Remember November – Stupid Parenting

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This puts lead paint into perspective …

Remember November started off slowly, but let’s really make it something to remember and end it with a bang! I am continuing the give-aways with yet another twist –> this month instead of a prize-per-day, there will be a prize-per-post. Some days all you’ll have to do is comment, other days you’ll have to jump through hoops!

Comments Please … It’s hard for me to believe that anyone would put a baby in that situation, I am going to assume the snake is ‘defanged’ and the baby is not in mortal danger … well until the snake strangles him! Sheesh! What’s the stupidest parenting trick you’ve ever witnessed?

Psst! I am posting the winners below the main ‘blurb’ today. I think the prize stuff on top looks kind of ugly.

MK

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Winner from the previous post is:

#18 – lace

In order to claim your prize you have to email me!

Include in your email: your name, address, and top 3 prize choices (just in case there are duplicate requests – prizes awarded in the order the requests are received).

Where are the prizes?: I have upload prizes onto flickr (set called: Remember November Contest Prizes).

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EVERY post in November, I’m giving away a free prize (maybe more, but at least one). Just like in the past the winners will be randomly drawn and posted here on the site.

The winner(s) will be able to choose one of any of the prizes listed on the flickr set: Remember November. Once an item is chosen, it will be removed from flickr and will no longer be available (unless I have two … which I do for some).

All prizes are provided by: www.thebabymarketplace.com in conjuction with www.mommyknows.com

For detailed rules read this: DETAILED RULES

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For a great selection of Baby Clothes, Toys, Gifts, Cloth Diapers and accessories shop @ thebabymarketplace.com
We have a great selection of Baby Shoes too!

Categories: General

38 Comments

Susy-Q · November 24, 2007 at 1:11 pm

I am in total shock. I showed my husband and he is also in disbelief. I guess this infants future occupation is already decided. Snake charmer maybe?

I guess what I am about to share isn’t really a parenting trick, but just this morning, my hubby and I went to do the groceries. When we entered the store, we saw this woman struggling with her son to put him in the cart. He didn’t want to sit in the cart. He kept yelling he wanted to “push”. Well, lo and behold, rather than holding her ground, she let her little boy push the grocery cart around. Now normally, I think this is fine if the parent supervises. But oh no, this woman let her tot run around, banging into aisles, other carts and people. I don’t have to describe the looks this little boy AND mother were getting. Now if this is the kind of “parenting trick” that allows you to get your groceries done without having your little one have a tantrum…change strategies, please. Try chocolate, cookies, anything! Anything but having a little hellion manoeuvring a speeding grocery cart in a packed food store.

Diane · November 24, 2007 at 1:57 pm

Wow I would hate to be the staff cleaning up the grocery store after that family left!! I have no comment for snake parents I think that is just sick… I guess the biggest shocker for me yet was last christmas when I saw some parents leave there toddler at a kiosk in mall that was selling ride on toys so they could go into a store the staff person there (kudos to him) went and got the parents and reamed them out, but they didn’t even seem phased!! Stupid people!

Naomi · November 24, 2007 at 2:07 pm

I was in TJ Maxx while I was pregnant and saw a mom with two kids, one probably about 4 or 5 and the other about 18 months. The little brother was messing with the older one, pulling at him from inside the stroller. The mom pulled the older boy by his shirt and whacked him and then SLAPPED THE BABY IN THE FACE. I couldn’t believe it! Then she turned to me and smiled, like she wanted my approval. I was totally horrified. I’m all for a quick spank on the bottom to get your kid to settle down but I can’t imagine hitting a kid in the face and then expecting everyone to agree with you. Yikes.

Probably still doesn’t compare to having your baby wrestle with a cobra, I guess.

Lisa · November 24, 2007 at 2:37 pm

I pulled into the parking lot to get groceries and witnessed the guy next to me hit his toddler with a belt when he cried for his mom who got out to shop. I could not believe this guy. As I was yelling at him he explained he does not use his hands to hit his child . I cannot see how hitting your toddler with a belt for crying is ever a good idea. I did report his licence plat to CPS when I got home. This happened about 10 years ago and I can still see the look of terror on the toddlers face.

Andrea · November 24, 2007 at 3:07 pm

Yikes…that is an awful parenting trick!!! I don’t think I can beat that one, nor do I want to! I’d hope that most parents were smarter than that!!! Hmmm…I saw one awful parent though when I was working at a daycare! She had probably about a 3-4 year old girl who was obviously mentally handicapped. The little girl played very well in the daycare and had no problems – until her mom came back to get her. She cried and did NOT want to go home. The mother got REALLY mad right in front of me and all the other kids and grabbed – YANKED her actually out of there…the child was resisting all the way…and basically pushed her to the door….then when the littl girl didn’t want to go through the door – she KICKED her through to make her go through the door…and she also kicked her again to make her go through the 2nd door. I couldn’t believe it…the poor child. I watched her put the child in the vehicle with the same kind of rough treatement…yeah, NOT COOL!!!

