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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

To think that this is incredibly irresponsible parenting?

343 replies

Dailydup · 02/01/2020 12:51

DP is part of a large friend group, mostly made up of middle class professional couples all in their 30s who have young children and all socialise together regularly. DP and I were invited along to a New Year’s Eve party at one of the friend’s houses. It was made clear that all of the children were welcome and the host had got lots of party things in for the kids to enjoy whilst there. DP and I have no DC, but the majority of the other friends all brought their children along to play together.

Whilst there, I was shocked when one of DP’s friends called me in to the bathroom and casually offered me some cocaine. I’d been oblivious to the fact that they’d been regularly sneaking in to the bathroom to do this throughout the night and that DP and I were actually the only two not partaking in the drug taking. Once I became aware of what was going on I felt extremely uncomfortable being there and asked DP if we could go home, meaning we left before midnight. I should point out that DP and I have been together just over a year, so I don’t know his friend group particularly well but would never have suspected them of this. The majority of them are highly successful, well educated and appear on the outside to be doting parents.

When we left I told DP how shocked and disgusted I was that they had been taking drugs in the presence of and whilst responsible for caring for their young children. DP seemed v blasé and said that they do it regularly at social gatherings and always ensure its done away from the DC (i.e. by sneaking in to the toilet Hmm) so doesn’t see the problem. AIBU in thinking that this is utterly irresponsible parenting and possibly even a matter for social services to investigate?

OP posts:
Sazquatch · 02/01/2020 12:53

I wouldn’t do it, but is it any different to being drunk with the kids in the house?

42isthemeaning · 02/01/2020 12:56

YANBU Shock

MRex · 02/01/2020 12:56

I'd put in some distance as friends, but unless there are other factors making you think the children are unsafe then I wouldn't report it. As PP says, it's no different to them all being drunk with DC in the house.

TheGoogleMum · 02/01/2020 12:56

I think it's irresponsible. Were the kids being at all supervised by someone not doing drugs? I wouldn't feel comfortable taking my DD to a party knowing people were doing drugs in another room

BitchyArriver · 02/01/2020 12:56

Agree with the above. If anything it’s less debilitating than alcohol. Main danger of course is that a bag gets lost and picked up by a child.

Have you ever taken it OP?

Drabarni · 02/01/2020 12:58

Middle class are probably the only ones who can afford to partake, they are the biggest consumers and always have been.
It's been the done thing forever, I'm surprised you aren't aware of this already.
I don't suppose it's any worse than any other drug or alcohol they were consuming.
Were there people smoking outside too?

Savingforarainyday · 02/01/2020 12:58

Of course it's different to being drunk! Its illegal.

And yes, its irresponsible

TheGoogleMum · 02/01/2020 12:58

To those saying not that different to being drunk I'm pretty sure being drunk and in charge of a child is illegal too (no me and DH dont both get drunk at same time knowing we have a baby to look after!)

JoanieCash · 02/01/2020 12:59

I hate it too, and have similarly been offered coke at friends houses in similar scenarios with kids around. I love family get together parties, kids having fun and always a bit sad when the sneaking off starts. Also make my excuses and leave. These aren’t my good old friends but often ‘mum friends’ from school etc, always wealthy professionals etc. I don’t know where the line is with social services, it’s certainly poor judgement parenting though.

Sceptre86 · 02/01/2020 12:59

I experienced something very similar when I first met dh's friendship group. I work in healthcare and am not oblivious to the fact that well respected 'professionals' that seem to have it all also partake in drugs. I was still horrified though and both dh and I chose to limit our contact with them as dh was shocked too. He knew a lot of them would partake when younger eg. Weed but did not know that they had moved on to harder drugs. Your partners reaction would be worrying for me, would he join in too? Not sure if it is a matter for social services but i do not think it is good parenting. Yanbu to be disgusted tbh I would be too. However, some people take a softer stance to occasional drug use.

Dailydup · 02/01/2020 12:59

@TheGoogleMum No, they weren’t.

@BitchyArriver I’m against drugs of any kind. They were drinking also.

OP posts:
LadyTiredWinterBottom2 · 02/01/2020 13:00

I'm shocked at the number of people who think taking a class A drug isn't a big deal. What if one of them ODd? Do they really need to take coke to get through a family party?

Sceptre86 · 02/01/2020 13:00

It is also incredibly dangerous around kids, what if a child found some of their stash and decided to try it!

Shelby2010 · 02/01/2020 13:00

So would your DP normally have been taking part too? I wouldn’t stay in a relationship with someone who takes class A drugs. And I wouldn’t socialise with those people either.

Soundbyte · 02/01/2020 13:01

Me and my children one of whom was only 1 at the time were invited to a summer barbecue a few years ago by a fairly new acquaintance and we went along. People kept disappearing and when I questioned it I was told by the host that they were popping off to the loo to do lines. I left with my kids and never had anything to do with them again.

I don’t mind recreational use now and again on a night out myself but bloody hell, with kids there in the same house at the same time! I couldn’t cope with that.

42isthemeaning · 02/01/2020 13:01

So snorting coke and drinking alcohol? I cannot believe how this is being minimised! I wouldn't want to be friends with anyone who thought this was an okay thing to do! Jeezo!

WorraLiberty · 02/01/2020 13:01

You haven't been with your boyfriend for very long. Are you sure he's not a drug user too?

It's fairly unusual to regularly socialise with people who are, when you yourself are not.

LadyTiredWinterBottom2 · 02/01/2020 13:02

@Sceptre86 l'm not sure cocaine falls into the occasional use category. Anyone l know who uses it does so regularly.

Dailydup · 02/01/2020 13:03

@Shelby2010 DP has always been honest about the fact he did it in his early 20s but not anymore.

OP posts:
FamilyOfAliens · 02/01/2020 13:04

It seems a bit pathetic to me.

SlightlyStaleCocoPops · 02/01/2020 13:05

Typical MN. Anyone standing near a bottle of wine when responsible for young children would be a selfish alcoholic, but snorting powder is ok?

BubblesBuddy · 02/01/2020 13:05

The reason this group are still friends is bevcause they have the same lifestyle. This includes the drugs. Your DP must know this. So it will coe down to you turning a blind eye or walking away. Yes, they are idiots. Lots of people are. It will end up beng your choice as to whether you wish to socialise with them or not but don't expect DP to drop them.

PaulHollywoodsSexGut · 02/01/2020 13:07

YANBU

For me there is a special place in hell for these folk. It’s the height of irresponsibility.

And before anyone brings up the “its no different from alcohol” bollocks: it is.

Whichoneofyoudidthat · 02/01/2020 13:10

The scenario you describe happens frequently among my social circle. I never touch it.

Its so common. I’m sure there will be plenty of Mumsnetters who do it!

ColdTattyWaitingForSummer · 02/01/2020 13:11

I wouldn’t be comfortable with this. Especially with dc around. Even the drinking.. when my dc were small I was in a friendship group where there were lots of parties, everyone getting drunk, no one properly supervising the dc. It was totally normalised, but looking back, it was actually pretty terrible.
I’m not sure it’s worth reporting, but I’d definitely be distancing myself.

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