Wife did embarrassing thing in hotel, now DD is copying – WWYD?

[pbopkg]

Posting here because I genuinely don’t know how to handle this without causing WW3 with DW.

We were on a family weekend away a couple of weeks ago, staying in a nice(ish) hotel. DW has this (in my opinion) mortifying habit of calling out “Housekeeping!” in a sing-song voice before entering a room, including our own hotel room. No idea why, she thinks it’s hilarious.

Anyway, fast forward to this week and now DD (4) has started doing it CONSTANTLY. Every time she walks into a room at home, at PIL’s house, even at nursery drop-off! This morning she did it in M&S toilets when someone was actually in there, and I nearly died of embarrassment.

I gently mentioned to DW that maybe we should stop encouraging it, and she got all huffy, saying it’s just a bit of fun and I need to lighten up. But I can’t be the only one who thinks this is just Not A Thing normal people do??

AIBU to want this to stop before DD starts doing it at school? WWYD?

I mean, I can imagine finding it mildly irritating to have a spouse shouting ‘Housekeeping!’ literally every time she walks through a door, but from the OP, she only did it while they were staying in a hotel a few weeks ago…? Mortifying, no.

But say more about things you find deeply embarrassing, OP. You sound fascinatingly uptight.

Does your wife do it daily, everytime she walks into a room? Or is it a “special occasion” joke she pulls out every now and then?

If it’s every day, I wouldn’t find it embarrassing because it’s inappropriate, I’d find it tedious because no joke is funny when it’s told daily.

What an underwhelming controversy, but at least your DD got your DWs sense of humour.

Surely your kid has at some point picked up a little habit or thing they do before, and they've stopped doing it approx 1 day later?

Kids do it all the time. Do you really think that your daughter is still going to be shouting out "housekeeping" when she walks into school assembly in 2 years time when she is now 4?

😂

It's strange for sure....don't think I'd be embarrassed though.

Well my six year old and her friend have decided they are going to put on an act in the metro, with an open tupperware at their feet so people give them money. They actually did that last Monday, now THAT was embarrasing. Her friend´s mum and I just thought to let them get on with it, they will soon get bored when no one gives them anything. Fast forward to today, my daughter has made a placard that asks for help from the public to get "1 or 2 euros". What your daughter does is pretty mild. It wouldn´t bother me a bit.

From the title, I thought your DW must have shat on the grand piano or something. Talk about an anti-climax.

Eg my brother, aged 4, in a lift with me and mum, staring at an elderly woman in the lift with us: 'Mummy, why has that lady got a moustache?'

She’s four, OP. Haven’t you ever been around children? By the time she’s eight she’ll have had half a dozen best friends, favourite bedtime stories, foods she loves and then hates, picked up and lost a dozen cute mispronunciations etc etc.

What she will not be doing, as you seem to fear, is still be uncontrollably shouting ‘Housekeeping!’ every time she enters a room at university, or in her first job, or at the opera.

Good grief some people get embarrassed over nothing. I thought by your title you were gonna say she took a shit in public or something.

She’ll stop eventually. Get over it, says I

You should be glad you didn't catch your wife screaming at the Sistine Chapel, THAT would've made you curl up and die.

I think the OP would have committed ritual suicide on the spot, in the middle of the hotel lobby. Whispering ‘The embarrassment!’ with his last breath.

My kids are 5 and 2. They’re constantly saying hello to and trying to chat to strangers… isn’t that what little ones do?!

Do you know what I do find embarrassing? When people are mortified and simper and are shameful over absolutely nothing.

This is absolutely hilarious

I am 💯 team wife

At worst it’s a bit zany but there is nothing embarrassing about it

Personally I think it's a fucking nauseating thing for your wife to do. I can imagine you clenching your teeth and thinking "please don't". My mum had a habit of saying stuff like this, complete with the sing songy voice. After the first couple of times you really start to dread it. As for your DD, she really will grow out of it and nobody is going to take any notice of a cute 4 year old saying it. At least it's not something offensive. As for your wife, I guess you're stuck with it.

How odd to walk about a hotel shouting housekeeping in every room you walk into. I can’t fathom why anyone would feel the need to do this. I personally don’t find it funny.

Chill out

We still do reenactments of this at home! DC think it is hilarious. It is the only MN related story they will tolerate.

If I was in M&S cubicle and your 4y/o DD knocked on the door and announced ‘housekeeping’’, my heart would melt at how cute it was. I’d be imagining she’d had a really great holiday and picked it up there.
As for your DW, it’s just a laugh, I honestly think life is too short. If you can’t beat her, join her! Knock and say ‘Room service!’ 🤣🤣

Count yourself lucky. My grandad said bugger in front of my then 3yo. She spent the next 4 weeks saying “Buggerbuggerbuggerbugger” in public

Thank you.
That is exactly how he knew about sex. He asked, we answered.

I think it’s just her hotel room

Hahaha you reminded me of the time I got undressed in a cubicle of a swimming pool changing room and I had recently had a trim 'down there' - my daughter who was three shouted "Mummy, you have a willy!" (thanks, labia!). Hilarious but embarrassing.

Which is still a bit odd because nobody will hear her apart from the DH and DD.