Deb on the Rocks · November 24, 2007 at 3:17 pm

Yikes. Our local college has a circus troupe and various workshops where you can learn circus tricks like the trapeze. I went once and saw a mother who first breastfed her toddler (maybe 3 y-o ?) and then ten minutes later climbed the ladder with her kid, mounted the bar, and swung out with him, eventually hanging upside down by her knees with him dangling by his ankles. I was terrified that he-could-fall-his-ankles-could-dislocate-he-could-vomit, but when they got down he was unfazed, as though they had just been walking around the park, and he just clamored to get on the trampoline. He was much cooler about his flying act than I was about mine.

mama k · November 24, 2007 at 6:34 pm

I used to work at Hallmark. I saw all kinds of bad parenting there. Once there was a 2yo running all over the store and the mom was completely ignoring the poor child. She was on the the other side of the store looking at cards when the kid pushed open the door and ran out into the parking lot BY HIMSELF!!! One of the other cashiers ran after and brought him back inside. When she brought him to the mom and told her, she was like “oh ok. thanks.”
eek!

glittersmama · November 24, 2007 at 6:59 pm

Gratefully I can’t think of any specific incidents right now, but overall I’m always amazed at the number of clueless people that reproduce and spread the cluelessness. People should really have a license to have children.

Audra Marie · November 24, 2007 at 7:01 pm

That is so scary. I worked on a pediatric ward once years ago and we saw some negligence and abuse. I won’t even go in to detail, but it’s scary out there for so many kids.

I’m thankful that my older kids will watch out for other kids and have stepped in when a child would be hurt otherwise. They take after their mama.

Hannah · November 24, 2007 at 7:24 pm

Yikes, that video is the scariest thing I’ve seen in ages!!!

I can’t stand seeing children at the playground who are obviously unsupervised. No parents to be seen – unless they are just sitting in the car, oblivious to what’s going on. Usually the unsupervised children are being naughty, hitting other kids, pushing in line, being rough around little kids, etc. But their parents do NOTHING!

Tracy · November 24, 2007 at 8:26 pm

I am sad to say that I am not shocked by all the comments that I was just reading. It is very sad to think that parents don’t think anything of these things. I am also shocked by the video, it made me sick to my stomach.

Amanda · November 24, 2007 at 9:01 pm

This is a really sad post… You would hope that none of us would come up with so many terrible things. Mine isn’t nearly as bad as some of the ones above, but I still thought it was pretty careless. For Halloween this year, I watched as a mother drove slowly between houses in pickup truck and the kids would just jump up and down from the running boards to go trick or treating. Most of the time she didn’t come to a complete stop when they did this – and then while moving they were just holding on to the outside of the vehicle. The youngest was probably only 6 or so…

Deb · November 24, 2007 at 9:36 pm

I almost couldn’t finish watching that video – and since I did, I am nauseous now!
As for stupid parenting, I honestly have no real stories – I think for me, it’s basically parents who set bad examples for their kids: parents who make fun of people in front of their kids, eat crap 24/7, swear, watch tv/video games 24/7, or who send their kids to childcare so they can be home BY THEMSELVES everyday. I’m the first to admit I’m not a perfect parent (farther from it than I’d like to be!) but common sense people!!! There’s my 2 cents.

Happy Geek · November 25, 2007 at 12:16 am

It’s amazing what some people think is fun. The dumbest thing I witnessed was the time I had to drive with an aquaintance for a 5 hour trip through an Alberta snowstorm. She breastfeed her baby and then held her while I drove because she thought that would be safer than pulling over and feeding her. I was a lot younger and didn’t have kids so didn’t feel like saying anything but now, I might not be so silent!

The other dumbest thing was the time my dad tied our sleds to the bumper of his car and pulled us around behind him in an icy parking lot. Looking back on it, he is terribly thankful we are all still with him. Sometimes people just don’t think things all the way through.

Jamie · November 25, 2007 at 7:52 am

Oh my goodness. My HEART over that video!!! OH MY GOODNESS!!! Seriously, I couldn’t STOP WATCHING!!

Breathe. Breathe.

Ahem. Stupid parenting things, eh? How about how when we were kids, we used to ride in the back of the pick up, and dad would hit the bumps and try to bounce us out.

We loved it. Heh heh heh.

