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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

AIBU to let them camp on an island overnight?

668 replies

chomalungma · 01/08/2020 18:01

(Inspired by another thread)

We are on holiday in the Lake District. Lovely cottage. DH is working away. DC's have seen a lovely island and want to go camping there for a few nights. Light a campfire, cook for themselves. They'll get there by sailing boat. Youngest is 6 and oldest is 14.

Would you let them go?

OP posts:
CaptainNancy · 02/08/2020 00:08

Ha, yes!

ErrolTheDragon · 02/08/2020 00:21

Having just found this thread and skimmed it - probably just as well the OP didn't mention that the youngest child learned to swim after getting to the island, and of course the didn't have buoyancy aids.Grin

We've canoed to the island (with buoyancy aids - even good swimmers can get in trouble if they fall into cold water) - DH once did it with DD leaving home very early so they could be the first there.

LostInTheColonies · 02/08/2020 00:31

DD & her BFF channeling their inner Nancy & Peggy Grin. No camping on islands yet but I'm sure it's just a matter of time they devised a way to abseil a couple of years ago and lived to tell the tale.

I'm another one who was very excited to go to the Lake District after reading these, and also unduly thrilled to be sent to a conference in Ambleside. Loved Picts and Martyrs & Winter Holiday, and also the Fell Farm books - another helpful farmer's wife and adventures for all. And probably pemmican...

AIBU to let them camp on an island overnight?
SE13Mummy · 02/08/2020 02:12

I know this is referring to S&A but to do exactly this is DD2's dream, and the thing she always says she'd do if she could go anywhere or have a wish come true. Were we on holiday in the Lakes I would absolutely let my DDs (15 and 10) sail to an island, camp on it and fend for themselves. DD2 is a decent sailor and is the adventurous one although DD1 can also sail and has more experience of setting a campfire. Between them, I reckon they'd do an OK job of it and have a wonderful time.

EBearhug · 02/08/2020 02:14

I might reread all the S&A books after I've finished rereading the FF. I have all Dad's Ransomes, dust jackets and all. The later ones might be first editions. I also have Coots in the North in paperback, which I don't think I ever got round to reading.

It's not a trowel, it's a trenching tool. A trowel with a longer handle.

I think children probably were more sensible with fire, because they all grew up with open fires. The ones who didn't treat it with respect did a horrible death or ended up with bad scarring. Also, if ygrow up with open fires being your main source of heating, it tends to be a necessary chore rather than an exciting thing. (We didn't have central heating in my childhood home.)

Svalberg · 02/08/2020 03:10

OP, I think you need to spend some quality time with your new baby, so I'd pack the others off for the summer. You never know, they might make friends with some local children and that'll be them off your hands for all foreseeable holidays - result!

Yankathebear · 02/08/2020 03:16

I haven’t read the books but will now!

Saracen · 02/08/2020 05:53

I would let them go. But I would have insisted that the youngest be able to swim properly before he went. And I would make sure the eldest girl knew that she didn't have to play little mother and stay in camp scrubbing pots while the others were having fun.

itsgettingweird · 02/08/2020 06:19

@PablosHoney

It’s not really a lovely thread though is it, want to talk about a beloved childhood book? then do so openly on a chat thread but this actual thread is peppered with ‘embarrassment for those who don’t get it’ ‘illiterate fools’ general smuggery and that fecking duffers quote ad infinitum. Yes people took an AIBU at face value 😱😱 and..
Anyone who read the first few answers would have got it though.

I've never read S and A. But I thought from title it would be famous five thread.

I'm usually useless at spotting troll threads, joke threads and literary references.

But even I got this one Grin

TheOnlyLivingBoyInNewCross · 02/08/2020 06:19

@IceCreamSummer20

Even a nice thread about a favourite book can upset some people! Unfortunately there were several posters that were hugely condescending and mean, ‘didn’t you get it? Ha ha, didn’t you read our posts, you know the ones that were clever enough to get it’ etc - as it people should be embarrassed and feel stupid. It really isn’t a very nice thread because of it unfortunately.

And it isn’t clear in the original post at all, why would it? This is mumsnet asking predominantly advice about parenting. That is what people are going to expect.

Shame as it is nice to have lighthearted threads. Just take some responsibility OP and don’t be so mean other posters either. It’s really not nice.

Look, the fourth reply to the OP identified what was going on and mentioned the title of the book the OP was referring to. It's not like you were being required to read War and Peace to spot that the thread was lighthearted.
BullshitVivienne · 02/08/2020 06:36

Yeah I've never read the book but I can read a few pages on a thread and not just the OP.

coronafiona · 02/08/2020 06:40

No. Absolutely no way. Anything could happen.

