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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Partner not careful enough... What now?

144 replies

Qwerty16 · 18/08/2022 15:19

I don't think my partner is careful enough with our kids and I don't know what to do about it.

We have two kids, DS 2y7m and DD 7 months. I was just on the phone to Bupa as my back is bad and carrying DD is painful, DD was crying making it hard to speak, partner was WFH so I messaged asking him if he'd put DD up in the cot in her room. She hasn't used the cot yet so it has been covered in a thin plastic decorating sheet to stop the cats climbing in (she has been sleeping in a snuzpod but will be starting to move to her room soon, hence I thought it would be good to try some naps in there.) He came and took her upstairs and I continued the call while he went back down to work. By the time I was off the call I could hear her crying and when I got upstairs I found her completely wrapped up in the plastic sheeting, over her head and face and mouth. He says he thought he moved the plastic out of the way but obviously not as it was all piled on the chair next to the cot and she had pulled it through the bars.

It was absolutely terrifying - if I'd just trusted my partner to put her to bed safely and not checked, or if the call had lasted longer, I'm convinced she'd have suffocated and died at she was completely wrapped up in the plastic. I feel terrible that it happened, and I just can't stop thinking what if.

I'm really f*cking annoyed with my partner (who at first responded with a complaint that I kept bothering him while he was WFH and that this meant he could never WFH again, but later apologised saying he was rushing and should have been more careful) but I don't think it's a one off.

Last weekend he left her in her pram outside at around 830pm in our garden which is quite far away from the house, there's no line of sight, it's part forest, you wouldn't have heard her crying, and it's open to a public footpath. He was bringing things back up to the house after a BBQ (I was putting DD to bed). He didn't understand why I thought it wasn't okay to leave a seven month old baby alone and out of sight in the evening near a public footpath and kept repeating various excuses eg it was only 90 seconds (it wasn't, it takes that long to get down there let alone up, back, and packing the fridge) and there were some girls feeding some horses nearby (they weren't there when I got down, and also so what). To my mind, she could have been abducted or attacked by a fox or anything. I don't think I'm a hugely over cautious person but this feels objectively beyond the line of okay.

I'm just fed up of disagreeing about what's safe and not safe. I can't get the image of our baby struggling to breathe wrapped up in plastic and crying out of my head. I can't stop thinking she could be dead right now because he was f*cking careless. He's 37, he should know that you can't leave a load of plastic sheeting next to a cot. I'm trying to resist melodrama, but I feel like I can't trust him to keep our children safe. I feel like I can't trust his judgement. I don't know if he's just stupid which results in him misjudging things so badly, or just sloppy and careless, or if he just thinks other things are more important in the moment. AIBU to think this?

We've only spoken briefly as it only just happened. I've told him I think it was his fault that he wasn't careful enough. He keeps asking "what do you want me to say?" He says he feels terrible but I just don't think this is a brush it off, oh well never mind type event. Maybe I'm being unfair.

What should I do?

OP posts:
Whoactuallythinksthat · 18/08/2022 16:20

My husband is like this. He’s never managed to change. The good news is that dcs are now 15 and 13, have survived and are now able to (mainly) look after themselves. The bad news is, I’ve been a nervous wreck for 15 years and have had to be much more of a worrier than is my natural inclination.

CurbsideProphet · 18/08/2022 16:22

@Underanothersky snuzpod is a brand of bedside crib sold widely. You mean the sleepyhead nest type thing that is not thought safe for babies to be left in unattended.

Underanothersky · 18/08/2022 16:23

berksandbeyond · 18/08/2022 15:40

A snuzpod is just a bedside crib. Are you thinking of a sleepyhead?

Oh, yeah I was. Thanks for the correction.

neverbeenskiing · 18/08/2022 16:24

The health visitor might have a course they can send him on?

Our local council regularly put on courses around accident prevention and child safety in the home for parents. This is definitely worth asking about. It's all very well us all saying he's a useless twat but if he's willing to do this at least it would be something constructive.

stuntbubbles · 18/08/2022 16:26

He needs a parenting course – talk to your health visitor about options locally. He obviously can’t be trusted to use his gumption: he needs basic stuff spelled out to him. Would also be worth you both doing infant first aid and CPR, so you’re prepared – may also help ease your anxiety at his parenting knowing you have the skills at hand?

Revolvingwhore · 18/08/2022 16:29

I would scare him with talk of social services. The threat of them poking their noses in might sharpen his mind somewhat.

fufflecake · 18/08/2022 16:29

neverbeenskiing · 18/08/2022 16:24

The health visitor might have a course they can send him on?

Our local council regularly put on courses around accident prevention and child safety in the home for parents. This is definitely worth asking about. It's all very well us all saying he's a useless twat but if he's willing to do this at least it would be something constructive.

Yeah I think ours do something like that.

GreenFingersWouldBeHandy · 18/08/2022 16:29

Ia he a moron?

I would have gone absolutely stratospherically batshit mad at him. Did you even react? Are you afraid of him?

He could end up killing your children at this rate!

Why are you putting up with this?

Qwerty16 · 18/08/2022 16:29

We've done two paediatric first aid courses, one 8 months ago and one 2y8m ago (before babies born). Moving a huge pile of plastic sheeting which is a clear suffocation risk away from the bars of a cot... I don't know if courses would help.

Yes I'm always trying to get him to read parenting books or articles on different topics (weaning, potty training, positive parenting etc), but either a) it doesn't happen because he doesn't make the time, or b) he gets annoyed that I'm adding another thing to his to do list, even if it's just a short article or c) sees it as a personal criticism.

