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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Do mums overpack and overthink compared with dads taking toddlers out?

78 replies

ItsBritanyBitchh · 10/07/2026 10:28

Not really an Aibu but I keep thinking about it and its making me laugh / smile.

My mum takes DD1 on a Wednesday while we work. Anyway, my mum went on holiday and I hadn't realised until a few weeks before that we would have to take time to look after DD. So I took Wednesday last week off work, DP took Wednesday just passed off.

Anyway, we have glorious weather and I was working from home. Late afternoon I said i was taking our dog out as it was cooler and I was quiet in work. I only took her to the local park for a v.quick walk and so she could splash about in the stream.

Ten minutes into my walk I had a text from DP asking where I was and that he and DD were going to meet me. I hadn't seen it straight aeay and then I saw them both in the park.

And omg. DD was wearing green strippy dress, christmas bandana/bib (we use these sometimes but never out in public!), blue sunhat, yellow socks, black shoes and pink sunglasses (okay. She only had one pair). I couldn't stop laughing. Every item was a different colour and didnt match at all. Apparently he doesnt know where certain clothes lives so rummaged through DD nursery bag for stuff (the manky stuff!!).

I also couldn't help but laugh that the only thing he had on him was keys and his phone. I know park only 5 mins from house but he didnt pack anything.. no water. No wipes, nothing. He didnt even have a pram, or trike, he just carried her. When I questioned how mad that was he was surprised "well, the rest is just faff! If I needed anything id go home or pop to shop!". It got me thinking, have men got it right? Do we create work for ourselves or do u also think this is bonkers!!!

Light hearted post 🩷
Feel free to share similar stories xx

OP posts:
Housebashing · 10/07/2026 15:03

With my first I started bottlefeeding when she was five months so nearly at the end of the line for sterilisation anyway
But what kept happening was I would get out and then something would take 10 times longer than I anticipated so I’d have to go to the local boot and buy a new bottle and a carton of that formula
A kid you know I ended up with about 150 bottles
The next one I breastfed until she was 2

Birthdayfeel · 10/07/2026 15:08

(Late) Dh used to say if you've got your bank card and your passport you can deal with anything.

GasperyJacquesRoberts · 10/07/2026 18:42

SleepingStandingUp · 10/07/2026 13:43

Except a 5 minute walk home is never just a 19 minute job. 5 minutes home with an upset child eho doesn't want to leave, get hoem, go looking for clothes, change her, drop wet stuff in kitchen, get you both a drink, then she needs a nappy change, by which point she's forgot about the park and you just don't bother going back.

Really? When my DCs were that young I generally found that saying "OK, we've got you sorted, we're going back to the park now" would be sufficient. There really wouldn't be much negotiation required.

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