BullshitVivienne · 02/08/2020 06:41

@coronafiona

No. Absolutely no way. Anything could happen.
Not read the full thread or even the first page?
JasperRising · 02/08/2020 08:06

@Saracen

I would let them go. But I would have insisted that the youngest be able to swim properly before he went. And I would make sure the eldest girl knew that she didn't have to play little mother and stay in camp scrubbing pots while the others were having fun.
As a child I disliked Susan - she was just so boring and Nancy was cool in comparison. Now as an adult I realise that most of their adventures would have been a complete disaster without her keeping them fed and dry and being the sensible voice. But it sucks that that was all on one 12(?) year old girl. Why couldn't the others take responsibility for realising they would to dry out after falling in a frozen stream etc???
Original poster
chomalungma · 02/08/2020 08:40

@IceCreamSummer20

Even a nice thread about a favourite book can upset some people! Unfortunately there were several posters that were hugely condescending and mean, ‘didn’t you get it? Ha ha, didn’t you read our posts, you know the ones that were clever enough to get it’ etc - as it people should be embarrassed and feel stupid. It really isn’t a very nice thread because of it unfortunately.

And it isn’t clear in the original post at all, why would it? This is mumsnet asking predominantly advice about parenting. That is what people are going to expect.

Shame as it is nice to have lighthearted threads. Just take some responsibility OP and don’t be so mean other posters either. It’s really not nice.

Can you point out where the OP has been mean to other posters?
OP posts:
Original poster
chomalungma · 02/08/2020 08:41

@IceCreamSummer20

Even a nice thread about a favourite book can upset some people! Unfortunately there were several posters that were hugely condescending and mean, ‘didn’t you get it? Ha ha, didn’t you read our posts, you know the ones that were clever enough to get it’ etc - as it people should be embarrassed and feel stupid. It really isn’t a very nice thread because of it unfortunately.

And it isn’t clear in the original post at all, why would it? This is mumsnet asking predominantly advice about parenting. That is what people are going to expect.

Shame as it is nice to have lighthearted threads. Just take some responsibility OP and don’t be so mean other posters either. It’s really not nice.

Maybe you haven't read the whole thread - as you won't find anywhere where I have been mean to anyone for 'not getting it'
OP posts:
Original poster
chomalungma · 02/08/2020 08:49

But given that ,it does say something about MN users who after a 300 page thread still are taking it seriously with their replies.

I am sure they are expecting a parenting thread and are giving their genuine advice....but you'd have hoped they would take the effort to read at least some more of the OP's responses by now at least/

OP posts:
ErrolTheDragon · 02/08/2020 08:54

Anyone who only reads the OP of any thread (especially an AIBU) is a bit of a duffer tbh.

Iwantacampervan · 02/08/2020 08:55

As a child I disliked Susan - she was just so boring and Nancy was cool in comparison
My friend is named Susan and has commented that characters with that name are usually the older, more sensible ones as in S&A and Narnia series. The film 'Monsters v Aliens' went against that idea.

Procne · 02/08/2020 09:05

Susan in the Narnia series went from being a valued character to suddenly being dropped by Aslan because she’d gone through puberty, and liked parties and lipstick, which is explained in a casual aside.

Sort of THINE IS THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN, BUT NOT IF YOU LIKE BOYS AND HAVE EVER WONDERED WHETHER YOU WERE PRETTY.

ComeBackIntoTheGardenMaud · 02/08/2020 09:07

@ErrolTheDragon

Anyone who only reads the OP of any thread (especially an AIBU) is a bit of a duffer tbh.
Well, quite
LakieLady · 02/08/2020 09:13

Exactly. Very mean school girl to put people down for it. And a bit boring

Yet you're still here, 200+ posts in.

When a light-hearted thread gives offence, it's always best to stop reading, I find.

ErrolTheDragon · 02/08/2020 09:16

@Procne

Susan in the Narnia series went from being a valued character to suddenly being dropped by Aslan because she’d gone through puberty, and liked parties and lipstick, which is explained in a casual aside.

Sort of THINE IS THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN, BUT NOT IF YOU LIKE BOYS AND HAVE EVER WONDERED WHETHER YOU WERE PRETTY.

That was horrible.

Susan the Swallow takes her part in the adventures too, is a good sailor etc (as is Peggy) - she doesn't stay in camp scrubbing pots! I like her - the adventures couldn't have happened without her and the fact that roles were gendered in the 20s or 30s isn't her fault!

CaptainNancy · 02/08/2020 09:16

@Saracen it should be noted that Mrs Walker does say to Susan that the others must wash up otherwise she will soon find cooking a chore and not fun.

LakieLady · 02/08/2020 09:19

And the arrogance isn’t on the part of those who haven’t read the book

If the thread was based on Ulysses or A La Recherche du Temps Perdu, you might have a point, but no-one has been arrogant about reading a children's book, ffs.