Meet the Other Phone. A phone that grows with your child.

Meet the Other Phone.
A phone that grows with your child.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

To cringe at the Mom reactions of 'oh baby/sweetie/honey' and sobbing uncontrollably in 'movies'?

1 reply

Chinsupmeloves · 07/03/2026 00:23

Of absolutely no significance in real world problems, just something I've found so cringe throughout my life. Yes it's just (over) acting in Hollywood films and series but one of those small things you think about...

My parents never reacted like this

I don't react like this

A tiny part of the brain questioning should we react like this, don't we care enough?

The answer is of course no, you don't drown and smother a DC with tears stipulating how proud you are and bruising hugs and saying honey/baby (especially in front of their peers) to anything really.

A wow well done, hug, then when at home celebrate, without crying or am I being too English/British?

The thing is this type of OTT behaviour has been creeping into some parts of younger generations, who now also post the same sort of ellusive sentiments on SM. So proud of my honeybun today, got her first tooth...

Please correct if I'm wrong but the OVER adulation of every moment of a child's existence; look at my princess age 3 looking adorable age 3 in a dress, new uniform, publicising every step of the way to prom and how much the dress costs.

Sorry but anyone else find this unnecessary and dare I say preposterous?

For me, having grown up in a time when you knew you were loved by actions, praised for something you did which was actively positive, not called honey/sweetie/my darling. In fact we woukd have all felt so embarrassed but not at home when the sentiment had been kept and meant meaningful, nt a display of affecting front of everyone around.

Going back to the point of movie portrayal of affection from parents, watching films and series from other countries resigns more. Much more genuine, realistic interactions.

Guess I would like to say to young parents, please don't model yourselves on or expect to be that parent in the movie being a reactional mess or feel the need to publicly display every moment of your child's life, pay a fortune to glamourise gender reveal, baby shower etc. These are traditions that were only part of a wealthy American culture that have been adopted because now available to access through technology. So businesses have advertised how important it is to mark events we've always been happy with celebrating with loved ones and friends without a big display and osted for recognition.

It's so sad so many have been influenced to succumb to paying funds they don't have.

Personally, as parents who have been part of both worlds, DC have had the best birthdays every year without SM photos. We take photos, videos etc and share within our own family and friends groups.

OP posts:
Chinsupmeloves · 07/03/2026 00:52

To add, getting so many recognitions of achievements for a dress/new tooth/staying in school for a full week, doesn't set our DC up for real achievements. When expected to be praised and rewarded for these things when younger they will continue to expect none self achievement as they were from just being cute, adorable clothes photos and existing.

This is when it becomes difficult, oh teacher why aren't you acknowledging me personally, I'm the centre of the universe?

Parents, why aren't you acknowledging my DC as they're the centre of the universe?

Teacher, I have 36 children, all of whom are the centre of my universe to be able to teach you, ensure all needs are met. I'm sorry I can't constantly be at your side as I need to walk around the classroom, be at my desk for teaching apps and record behaviour to provide automatic feedback to your parents for dojo points. I try my best to praise, encourage, deal with so many behavioural issues but do also need to reprimand poor behaviour and attitudes, along with some who are being aggressive and violent.

Get home to be with own DC, plan, mark and fill in forms for behaviour, have some food, put DC in bath/breastfeed baby, all in bed and asleep. Then open up contact with parents, which you've put off because you're exhausted and the fury of some who pick up the tiniest points which you can't ever remember in a usual day of so many interactions but oh then you do and question yourself, worry, go to bed and overthink, realising you haven't slept and it's feeding time again and you have to be up in 2 hours to another day in paradise!

OP posts:
New posts on this thread. Refresh page