To find small children slightly repulsive

[BathshebaEverdene1]

OK I do love my 4 year granddaughter but sorry the chewing , gulping and gasping while eating is actually revolting .
Am I really nasty? She is here eating a sandwich and gulping down some milk in a really horrid way.

I have misophonia and a 22 old , I love hearing him eat, even noisily, because most of the time he won't eat all, so I'm just thankful if he's eating!

I used to find it unpleasant when there was a child whose parent never wiped their nose so there was always thick snot.

Adults are worse - many smelling of urine, faeces, stale alcohol, cigarettes. I found that more offensive to my senses than a young child eating and still learning the ropes.

It's not necessarily generational. We seem to have extremely low expectations of children and then wonder why they don't suddenly start behaving well.
A 3-4 year old is more than capable of sitting at a table, ( yes i do know some don't have tables, even more reason to work on it!)using a childs knife, fork and spoon, and eating with their mouth closed. Cut up difficult foods for them to manage and learn. Not talking with food in mouth. Remove if they play around until they are ready to eat properly. They stay in seat until everyone has finished. With the exception of disability it should be taught before school age.

I remember having to run to the loos to be sick at around 8 years old (50 yrs ago) when I had to sit opposite a boy who ate in a revolting way. I refused to sit opposite him again and was vocal as to why!

I agree with you

Children can display irritating mannerisms, so we help them to do better. I hate sloppy eating, dirty faces etc icky, but find you saying children are repulsive, more repulsive than what you describe.

@Anotherparkingthread where are you finding these children that stink 😢? I think you should refer them for additional support or just choose cleaner company. Crikey 😬

Adults can be worse imo maybe she feels the same?

It's not that they are unwashed it's a bit like a dog, everybody knows when you have one and can tell when they come to your house before they ever see it hear the dog. Sometimes you can smell it on people's clothes like a sickly kinda funk. I suppose you go nose blind to it after a while.

I do think that by four, it's reasonable to expect a child to have reasonable table manners and not make unpleasant noises whilst eating and drinking.

If I was watching a stranger’s child eat like this I’d be wanting to puke. But I’d hope a grandchild I could tolerate, like I did my own.

Obviously I tolerate it. I love her.
Apparently even noticing it or finding it grating makes me a terrible person.

Children can have utterly delightful personalities and still make all sorts of revolting noises while eating.

I'm with you OP. I hated meal times when mine were little.

Are you looking for validation of your intolerance or making some profound point missed by the rest of us that children can be messy and do some unhygienic things.
Children aren't vile. If you are not their parent you can excuse yourself from their company. Plenty of adults are as messy and unhygienic and plenty will and do need help with bodily functions at different stages. Highly likely you will too, OP.

I find it quite pathetic when adults struggle to cope with seeing normal bodily functions.

Humans are animals, we shit, piss, dribble and smell. The food smeared all over that childs face is no different from the food you swallow, the shit on their arse is the same shit on mine. Some smells can be unpleasant but as an adult I've learnt to deal with unpleasant things.

@ClareBlue oh get over yourself. I haven't even used the word " vile" - you did.

The prevalence of misophonia on Mumsnet is astounding. I know of exactly 1 person in real life who has it. Self-diagnosed and it comes and goes depending on the day.

I'm not at all confident with babies and they sense it I think. I dread being handed one to hold I'm afraid. They always start screaming and doing that weird squirming and striving thing ( don't know how else to describe it) with their limbs.

I always hope the nappy is strapped on firmly. I know it's awful to say but it does feel slightly repellent to me.

I love puppies and kittens and have no issues with them at all, but would have been a terrible mother!

You said you find children repulsive.

Firstly, that's quite a sweeping statement. Secondly, 'repulsive' is a very strong word.

Maybe you used a bad choice of words but that has a way different meaning to saying you find their eating habits to be grating.

I'm personally not offended by your opinion (I understand what you were getting at) but you can hardly feel offended yourself when you seemingly put such a provocative opinion out there.

You also don't seem to see the hypocrisy at being aghast at a PP talking about white kids' lack of table manners/skills but YOU said children are repulsive. Can you see how people don't take too kindly about sweeping statements being made?

I get it, anyone eating makes me want to rip my ears off.. it's so bad I don't even like the sound of myself eating. Turn the radio or Tv up.. The problem lies with us.

Well Narcissistic personality disorder is a mental health condition that's estimated to affect between one and five percent of the UK population.

Yet it seems the majority of Mumsnetters have a narcissistic ex or MIL - sometimes both! 🤷‍♂️😁

I find little kids eating really cute 🥹

MNHQ have repeatedly made it clear that all are welcome. There's plenty here to interest people who are not parents.

I barely mention my children on here, I don't use it as a 'parent site'.

Mumsnet is for anyone. I do agree though. The name of the site could give the impression that's it's exclusive only to mums but. That's not the case at all. We talk about a wide range of things,

Mumsnet has never been just for mums.

OK, so the above are quotes from various posters over the years. Mumsnet may have started a long time ago as a site for mums but it has now transcended that. I think it is a most unwelcoming, exclusive and actually rather smug to suggest that you've got to be a mum or be child orientated to post here. In fact, out of all the active subjects right now, not one appears to be about children, having children or anything to do with children.

It is an open forum covering a vast array of subjects. The OP is perfectly entitled to say she finds her GDs table manners nasty. That's not a crime, nor is it unusual. I find young children with snotty noses and sticky fingers off putting. There, I said it. My god have mercy on my female soul!

Oh seriously?
Lol. OK finding small.children making eating noises " slightly " repulsive is equal.to making sweeping statements on life skills and skin colour?
OK. Whatever.

Revolting and repulsive is that much different?

I’m sure some adults are thought of in the same way for various reasons