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Original poster

Feeding babies lemon for a laugh?

98 replies

GooglyEyeballs · 08/04/2022 12:10

I don't have kids so really I don't get a say! (TTC at the moment so please MN fingers crossed for us!)

Lately I've been seeing on Instagram/Facebook loads of videos of people feeding their babies lemon and then laughing at their reactions. It probably doesn't do any harm, but it seems a bit off to me, making a baby uncomfortable for laughs. Babies are pretty funny things without the feeding them sour stuff just to see their faces scrunch up. Maybe I have a stunted sense of humour and need to lighten up?... But I was wondering what MN thought about it.

I also keep seeing videos where parents blindfold their kids and get them to dip their finger in something and taste it and then remove their blind fold and the parents are holding up their dogs arse and the horror on the kids faces is just horrible. I'd be really upset if someone did that to me.

Don't get me wrong I love a good prank but I think they're only funny if the prank makes the victim laugh and not feel awful. What does MN think?

OP posts:
latriciamcneal · 08/04/2022 13:54

I don't think it's too bad, but I chose not to do it to my baby. I did it when she got older though, with her agreement, and we both enjoyed it. She actually likes to lick limes. I did let her try an olive when she was first weaning around 8 months expecting her to spit it out, but she actually said 'more' and now she loves olives.

Lollipop858 · 08/04/2022 14:07

You know what’s even worse than the lemons? All the Instagram “influencers” who sell every last part of their childrens souls and even sicker - their inner most private thoughts, for money and fame.

LuckySantangelo35 · 08/04/2022 14:10

It’s a bit of lemon, some kids like it. It’s lemon, not arsenic!
HTH

MrsPelligrinoPetrichor · 08/04/2022 14:12

I gave ds a taste of lemon 20 years ago, he asked for more even though he spat it out!! It's not a bad thing to let them experience different tastes.No insta or FB then but it made me laughGrin

bringincrazyback · 08/04/2022 14:19

@StrychnineInTheSandwiches

I don't see a problem with letting a baby taste a slice of lemon? It's a perfectly normal food and they might like the tartness. Surely it's only a problem if the baby indicates they dislike it and then the parent makes them try it again.
But it's not about finding out if they like it. It's about laughing at them.

It's a hard no from me, I'm actually getting a bit agitated even thinking about it. Before anyone tells me to get over myself, I was laughed at/deliberately embarrassed by my parents for my entire childhood, laughed at even more if I got upset about it, and have struggled with confidence issues for most of my life because of it. I realise I may well be overpersonalising this issue because of it, but imo people who would pull this lemon stunt on their babies seem like they'd be the types to continue laughing at their children for cheap kicks when they're older too and cause them real distress.

bringincrazyback · 08/04/2022 14:20

It's sour lemon, not cyanide.

You're missing the point.

WhereHasSpringSprungTo · 08/04/2022 14:22

I never purposely did it but when dd was about 1 she wanted the lemon out of my coke. I did get a photo as her face was funny as she kept going back to lick i6, But never put on SM or anything.

A580Hojas · 08/04/2022 14:23

I absolutely cannot STAND this.

All sorts of awful, awful videos of parents laughing at their children (AT them not WITH) them come through on my FB news feed. I've no idea why and I can't believe how many people are literally thick enough to pimp their children out like they do.

I feel really strongly about it. Don't mind if that makes me a humourless old baggage.

incognitoforthisone · 08/04/2022 14:24

I think the lemon thing is all right. I don't think it's a case of knowing they aren't going to like it - babies (and a lot of adults) pull that face when they taste something sour even if they actually like it, if you see what I mean. When you watch some babies, they taste it, pull a face, and then keep tasting it, pulling the face and giggling. You don't really know what the baby will think of it until they try it. It's not like giving a baby a raw chilli or something.

However - the other stuff you mentioned is vile. Any 'pranking' of kids is horrible. I really hate it and it's cruel and gross. I actually hate that sort of thing when it's done to adults as well, really. It's just unpleasant and nasty.

I also used to hate it on shows like You've Been Framed when they would show a video where a child falls over or falls into a puddle or drops their ice cream and cries. How is that in any way entertainment? It's a little child in tears!

Patchbatch · 08/04/2022 14:26

I think filming it for social media likes, most probably from a bunch of strangers is fucking weird. I think parents posting their children on any public social media platform is weird though, hopefully the children can sue when they're older.

