Worst thing you have done as a parent?

IrishCoffee7 · February 2012

Twat's FFFC reminded me of what I did over the weekend. Which reminded me last week of a bumpie's confession (chapski I think?) about her son sneaking out of the house. I was sure glad I didn't judge her and told her we would all do something like that eventually as parents.

I suck:

We drove to Michigan on Saturday. It was naptime so I got C in the carseat in hopes that he would sleep at least an hour or two. Then we realized the sun was beating in the car and he had his fleece jacket on. While DH got out to pump gas I went to take the jacket off. C was already sleeping. Rather than take him all the way out of the car seat I just undid the chest clip of the carseat, unzipped the jacket, and slid his arms out. I was trying really hard not to wake him up, and halfway through DH realized the credit card scanner wasn't working at the gas pump so I was trying to hurry up.

I realized at our next rest stop 1.5 hours later that I never re-did the chest clip. I was horrified, and of course it happened when we were in the car for an extended period of time. I always double check all the clasps but I must have just been rushing through and totally forgot.

This is my absolutely flameful confession and I doubt most of you have done something quite as horrible. But I'm just wondering, what's the biggest mistake you're willing to 'fess up to?

dangerkitty102 · February 2012

I did something really similar to this when DS was an infant and he was still in the infant carrier, and I had moved it to the stroller when were were at the mall and unstrapped him (I don't even know WHY I unstrapped him, but I did), and then I put him back in the car and completely forgot to redo the straps. When I got home and realized it, I was completely horrified. It was only about a 10 minute drive, but still - I was totally stick to my stomach over it.

3003girl · February 2012

DH forgot to click LO in once. I was taking her out of the carseat and was like "WTF?!" but then realized that he obviously didn't do it on purpose.

I dropped LO once when she was about 4 months old. I was leaning down to show her some flowers and she jerked an odd way and fell on the ground head first from about knee height. So it wasn't that far, but I still dropped her! I felt awful.

seahorse102410 · February 2012

Oh gosh,well I guess if we're on this subject. When he was about 6 months old we were going walking and he still rode in the infant carrier snapped on to the jogging stroller. I put him in the infant carrier (which was on the floor) but didn't buckle him in. I picked up the carrier and tripped and he went flying out of the carrier and plopped on the floor like a rag doll. Scared the snot out of me.

insertclevername · February 2012

Back in the days of newborn hell (aka failure to latch, refluxy, colicky, 20 hr/day baby screaming sessions) there were at least two occasions I remember yelling at LO to stop crying. My DH also once yelled at him to "shut up". It makes me sick to my stomach to remember being in a place where I was yelling at my 6 week old.

hannahbagels · February 2012

I was chasing DS and he got riled up and lost balance and split his lip open on the bed frame, requiring stitches.

Not even a month later, he was playing in the kitchen while I was baking. I turned my back for a second to rinse a dish and he got a second degree burn from the bottom of the outside of the oven.

MOTY..

BelleIsa · February 2012

NY Mama:
Back in the days of newborn hell (aka failure to latch, refluxy, colicky, 20 hr/day baby screaming sessions) there were at least two occasions I remember yelling at LO to stop crying. My DH also once yelled at him to "shut up". It makes me sick to my stomach to remember being in a place where I was yelling at my 6 week old.

I'm also guilty of this. Breastfeeding was so hard for me; constant thrush, mastitis etc. It was just so painful and DD was screaming and I remember yelling at her, "JUST SHUT UP! SHUT UP!!!" and then I put her in her crib and walked away for like, 40 minutes.

DH went and mixed a bottle of formula and fed her and ran a bath for me.

KJmashup · February 2012

t watley:
When he was a few months old, I forgot to buckle him in his infant carrier. He was sleeping in his seat inside the house with a blanket over him and I just scooped him up and loaded him in the car. He could have fallen out anytime on the way to the car, and we could have had a wreck. - I'm calling this a two-fer.

