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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Weirdest things you've seen other parents do as they bring up or care for their DC?

438 replies

FortunesFave · 17/10/2021 07:18

Here are mine.

I was in a public toilet in the cubicle and heard a woman come in with a small boy.

They went into a cubicle together and I heard her ask him repeatedly "Do you want to dirt!?"

She meant poo!

"Do you want to dirt???

Omg.

Second is SIL. When her DS was little...around 2 or so, she'd put chips for him INTO A BOWL OF COLD WATER so they'd cool faster.

Dump the cooked chips into a bowl of water. Leave them there for a bit and then drop the soggy pile onto a plate for the poor child.

WHY? What are yours?

OP posts:
Funnylittlefloozie · 17/10/2021 08:44

SixTwirlingTutus, if your child came to my DDs party and had allergies sufficiently severe to need an EpiPen, I would be very grateful if you stayed!! If he has issues around recognising what he can and can't eat, then even more so.

Aroundtheworldin80moves · 17/10/2021 08:45

A child we weren't allowed to say No to. Ever. Explaining to an 18month old why he shouldn't play with a boiling kettle for example. (While not saying the word No).

Agreed with the principle of the idea, but the reality was different.

Ozgirl75 · 17/10/2021 08:45

My MIL, despite being a nurse before she retired, would always say “he’s washing his hands” instead of anything to do with going to the toilet. Hence confusion from my small children saying “why is grandad taking so long, washing your hands takes a few seconds, shall I check on him” etc instead of just saying “he’s going to the toilet” which they would have just gone “ok” about. So bizarre. I hate prissy euphemisms for things. She would say “break wind” “oh has the baby broken wind?” And I would say “nope, he’s farted” just to annoy her.

JapanJetplane · 17/10/2021 08:45

I saw a Tiktok where one woman was giving her 9 month old daughter three full bottles of squash every day alongside her milk and meals. Literally just a recipe for diabetes and obesity.

Ireallymustgetup · 17/10/2021 08:46

My ex used to tell me DD had done a present in her nappy. I threatened to give him one of her ‘presents’ for his birthday. He was quite happy to change her at least.

SixTwirlingTutus · 17/10/2021 08:46

@OwlinaTree

I think you are perfectly reasonable to stay with your child if they need an EpiPen.
Me too. :) I have had very kind parents say 'show me how to use it' but I would never put another parent in a situation like that where they might have to monitor DS, identify an issue and then be comfortable enough to make a medical intervention. It is not fair on another parent, and nor is it fair on DS to put him at a life threatening risk. But I have been critcised for it before and told that I am interfering with Ds' independence. I guess as he gets older we just have to work out what is the best thing to do in each individual situation.
SixTwirlingTutus · 17/10/2021 08:47

@Funnylittlefloozie

SixTwirlingTutus, if your child came to my DDs party and had allergies sufficiently severe to need an EpiPen, I would be very grateful if you stayed!! If he has issues around recognising what he can and can't eat, then even more so.
:) thank you.
scully29 · 17/10/2021 08:49

In fact can we just change it to - weirdest things weve done ourselves in the madness of parenting that we now look back on as obviously bonkers.
For me - covering all the carpets with blankets when DS was small to try to keep the house clean enough as we had a very dirty dog. I now dont know why I didnt just keep the dog out of the carpet area.
Point is - its hard when you are suffering from lack of sleep etc with small ones and we shouldnt judge!

Ozanj · 17/10/2021 08:51

@ohnonotyetplease

A parent I know who thinks children can and should be toilet trained from a very young age - less than 6 months....used to strap her children to the potty or toilet until they'd 'performed'. Regardless of whether that took 15 minutes or an hour, or more. An article I read recently by a urologist about this very subject said basically that it overdevelops the muscles of the bladder so they thicken and become very sensitive, ironically causing more problems than you would have had just potty training at a normal age. The stuff some parents do to get those non-existent parenting medals....
It is natural for babies to be potty trained around 6-12 months. It is nappies that have caused things to delay.
SmallWaistFatFace · 17/10/2021 08:52

@SlamLikeAGuitar

We have one in our wider family who won’t use the word “poo” or anything remotely related to it with her DCs. When they were small she’d say “Have you left us a message?” Hmm And there was me chasing after my toddler yelling “Come here and let me check if you’ve pooed!!!” - her face was the picture of horror
Left a message 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣
MangoSeason · 17/10/2021 08:54

Mum and dad would wear swimsuits in the shower when showering with their toddlers.