Kait · November 25, 2007 at 9:26 am

I am also hoping that thing was defanged. Good Lord! I know a guy who lets his 2 year old ride a mini dirt bike- by himself.

Jenny M · November 25, 2007 at 9:42 am

ARGH- That video is scary! Our old neighbors used to drink in their basement and watch their kids upstairs by videocam during the day. UGH! I was pretty young, but now I definitely would take action

Deb · November 25, 2007 at 9:46 am

Happy Geek, I couldn’t help but think that getting pulled around a parking lot on sleds would be a BLAST! (eeek, hopefully doesn’t indicate the type of parent I am – haven’t done that though!)

Denette · November 25, 2007 at 11:32 am

I’ll have to tell about my own parenting horror errr.. trick. I had my 6 month old on the bed and was sitting next to him talking to him when the phone rang. My cell phone was on the nightstand so I stood up to grab it. It was a friend I hadn’t talked to in a long time. Kinda over excited I plopped (jumped) onto the bed. Like an amazing baby acrobat my baby flew up in the air and over the side of the bed. I managed to catch him by the leg right before his sweet tender head bonked on the floor. It was quite a performance from both of us.

Jaime Stephens · November 25, 2007 at 11:48 am

I cannot believe that video. It is just horrible.

I know that you asked for the worst parenting stories but I would like to share an amazing parenting story as well. I know a family with 5 children. The family moves around a lot picking mushrooms. During the winter they settle down. All the children are homeschooled and are the most polite, considerate, well spoken and smart children that I have ever met. The parents have obviously found a great way to raise their children, and if my children grow up to be even half as polite and courteous as these children are then I’ll be a very happy Mommy. The fact that they’ve been so successful with homeschooling has inspired me to look into it for both my girls. I already teach my 3 year old all her preschool lessons at home and she is doing very well.

As for bad parenting stories I unfortunately know a woman who feels the only way for her children to learn is to scare the lesson into them. When she slammed a can of formula down on the table to show my 2 year old that it hurts that was the last time we were in contact with her. I do not believe that scaring lessons into children is the right away and never will.

jw4mkc · November 25, 2007 at 2:03 pm

Okay, I saw this last night and my keyboard had taken a swim from Harlie pouring water on it, so I had to wait to get our other one – I wanted to come through that screen and yank that baby up and hold her and love on her – She must have been scared everytime that thing hit her in the head.. POUR BABY!! I can’t even stand the thought of that video!! Then, I read 3 or 4 of the comments and wanted to vomit – So, I lose this week for sure – I don’t even want to rehash any bad stories…I only have one thing to say about bad parenting…

NEVER SHAKE A BABY!!! – see http://www.dontshake.com
That is one of the worst forms of physical abuse I have ever seen – I was trained on it years back.. So, please – NEVER SHAKE A BABY!!! & Never Let it Play with a Snake – any kind.

bree · November 25, 2007 at 3:21 pm

Sadly I think the most harm comes from when parents dont think anything will happen- or it wont happen to them- its all about poor judgement or common sense. It can happen to anyone. My cousins friend decided that she would just take a little nap- she was tired and her 4 year old and 18 month old would be ok..it would be a short nap. Whether she put a movie on for them or not, I dont know all the details and I dont know if the 18 month old had been napping. But when she woke up she couldnt find the 18month old in the house, ran outside and found him tangled and tragically hung in the soccer net they had. It just breaks my heart- its something that could have been easily prevented. Yet I know so many parents who have made decisions like that thinking “everything will be fine”. I cant imagine the guilt she has- how many parents wish they could go back in time and make a different decision. This is something she will have to deal with for the rest of her life.

I have seen the baby and snake video before and its awful- I dont know if they find humor in it? But thankfully the snake doesnt appear to have fangs- the what if of something tragically happening to that baby is real, hopefully its a lesson they wont have to learn. :( Use your head, ya know?

Jay · November 25, 2007 at 3:27 pm

My aunt and uncle used to make their kids touch the electrified barbed wire fence when they misbehaved. I havent seen them in years since my parents divorced when I was 5, but I’ve never forgotten it.

Heather · November 25, 2007 at 5:48 pm

Okay, so I think the parents of the sweet baby in the video are crazy stupid idiots. Though I know things like this happen (far to often that I would like to admit), I’m glad I’m not a witness of it very much…these sort of things are forever impressed on my brain and make me indignant.