I did this exact same thing.

hterry85 · February 2012

When DD was only a month or two we drove the 45 minutes out to DHs grandparents. We got out there only to realize she was never buckled in. It was probably our first all day trip out of the house after she was born and we were both frazzled making sure we had everything, and we both thought the other one had buckled her in!

Quesera · February 2012

I let her play in a cupboard that I knew wasn't totally childproofed. Suddenly she was too quiet and I turned around and there was blood all over her hand. I bent down and there was no glass and then I saw her chewing. I fished it out of her mouth, no cut in there but I couldn't stop torturing myself with thoughts of 'what if she had swallowed it?'. Also, have you ever tried to stop the blood and get a band aid on a tiny finger when all they want to do is put it in her mouth? I'm also ashamed to admit that the dog licked it until I could collect myself.

FirstBabyMomma · February 2012

NY Mama:
Back in the days of newborn hell (aka failure to latch, refluxy, colicky, 20 hr/day baby screaming sessions) there were at least two occasions I remember yelling at LO to stop crying. My DH also once yelled at him to "shut up". It makes me sick to my stomach to remember being in a place where I was yelling at my 6 week old.

I may or may not have called my kid a douchebag. At least I got it out of my system now, while she's too young to understand and/or repeat it.

I dropped her once.

I let her fall off the bed (accidentally, of course).

DH once forgot to buckle her into her seat.

So, I guess we've got all the bases covered.

nikipau144 · February 2012

I drove home from a friend's house (20 min drive) and forgot to buckle C into her car seat. In my mind, it had been done. I had the car seat cover on, so I didn't realize when she was put in the car. I got home, took the cover off, and felt sick to my stomach when I saw the belts were not done.

PrincessFiona9 · February 2012

There were a few times that when DD was a newborn my EX and I each thought the other had buckled her straps in her carrier but neither had so she rode places unbuckled. (We didn't notice because she was covered by the BundleMe thing.)

A few weeks ago I put DD in her carseat and we drove off and it wasn't till we got to the end of the block that I realized I didn't buckle her in. And only because she was trying to climb out because she wanted to sit next to her carseat in the regular backseat of the car. Total mind zone moment.

Quesera · February 2012

NY Mama:
Back in the days of newborn hell (aka failure to latch, refluxy, colicky, 20 hr/day baby screaming sessions) there were at least two occasions I remember yelling at LO to stop crying. My DH also once yelled at him to "shut up". It makes me sick to my stomach to remember being in a place where I was yelling at my 6 week old.

I did this once too, and my baby was not colicky or refluxy. A lot of us have been in that place.

tch81 · February 2012

heckysue:

Twat's FFFC reminded me of what I did over the weekend. Which reminded me last week of a bumpie's confession (chapski I think?) about her son sneaking out of the house. I was sure glad I didn't judge her and told her we would all do something like that eventually as parents.

I suck:

We drove to Michigan on Saturday. It was naptime so I got C in the carseat in hopes that he would sleep at least an hour or two. Then we realized the sun was beating in the car and he had his fleece jacket on. While DH got out to pump gas I went to take the jacket off. C was already sleeping. Rather than take him all the way out of the car seat I just undid the chest clip of the carseat, unzipped the jacket, and slid his arms out. I was trying really hard not to wake him up, and halfway through DH realized the credit card scanner wasn't working at the gas pump so I was trying to hurry up.

I realized at our next rest stop 1.5 hours later that I never re-did the chest clip. I was horrified, and of course it happened when we were in the car for an extended period of time. I always double check all the clasps but I must have just been rushing through and totally forgot.

This is my absolutely flameful confession and I doubt most of you have done something quite as horrible. But I'm just wondering, what's the biggest mistake you're willing to 'fess up to?

I actually did the same thing! Except I was leaving the grocery store.

