To ask for your controversial parenting tips?!

[Napqueen1234]

No judgement here. I want to know what you do day to day that works for you/your family but others may think are a bit crazy or controversial.

Today I told a friend that every day when kids are in bed (3 and 1) I tidy the whole downstairs and put all toys away so I can have a completely toy/child free evening. we just have one living room so all their toys downstairs are there and I can’t relax unless it’s tidy. It takes maybe 5/10 mins and is so worth it. My friend was shocked and said she could never be bothered to do that every day (fair enough) and thought it was mad considering it gets immediately destroyed by 6:30 the next morning. I wouldn’t even consider not tidying but to each their own and wouldn’t matter to me if someone else didn’t!

Ok not particularly controversial but anyone else have anything more juicy??

@TranielleRadcliffe 10 present limit? People buy their kids 10 presents or more?! Wow That’s so many gifts.

Not judging, just really surprised!

Oh, I have never asked child to 'say please' re food or anything.
Never.

Never done time out

@FleurDaxeny

I do not celebrate any holidays, so no Xmas, birthdays, valentines, Halloween etc. So much cheaper.

Alcohol can be sipped from age 4.

I don't get the point of your post It's neither clever nor funny. Did you think it was?

The alcohol thing is quite common on the continent. I was brought up (Italian family) on wine and water from about 4, and as I got older the water decreased and the wine increased. It was just normal to have a drink with a meal at any age. (I'm only 30 so this wasn't ages ago either).

Getting them to wear trainers without socks - especially after going swimming, so much easier than trying to get socks on their damp feet.

@FleurDaxeny I think flirtygirl was being serious.

Don't you want to be her new best friend?

Ds 6 gets a packet of crisps for himself if he gets up before me.It gives me an extra half hour in bed and then I make him a proper breakfast.

You can get the U5s to do pretty much anything- have their teeth cleaned or nails cut, or stay in a car seat, for example- by letting them watch crappy song videos on YouTube.

Spent 2 years battling with eldest over tooth brushing until I twigged and invoked the magic phone.

I genuinely don't understand how people manage without play pens. How do you have a pee or put a load of washing on without DC breaking something/ themselves?

@OuzoWouzo that's a good idea actually a good stress reliever

My DC (1and 5) volt get bathed once a week. They both have eczema and this approach is way better for their skin. Even twice a week baths and they get flare ups.

Nothing else particularly controversial, they do get a lot of screen time but I think it’s balanced well with other activities.

@MrsNoah2020

I genuinely don't understand how people manage without play pens. How do you have a pee or put a load of washing on without DC breaking something/ themselves?

Baby gate across a child proof room or a pile of toys in the kitchen.

Refused to let child nap once she was 18 months old. Meant she went to bed before 10pm. Now however (5 and a half), she doesn't go to sleep until 9.30 either. Her sleep has been shit for 5 and a half years.

Oh yes, she only gets washed when she's dirty or smells. Couple of times a week at the most. She screams like I'm showering her with acid, it's just not worth doing it more regularly.

No play pen or stair gates here either.
Take toddler to the toilet.
Keep child involved or busy while you work in the kitchen.
I kept a low cupboard full of toddler safe kitchen things, plastic bowls, jugs, wooden spoons etc.

We didn't buy a stairgate, just followed the child everywhere.

Nursed to sleep in our bed, by design, for over two years each.

Fed the toddler ordinary crisps with the salt licked off.

Didn't have a baby monitor either (which was a bit awkward for me the time he fell asleep in the bedroom the other end of my father's 1880s house).

Reins! What's more, I still think they look cute.

I do their laundry, even though they're 17 and 20. Older is perfectly capable of doing it when he's in halls. I put out their cereal too, until older left home and younger decided he'd rather get up and put some toast on.

It's no good putting your kids to bed at 6.30pm, saying "Oh I couldn't do without my evenings" and then moaning about them waking you up at 4.30am.

You can't have it both ways.

oh, we did have a playpen though... which is apparently cruel (this one pendulums so quickly, mind)

Something I felt niggly guilty about was watching loads and loads of tv while breastfeeding. I didn't keep any track of how long they fed or how often or anything like that, just binged in box sets. It's meant to be some bonding time where you get to know the baby I feel like it was just boring though.

When moving to bottles I would pre make them up before going out, usually two at a time. Apparently this is very bad and a friend couldn't meet me because she needed to make the formula up straight before a feed rather than in advance

Since then I've got bigger kids that I let climb up trees and do whatever rough and tumble stuff they want, when we are out and they have a squabble I leave them to it and they sort it out but I always get dodgy looks for not running over and getting involved. I didn't grow up with my sisters so I don't know if it's new for parents to get involved or they always have? But it's not for me. Not unless I think someone is going to get seriously hurt

Oooh, just thought of another one!

My cupboards remained childlock-free, even the one under the sink with nasty chemicals in.

Baby bedtime is same as ours, which means no one gets up early and a lie in possible on occasion!

Reading my phone while breastfeeding.

Let my kids wear what they want even when it’s ridiculous not weather appropriate....they learn in the end,

We did the ‘approved swear’ when I thought DS needs to let off steam or was particularly upset... saved a lot of tantrums, broken toys etc. It worked really well. He had fairly unrestricted gaming time too, as long as homework was done (and checked) ate meals with the with family and bath/shower time was done when I said so. I often found that he would come downstairs to watch tv and have a cuddle instead of gaming - maybe he was learning how to manage his time without being yelled at🤷‍♀️ Breakfast often included a bit of syrup or jam with cereal.. at least he ate the lot!

Just so that you know, I am reporting every single one of you to SS first thing tomorrow morning.
🤣
Thank you @Napqueen1234 for the best thread I’ve read on Mumsnet.
😊

I fine my 13 year old for not doing his jobs after being asked repeatedly and I (or DP) end up doing it. Eg 50p for not taking the recycling out.
I also charge a 'finders fee' if he can't find something and I find it really quickly as he's not looked properly.

@BadAlice that made me laugh out loud! Absolutely brilliant image.