My feed
Premium

Please
or
to access all these features

AIBU?

To not want 3 year olds encouraged to have 'girlfriends' etc.

73 replies

theresmoretolife · 20/09/2013 13:12

My DS is at preschool, and one mum is particular keeps saying my DS is her daughters boyfriend. She's always asking her daughter who her boyfriend is, and who she's going to marry. They're 3! AIBU to find this immensely irritating or should I just accept that she means no harm by it and relax a bit!

OP posts:
Report
Sirzy · 20/09/2013 13:13

Can't say it's something that would bother me

Report
BrianTheMole · 20/09/2013 13:14

It wouldn't bother me.

Report
DontPanicMrMannering · 20/09/2013 13:35

People do it to DD I hate it, but I know that its fairly normal just rubs me the wrong way so yanbu

Report
BeerTricksPotter · 20/09/2013 13:35

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

TeenAndTween · 20/09/2013 13:36

Would drive me crazy if said in front of / asked of my child. YANBU.

Report
LuisSuarezTeeth · 20/09/2013 13:38

Lighten up, it's just a bit of fun.

Report
Lottapianos · 20/09/2013 13:39

Would drive me nuts. It's really inappropriate - they are 3, let them be friends for jeff sake! Makes the adult sound really immature too.

Report
Goldenbear · 20/09/2013 13:39

YANBU, it is a bit Pageant tots, I.e distasteful!

Report
farewellfigure · 20/09/2013 13:40

DS is five and has decided who is going to marry. It's only a bit of fun I think and certainly wasn't prompted by us. I don't go on about it to him though. I'd rather he was thinking about what Lego he wants to play with!

Report
kim147 · 20/09/2013 13:40

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Thepowerof3 · 20/09/2013 13:41

People say things like that all the time, I would only let it bother me unless they try and force them down the aisle

Report
TheBigJessie · 20/09/2013 13:43

Hate it. It's pushing adult relationships on to children.

It's also horribly heterocentric. Statistically, ten per cent of male three-year-olds and five per cent of female three-year-olds in any nursery will grow up to be gay.

Report
BuskersCat · 20/09/2013 13:45

DD told me that X was her boyfriend. I was Shock and asked her what she meant. She said 'X is a boy, and my friend' like I was some sort of moron Grin

Report
WaspInTheHouse · 20/09/2013 13:48

I hate that stuff.

As other people have said it's heterocentric and also suggests having a relationship is vitally important.

Report
RiaOverTheRainbow · 20/09/2013 13:52

It's also teaching small children that boys and girls can't just be friends. It's othering.

Report
GladbagsGold · 20/09/2013 13:53

I hate it. DD is almost 7 and has lots of boy friends as well as girl friends. I HATE the 'look x here is your future wife' comments. I normally say that she is too busy being young to think about whether she wants to marry a boy, a girl or not at all.

Report
DuelingFanjo · 20/09/2013 13:53

yes - it bothers me greatly. when people make comments about my son having a girlfriend I always interject with 'or boyfriend' as we obviously can't know yet who he is going to be attracted to.

It may just seem like a bit of fun but it's the beginning of the rampant sexualisation of my child - next it's going to be him coming home from school telling me he can't play with girls or that he can't wear pink.

it makes me feel really Angry.
YANBU

Report
bashifuku · 20/09/2013 13:57

Very silly. Just let them play with their toys FFS.

Report
raisah · 20/09/2013 13:57

Yuk! Why not let kids be kids & leave all that relationship stuff until they grow up. They have the rest of the lives for all that stuff.

Report
droppedscones · 20/09/2013 14:03

YANBU. So grim, cringy and inappropriate. Bothers me on every level described above as it is not, actually, 'a bit of fun'.

Report
VinegarDrinker · 20/09/2013 14:06

YANBU. Inappropriate and heteronormative.

Report
BeerTricksPotter · 20/09/2013 14:06

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Don’t want to miss threads like this?

Weekly

Sign up to our weekly round up and get all the best threads sent straight to your inbox!

Log in to update your newsletter preferences.

You've subscribed!

Thepowerof3 · 20/09/2013 14:08

My DDs want to marry their brother, should I be worried

Report
geekgal · 20/09/2013 14:11

I don't like that sort of stuff either, I haven't reached the stage yet where she understands what they're saying but it's already started with my girl. I usually nip it in the bud quickly by saying she'll be like her mum and have have so many boyfriends she'll have to keep a list. Or I say you never know, your boy might be gay. That's usually also a conversation killer! Grin

Report
Loa · 20/09/2013 14:17

YANBU.

Worse I've also seen one such mother to encourage her DD to run after a very reluctant boy and pester him with kisses - boy clearly unhappy.

I believe the boy of the mother had to have a discrete word with the teacher - as the girl and her mates were upsetting the boys and this boy in particular in breaks with similar behavior. They were older Year 1 - but still very unnecessary.

Report
Please create an account

To comment on this thread you need to create a Mumsnet account.