When DD was about 2 months old, DH came home from work & was holding her. He then realized she had a ?blow out? and he had poop all over his arm. He started flipping out and screaming ?What do I do!? I told him to take her to the bathroom, strip her down, and rinse her onesie under running water in the tub and then give her a bath. I was cooking dinner, and then I heard her scream & start crying. I ran to the bathroom where DH was standing there with this ?oh sh!t? look on his face. Not paying attention, he had turned the water all the way to hot and stuck the baby under the faucet to rinse the poop. Fortunately, she didn?t have any burns from the water. But I?m sure it hurt & scared her. He felt terrible & I was pissed!

We live and we learn?

insertclevername · February 2012

BelleIsa:

NY Mama:
Back in the days of newborn hell (aka failure to latch, refluxy, colicky, 20 hr/day baby screaming sessions) there were at least two occasions I remember yelling at LO to stop crying. My DH also once yelled at him to "shut up". It makes me sick to my stomach to remember being in a place where I was yelling at my 6 week old.

I'm also guilty of this. Breastfeeding was so hard for me; constant thrush, mastitis etc. It was just so painful and DD was screaming and I remember yelling at her, "JUST SHUT UP! SHUT UP!!!" and then I put her in her crib and walked away for like, 40 minutes.

DH went and mixed a bottle of formula and fed her and ran a bath for me.

Creepy internet (((HUGS))). I would strap him in his swing then sit on the couch and sob.

ToastieSimons · February 2012

When DS was an infant I took him grocery shopping. I put him in the carseat and buckled, but didn't tighten the straps (I always loosen them all the way so they weren't even close to being snug) because he screamed as soon as they were tight.

I then loaded all the groceries in the car, got in and drove home. Thankfully it's like a 10 minute drive and we were all safe and sound but I literally bawled my eyes out for an hour while hugging him. I felt awful

PrincessFiona9 · February 2012

Quesera:
NY Mama:
Back in the days of newborn hell (aka failure to latch, refluxy, colicky, 20 hr/day baby screaming sessions) there were at least two occasions I remember yelling at LO to stop crying. My DH also once yelled at him to "shut up". It makes me sick to my stomach to remember being in a place where I was yelling at my 6 week old.
I did this once too, and my baby was not colicky or refluxy. A lot of us have been in that place.

DD was an easy baby, but can be a huge handful now. I have had moments where I couldn't get her to stop throwing a tantrum and I will admit that I lost it once or twice and yelled at her to shut up. I feel horrible right afterwards and practically suffocate her with cuddles because I feel so bad.

ali_bl-nov05 · February 2012

I was very mean to him when he was just a 6 or 7 month old. He was fuzzy and refused to sleep, I yelled at him, I got seriuosly mad, as if he were doing something wrong. DH actually told me to stop it and took over. I felt bad at the moment, but just went back to sleep.

The next day was a saturday and I got to be home with him. We were playing on the floor and he gave me this huge smile and this look with so much love and innocence. He was just a baby and I mistreated him over normal baby stuff. I spent the next two hours crying and asking him to forgive me. I'm crying right now, actually. I can't believe I did that to my baby.

I've done plenty of other shitty stuff, but I think this is the worst, because is not that I forgot to do something important (which happens to everybody, at some point or another), is that I was unable to control my frustration and took it out on him.

Kaley28 · February 2012

dangerkitty102:
I did something really similar to this when DS was an infant and he was still in the infant carrier, and I had moved it to the stroller when were were at the mall and unstrapped him (I don't even know WHY I unstrapped him, but I did), and then I put him back in the car and completely forgot to redo the straps. When I got home and realized it, I was completely horrified. It was only about a 10 minute drive, but still - I was totally stick to my stomach over it.

I did the exact same thing once. I just moved her infant seat from the stroller & popped her in to the base in the car without even checking her straps. It bothered me so bad for a few weeks that I even pulled over a couple of times to be sure she was clicked in.

nikipau144 · February 2012

kirky05:
I have yelled at DD before because she wouldn't stop crying and I didn't know what to do. I felt absolutely terrible afterward and held her, crying.
DD has fallen out of the bed like, 3 times before.

