Walking to school

*Louise*

2 feet???

Obviously just being petty and deflecting back onto you. I would just ignore it.

However, do you think that a text from your husband was the best idea in the first place to raise a safety issue? I am usually against texts for discussing things becasue they can come across far different from how the sender originally intends them.

concerned43

Regardless of the pettiness of it - there is a mother who thought her DD should not be walking behind an adult responsible for her safety. If that child stepped onto the road then you would not have seen her. Its not about holding her hand (tho I don't understand why you don't) The fact was she was not within your sight! and therefore the mother had every right to pull you up about it.

Becles

You can pick up a basic booster seat for about a tenner. You could always buy one and say you noticed she didn't have one, so you picked one up for her.

I wouldn't worry about the comments about walking along a road and not holding her hand. My youngest is 4 and I don't always hold her hand as I trust her not to run out into the road.

spikyspiky

Thanks for all the replies, I feel a bit better now. She actually texted back to say she had 2 booster seats so why does she not use them? I'm not talking short journeys either, 5 hour motorway journeys and I know in the summer they will be doing an 11 hour journey so something needed to be said.

The text my husband sent was perfectly pleasant, along the lines of, dd mentioned she doesn't have a booster in your car, just mentioning it in case you didn't realise she still needs one. He texts her as she won't discuss anything with him rationally. He is always polite, and never directly accuses her of anything.

Anyway, its true, she's attacking me to feel better about herself and her massive lack of parenting skills. Which is why dd lives with us and not her in the first place.
Thanks for your replies.

Nicki

concerned43 wrote: »

Regardless of the pettiness of it - there is a mother who thought her DD should not be walking behind an adult responsible for her safety. If that child stepped onto the road then you would not have seen her. Its not about holding her hand (tho I don't understand why you don't) The fact was she was not within your sight! and therefore the mother had every right to pull you up about it.

Have you considered how far 2 feet is before posting that? It is one adult step, and still within an arm's reach :rotfl:

And if mum is saying "a good 2 feet" then you can guarantee that is the maximum it was and probably a lot less! If mum had complained the child was a good 20 yards behind the OP, maybe you could get on your high horse, but even then with a sensible 7 year old and if OP was periodically checking back, that might still be low risk.

shy-but-need-help

My 7 year old likes to walk without holding hands, she's sensible and we all cross roads together (I have 5 kids) I do hold hands with her 8 year old brother but that is because he is special needs and trips often and has no practical safety awareness (would step in front of cars, is prone to bolting if something stresses him) but for a regular child who is sensible I think it's perfectly normal- as someone else pointed out though by roads I prefer my kids to be infront of me so I can see them rather than behind me even if it's the same distance but we do have to walk along a major bus route where they hurtle along it and several kids have been hit in recent years (one fatality).

clearingout

what do you expect? You criticised her - I accept you did it with reason - so she's retaliating. Normal human behaviour. Why are you outraged? Tit for tat between separated and divorced couples is also entirely normal. Ignore it. If she hasn't corrected the car seat problem by next time she takes the child out, refuse any access until the matter is sorted. Not hard.

shy-but-need-help

on the booster seat issue could you consider something like a boostapak (from the people who make trunki) they are backpacks which convert into booster seats so she could use it as a school bag/going to moms bag on the days she goes to them and therefore has the booster with her all the time, you can teach her to fit it herself.

concerned43

Nicki wrote: »

Have you considered how far 2 feet is before posting that? It is one adult step, and still within an arm's reach :rotfl:

And if mum is saying "a good 2 feet" then you can guarantee that is the maximum it was and probably a lot less! If mum had complained the child was a good 20 yards behind the OP, maybe you could get on your high horse, but even then with a sensible 7 year old and if OP was periodically checking back, that might still be low risk.

Really! - how would she know if the child was on the road - she would need to be able to see the child to do that - or does the OP have eyes on the back of her head?
The OP was in the wrong - simple as that

Spendless

Yes, of course she's criticising you, cos you'd just criticised her. How reliable is your step daughter's word that she never uses a booster seat with her mum, or is it possible she's referring to a one off occassion, which we don't know the circs about?