Yahoo News Woman’s Comments About A Friend’s Tantruming Three-Year-Old Sparks Frenzy Online
Is it ok to dislike another person’s child? [Photo: Rex]
A woman’s brutally honest comments about her dislike for her friend’s three-year-old child have sparked hundreds of responses on Mumsnet.
Her post asked whether it’s ever ok to dislike a child. And while many took offence, she had an equal number of supporters who agreed that the toddler’s constant tantrums and it’s mum’s lack of discipline were unacceptable.
After predicting a “tonne of outrage” user Thebrowntrout explained “She demands to be carried everywhere. Won’t go in the pushchair (she’s a bit on the big side for it anyway) and friend has a younger DD (dear daughter) as well who is nine months and is generally carried in a sling or pushchair.
“So either friend has to struggle and stagger with the weight of two children or carry on on her hip with the other in the pushchair.
“She wants what she wants immediately. Now. She will scream she wants a tissue. Friend gives her a tissue. She will continue screaming and screaming that she wants a tissue. These screaming fits are pretty much constant.
“The younger child is pretty much ignored since friend is constantly dealing with older one, and you can’t talk to a friend at all due to behaviour of child one.
“So here are my questions - AIBU (am I being unreasonable) to think friend should possibly be encouraging child NOT to behave like this and avoid friend because of it. The screaming is hard on the ears.
“And when do they behave like humans? This child will be starting school in 16 months and surely won’t be behaving like this then?”
Mumsnet user Thebrowntrout found herself at the centre of a debate after posting about her friend’s three-year-old [Photo: Mumsnet]
Responses fast flooded in with many criticising the user for judging the mum who is clearly under pressure, while others were fast to agree that she may have a valid point.
One commenter who has no children called her attitude “appalling,” while another, named Cheby, suggested she was “jealous” of the child taking her friend’s attention away from her.
They added: “This is fairly typical three-year-old behaviour and your friend is probably managing it as best she can. It’s hard work.
“The best thing you could do is be supportive and sympathetic, or, quietly fade into the background so you can judge away in leave to your heart’s content.
‘If I knew one of my friends thought like this about me or my child, I wouldn’t want anything to do with them.’
Another named Coconutpie added: “Come back to us when you have a three-year-old and then perhaps you won’t be so horrible and judgmental about a child.”
Though others - parents included - chimed in to agree with the Thebrowntrout’s post, arguing that though it’s taboo some children are hard to like and it’s ok to admit that.
User dowhatnow wrote: “Why is it so politically incorrect to say you can’t warm to a particular child. And the posters who say they would drop friends if they felt they didn’t like their child, well they may be the centre of your world, but they may look like/behave like brats to others.
“It’s perfectly OK for the OP (original poster) to feel those things. She’s said she doesn’t show it. She tries to engage with the child.”
Where do you stand? Is it ever ok to dislike a child or criticise someone else’s choice of parenting style? Tell us @YahooStyleUK.
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