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

AIBU for the teacher not to use the word Numpty

234 replies

Susanne9176 · 07/12/2019 10:29

My son who is 6 used the word numpty and I asked him where he had heard this. He said his class teacher is using this word to describe the children when they've done something a bit silly and has called.h and other children that. Am I over reacting or is that just not ok, she is basically calling them stupid and encouraging the kids to name call

OP posts:
poseysbobblehat · 07/12/2019 11:48

Oh give over, they're not going to be damaged for life. I call mine (secondary) 'divs' and 'divvys'. We're in Merseyside and it's meant affectionately.

Emeraldshamrock · 07/12/2019 11:50

@SmileEachDay I think it is regional.
To call someone an eejit is an insult fighting talk here. Grin

doritosdip · 07/12/2019 11:50

What word is gentler than numpty but describes a child who's done something silly and minor?

Agree with the majority that numpty is very mild.

snowybaubles · 07/12/2019 11:50

@SmileEachDay

Your year 11's might laugh, but Oap is taking about a 6 ye

Musmerian · 07/12/2019 11:50

@SmileEachDay - absolutely. Secondary School Teacher here. If we became the robots that so many people think we should be it would be impossible to have relationships with our students. You have to be sensitive to situations but my Year 11s, boys in particular, respond well to affectionate insults. Numpty is fine.

SmileEachDay · 07/12/2019 11:52

To call someone an eejit is an insult fighting talk here. grin

To be fair, the first time I did it they were like “what? Egypt? What ARE you on about” 😂😂

Dahlietta · 07/12/2019 11:53

I call mine (secondary) 'divs' and 'divvys'. We're in Merseyside and it's meant affectionately.

We used to call each other that in the playground in the 80s (also North West), not particularly affectionately! It occurs to me now that its roots are probably in the word 'developmentally'.

doritosdip · 07/12/2019 11:53

I've only heard eejit on MN. I thought it was idiot in a different accent at first.

SmileEachDay · 07/12/2019 11:54

Your year 11's might laugh, but Oap is taking about a 6 Yr old

My yr 7/8/910s are also fine.

And my own 7 year old sooooo....

I think it’s about the relationship- if they know you like and value them, it’s ok.

doritosdip · 07/12/2019 11:55

Your year 11's might laugh, but Oap is taking about a 6 ye

6yo might make a silly mistake like absentmindedly hang their coat on the wrong peg.

If the teacher got out the maths books when it was time for literacy she'd be a numpty too.

mrswx · 07/12/2019 11:57

I'm more concerned that there's adults out there who use these word's in a serious manner.
It's no wonder that everyone is growing up so offended by everything.

Aragog · 07/12/2019 11:58

Numpty is common use here. It's very much an affectionate term for doing something a bit daft or making a silly mistake.

It's not the same as stupid in any way in my experience and not used in the same way.

poseysbobblehat · 07/12/2019 12:00

@Dahlietta

AIBU for the teacher not to use the word Numpty
Aragog · 07/12/2019 12:02

Here (Sheffield) numpty and, sometimes muppet, are definitely affectionate non offensive terms. We have tea coasters with the words on, along with 'daft apeth' and 'mardy' etc.

Eejit would be deemed a bit harsher and less commonly used but not quite the same as stupid either. It's not really a term I use nor come across much.

Bluerussian · 07/12/2019 12:05

You are definitely over reacting.

snowybaubles · 07/12/2019 12:05

I'm more concerned that there's adults out there who use these word's in a serious manner.

It's not the words themselves but the put down that bothers me. It's not necessary. 6 year olds don't need negative comments for being 'a bit silly'

It's no wonder that everyone is growing up so offended by everything.

Not offended by much tbh, but negative put downs can be harmful.

Emeraldshamrock · 07/12/2019 12:07

@SmileEachDay 🤣
I didn't think eejit was used in England.
I dated an a guy from Northampton many moons ago, he use to laugh hard when he'd hear an Irish person say fecking eejit.

Aragog · 07/12/2019 12:09

I work with 4-7 year olds and they still see numpty as a gentle affectionate word. Exactly the same as 'silly sausage' type of phrase. Never known anyone try to use numpty as an offensive or aggressive term - they'd be laughed at if they did.

Maybe it is a regional thing.

Emeraldshamrock · 07/12/2019 12:11

It's no wonder that everyone is growing up so offended by everything

Not offended by much tbh, but negative put downs can be harmful
Look how well the older generation grew up with all the random inappropriate name calling. I don't mean Numpty but idiot. Do you think DC had it better 30 years ago. No snowflakes existed?
We use to sing sticks and stones may break our bones but names can never hurt me.
Ye right? Name calling hurts.

Notodontidae · 07/12/2019 12:11

I think you should have a word with your son, and tell him to behave in class, and stop acting like a numpty.

Whatsername177 · 07/12/2019 12:13

I'm a teacher, 'wally' and 'doughnut' are my go to 'affectionate, you did something silly but you are not in trouble' terms. Also, 'cheeky moo' if they are bantering but need to know the line has been met. I agree teachers can't be robots. I actually think very carefully over my language as I used to say 'cheeky monkey' but then realised I said it to a mixed race child. It was completely accidental, a term I said to lots of children (including my own) but I hadn't thought about how that could come across to a child from a BAME back ground. I realised immediately how stupid and completely inappropriate the comment was and immediately apologised and publically owned what a stupid thing it was to say. The context of the conversation and the way I said it meant the child knew I hadn't meant any offence and actually thought it was hilarious because I was so mortified. The reason I'm admitting this is because I want to make the point that your childs teacher will have thought about what they say before hand and would never want to cause offence.

MIdgebabe · 07/12/2019 12:15

negative put downs can be harmful

Can, yes, especially if they are aggressively negative, sneeringly negative, repeatedly negative, unwarrantedly negative.

But calling someone a numpty or div generally would not fit into any one those categories. If you can't call out stupid( and numpty is much more affectionate than stupid) , you can't teach children to understand that everyone can do daft and stupid things, that's life , it's cool, apologise and move on.

Dahlietta · 07/12/2019 12:20

@poseysbobblehat Oh, that’s good! Perhaps I will revive it then Wink. As I implied, I was worried it wasn’t very PC

mrswx · 07/12/2019 12:22

Not offended by much tbh, but negative put downs can be harmful.

Of course negative put downs can be harmful but I don't see these words as being negative or a put down. They only become one when people get offend over them when that wasn't even the intent. The teacher isn't calling the child a numpty because they think they are stupid, they say it to make light of the situation, to help the child not feel embarrassed for doing the wrong thing - or that's how I would use the word 🤷‍♀️

astralweaks · 07/12/2019 12:23

Oh for heaven’s sake, OP, lighten up.