in the morning!! Dd was slinged to nursery spent the whole day there very happily then walked or slinged home. She is now at school, walks run skips dances everywhere and has no fat on her.

Wellandtrulyoutnumbered · 06/12/2017 10:01

badabing36

That was rude of her. Not everyone likes slings and not all children enjoy them.

brasty · 06/12/2017 10:02

But using a bit of cloth to create a forward facing sling for a 4 year old, will likely be risking injury to yourself. Much safer to use the cloth to create a back sling.

Fuckit2017 · 06/12/2017 10:02

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

ferrier · 06/12/2017 10:04

FireCracker2
3 and 4 year olds shouldn't be being babied like this! They should be walking

Try telling that to my strapping now Royal Marine son!!!!