Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Only the apps you allow.

Meet the Other Phone.
Only the apps you allow.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To call my child this?

135 replies

Ayemama · 29/07/2019 15:57

Sometimes when my DC have been naughty or especially cheeky I call them a little poop because that's how they are behaving.
It's always said gently almost like a pet name for their naughty side.
I never thought anything of it and it's always light hearted never shouted or said harshly.
They are both toddlers and I've never seen it as a massively negative thing.
However today one DC was having a complete meltdown and tantrum as she was tired and hot and had been stopped doing something potentially dangerous and I cuddled her and asked her to stop being a little poop and she did calm down.
When I had succeeded in calming my DC and had let her go back to playing another mother that I hardly know came over and rather harshly informed that she had over heard me and started having a right go at me for being horrible to my children. Apparently calling my child this makes me a bad mum...?
So am I being unreasonable to call my child a little poop on the odd occasion or was this mother being overly harsh?
I'm not overly fussed either way just a bit curious.

OP posts:
CaptainMyCaptain · 29/07/2019 17:30

There's a term of endearment in Dutch that translates as 'puppy shit', don't worry about it.

strawberrisc · 29/07/2019 17:39

My Mum, who I love dearly, used to call my sister and I "dozy looking crate eggs" when she was annoyed with us.

DappledThings · 29/07/2019 17:41

I’d judge poop. Where has that come from? It used to be poo, not poop

If I heard you this would probably be my first thought to. To be irritated by the Americanism of poop over poo. Wouldnt think much other than that!

VenusTiger · 29/07/2019 17:48

A poop is a poo. Your DC will repeat this at nursery. It’s a very polite and polished way (no pun intended) of calling someone a little shit without the swearing. So yes YABU to call your own child something that your body makes from its bum.

The other woman was also BU, but maybe take it on board as warning for possible future outbursts form other parents.

Douberry · 29/07/2019 18:00

You're basically calling your child a shit, but trying to do it in a Cath Kidston type of way.
LOL Grin
I agree with some other PP, it might seem innocuous to you but beware if you DC starts repeating this! Personally I think there are other terms you could use without resorting to effectively calling your DC a little poop/poo/shit...

CrazyToast · 29/07/2019 18:03

I don't think there is anything wrong with it.

However as you can see, many people do have an issue with it so might be a good time to stop before the kid starts repeating it, some mum complains cos they have time on their hands, and it all blows up.

Original poster
Ayemama · 29/07/2019 18:04

Grin some of these replies are amazing, and I'm loving some of your nicknames for DC.

And definitely few like I missed my opportunity to call her a big poo

OP posts:
wizzbitfartface · 29/07/2019 18:07

I kind of get where others are coming from when they say it sounds like a toned down version of calling them little shits, but it doesn't sound like that's how you mean it. I certainly wouldn't think badly of anyone I heard saying it, I'd think it was along the same lines as little monkey, pickle, little monster etc. I have said to my son " when you're finished being a little monster, we can talk" when he was having a tantrum. Made him laugh and stop his strop. Don't see what you said as anything different to that.

TheHandsOfNeilBuchanan · 29/07/2019 18:14

I think it's fine OP. I was told off recently for calling my baby my little chunky monkey, because I shouldn't be referring to him being 'chunky'. FWIW he's very slender and 7 months old! Some people have too little in their lives and insist on getting involved in others'.

Nofunkingworriesmate · 29/07/2019 18:17

Considering you were cuddling and calming it’s odd that another parent over heard as your voice wasn’t raised and thought it bad enough to have such a go at you ? What did you say back to her?

GlitchStitch · 29/07/2019 18:21

I think little poop is cute Confused

azulmariposa · 29/07/2019 18:23

Poop is the same as shit, so I can see the other woman's point. Calling a child that isn't nice, it may not have done you any harm, but your child may eventually get upset at being called horrible names.

Moragen · 29/07/2019 18:29

I would have looked at her, eyeball to eyeball, and told her very quietly, "You are an arsehole for telling me how to raise my children".

AquaPris · 29/07/2019 18:30

My mum called me a little shit growing up and it has not damaged me - it was funny she was hardly abusing me.

The other mum is just being overly involved. Little poop is v twee though.

SeeSomethingSaySomething · 29/07/2019 18:31

I can see both POV tbh (although being confronted at playgroup definitely crossed the line).

It did remind me that my gentle, kind and much loved Dad’s nn for me in his first language could be translated as ‘black bitch’!

There are nicer translations but a friend I met as an adult was horrified. Her Dad is from the same culture and she said that he was shocked.

Somuchroom · 29/07/2019 18:39

I don’t think there’s anything wrong with it. My ds is a “cheese ball” when he’s being a poop.

Jupiter13 · 29/07/2019 19:02

Alot of people are full of shit...keep the name little poop....I like it..☺️☺️☺️☺️

panimac · 29/07/2019 20:41

TBH would probably stop calling them anything negative if possible. Calling names teaches them that they can call other people names (negative ones) and also acts as a self fulfilling prophecy : if you keep telling them they are XYZ they will just act like XYZ. Telling them how what they did made you feel will in the longer run be better for them and you.

MrsMaow · 29/07/2019 20:42

I think it’s weirdly cute

thecatinthetwat · 29/07/2019 21:04

The other person was bu to confront you about it, but I too think it’s not very nice.

Because you use it for when they are naughty, it does seem more like name calling than a pet name.

FWIW my parents used to call me similar things as a child and looking back, I’m not that impressed with it. But at least everyone did that in the eighties - not so much now.

mathanxiety · 29/07/2019 21:43

Naldorian are you saying that adults can or should behave like children?

Ekefox · 29/07/2019 23:12

This is outing but mine are buttnuggets so essentially the same.

ImTakingTheEssence · 29/07/2019 23:16

I've called mine many a name which I can't repeat but at the minute she's a tiny turd.

Ronnie27 · 29/07/2019 23:31

I refer to mine affectionally as rats to be fair but I like rats. Calling them shits on any level seems a bit wrong but as we have established here, we all have our own thoughts. You know how it is meant op so I’m sure they will too. Grin

mathanxiety · 30/07/2019 02:20

I call my DD6 a tramp when she's got grubby hands/face or is wearing socks that have seen better days and I'm sure I'd get flamed for that!
MissPolly

What if your DD decides to call some kid in school a tramp because she has holes in her socks, unbrushed hair, or comes to school a bit smelly with stains on her uniform? A child from a chaotic or very poor home..

What sort of attitudes are we modeling for our children here?

Are we giving them permission by our example to engage in name calling?