Yup, been there. I felt like crap after it. It was horrible.

happymommy123 · February 2012

I was at a drs appt and had ds sleeping in his carrier. I knew he wasn't strapped in but I thought the handle was clicked but when I picked his carrier up the handle folded and he fell out. Landed on his poor face. Had a swollen upper lip and that's all, he was like 2 months old and I cried so hard. Worst day ever. I never ever left him unbuckled again. I also drove home from Walmart with him unbuckled when he was about 3 mo. I felt like the worst mother. I always tripple checked his clip, not that day

J+MS · February 2012

The biggest one is not kenneling Ollie while I was doing dishes. We all know how that one ended up.

Izzy fell off the couch when she was 5 months old. I felt really, really bad about that one because I totally shouldn't have left her by herself.

ToastieSimons · February 2012

Quesera:
NY Mama:
Back in the days of newborn hell (aka failure to latch, refluxy, colicky, 20 hr/day baby screaming sessions) there were at least two occasions I remember yelling at LO to stop crying. My DH also once yelled at him to "shut up". It makes me sick to my stomach to remember being in a place where I was yelling at my 6 week old.
I did this once too, and my baby was not colicky or refluxy. A lot of us have been in that place.

I did this too. Except more than once. Our colicky refluxy hell lasted 8 months, he slept in 30 minute shifts then screamed for 1-2 hours. DH and I slept in shifts. I feel awful about it now, but I remind myself thats why they can't remember stuff at that age. I literally would scream at him and put him in his crib, take the monitor on mute down to my car and cry because I was so tired, I was so worn out, I felt like the worst mother in the world, and all I wanted was some sleep.

scoutkate · February 2012

Well, I essentially starved her when she was 4-5 months old. Everyone told me that since she was EBF, I shouldn't start solids until she was six months old and I was bound and determined to do just that. In the meantime she dropped from 50th percentile in weight to 25th and eventually to 5th before her pedi said, go ahead and start solids already! In retrospect it was so obvious that she was hungry, but I chalked allof her issues up to growth spurts and four month wakeful. She's been off and on the charts for weight ever since and as much as I'd like to blame her size on genetics, I'm sure she's partly still just catching up from the whole starting solids issue.

Also, we were out to lunch not too long ago (with VeronicaCorningstone!) and Betsy pointed to a tomato on the ketchup bottle and said, "Elmo!" Without even thinking I said, "That's not Elmo, dummy!" I felt like shiit and I'm sure VC judged me accordingly.

PrincessFiona9 · February 2012

I will say the worst was about 2 months ago SO, DD and I were shopping at Walmart and DD refused to sit in the seat, she wanted to sit in the basket. I was finishing up paying and SO started to push the cart toward the door while DD was standing up, causing her to lose her balance and fall on her head. I heard a loud whack as her head hit the floor then screaming and I thought I was going to die. I had my back turned or else I would have told SO not to take off without her sitting down. (She was fine, just had a bit of a bruise on her forehead but no brain damage lol)

[Deleted User] · February 2012

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Mrs.adambabycakes · February 2012

scoutkate:

Well, I essentially starved her when she was 4-5 months old. Everyone told me that since she was EBF, I shouldn't start solids until she was six months old and I was bound and determined to do just that. In the meantime she dropped from 50th percentile in weight to 25th and eventually to 5th before her pedi said, go ahead and start solids already! In retrospect it was so obvious that she was hungry, but I chalked allof her issues up to growth spurts and four month wakeful. She's been off and on the charts for weight ever since and as much as I'd like to blame her size on genetics, I'm sure she's partly still just catching up from the whole starting solids issue.

