Comments on: whisper

By: Pauline

Pauline — Mon, 20 Oct 2008 09:24:16 +0000

@ 79 I came come from a generation where the traditional Sunday bath ‘only once a week’ was perfectly normal. Am I the only one to find that NOT shocking. Most people don’t stink to the point where they really need to shower/bath everyday.

In fact my son sometimes goes to school far less than 100% clean and would be happy to go 2 Sundays without a bath if I didn’t threaten to beat around the ears with a wooden spoon/kidnap his Nintendo or worse. Maybe I should call the authorities myself.

Being beaten by her father well that’s of course another story. . . .

By: petite

petite — Mon, 20 Oct 2008 07:52:06 +0000

Ten days from my first draft deadline (Oct 29th) and I’m keeping my head down and workworkworking …

Just to let you know that I’m having a huge problem with comment spam right now and I hope no genuine comments have been deleted along with the 240 I just went through. Apologies if they have.

By: Lauren

Lauren — Fri, 17 Oct 2008 17:21:15 +0000

@72 – Scribbles, as a teacher in London, I can categorically say that a vast amount of parents of school age children need help in raising their children.
I teach yr 2, and every day see children arriving at school in clothes still covered in yesterdays or the day before’s grime. Just today, I had to ask a little girl to ask her mother to wash her hair as it was filthy. The little girl replied, ‘but I have my bath on Sundays’. When I queried her, she told me that yes, she only bathes once a week. This is the same little girl who I have had to report to child protection as she was being beaten by her father, and the mother kept letting him back.
So while you may see teachers, doctors, whoever – as ‘interfering’, we are simply doing for children what many parents aren’t, and what the poor little ones can’t do for themselves.

By: zosia

zosia — Fri, 17 Oct 2008 13:08:55 +0000

Awww Petite, don’t worry at all!
Number 1. It’s good for Tadpole’s immune system if she’s not scrubbed up and germ free all the time. Bring on the muddy hands, bunged knees and weird ear obstructions.
Number 2. Even now, I find it hard to find a decent, non judgmental doctor. I recall being patronised at 16 for being a virgin! No joke, she thought I was in some religious sect. I was mortified that I had to justify to her why I wasn’t dropping my underwear at the mere sight of men.
A good doctor is one who doesn’t freak out more than the mother. After all, you’d know the best if something wasn’t quite right!

And that’s my two cents ;)
Hope you’re well!

By: happyforyou

happyforyou — Fri, 17 Oct 2008 12:17:24 +0000

Could have been worse, petite! You could have lost or mislaid the carnet de santé, I imagine it happens all the time! :)

By: miss london

miss london — Fri, 17 Oct 2008 09:12:19 +0000

Mum-guilt…it’s the worst isn’t it?

I once took my ds1 to the doctor when he was about 8 months old because he kept shaking his head. I thought he had an ear infection. The doctor looked at me like I was mad.

I told dh what had happened. Dh looked at me like I was mad. He shook his head at ds1, who proceeded to gaily shake his head back at him.

Turned out it was his idea of fun, nothing to do with his ears. Dh still doesn’t let me forget that one…

By: Tarte Tartan

Tarte Tartan — Fri, 17 Oct 2008 07:29:09 +0000

I have lost my son’s Carnet de Sante – how crap does that make me? I have a feeling it was in the glove compartment of my old car when it went off to the breakers yard the other month. I can’t wait to see the doctor’s face when we go for the 5-6 yrs old check up next month. TTx

By: scribble

scribble — Thu, 16 Oct 2008 14:27:56 +0000

P.S. @63, the reason why we are less confrontational is because nowadays, you can very easily be accused of ‘abusing’ staff or ‘raising your voice’ and so on. We’ve been thoroughly put in our place by the PC brigade, it’s shameful!!
Scribble

By: No Mother Earth

No Mother Earth — Thu, 16 Oct 2008 14:26:48 +0000

The Boy had repeated ear infections till we finally got the tubes done at 18 months. I never realized that his hearing was so affected – so how would you know from one blockage from one infection (once)?

Oh, and I SO know what you mean about not being able to tell the difference between hearing problem and listening problem. At this age, it’s well nigh impossible, non?

By: scribble

scribble — Thu, 16 Oct 2008 14:10:08 +0000

I completely sympathise with your feelings, but get one thing straight. You know you are a perfectly good Mum. What is worrying (here in England) is how much the state is interferring in parenting. The have been gradually removing parental rights and increasing the amount of busy-bodies that pry and critisize into every aspect of our lives. They have raised the responsibilities of schools, giving them freedom to teach our children things that we should be responsible for and may not agree with either.

Yes this is a bit negative but parents should resist this disgraceful attitude such as the one you experienced. It is none of their business. You are not oblidged to take your daughter to see a doctor for every tiny thing. It is up to you to do as you think best!!
Scribble.