Tubs11 · 08/04/2022 14:30

And that is why FB, insta, tik tok etc is chewing gum for the eyes. So glad I got rid ages ago

MrsPelligrinoPetrichor · 08/04/2022 14:34

This isn't the right place to admit I laugh my socks off at the pics of babies with drawn on eyebrows then?Grin

Marvellousmadness · 08/04/2022 14:39

It's just a bit of harmless fun

Favourodds · 08/04/2022 14:43

This isn't the right place to admit I laugh my socks off at the pics of babies with drawn on eyebrows then?grin

Haha, I think two things have definitely been conflated in this thread. There's silly things you do to make yourself/family laugh a little bit (a bit of lemon, draw on some eyebrows, dress them up as a bumblebee) which seem broadly fine and I'm sure people have done for years.

And then there's the extremely aggressive/humiliating/distressing social media pranking stuff.

To me, they just don't exist in the same category.

Sunnytwobridges · 08/04/2022 14:46

So many things are done these days is done for instagram worthy pics and thats what i have a problem with. Especially when it's exploiting your kids in some way. it's not about the experience itself

JesusInTheCabbageVan · 08/04/2022 14:58

@bringincrazyback oh, snap Sad

2Gen · 08/04/2022 17:04

YANBU I think the same as you! I get qualms when I see that sort of thing and regard it as exploitative, using a helpless baby to get yourself attention and likes! Ugh!
I also dislike ones where people tease and torment animals because they think it's funny and it'll get them the views and likes. Often, the animal doesn't find it at all amusing and often nip, scratch or snap in response and I think "Well, you brought that on yourself!".
As you say, babies, and animals, are naturally funny enough without teasing, tormenting or provoking them. I think it's actually a horrible thing to do!

2Gen · 08/04/2022 17:43

@Headabovetheparakeet

I saw a video once where some parents pretended their kid had disappeared, they totally ignored her. The kid was frantic and sobbing by the end, it was really cruel.
Oh that's nasty! Pure cruelty! Poor little thing! I hoped they got SLATED in the comments?!
toomanydogsandcats · 08/04/2022 17:51

I agree. It's not normal to post. Little 9nes make those faces at all types of food when they are weaning and we have all had a giggle at a yuck face it to deli eratly film and share is beyond ok.

toomanydogsandcats · 08/04/2022 17:52

Sorry for typos have new nails and keyboard not used to them

2Gen · 08/04/2022 17:53

@veronicagoldberg

It's horrible.

There was a reel going around lately of a mum serving her toddler daughter a plate of alphabet chips that spelled out U PISS ME OFF. I found it really distasteful, especially because the little girl looked so excited for her dinner.

Oh Lord, that's definitely emotional abuse! Isn't it strange the way these abusive parents are now using the net to "go public" though? They must be expecting that they'll get approval! I can imagine they might well do, from other abusive bastards! I can only hope the majority of comments they get are tearing into them for being so cruel! I dare say some of these children may well grow up to posting on the net about their horrible parents, not to mention having to go into therapy! They'll have video evidence anyway!
toomanydogsandcats · 08/04/2022 17:56

I think we need a new service. Not social workers or police but a team who bollocking people for this stuff and also educate on damage that stays with us from our parents shit. As a 70s kid, my parents were not perfect but it's because they were negligent through something that rhis isn't. This is abuse. If someone did this to a puppy or kitten, the RSPA would probably take the animal away (in an ideal world where they actually attended and dealt with anything) and of course they Re .assuredly funded in comparison to child safety.

toomanydogsandcats · 08/04/2022 17:57

Again, apologies for typos, new nails

A580Hojas · 08/04/2022 20:40

I saw one recently (again didn't go looking for it it just appeared on FB) where a little tot announced he was leaving home. So the fucking weird Dad filmed it, filmed him saying "bye then", closed the back door on him, kept filming as he got about 10 feet down the garden in the dark then changed his mind and knocked on the door crying begging to be let back in then filmed himself laughing at his child's tears. Fucking abusive. Not funny in the slightest.

MrsSkylerWhite · 08/04/2022 20:42

hifiive

GooglyEyeballs
Just to clarify, I don't think it's off to let a baby try lemon, of course they might like it. It's the purposefully doing it knowing they're not going to like it so they can post it on the internet bit that I don't really like.

Purposefully doing what? Shoving it in their mouth and holding it? That is wrong. And would be wrong regardless of what food it was.

Putting a slice on their high chair? Fine.“

That’s exactly what OP is saying?

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