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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To drag kids to witness history

93 replies

Wipingsides · 15/09/2022 14:41

DC 10 & 15. Not remotely interested in the pomp and ceremony around the queen's death. Neither is DH. I am not a huge royalist but we live quite close to a route the funeral car will be taking back to Windsor and I feel as a 'good parent' I should take them to see the car go past and witness history first hand. They however don't want to go when I've asked them. In reality I doubt they'll even sit through the funeral but I don't want them to look back when they're older and regret not being more involved in this period of time. AIBU to insist we go?

OP posts:
CherieBabySpliffUp · 15/09/2022 15:18

Yes of course YABU if they have no interest.

Bretonbear · 15/09/2022 15:25

If you take them and they moan all day then don't say you weren't warned.

MrsTerryPratchett · 15/09/2022 15:25

I would take them. They might not be interested now, but better that they see it than forever regret the lost opportunity.

Really?

I mean DD wants to study Psychology and I suppose there are few opportunities to witness mass hysteria. But other than that, no.

Trinity65 · 15/09/2022 15:28

With the kindest of words, go on your own OP

When Charlton FC won their way back into the Premiere League I thought my Charlton supporting Son would like to go for a drive with Me to see if we could see the Victory Parade, with the Cup, on an open top Bus
He said No but I went anyway. Not even a Football Fan as a rule but they are a local Team.
I did get to see the Open Top Bus with the players and the Cup at the front top deck.

TimBoothseyes · 15/09/2022 15:39

if they don't want to go then don't force it on them Chances are the teenager will be looking at their phone all the time and the younger one will moan. Go on your own if that's what you want to be part of it but don't make it "the day mum dragged us out to watch a car go past".

abovedecknotbelow · 15/09/2022 15:40

I don't se much value in 'oh I saw the coffin go past for 1 second' rather watch it on tv.

Anon778833 · 15/09/2022 15:42

YABU - don’t force them. They are old enough to make up their own mind.

notacooldad · 15/09/2022 15:42

I don't get the 'history in the making' that I keep hearing.
Your life isn't altered or made richer because you watched a hearse with the Queen go by.
I certainly would not be taking people that don't want to go.

IHateWasps · 15/09/2022 15:46

Really?

I mean DD wants to study Psychology and I suppose there are few opportunities to witness mass hysteria. But other than that, no.

Grin
Whatsthepointofmosquitos · 15/09/2022 15:47

Yabu. I remember my mum insist I sit through watching Diana’s wedding on TV. It was SO BORING.

I wasn’t interested then and I’m not interested now.

Your kids are experiencing, and making, history wherever they are. There is nothing particularly worthy about watching someone else’s dead gran go past in a sealed box in a car.

Is the issue perhaps that YOU are interested and want to go but feel silly going on your own? If so, get over it and go on your own.

Willbe2under2 · 15/09/2022 15:48

NiteCat · 15/09/2022 15:14

What is the route back to Windsor? (Misses the point of the thread)

I've been trying to find that out too... but can only find information on the prosession in Windsor.

Flopisfatteningbingforchristmas · 15/09/2022 15:50

Wipingsides · 15/09/2022 15:01

I guess I'm getting swept along with it all and have that ridiculous 'parental guilt' like I do about not going camping or other such 'wholesome family' activities.. fact is, we're not that family. I may be. But the rest of us aren't. So you're all quite right, why inflict it on them?! Thank you for giving my head a wobble.

I’m not sure I would class going to see someone else dead relative in a hearse as a wholesome family activity.

HellfireBaby · 15/09/2022 15:52

For goodness sake what is it with people who try to force kids to be interested in something. You yourself are not even really that interested so go by yourself and let them get on with their lives, it’s not important.

Suedomin · 15/09/2022 15:55

Yes you are being unreasonable to drag them along if they have no interest. They probably won't be able to see anything anyway.
I don't get this witnessing history argument. It's just pomp and ceremony.
I won't be watching and neither will anyone in my immediate family. They don't have any interest in it.

WarmWinterSun · 15/09/2022 15:56

We are all part of history, which is our lived experience. I don’t really understand how seeing the hearse drive past is to ‘witness history’. I wouldn’t take my kids, but then this type of thing isn’t for me.

Sceptre86 · 15/09/2022 15:57

Yabu, go yourself but don't drag them.

Original poster
Wipingsides · 15/09/2022 15:58

Why is there always such bitter, snipey undertones to many responses on mumsnet...?

OP posts:
mumofbun · 15/09/2022 15:58

Absolutely not! I was much younger than both of them when Princess Diana died, i remember plenty about it and the history of the moment without seeing her coffin. On the day of her funeral our parents sent me and my sister to rent videos to watch so we didn't have to watch the coverage, that was a wholesome family activity!

bofski14 · 15/09/2022 16:01

YABU. It's a hearse. I personally find it quite morbid for people to be participating in this ridiculous charade. For security reasons, it's not impossible that it's an empty box and this is all a big razzle dazzle show for the common folk so they feel involved and connected.

If you want to be a good parent, take your children to food banks to volunteer or maybe any of the many "cost of living" crisis centers that have been set up. Because doffing caps to the monarchy while our country is in a state of complete collapse with people unable to afford food or heating is frankly baffling and in bad taste.

We live in a world where we tell our children they can be anything they dream of if they work hard....apart from Royalty, oh no, tsk tsk that's not for the likes of us guv'nor. Ridiculous.

PerfectlyPreservedQuagaarWarrior · 15/09/2022 16:04

Any self respecting teen or tween will ruin it for you by complaining, and if the 15 year old is remotely rebellious minded they'll try and show you up by booing or shouting something that you probably don't want them to shout.

blebbleb · 15/09/2022 16:30

Not really fair to force your children to queue for up to 30 hours! I'd go by myself

Original poster
Wipingsides · 15/09/2022 17:57

blebbleb · 15/09/2022 16:30

Not really fair to force your children to queue for up to 30 hours! I'd go by myself

Good lord, no.. I'm not queueing for 30 hours.. (who is??!!). It'd be a case of walking down the road!

OP posts:
notacooldad · 15/09/2022 17:59

I’m not sure I would class going to see someone else dead relative in a hearse as a wholesome family activity.🤣🤣

They are already witnessing history by being alive now. They dont need to be part of a crowd watching a coffin.
Absolute madness!

RedHelenB · 15/09/2022 18:15

Wipingsides · 15/09/2022 14:41

DC 10 & 15. Not remotely interested in the pomp and ceremony around the queen's death. Neither is DH. I am not a huge royalist but we live quite close to a route the funeral car will be taking back to Windsor and I feel as a 'good parent' I should take them to see the car go past and witness history first hand. They however don't want to go when I've asked them. In reality I doubt they'll even sit through the funeral but I don't want them to look back when they're older and regret not being more involved in this period of time. AIBU to insist we go?

Yabu. You go if you want to. They're old enough t to make up their own minds.

TheYearOfSmallThings · 15/09/2022 18:30

I say make them go!

My mum dragged us to lots of things we weren't bothered about (the Berlin Wall when it was up, Andrew and Fergie's wedding, taking us to the polling station for the numerous referenda we've had in Ireland) and now I'm glad she did. These things were not important to me at 10 but I now understand how quickly time passes and things disappear into the past, and I see the value in engaging with them them while they are happening. There are plenty of other days to watch Scooby Doo or waste time on the internet.

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