She was extremely proud of the fact that none of her children had seen her naked since they were babies and none of the kids had ever seen their dad naked at any stage.

The hang-ups those poor kids are going to have.

Tereseta · 17/10/2021 08:54

@JapanJetplane

I saw a Tiktok where one woman was giving her 9 month old daughter three full bottles of squash every day alongside her milk and meals. Literally just a recipe for diabetes and obesity.
Most squash is sugar free these days, not ideal for teeth but to say it will cause diabetes is a step. This thread is very judgy, we should be supporting each other as parents not tearing each other down.
EishetChayil · 17/10/2021 08:58

"Dirt" reminds me of that scene in Borat where he's asking the old fella if he can "do a dirt" in the urinals at the bowling club!

GoldChick · 17/10/2021 08:58

@scully29

In fact can we just change it to - weirdest things weve done ourselves in the madness of parenting that we now look back on as obviously bonkers. For me - covering all the carpets with blankets when DS was small to try to keep the house clean enough as we had a very dirty dog. I now dont know why I didnt just keep the dog out of the carpet area. Point is - its hard when you are suffering from lack of sleep etc with small ones and we shouldnt judge!
This would have been a much nicer thread
Classicblunder · 17/10/2021 09:00

I know someone who would lick her baby/toddler's hands clean after a meal - apparently it saved bother over using a wet wipe

Hopeisallineed · 17/10/2021 09:01

It’s not just the sugar in squash! There’s loads of rubbish in those drinks and a 9 month old just doesn’t need it. Not at all bothered than I am being ‘judgey ’, it’s just plain wrong!

MultiStorey · 17/10/2021 09:02

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

SapphosRock · 17/10/2021 09:03

I am currently breastfeeding my toddler in my own front room wearing a face mask. He has the norovirus and I don't want to catch it.

I'm sure if people saw us they would think it was was v odd.

wombatspoopcubes · 17/10/2021 09:05

@MangoSeason

Mum and dad would wear swimsuits in the shower when showering with their toddlers.

She was extremely proud of the fact that none of her children had seen her naked since they were babies and none of the kids had ever seen their dad naked at any stage.

The hang-ups those poor kids are going to have.

I've never seen my parents naked and I don't have any issues around nudity. What kind of hang ups will the kids have in your opinion? Kids are used to seeing people clothed anyway.
marykitty · 17/10/2021 09:06

I am pretty sure we all did "odd things" with our DCs.

marykitty · 17/10/2021 09:07

Sorry, bad phrasing, I meant odd things while looking after our kids, English is not my first language Blush

romdowa · 17/10/2021 09:07

Weirdest one I know is a woman in my town who allows her two year old to pinch her so the child will stop crying. Poor woman has massive bruises all over her body from her child but she still sits there with her arm in the pram until the child calms down.

ufucoffee · 17/10/2021 09:08

I know someone who was very house proud and would only let her child play with any toys in the living room on a sheet she'd put down over the carpet.

crazyguineapiglady · 17/10/2021 09:10

@Hopeisallineed

It’s not just the sugar in squash! There’s loads of rubbish in those drinks and a 9 month old just doesn’t need it. Not at all bothered than I am being ‘judgey ’, it’s just plain wrong!
Sugar free squash won't do any harm.
SmallWaistFatFace · 17/10/2021 09:12

When my son was a baby he has a slight sniffle so I literally sat watching him all night hold a dehumidifier over him and taking his temperature every few minutes (which was normal) and every time he sneezed I tried to convince my partner to call 999. Which he obviously refused. I then moved his cot to what I felt were more breathable areas of the room. Pure madness.