Also, we were out to lunch not too long ago (with VeronicaCorningstone!) and Betsy pointed to a tomato on the ketchup bottle and said, "Elmo!" Without even thinking I said, "That's not Elmo, dummy!" I felt like shiit and I'm sure VC judged me accordingly.

I'm sorry, but this made me laugh. As for accidents, I second t watley's bathtub incident, except I was putting my hair up in the mirror at the time. I looked down after I heard her whining for a couple seconds and she was holding herself up with her hands. After the panic left me, thinking about it now it's kind of funny.

Something that happened that I still feel terrible about is letting LO wrap a power cord to the laptop around her neck. She was 14 months old and she wandered into the dining area (which is semi visible from where I was), and I heard her whining like something was bothering her. I asked her what was the matter as I was walking to check on her and she had looped it once around her neck and was standing there like" What is this? Get this off me!!" Felt like crap. But hey, the outlets are covered.

imeltice · February 2012

dangerkitty102:
I did something really similar to this when DS was an infant and he was still in the infant carrier, and I had moved it to the stroller when were were at the mall and unstrapped him (I don't even know WHY I unstrapped him, but I did), and then I put him back in the car and completely forgot to redo the straps. When I got home and realized it, I was completely horrified. It was only about a 10 minute drive, but still - I was totally stick to my stomach over it.

I did this too, twice actually. I think it happens to everyone.

BelleIsa · February 2012

This thread makes me feel more human. I've felt guilty for that freak out moment every since it happened. I look at newborns now and I think, "How could I have screamed at my own baby like that? She was just hungry..." but in that moment... man, in that moment I was just so crazy. I literally felt like if I didn't walk away I was going to throw her against the wall or something.

ali_bl-nov05 · February 2012

Beanie_mrt:
I still have this image in my head, by the way.

When he was about eight months old, DH had been on the road for what seemed like forever and Kiwi was just a mess. He was screaming, arching his back and generally freaking out. He had been like that for days and finally at 4 AM, I kind of tossed / dropped him in his crib.

It was a lot harder than I had anticipated but it was either leave him that very instant or shake the motherfuckingshit out of him because I was literally at the end of my rope.

It's awful to remember, but holy crap those nights were hard.

Exactly, hadn't DH intervene I would have gotten to that point. I would have shaken my baby. What kind of sick, twisted, shitty mom does this? and that was almost me. I almost did something to hurt my baby. I can't imagine anything worst of how am I ever going to forgive myself.

I'm so thankful for DH, he is such a great dad.

ETA: After this happened I had all these feelings about not deserving my beautiful, awesome, perfect baby. I was able to get over them, but it was hard for a little while. I still think he is way to awesome and cute to be mine sometimes

ksyknelvr73 · February 2012

While I am glad to see I'm not the only one who has had a mess-up, I still feel like crap.

I've yelled at DS too like some of you have mentioned - it's been a few months since the last incident but I have always walked away to calm down. Still makes me feel awful that I told my INFANT to shut up or go the f*ck to sleep.

He has fallen off the changing table once. I literally always keep one hand on him and I'll turn to throw the diaper away and still keep my hand on him - the ONE time I didn't, he fell off. He was okay, but shaken up.

For his first bath, I had NO IDEA what I was doing and I think I almost froze him to death. Not even kidding. He was shaking, crying like he was dying, it absolutely scared the crap out of me and I was hysterically crying myself. I just held him in a warm towel and rocked him and cried for like an hour.

insertclevername · February 2012

Beanie_mrt:

I still have this image in my head, by the way.

When he was about eight months old, DH had been on the road for what seemed like forever and Kiwi was just a mess. He was screaming, arching his back and generally freaking out. He had been like that for days and finally at 4 AM, I kind of tossed / dropped him in his crib.

It was a lot harder than I had anticipated but it was either leave him that very instant or shake the motherfuckingshit out of him because I was literally at the end of my rope.

It's awful to remember, but holy crap those nights were hard.

