What is your parenting pet peeve?

[Anonymous]

I've said it many times: the hardest part of being a parent is other parents. It's a constant onslaught of unsolicited advice and judgement being a new mother.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Parents who put fake hair in their little girls' heads. Saw a few on my way in this morning. Why oh why?

Moms who spray Sun In (peroxide) on their 4YO DD's hair so she'll look more like Mommy.

Trashy SIL did this and it symbolizes a greater parental pet peeve: sexualizing little girls (and boys) in manner of dress and appearance and even joking with other adults (he's gonna be a heartbreaker/she's such a flirt/he only smiles at gorgeous women)

My son is 3. The reason this bothers me isn't so much that I see it as sexualizing them. It bothers me because my 3yo son doesn't see any difference between friendships with boys or girls right now. Once he notices people talking about his "girlfriends," he's going to start thinking that there's something undesirable about playing with girls, because it's always said in a teasing tone. I want my son to know that boys and girls are equally fun to play with. I don't want him to think he needs to stay away from girls lest people tease him about having a girlfriend and getting married.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:People who talk, talk, talk to their infants in the produce section. "Look, it's an apple. Apples are red." Shut up already.

Excuse me, but that's a good thing. Nanny here, and I do this. Every time. It's one of our outings for a reason.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I hate it when people say their child's full name in an effort to show how clever/adorable/darling they THINK the name is. They wait until someone is in earshot and then say "Aidan Jackson, time for lunch!"...."Arrabelle Grace, come here!"..."Liam Brayden!"..."Ellarose Ainsley!"


...and it's always the stupid names they're sharing.

That would be the cue to mine that I'm counting, and they better be standing in front of me in about 5 seconds or trouble would be worse. Not because the name is whatever....

[Anonymous]

People who give me sh*t about going home for nap time. "Oh, he can just sleep in the stroller!" (No, he won't.) "he'll sleep in the car!" Yeah, for 20 minutes.

Good to see you. We're going home now. My life is different now. It's OK!

[Anonymous]

Parents who don't recognize or live in denial about their child's poor behavior.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Another one! I posted about Loden's Mom.

Let's call this The Child Star Syndrome. Your admittedly precocious and verbal child interjects him/her self into adult conversations and demands attention, usually just by talking loudly and interrupting. Of course, (usually) Mom immediately turns all attention to her child and allows her child to hijack the adult conversation - all the while beaming with pride.

Not cute, not endearing and not doing your kid any favors. No one loves your child as much as you do and you are raising your kid to be socially inept.

My pet peeve are parents who don't encourage their kids to partake in adult conversations. How's your child supposed to develop an interest in political or social issues if they're never taken seriously when they're trying to build their (however naive and irrelevant to the conversation) own opinion on "adult" matters? Especially if they're not being forced into participating but doing so of their own accord. Congrats on raising a person who's never going to vote in an election in their life. Simply because you couldn't be bothered to pause your conversation for three seconds, humor the kid and carry on with whatever you were discussing afterwards.

Along the same lines are parents who deliberately *don't* teach/explain things to their children when they ask because "you're too young to be interested in that sunny, go play with your barbies instead". I, too, disagree with parents who force their kids into academics they're not ready for just to be able to say their little William or Ann is especially gifted. But I think parents holding their kids back intelectually just because they haven't reached a certain age yet are just as bad.

You are doing a bigger disservice to your child by discouraging them from joining in an "adult" conversation than you are by allowing them to learn how to express their own opinions in a conversational environment.

I encourage both small talk and conversation that involves thought. However, I also mandate that rules will be followed, and one of the big ones is not to interrupt anyone else, child or adult.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:People who give me sh*t about going home for nap time. "Oh, he can just sleep in the stroller!" (No, he won't.) "he'll sleep in the car!" Yeah, for 20 minutes.

Good to see you. We're going home now. My life is different now. It's OK!

I get how my child-free friends don't get this, but it is usually my "on the go" parent friends who are like this. It's like, I'm not telling you to take your kid home to nap--why are you telling me NOT to?!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Parents who don't say a word when their kids act like jerks--stealing toys from other kids, refusing to let other kids play on certain playground equipment, etc. I get that kids just do this stuff, but hell if I'm not going to say something when a four year old steals my two year old's toy right out of her hands and the kid's mom doesn't do anything about it.

That big mean four year old...tehe

[Anonymous]

When people refer to fathers as "babysitting" their children. You can't babysit your own kid.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Parents who don't say a word when their kids act like jerks--stealing toys from other kids, refusing to let other kids play on certain playground equipment, etc. I get that kids just do this stuff, but hell if I'm not going to say something when a four year old steals my two year old's toy right out of her hands and the kid's mom doesn't do anything about it.

That big mean four year old...tehe

I think you are one of the parents that annoys PP.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Parents who put fake hair in their little girls' heads. Saw a few on my way in this morning. Why oh why?

Moms who spray Sun In (peroxide) on their 4YO DD's hair so she'll look more like Mommy.

Trashy SIL did this and it symbolizes a greater parental pet peeve: sexualizing little girls (and boys) in manner of dress and appearance and even joking with other adults (he's gonna be a heartbreaker/she's such a flirt/he only smiles at gorgeous women)

Eww... scary... isn't Sun In toxic at that age?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Parents who don't recognize or live in denial about their child's poor behavior.

Just don't confuse colicky babies SN kids' actions for "poor behavior." It may happen to you.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:People who talk, talk, talk to their infants in the produce section. "Look, it's an apple. Apples are red." Shut up already.

Excuse me, but that's a good thing. Nanny here, and I do this. Every time. It's one of our outings for a reason.

+ 1. Pp, exposing a young infant to verbal interaction is great. Studies show it beneficial for a broader vocabulary. The pediatrician even recommended it. A child learns to verbal by seeing and hearing others verbally interaction. They are helping the child learn, not showing off.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Parents who don't recognize or live in denial about their child's poor behavior.

Just don't confuse colicky babies SN kids' actions for "poor behavior." It may happen to you.

Plus a hundred million. I had both and the looks.