Recently I read a weaning book as a refresher for DD, I knew he'd never read it so I sent a picture of one page which had some key info, including don't leave a baby alone with solid food or she might choke. Shortly after, DD was in her high chair while we were sorting DS bath and bedtime, I walked past and found he'd given her some lumps of boiled veg and walked off. This was on only day 2 of weaning, I had no idea he'd given her anything and no-one was watching her. I don't know if he didn't read what I sent him, skim read it but didn't take it in, didn't remember, or just thought it would be fine. Maybe it was fine (?) but on day 2 of weaning I wouldn't have done that, and the book specifically said not to.

I'm forever saying 'choking is silent' or 'drowning is silent' (and I just remembered we had this convo when he left DS alone in a shallow bath when he was young) - I feel like I'm always having to remind me to be cautious.

I'm sure this has scared him and he wouldn't leave a pile of thin plastic next to a cot again, but will it fundamentally change his attitude to risk with small children? Do I just have to assume something has changed and hope for the best? Or do I just have to suck up that we are different people and make different decisions on what's safe or not?

What would you do?

Totally out of ideas.

(Sorry I'm new to mumsnet so might be messing up the DD DS etc)

OP posts:
girlmom21 · 18/08/2022 16:29

That's terrifying. I don't see how you can trust him around the children now. I don't know how you get past this.

DahliaDreamer · 18/08/2022 16:30

Call social services and have them read him the riot act?

Revolvingwhore · 18/08/2022 16:32

DahliaDreamer · 18/08/2022 16:30

Call social services and have them read him the riot act?

Sorry but this is terrible advice - yes, bluff about calling them but DO NOT let them in, you'll never get rid of them.

Iknowforsure1 · 18/08/2022 16:32

I don’t know what to suggest. But he can’t be trusted. I think you need to have a very very serious talk about things. But you are absolutely undoubtedly right OP. Although not like your partner, my DH is also more lax than me. I don’t give him any freedom to wriggle if I have a bad feeling about something. We exercise precautions even if he thinks it’s stupid - I better be safe than sorry.

fufflecake · 18/08/2022 16:33

I would consider legal advice to see if they think if you split you would have a case for supervised access only?

Marvellousmadness · 18/08/2022 16:34

I wouldnt have had a second child with this man tbh.

Allmyarseandpeggymartin · 18/08/2022 16:35

My DH kept leaving the baby gate open at the top of the stairs. When I was calm I sat him down at the kitchen table and said “you are going to kill our child. If they fall down the stairs you will be responsible for the death of your son”
He never did it again.

endofthelinefinally · 18/08/2022 16:38

You need to be telling your HV about this asap.

Meraas · 18/08/2022 16:39

Underanothersky · 18/08/2022 15:38

Well snuzpods are not safe either.

Man: leaves baby to wrap herself in plastic and suffocate herself

MNer: focuses on complete irrelevancy to try to show women are just as bad.

PutinIsAWarCriminal · 18/08/2022 16:40

Its horrible, you are supposed to have joint responsibility of the dc, who should be as safe in his care as they are in yours. Now he has left you in the position of sole carer. My dh and I used to (darkly) joke that children's accidents only happen when Dad is in charge, as he does let our now teens take more risks than I would, but this is ridiculous. Is yours just a bit thick? Others have suggested safety courses, which is the only way forward. The suggest of involving ss is only really useful if you planned on LTB.

endofthelinefinally · 18/08/2022 16:40

Personally, these things are so obviously dangerous, I consider his behaviour deliberate. I am seeing red flags.

Qwerty16 · 18/08/2022 16:41

I also forgot to mention that yes, I've sent him various links over the last 2.5 years to 'safety at home' / 'avoiding dangers' type articles that you get through start4life emails and the like. It tends to be that I read stuff, and then send on the things that are most important. I realise this makes me a bit of a parenting PA, esp. given I also work, but I felt compelled to share the most important things, knowing he would be unlikely to reading this sort of content if it weren't being put in front of his face by me.

I don't know if he has read them, ignored them, forgotten them, or chosen to make different decisions. Checking around a cot to see what's in reach of the baby I would have thought to be a basic consideration, esp. the first time that cot is being used.

OP posts:
mamabear715 · 18/08/2022 16:43

Your babies, your choice, but if it was me, I wouldn't trust him to look after a goldfish. I would do EVERYTHING myself.
Thank GOD you checked.. doesn't bear thinking about. :-(

Newuser82 · 18/08/2022 16:44

That's dreadful, you must have been so frightened! I'm not sure what the answer is as I'm astounded that anyone would do something so dangerous!!

fufflecake · 18/08/2022 16:44

Qwerty16 · 18/08/2022 16:41

I also forgot to mention that yes, I've sent him various links over the last 2.5 years to 'safety at home' / 'avoiding dangers' type articles that you get through start4life emails and the like. It tends to be that I read stuff, and then send on the things that are most important. I realise this makes me a bit of a parenting PA, esp. given I also work, but I felt compelled to share the most important things, knowing he would be unlikely to reading this sort of content if it weren't being put in front of his face by me.

I don't know if he has read them, ignored them, forgotten them, or chosen to make different decisions. Checking around a cot to see what's in reach of the baby I would have thought to be a basic consideration, esp. the first time that cot is being used.

I'd speak to your HV. Pp may be on to something is he being deliberately neglectful

Flossiemoss · 18/08/2022 16:44

Is it just the kids he’s like this around?
does his lacksadasical attitude extend to other areas of life? If it does at least you can say he’s consistent.

if it doesn’t I’d suggest he is being useless on purpose so as to make you the only parent.