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AIBU?

to wonder why gentle parents are often anything but?

104 replies

ohforblardysake · 19/09/2013 18:36

I breastfeed, use cloth nappies, co sleep, baby led wean, etc etc. It's what feels right for me but I recognise that everyone does it differently and what works for one doesn't work for everyone.

I joined a few gentle parenting sites on Facebook and have one by one unliked them over the last few months as they are all so horrible! I hoped to see from them just posts and articles about things that interest me in terms of bfing, cosleeping,etc, but instead they are just judgey and horrible.

One recently had a thread absolutely slating women who have pain relief in childbirth. Another full of women going on about how they are having unassisted births and laughing at those who have hospital births as stupid scared,and hoodwinked and not understanding how birth REALLY works. The latest one full of horrible crap about formula feeding, here

www.facebook.com/pages/The-Alpha-Parent/168640486536470

There is nothing gentle about any of them - they are judgey, spiteful and nasty. Feel quite disillusioned!

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Nancy66 · 19/09/2013 18:39

"Weak mothers act to satisfy their needs, strong mothers their duties"

as their mission statement/motto

They sound like a bunch of po-faced cunts to be perfectly honest

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YouTheCat · 19/09/2013 18:44

Not clicking on the link for the sake of my bloop pressure. Grin

They do sound like a bunch of twats though.

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DragonsAreReal · 19/09/2013 18:45

Why would you think Alpha parents would be gentle? Alpha means top dog I think.

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namechangesforthehardstuff · 19/09/2013 18:46

Oh for God's sake this again?

Really?

Surely there can't be that many people out there joining 'gentle parenting groups' only to find themselves 'disillusioned' by the horrible bitches they encounter? Or have I stepped back in time to August?

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Fairylea · 19/09/2013 18:46

Well I'm the polar opposite of you in terms of choices :) .. I bottle fed from birth, babies in their own rooms from 8 weeks (yes I know and understand Sids advice before someone says), use disposable nappies, babies both hated slings and I tried loads so went straight into the pram etc etc....
Oh and I fed puree!
And had a c section by choice for non medical reasons.

BUT - I am completely open minded about people's choices. What worked for me doesn't necessarily mean it will work for everyone or mean that that is what other people should do. I'd never ever assume to tell anyone what they should do with their children unless they were literally doing them serious harm! :)

In my experience it is often people who are not entirely comfortable with their own choices who seek to bring down others... that or they are just bonkers and on some mission to save the world.

I'm a gentle parent :) I probably don't fit into any of your groups though!

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FastWindow · 19/09/2013 18:46

Grin at bloop pressure.

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ohforblardysake · 19/09/2013 18:52

Gentle parenting is their term, not mine - obviously any parent could be classed as gentle, I'm just saying that it's a joke as they're so vicious!

Namechanges, sorry I don't know what you mean - perhaps there was another thread about this and that's what you mean.

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DragonsAreReal · 19/09/2013 18:52

I don't see why all this really matters tbh, I don't believe bf or ff impacts them significantly in later life, and I don't care what others did or do. I only care about what was best for me and my babies now children.

The only thing about different styles of early years parenting I have ever noticed a difference on (worked in nursery's that took babies from 6 months and my own and friends dc) is ones who promote independence or not. The ones who could self settle, entertain themselves to a degree seemed the happiest, cheerfullest (is that even a word?) and up the years most bright and intelligent.

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TheYamiOfYawn · 19/09/2013 19:00

I think YABU for expecting nothing but fluffy sweetness and light on a group consisting mostly of sleep deprived horizontally fluctuating new mothers on the internet.

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namechangesforthehardstuff · 19/09/2013 19:03

Yes, there was another thread about this.

It was very long.

People mostly seemed to come in to:

a. complain about people judging others' parenting
b. complain about how 'gentle parenting' types parent
c. complain about how the children of 'gentle parenting' types behave badly
d. complain about the how the children of 'gentle parenting' types behave like little Stepford children

There was no apparent irony in this.

It was very long.

Really really long.

But it was August so that was kind of OK because things usually settle down a bit in September.

Do please feel free to look for it. I would link but the will to live seems to have gone

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PoopMaster · 19/09/2013 19:05

Unassisted births as a choice? Are they mad?!! Shock

I speak as someone who had an unassisted birth (no, wonderful as he was DH does NOT count), but that was just how it turned out. I don't even think we were particularly "lucky" that nothing went wrong, but still...surely it's just responsible to have someone there with equipment just in case!

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parkin2010 · 19/09/2013 19:08

Not judging but I bet before I click on the link they are all a bunch of mingers ;) ;)

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namechangesforthehardstuff · 19/09/2013 19:09

Must...hide...thread...

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SaucyJack · 19/09/2013 19:10

What else do you expect? If they feel strongly enough about a perceived parenting style to want to spend all day on Fuckbook blithering on about it, then I doubt their opinions are going to be particularly moderate.

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SaucyJack · 19/09/2013 19:11

And "gentle parenting" is a stupid and offensive term.

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parkin2010 · 19/09/2013 19:14

Had a look. I can't tell if they are minging or not because every one has a profile picture of their child as they have now ceased to have a functioning identity of their own now they have had a kid ;) ;)
nothing to envy from that lot at all, I love the irony of their name too haha!!!

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namechangesforthehardstuff · 19/09/2013 19:18

They're just people making choices and talking about them. Like we do on here. I honestly don't get why there's another thread about this.

Is it just one person who's been savaged by someone with a sling?

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Kamchatka · 19/09/2013 19:18

From having been on here for years and years, it's clear that people who get frothy at the mouth about these things have undiagnosed mental health problems (most likely PND) and it comes out as an extremely strong need to control people extend what is consuming them most at the time (feeding, mainly) to all people, i.e. to try to make their environment fit them to make them more comfortable at a time when they feel lost in the world.

Clearly if you are un-joining these groups you most likely don't recognise that feeling, and tbh I would just let it all go and get on with life.

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Bamboobambino · 19/09/2013 19:21

I had planned section for my DTs, formula feed and use disposable nappies. I don't use slings.
I think I'd make them very upset indeed if I joined their little group :)

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thebody · 19/09/2013 19:22

I think some people just never really grow up and so need a support group to tell them what to do.

but like a parent really with a child only most if us grow up, do our own thing and understand others do what's best for them.

it's a bit sad really.

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thebody · 19/09/2013 19:23

to add the term 'baby led weaning, gentle parenting and attached parenting are all totally meaningless shite really arnt they? but sell books to the bewildered and sheep like.

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namechangesforthehardstuff · 19/09/2013 19:28

Zero irony. Zero.

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thebody · 19/09/2013 19:31

can I start a weak mothers group as I kind of like to satisfy my needs.

I need Wine and Cake any one join me?

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parkin2010 · 19/09/2013 19:38

Me!!!! Im a shit mother because I work and go to the gym and stuff ;)

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thebody · 19/09/2013 19:42

so do I and dds had Chips for tea. from the chippie !! day off today and mumsnetted most if it so didn't clean or iron.

dd 14 forged my signature on her planner as I forgot to sign it last night. resourceful girl!!

just had a glass on a Thursday night and couldn't give a crap.

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