Honey I suckled the kids

Well, DH and I watched the program last night. I was surprised how in to it
DH was, and I was glad that he was as it gave us a good chance to discuss
parenting.

He was surprised how much of it he agreed with - and said, well, surely a
lot of that is normal parenting - especially as you're a SAHM. We don't do
Elimination Control, but we're trying to become more environmentally
friendly by using cloth nappies, so I guess a certain amount of EC will
come in to use to cut down on washing. We don't want to practise
homeschooling or un-schooling but we want to try and send Jess to a private
school as the local one has smaller class sizes. We still intend to
brestfeed as long as possible, hopefully until she's two, as we'd like to
think about having another child around then. We don't belive in smacking
children, but tbh, I'd like my kids to be more discliplined than the older
girl (4yo), who'd tell her father he was an idiot, and he didn't so much as
blink.

All in all, I enjoyed the program, and felt it was well and fairly
presented - a plasant change. Well done channel 5. Oh, and babywearing in
the house? Fantastic idea! I can't have the normal pouch type things because
of my back, but I'm off right now to find one of those slings!! I'll have
free hands again, and might finally get a bit more done!

Lucy

I had mixed feelings watching the programme. I have a clear aversion to
people saying that their way of parenting will make their kids superior
to others. A couple of the mums were clearly saying that, it wasn't
just a case of what they prefer to do. I was also extremely irritated
by the ott examples they used as reasoning for their methods. One woman
as much as said that other mums gave their kids a whack and that people
who discipline their kids accuse them of being 'bad'. I also found it
ironic that the woman who used her boobs to comfort feed her children
had a 6 year old with a dummy that she had to remove to speak. I'm not
arguing against dummies (although for a 6 year old I would), but I
don't think she can preach at women that don't or can't use their boobs
to comfort their babies when her child has a dummy as well.

Having said that I did feel that the tone of the narrator was laughing
at all the couples, which was not nececssary and quite insulting. What
did come across, despite the narrator, was the warmth and emotion all
the couple felt for their children and each other. The sling woman
certainly gave me something to think about. If dp ever gets over his
shock and we have another I would certainly investigate slings and look
to carrying it round more than I did ds. With ds I was so worried about
him not breathing I was too scared to hold his face too close to my
chest. I think with no.2 I'd be more relaxed.

Oh, and I'm pleased that the people involved came over as having a
sense of humour. Often with these extreme programmes they have a
tendancy to miss this because it doesn't fit into the tone.

Jeni

lucy-lu wrote:
Well, DH and I watched the program last night. I was surprised how in to it
DH was, and I was glad that he was as it gave us a good chance to discuss
parenting.

I watched it too. DH came down from reading to DS and witnessed poo on
the floor. Not good.
Still, as you say, it did give us a chance to talk about quite a few
things.

Like you I was sort of shrugging at some points (co-sleeping and
child-led weaning), thinking that they were hardly extreme.

I didn't really get the elimination control as it looked like many of
them had nappies on hand anyway. Oh and the t.shirt which said I heart
EC. I was thinking why would anyone in the US put their child in a
t.shirt saying I heart the European Commission ? ;-)

As for the unschooling. Well, the son was 7 and the older girl 5 or 6
(??), so not having any formal sit down lessons with text books of what
have you seems perfectly fine to me.

The woman with the slinged girl seemed to think she was the first
person to have been a mother before. It's hardly extreme to spend all
your time with your child if you are SAH. And if the daughter wants to
be carried then a sling is a great idea. They didn't ask the little
girl what she thought.

Apart from the EC thing, I liked that mother. She seemed very genuine
and confident. I also thought the UK family were great. I liked the
hubby's dry sense of humour. I was rather appalled at the behaviour of
the older daughter at times, but told myself it was just unkind
footage.

Mary Ann

Mary Ann wrote:
I watched it too. DH came down from reading to DS and witnessed poo on
the floor. Not good.

. Dp came in at the intro with birthing video party and poo on the
floor and promptly left

Jeni

Good afternoon,
Am rather new to this site...what is DH, DS, and DD?
thanks,
tami

wrote:
Mary Ann wrote:
I watched it too. DH came down from reading to DS and witnessed poo on
the floor. Not good.

. Dp came in at the intro with birthing video party and poo on the
floor and promptly left

Jeni

tami wrote:
Good afternoon,
Am rather new to this site...what is DH, DS, and DD?
thanks,
tami

Hi Tami,

DH/DS/DD are dear (or darling) husband/son/daughter. Similarly you might
also see DW (wife) or DP (partner); also DD1, DS2 etc when there are
multiple daughters/sons. It avoids giving out family members' names online.

And welcome!
...oo00OO Loopy OO00oo..