To think this was inappropriate?

[NoCoat]

We’ve just had someone come up to us as we’re getting our 2 year old into the car to be told that we need to think of our child as it is -5 degrees (it’s actually 3 degrees but not really the point) and they’re not wearing a coat or socks and she is a social worker and couldn’t not say something… we have literally just come out of a warm shopping centre and their shoes and coat are clearly under the pram and they had a blanket that they have put behind them. I thought you were supposed to put children in the car seat without coats on anyway??

Maybe not keeping children warm and properly clothed for the weather is a red flag.

I can understand no coat for a very short period, but no socks?? In this weather??

I would have said "she's fine thanks" and gone about my day.
Just ignore people like this.

I wouldn’t have my kid out with bare feet in this weather, or at all really, if they’re 2 years old why don’t they have their shoes on? But not really the point, that random whackjob clearly isn’t a social worker, if they were they’d know that coats in car seats are dangerous.

I really don’t think actual social workers would say this.

But was your child barefoot? Because that’s nuts in -5 definitely. Or just not had their shoes on. Your post was unclear.

Seeing a 2 year old in a car park with no socks or coat on in this weather would certainly make me do a double take tbh.

Yes they shouldn’t be wearing a coat, but they can still be appropriately dressed so they’re warm enough in the car without their coat. If its too cold for you to be outside in bare feet, its too cold for a child. Still a bit rude to approach and say something though.

I guess to the social worker it just looked bad I would guess the no socks rather than the no coat

@GETTINGLIKEMYMOTHER mine used to take hers off - yes even in this weather. It would have taken longer to wrestle with her to get them back on than to get her into a nice warm car.

I don't believe a social worker would do anything of the sort.

Bare feet would surprise me, the coat thing wouldn’t if getting in the car.

Were you wearing a coat and socks?

Ours takes hers off, so we make sure she wears tights or feet in leggings in the winter, if we didn’t we’d be buying new socks every week!

Would you go around with no socks on in this weather?

It's even colder for kids in prams because they're not getting the Warmth from walking either.

I understand the no coat to get in the car but bare feet in minus 5 can’t be nice.

Well, yes - I can believe that.

OP could have said that her child would endlessly pull them off, though!

Listen. You just need to ignore this nonsense and be confident in your own parenting. If you were literally getting them into the car then of course it was absolutely fine.

No actual social worker would do this and there are lots of people in Mumsnet who like to stick the boot in for a fun response.

i wouldn’t classify that as very cold given the weather where I live, but I would still wouldn’t have my child in bare feet at those temps.

you are correct that a coat is inappropriate for the car seat and often that means it’s easier to use a blanket than a coat.

@crostini mine would have been in a cosytoes when in her pushchair - plus sometimes a blanket under that too. Her feet were warm enough if she wiggled her socks and shoes off (which she did - all the time).

Mine too .... and throw the rain hood up on the pushchair.... constantly.. in pouring rain. .. such strength

@TammyJones and wooly hat off and don't even think about gloves 😂

when I get in my car the seat is bitterly cold. My fingers have been losing feeling on the steering wheel despite wrist warmers and gloves

If she thought your DC was being put on a cold seat in a cold car with inadequate clothing, maybe she was right to mention it.

Why was your little one not wearing socks? You’re right, coats are a big no in car seats as they affect getting a safe fit. I never put one on my little boy if we are literally just nipping to the car, such as going out on a morning or leaving nursery (he hates it going on so to battle for 10 mins to get it on to just take it off 30 secs later, there’s no point). That being said, with the cold weather we’re having if the car literally wasn’t right there I would put his coat on and just take it off once he was sat in the car seat. I’d have told the lady you understood she meant well but as a social worker she should know of course know that coats aren’t safe in car seat.

@Mel2023 I expect the child took the socks off. It's what kids do.....

Just ignore her. Coming back from the park the other day, my 2.5 year old had an unholy snit in the pram, ripped off the blanket covering him, ripped off his shoes, ripped off his socks! I stopped 5 separate times to put them back on, then gave up after he continued to lob them down the street and scream blue murder. I decided the lesser of two evils was just getting him home as quickly as I could - you have my utmost sympathy!