Today i saw a woman at the swing park with three children, one was naked from the waist down, dirty and drinking a bottle of coke (must have been no more than 2), the other two were older and i felt..............

[lucyellensmum]

envious. The woman looked relaxed and happy, her kiddies were playing really nicely, no whinging or crying, happily left when it was time to go. Her little boy probably aged about 6 took time to play with my DD, they were polite and lovely children.

I bloody well wish i had the confidence to not be such an uptight mum

it was a tiny snap shot out of her life

she probably went home and drugged them to sleep for whining

Sounds like my friends neighbours kids. They piss on her doorstep and laugh when she tells them to go do it in their own garden.

and what is so wrong with that laurie? honestly, why do we make it so hard for ourselves, with organic this, clarkes that, startrite this, fair trade this and limit the TV so we have to invent educational things to do with our kids all fecking day, never getting a minutes peace and ending up shouting at our kids because we are at the end of our rope!

but she took them to the swing park, as did you.. she is the same as you in thaat respect

Don't see any problem with that, except I wouldn't give a 2yo coke. They sound like they were having fun.

LEM, yes I think we all need to step back and not give damn sometimes!

and no MN where everyone is so judgy it is catchy.
to hang with it all.
feed em coke!

Its not uptight to not want your kids teeth to rot, but dirty and naked sounds like my kids and yes one of my 3yrolds has the odd wee in my garden. However, there is a definate mix of nice playing and loud whinging and I'm uptight about tidyness - so all may not be as it seems in her house!

"why do we make it so hard for ourselves, with organic this, clarkes that, startrite this, fair trade this and limit the TV"

I do all of these things but also allow my kids to drink coke, piss in the garden and eat at McDonalds.

Am I scummy?

Sounds like my DCs, Coke included!!

(I rather think that, as they brush their teeth properly (or, rather, I do it for them), Coke won't do them any more harm than getting naked and dirty will...)

I let my ds's piss in the garden. Am I baaad?

THe plants seem to be doing better than ever though

no fabsmum, you are perfect - move over alpha mummy, the REAL mummies are taking over the playground

Were they eating haribo sweets too ?

My LO is currently running around naked from the waist down and perfectly happy. He's potty training and as the weather is so warm, it's easiest for both of us. I'd only worry if I was a half naked or wet child in cold weather.

I probably wouldn't give a 2yr old coke on a regular basis but a sip or two from time to time won't do much harm. Things that are 'banned' just become all the more tempting when LOs have access to them at other peoples houses.

As the advert says, it is a childs right to get dirty.

we're wearing long-sleeves and trousers here nad it's chucking the rain.

we're wearing long-sleeves and trousers here nad it's chucking the rain.

LEM - it's not that she's got it right and you've got it wrong. There are so many shades of grey. I would hate to be obsessed with organic whatnot and startrite whatever, but equally, I wouldnt want to feed my toddler coke, or let them run around naked from waist down in a play park. Probably a happy medium is what we should all be aiming for.

just to clarify - my kids ran around naked and dirty in my own garden at the age of two. Not in a public place though.

perhaps they had run out of clothes due to little accidents. sounds about par for the course in potty training

odd wee lady luck - my DS is frequently running around without his nappy on - always goes outside to wee (hmm must be the dogs influence - really must get to grips with potty training! )

I take DS out scruffy but wouldn't give him coke don't want him bouncing off the walls, and would keep something on his bum - never know who's watching unfortunately.

(no trousers yes, but he'd have a nappy/pants on.)

If you are, Fabsmum, then so am I.

We also do Haribo in our house (but mostly as rewards for completed homework, which is of course the worst of all possible worlds).

Great post lem!

luckily for me my DD has inherited my dislike for haribo - vile stuff.

Its quite a sad indictment of modern society that a child can't be naked in a swing park, but yes, i agree. We are in potty training hell just now, in fact im just about to go and seek advice. So uptight am i that i might DD put her damp jeans on because she had wet her second and only other pair of trousers.