To think of course you don’t tell children medicines are sweeties?

[EeyoresEars]

GPs are visiting. They both take regular prescription medication. When taking medicine in front of our DC, their Nana described them as “Nana’s special sweeties.”

I was shocked but didn’t say anything at time as didn’t want to cause an issue in front of DC. Later on I spoke to her, assuming it wouldn’t be a problem, and asked her not to use language like that because I don’t want DC to think medicines are sweets and either seek medicines out or take medicine they might accidentally get hold of.

She first of all laughed and said I can’t be serious. Then said she uses that language so DC aren’t worried she’s ill. Then said she raised three DC who are all healthy adults so she knows what she’s doing. Then, when I said she’s welcome to her views but please could she respect my request around our DC, she said I’m a “snowflake” and my children will grow up not knowing how to manage in the real world.

I’m honestly baffled. Surely it’s just common bloody sense not to call potentially dangerous medicines sweeties? Am I totally out of touch and precious or is she being unreasonable?

Opinions welcome!

A bit daft. I remember scoffing mums Aids (yes a terrible name for slimming sweets - they tasted like off fudge) because I thought they were sweets.

Seems a bit odd that she’d say your children are going to be snowflakes under your parenting style yet she felt the need to call medicine sweeties so as not to cause alarm
I agree with you that medicine and sweets shouldn’t be confused.

I would be alarmed too.

All children are different but I've definitely known some that would have been searching for the special sweeties to eat them themselves.

I agree with you. Medication can often look extremely similar to sweets so it's very important that children understand the difference between the two of them. Also referring to them as special sweeties will also make them more enticing for a child. In my experience, children aren't overly worried and wouldn't actually bat an eye lid at being told they were medication. Children just like to know what things are. They are curious beings.

YANBU. She is wrong.

YANBU. She's being ridiculous. She doesn't have to go into details about the medication, but telling the kids that they're "Nana's special sweeties" is both dangerous and silly.

I once heard a mother tell her son (who was about 8 or 9) that sanitary towels were "Nappies for mummies".

That poor boy is going to grow up very confused.

YANBU.

Nappies for mummies

Yay, let's not tell children there a difference between tic tacs and blood pressure medicine, what could go wrong?!

YANBU at all! We've told ours from a young age what's what with things they absolutely can't have - especially with medication that could be mistaken for sweets and treats!

Yes this seems stupid. I remember as a child having it stressed to me that my granddad's heart medication (which were small pink-coated tablets that looked like Smarties) were NOT sweets so if I saw them around I mustn't ever pick one up and eat one.

My mum was on loads of meds and used to drop them and not worry! With this in mind we thought DS from a very young age that they were to make grandma well but that if he (or anyone who didn’t need them) took them, they would be very poorly. He has always had huge respect for medication.

She is 100% in the wrong. Equating medication to candy to small children is very foolish and dangerous. SHE is the snowflake for being incapable of being honest with young children.

To add there is no way anyone should compare them to sweeties! She is bonkers!

Kids absolutely must be told that medicines are not sweetie and to never take any medication that hasn't been given to them.
By calling them special sweeties shes making them even more attractive to children.

I'm not sure why you left it till later and didn't address it then and there to avoid confusion for your DC.

I'd have said quite clearly that they were medication and gone on to explain to the children why you don't eat medicines unless you need them.

And then dealt with any flak.

Seems a bit odd that she’d say your children are going to be snowflakes under your parenting style yet she felt the need to call medicine sweeties so as not to cause alarm

This.

yanbu
medicines are medicines
they are given to keep you healthy or to make you feel better.
they are not sweets and not treats and imo it's important to make that clear.

I take a lot of meds and my Grandson knew from an early age that any tablets were medicine and they could make him ill. He often watches me take them and has even helped find a tablet I dropped on the floor. He wouldn't touch it but called me to say he had found it and I must pick it up before the cat found it and was ill! It was bright red and looked like a smartie so I was really impressed with him.

Children aren't stupid. They quickly understand that meds keep you well but that they are for you and not for them to touch or play with. IMHO calling them 'sweeties' is a dangerous and stupid behaviour.

Exactly as pps said, SHE'S the one treating them like snowflakes!!

She’s bonkers. Reminds me of the time my FIL was playing peekaboo with a plastic carrier bag.

People who use the term "snowflake" may as well hold up a banner announcing their lack of basic logic and critical thinking skills. If anyone is in danger of making children into snowflakes, it is your grandmother by concealing the fact that she is taking medicine.

You are right, your mum is totally wrong. Very dangerous.

That's batshit of her - when I was on strong immunosuppressants i tried to take them out of eye line, but if the kids did see me I told them it was medicine only for mummy to make me better, it would be yucky and bad for anyone else 🤷‍♀️

@MulberryPeony, when SIL's DD was small, her playpen was in the kitchen next to the window. I watched open-mouthed as her braindead father pulled down the cord from the side of the venetian blind and put it into the playpen because his DD "likes to play with it"

He was (and still is) a moron of the highest extreme.