Prior to leaving the hospital with LO, DH and I were required to watch a video on Shaken Baby Syndrome. I remember DH and I laughing and thinking "Who are these people that shake their babies?" Now I can totally see where a parent could get to a breaking point. Those times I had to put him in his swing and walk away I remember feeling so frustrated and angry at LO and at myself.

mocklerja · February 2012

mooshagirl:

The worst thing I probably ever did was take DD out of her carseat on the freeway. It was when she was only about 3 months old and I was in the car with my IL's on our way to go out to dinner about 30 minutes away. DD started having a complete meltdown 10 minutes into the ride and it escalated into her choking and vomiting. I freaked out and took her out of the carseat and held her for the rest of the car ride. Looking back, I can't believe I did it. I should have just had my FIL pull over so I could calm her down, but I was embarassed and just wanted to get there as quickly as possible.

Oh, and I've also forgot to buckle DD up in her carseat once and didn't realize until we got to our destination. That was pretty bad too, but definitely not intentional.

I did this once with DS. Epic meltdown. We should have stopped, but looking back, I know I was totally flustered.

hetachu · February 2012

We were leaving a restaurant with swinging doors. I had DS in my arms and DH opened the door. I thought he still was holding it and walked through. DS got smacked with the door, it made a huge thump, he screamed and the whole restaurant gasped with horror. We haven't been back.

McKenna04 · February 2012

I get my kids mixed up on a regular basis. I don't know how, I swear they are fraternal.

drewiekc · February 2012

Pretty recently, she was going through a phase where diaper changes were just awful. She would act like you were torturing her. I was carrying her into her room one time to change her, and she was screaming, hitting/kicking me, flailing all over trying to get out of my arms. I got so irrationally angry about having to deal with it for the millionth time that I just sort of roughly dropped her on her changing pad and yelled "STOP! JUST STOP IT!!". She just laid there and stared at me with her eyes wide and her mouth gaping for a few seconds and then started crying. I have never felt so shiitty in my entire life.

MrsDe2008 · February 2012

My mom, DD and I were staying at my bro's house in Florida for a week. One day we were there I was looking something up on the internet for my SIL (so, totally not paying attention), but thought my mom and SIL were watching DD. They have a door between the room we were in and where their stairs to the next level of the house, that I thought was shut. None of us were paying attention and the door was left open. All of a sudden I heard DD making babbling noises and was like "Where is she?" and took off running. She was close to the top of the stairs where there was a safety gate closed, blocking her to go fully up to the next level. I don't even want to think about what could have happened if I didn't hear her babbling. I was so pissed at myself, my mom and SIL. ugh!

cynnichinny13 · February 2012

One time FIL drove from our house to my parents house, which is about a 30min drive. When my dad went to get C he realized that C wasn't strapped in at all. It was like he put C in and said "strap up, we're going."

The worst thing I've done, or the moment I feel the worst about: C and I were playing on my bed. It's a CA king so there was a ton of space, C was 2 ft from the edge and he started backing up. I tried to grab him but I wasn't quick enough and he fell back-did a full flip where his face hit first but then he landed on his back It looked like he could have broken his neck, it was scary.

hjohn · February 2012

Left carseat unbuckled- check

Yelled at my infant when I was well past exhaustion- check check

Whacked his head on a door frame while walking into his nursery- check

I have won MOTY many days. I want to cry just thinking about these things.

spring_time · February 2012

I did the same thing when DS was only about 6 weeks old. I undid the entire straps because I was taking him in and out of the infant carrier while we were at a park. It got cool, so when I set him back in the infant carrier I put a little blanket over him. I carried him to the car and snapped him in. It wasn't until I was back at my friend's house and I was pulling him out of the carrier until I realized that I never strapped him back in. He was completely free the entire drive home. I don't think I ever even told my DH because I was so mortified at what I had done. It still makes my stomach roll when I think about it.

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