Anyway, I was in Victoria’s Secret one time and there was a couple with a newborn who was crying. The father figure turns to the infant and curses at him to stop crying. At the time, I had a baby about the same age and knew this tactic was not only useless but insensitive and stupid. I looked over to see if he was joking (nope, he was just more interested in helping the mother shop for new lingerie)!?!

katie bowen · November 25, 2007 at 8:30 pm

just a few weeks ago we were on holiday and picking up some groceries for our camp…i saw this guy pull up next to us in his beat up car and who gets out of the drivers seat with him but his TODDLER and him! i mean even up in the mountains we put our kids in car seats!!! my hubby just read in the paper about some local woman who was arrested for a D.U.I. with her THREE young kids in the backseat with no shoes or clothes on…and she was driving to go break into some store!! no wonder kids are so messed up and so many wars break out. young children LEARN this stuff from us grownups. time to set a good example.

Jennifer Walker · November 25, 2007 at 9:06 pm

I couldn’t even finish watching the video. So disturbing.Even if the snake was defanged, it wouldn’t take much for it to wrap itself around that little baby’s neck.
sickos!

Laura · November 25, 2007 at 9:07 pm

OK, I’ve already read/watched more than I can handle, so I don’t feel like dredging up a horrible story from where I probably safely buried it.

But here’s a ‘near-miss’. I used to work at a toy store where the owners had a toddler. She was a doll and the store’s unofficial mascot. When we were working late one evening after closing, she had wondered to the front display window to play with the fun ride-on toys. She was so well-behaved (and, by the way, totally mislead me in the ways of the toddler, as I came to learn after having a few myself) that she played relatively unmonitored. Well, we had one concerned passer-by who frantically knocked on the [locked] front door in a panic… she thought this little blonde-haired girl had been forgotten in the store by some absent-minded parent… heee heee, this still makes me laugh. But can you imagine if it was true?

Michelle · November 26, 2007 at 12:26 am

Oh my!! What happens when the kid comes across a not so friendly snake (with teeth??) I can imagine being able to video tape that.

As for poor parenting. A friend was at a water park with her son. She saw older boys who were spraying a little toddler about 18 months when he wandered into the water area. The little boy’s mom came over to talk to them. When he wandered in again the mom ran in after him and the little buggers sprayed her and her son. The older boy’s father was actually there “watching them”.

Michelle · November 26, 2007 at 12:54 am

Just remembered another favorite – My aunt’s friend was driving in Japan while breastfeeding….plus it was not an automatic!!

jen · November 27, 2007 at 1:00 pm

AAHHHHH! Are you trying to kill me? Snakes scare the bejesus out of me, and that video will surely haunt my dreams. What is wrong with people? And, where is that kid’s diaper -not that that is the least of her worries.

Amy · November 27, 2007 at 9:09 pm

YIKES! What on earth are people thinking when they do things like that? I know i’m probably very undereducated on the customs of such families but really? A cobra?

Caryn · November 27, 2007 at 11:02 pm

I could barely watch that! I cannot believe that this was allowed. Where is this? I’m assuming the snake was not poisonous (that’s what hubbie said anyway). I see parents leave children that are way too young to be left alone all the time and I think it is very dangerous and irresponsible. I saw a toddler pushing his baby brother or sister in a stroller at Costco and the mother was nowhere to be found.

Erica (Mom's Journal) · November 28, 2007 at 3:30 am

Not that it makes it much better in my opinion but I guess the mouth of the snake was stitched up and its fangs removed.

Baby’s bizarre ‘bite’ of passage with cobra

Susy-Q · November 29, 2007 at 12:24 pm

I just had to comment again on this bizarre cobra video. The article that was previously mentioned in comment #33 sites “animal rights protesters” condemn the activity. Uh…are they worried about the cobras???

MommyKnows · November 29, 2007 at 6:40 pm

@ Susy-Q … I thought the exact same thing … any children’s rights protesters out there that might want to stop this ODD right of passage for innocent babies?!?

Carissa · December 2, 2007 at 3:38 pm

unbelievable. confirms my beliefs that some people should not be allowed to reproduce.

lace · December 4, 2007 at 8:40 pm

I saw that video somewhere before and freaked out!

Thanks for randomly choosing me. I’m glad I checked out the site today. It’s been awhile ago that you posted me as a winner. Hopefully it doesn’t expire.

stupid parenting trick: Riding a motorcycle with a baby on your lap. How unsafe is that.

Tasha · December 5, 2007 at 12:27 am

That video was pretty disturbing – I am amazed at what some people will do with their kids.

As for stupid parenting trick – I pulled one the other day that I am extremely ashamed about. My 7 month old daughter was wandering around the kitchen in her walker while I was heating up garlic bread in the oven. I completely forgot the oven was on until she started crying – she had touched the glass on the door. Thankfully no burns but that doesn’t make me feel any better. STUPID.

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