To have judged? Awh feckit. Yes I judged, I VERY judged.

[Farkinell]

Was in slow moving traffic today.

Big fuck off black BMW (suv/mpv/hpv??? who the eff knows) was coming towards me on other side of road.

Saw what I thought was a TV monitor in front passenger seat angled forwards.

Strange, I thought. Surely a passenger would be holding it and it would be facing backwards??

But LO! It was angled towards the passenger.

A teeny baby in the carry part of travel system, backwards facing.

A tablet set up, plating a cartoon for a young baby to watch in the car.

Just

Goodness

Gracious.

Let's get them Oblong Addicted early, yeah?

When Dd1 was a baby , whenever we were in the car, she wouldn't cry, but about every 20-30 seconds she would let out this ear piercing scream/grunt. We went on a 5 hr journey to a wedding and found ourselves sat getting more and more tense just waiting for this awful noise, just as you thought she might of stop there it would come out of nowhere. The first thing we did on the return journey was pull over at the nearest retail park and buy in car dvd player (we are talking 15 years ago). BEST PURCHASE EVER!

By the way. My car screamer ended up having all kinds of issues, not least of which was is and remains horrific travel sickness.

Judge away. I do what needs done to get her from a to b.

People coped on car journeys before the Screen obsession started.

I can guarantee if screens existed in the 80s, parents would have used them.

AlwaysBehinD

Managed it with my four.

Good times.

I had a car hater. Shes not so bad now but when she was really small she screamed blur murder as soon as she went in her seat. We tried everything. New car seat, different sides of the car, everything. The school run was an absolute nightmare because by the time we got there, everyone was crying. I absolutely dreaded it and I really wish Id thought of trying something like that.

Judge away, that's your prerogative. But a distracted driver is a dangerous driver.

And I drive a black SUV. :)

@Farkinell

AlwaysBehinD

Managed it with my four.

Good times.

Well done. Round of applause 👏

You would have judged me then. I did it. Dd HATED the car, she would scream blue murder. The iPad helped.

@Farkinell

AlwaysBehinD

Managed it with my four.

Good times.

Your perfect parent badge is in the post.

Oh God, get a life

@theonlywayisup33

What’s the biscuit for? My point was that the OP is judging the screen, not the use of the front seat. You really would have judged for that without knowing the circumstances?

Why bother commenting on the size and make of car then? What relevance does that have? Do you stereotype and assume all BMW drivers are shit parents?

I'll keep that in mind for my third child. My second hated travelling and would scream bloody murder the whole journey. Very distracting and frustrating. Probably best to mind your own business.

If it settles them it settles them

Hahahaha I love it when a thread backfires spectacularly!!

"Oblong addicted" I can just imagine OP chuckling to themselves as they typed this witty gem.

Well, I suppose since people coped on car journeys before screens, OP, they should henceforth never be used to alleviate the distress of a baby or, indeed, a parent. With that sort of thinking, I might as well start sending telegrams instead of texting. Better still, smoke signals. I mean, let's face it, people coped.

No parent can be providing quality interaction with a baby whilst also driving safely. By all means judge a parent who constantly uses screens to engage their child rather than interacting with them. But whilst they are driving, I'd much prefer they use screens and focus on the road, thanks.

Find something better to do with your time OP.

If you’re so against the oblong, why are you posting here op?

I’d have done this if I still had a car. My baby hated the car - her constant screaming made driving quite dangerous for me!

Rather my kids have screen time (oh no so harmful 🙄) than turn into a smug judgemental bitch 🤷🏼‍♀️

You have absolutely no idea of the circumstances or reasons behind them using it. I think it's a bit shitty of you judging them but then I doubt they give two hoots about what you think anything.

@Farkinell

AlwaysBehinD

Managed it with my four.

Good times.

Managed with my two - shit times. If I could have done something to stop the screaming while I was trying to negotiate lanes with an average of 4 hours sleep a night, I would have.

Just because you can cope, doesn’t mean you should. Assume you could have walked or taken public transport on your journey but chose to drive as easier? Assume you are using phone for posting here, but could use dial up on computer which is cheaper and less addictive... but phone/4g is easier? Assume you never have a take away, because you can cook the same? Am I sounding ridiculous? Yes. Now go back and read your posts.

Nothing gets my goat more than a knob head that refuses to admit people have it different to them. Shows total lack of brain cells.

I used to have to stick the iPad in front of DS to keep him awake in the car on the way home from childcare at 6pm as otherwise he would fall asleep (I could be shouting, singing, have the radio on loud... you name it!) and then wake up and be utterly miserable and too stressed out for bedtime once we got home.

It’s all very well all these people who are really judgy about babies needing to be in the back, needing to be rear facing, or have issues with screens but if you actually can’t drive safely because your child screams bloody murder non-stop/makes themselves sick/tries to escape what are you supposed to do? Just never go anywhere? Surely it’s infinitely safer to be in a situation where you can drive with as much of your attention on the road as possible?

I have a disabled DD. She sits on my lap in taxis. And yes I get stares but you know.. when you don’t know, you can judge all you want.
I doubt they give a flying fuck what you think, even if they were just doing it for fun