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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

to be annoyed with supernanny ?

40 replies

elfsmum · 11/09/2007 16:54

watched a bit of this the other night, and it was a family who still had baby things for their toddlers and 5 year olds (twins)

The 5 year olds were wearing nappies at night, she had a conversation with them about getting rid of them - fine.

Takes them off them, they go to bed and they show them getting up the next morning and going to a treasure chest for a prize.

now admittedly they didn't say how many wet nights V's dry nights the children had, or if they were a support for the parents.

but I'm annoyed watching this when my 5.6 year old still wears dry nights, I've tried rewards for dry nights, cutting out drinks after a certain time, letting him wet the bed and changing sheets night after night - discussed my concerns with HV - discussed this on the development board.

had finally got to a point where we don't make a big issue out of it, we praise dry nights, and then supernanny comes along and hey presto one set of fairy wings and I've forgotten the boys prize and she can do away with dry nights - without a single problem.

I know it's TV and it wouldn't make good viewing if it showed mum and dad bleary eyed changing beds, children etc at 3.30am in the morning ...

OP posts:
NotQuiteCockney · 11/09/2007 16:57

But nighttime training isn't something kids can be taught! They're dry when they're dry. (My DS1 was dry by 3. Not through some effort on my part, but because he has a giant bladder.)

FlossALump · 11/09/2007 16:58

I think the issue was that the children didn't want to be wearing them - the parents wanted them on as an insurance policy. We don't know if the nappies were ever wet or if indeed the kids were able to get up and wee - the parents wanted the kids to be wearing them still.

southeastastra · 11/09/2007 17:00

have you tried the treasure chest option

NotQuiteCockney · 11/09/2007 17:04

Surely if the children didn't need them and didn't want to wear them, the reward was pointless and unneccesary?

Original poster
elfsmum · 11/09/2007 17:08

I did say it wasn't clear if they had wet nights

DS1 was dry at night when he was about 2.5 as soon as he was dry in the day he was in the night too.

DS2 is absolutely fine during the day, no accidents, nothing since he was dry, but hasn't gone for more than a week of dry nights no matter what I try.

I'd gotten really worried and felt like a bad mum and only with discussion on here and in rl realised he can't be taught it.

I'm just annoyed without the qualification that they were dry and it was the parents who wanted them to have them on that it could be perceived that all you need is a treasure chest and voila dry night here on in, if I'd watched that 6 months ago I'd have been really upset that I was failing my DS

if you see what I mean

OP posts:
nanninurse · 11/09/2007 17:12

They were still in nappies because it was convenient for the parents.

The tresure chest was a token to mark the occasion, nice for the children, did you see their faces? priceless...!

pointydog · 11/09/2007 17:36

supernanny annoys me on so many levels. YANBU.

But often the parents irritate me more.

Getyourownjuice · 11/09/2007 17:47

SN does my head in, I get my own off to bed and then am expected to listen to someone elses kids screaming for an hour because their parents are too lazy to sort it out themselves.

Still watch it though, and feel nicely smug about my own!

Jacanne · 11/09/2007 17:50

YANBU - there are soooo many things I hate about Supernanny and her ilk!

DD1 is nearly 5 and still in night nappies - they are soaked in the morning; she's just not ready.

IlanaK · 11/09/2007 17:54

Nothing to do with supernanny, but my 6 year old son is still in night nappies and they are wet every morning. Its nothing to do with rewards or treats - he is unable to stay dry at night.

My 3 year old is dry most nights.

mustsleep · 11/09/2007 17:55

supernanny annoys me when she says to the parents whose kids are tantruming to pick then up and take them to the naughty step

ok as shes says you are bigger than them but \a kid an make itself really really heavy when ds didn't want to sit in his buggy i had to practically stick my knee in his middle to make him bend

bundle · 11/09/2007 17:56

agree ilana, dd1 was still wetting few times a week until recently (she's 7)

Getyourownjuice · 11/09/2007 17:59

I know what you mean Ilana

My DS is nearly 9 and as tall as me. If I tell him to go up to his room he will say no and I cannot physically manage to lift him up and get him up there, not if he struggles which is what he would do!

Thankfully the tantrums are getting less and less and he appears to have grown up a bit!

Reallytired · 11/09/2007 18:01

Most sleeping children don't think about rewards or star charts. T

I am sure that your child will train eventually. A lots of children wet the bed at 5 years old. If it is still happening at the age of seven then its sense to seek proper medical help.

My son needed professsional help to learn to walk. (Although he is fine now at the age of 5) Wetting the bed at 5 should not be anymore shameful.

juuule · 11/09/2007 18:07

One of mine was 9+ before he was dry at night. Nothing wrong with him, he just took a bit longer than some. Did it in his own time.

DulwichDolly · 11/09/2007 18:13

all those baby gurus get on my nerves...

GF, tanya whatever her name and now supernanny!

Why do people believe everything they see on tv?

Bah!

VagusPabo · 11/09/2007 18:15

Quite, DD.

The editors and producers have much to own up to, imo.

Mungarra · 11/09/2007 23:32

I can't stand Supernanny. I think that she sees children as monsters to be tamed and that she lacks empathy with them.

I find it rather perturbing that, because of her, people think it's a great idea to lock children in rooms (aka Time Out) if they're upset.

I like Tanya Byron though. She is much more understanding of children.

HonoriaGlossop · 11/09/2007 23:39

Tanya Byron recommends time out with door being held shut, too though; seen it endless times on her programmes.

I do respect TB hugely more though, as she does have individualised approaches much more than you'd get on SN. It's so formula; exactly the same things applied to all children regardless. I think it can't help parents to actually look at their own children as unique rather than having to fit the behavioural mould.

MrsMarvel · 11/09/2007 23:44

YABU. I've never seen her doing anything unasseptable. She seems to have the same approach as DTB but does it in a less BScPhD kind of way.
If your dds are in nappies and you want them out, why not try her treasure chest thing? It may work it may not. Keep trying and I'm sure your child will get there in the end.

NoBiggy · 11/09/2007 23:45

And now I can't buy cornflakes because her face is leering out of the packet at me.

TheDuchessOfFlashman · 11/09/2007 23:56

YANBU but you are very brave.

minorityrules · 12/09/2007 00:20

I think it was said in the prgramme, the parents had them in nappies as the children were in a loft room and the loo was downstairs. It was for convenience sake, not because they needed them

I think SN did the treasure chest thing to make it special for the children rather than make a big deal out of why they were wearing them.

MrsMarvel · 12/09/2007 00:28

Bit daft to put the in the loft room wasn't it? And what's wrong with a potty in the corner for emergencies???

minorityrules · 12/09/2007 00:38

that's what I used to do when our loo was downstairs, little commode in the corner

I think that particular family had some unresolved issues

I think it was nice the kids got a treat though, especially as they didn't like wearing them, really felt for the little girl

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