I am the worst mummy in the world boo hoo!

@mummymo (23706)
March 15, 2007 6:06pm CST
Okay here is the thing I have NEVER liked little girls wearing trousers to school so when the bad weather started I got my 5 yr old daughter Lovely warm tights for school. I persevered even though about ! pair of tights had the knee burst out of them on average every one and a half days! I kept persevering until I had spent almost enough to buy a new laptop on replacing the tight! Eventually I gave in and bought her trousers until the better weather comes in! This is where the problem comes in with trouser; every week or two she comes home with a hole in the knee of her trousers! Kept persevering - now I am at the stage where I could have bought both my kids laptops with the money spent on new trousers!!! So I have come to a decision - she is going back to skirts with Knee high socks this time - the only problem is what am I going to do with the holes in her knees???? Help! Am I the worst mummy on mylot? Are your kids just as bad? How did you resolve this? Are you too a bad parent and letting them put holes in themselves instead of their clothes?
7 people like this
26 responses
@Michele21 (3093)
• United States
16 Mar 07
No you are not a bad mom!!! My daughter use to come home every day with holes in her pants too!! I couldn't stand it and if finally got to the point where I made her wear her jeans to school with holes in them, she didn't care and so I stopped worrying about it!! She crawls on her knees and jumps then lands on her kneew, or runs and slides on her kneew, so I try and encourage her not to do those things because every pair of jeans will have holes in them. Just relax and people won't think bad of you if your daughter has holes in her pants, as long as they are clean =) I think moms with little kids will totally understand!!
2 people like this
@jchampany (1130)
• United States
16 Mar 07
So right Michele. Kids will do things like that and holes in the knees just happen.
1 person likes this
@mummymo (23706)
16 Mar 07
Thanks for sahring your experience - glad to know I'm not alone!!!! Half the problem is she is my eldest niece over the back and my sister just rolls her eyes , laughs and says good luck. my niece was a nightmare growing up! Mind you she is now 28 and not far from getting her doctorate in psychology so hopefully the little 'un will turn out well too!
1 person likes this
• Canada
16 Mar 07
i know that at some stores there are clothes for kids that are garenteed to last until they grow out of them. if they wear them out you just take them back and exchange them for new ones at no cost. i know that in canada they are called kid tough garantee on the tags and you can buy these at sears. they are really good clothes and my daughter has never damaged any from rough play.
2 people like this
@mfpsassy (2827)
• United States
16 Mar 07
None of our stores do that but we need some
1 person likes this
@mummymo (23706)
16 Mar 07
I'll second that! Haven't heard of anything like that here in Scotland but it would be fantastic!
@mfpsassy (2827)
• United States
16 Mar 07
I would suggest buying her some knee pads to go with her skirts and knee socks lololol
1 person likes this
@mfpsassy (2827)
• United States
16 Mar 07
Hey your suppose to be in bed lol
1 person likes this
@mummymo (23706)
16 Mar 07
Tried it honey (bed) wouldn't work so got back up for a while!!! Tried it (kneepads) didn't work 'Mummy I won't look pretty! aaaarrrrrggghhhh
1 person likes this
@mfpsassy (2827)
• United States
16 Mar 07
Tell her it's either those or bubble wrap lolol
1 person likes this
• India
16 Mar 07
Don't think is that way. I percieve that your daughter is not mature enough till today.Don't worry, she will become more conscientious with the time.From now onwards think " you are the best mummy in this world"
@mummymo (23706)
16 Mar 07
Thank you so much sandip - i will try positive thinking from now on!
1 person likes this
@ralf_jay (213)
• Sweden
16 Mar 07
as you said about your daughter its bit funny. because children cant understand ones feelings at this age so we have take the necesary precautions .if you are using a tights then do one thing make a desigh with other cloth at the kness so that the design will protect getting punched a whole.if she is wearing a knee socks then tell her to weat 2 pairs of it so that the other one acts a as a protector.hope you got it and try it out you will be knowing it
1 person likes this
@mummymo (23706)
16 Mar 07
Thats a fantastic idea - I will try it out on monday! Thank you ralf-jay
@ralf_jay (213)
• Sweden
22 Mar 07
you are welcome for the suggestions any time.
1 person likes this
@LadyDulce (830)
• United States
21 Jul 07
LOL, I feel for you. I have 7 boys of various ages. I just gave up. It's not bad parenting to let a kid scrape his knee every once in a while; it's bad parenting to let it get infected. A scraped knee won't kill her. If anything, it'll teach her a little caution. Kids are surprisingly reslilient and heal quickly. Don't worry so much. And get super cheap pants or tights, especially since they grow so fast. Blessed Be
1 person likes this
@mummymo (23706)
22 Jul 07
SEVEN? I bet they bring you a lot of joy as well as a lot of pulling out your hair! Sometimes I think I would rather have 7 boys as 1 Niamh! lol My eldest son was never as much hassle as she is - although they are both adorable! You have no idea how many skint knees she has - she has a high pain threshold and it never bothers her! lol I have put her back in skirts but I will think about your ideas when we get back to the winter again!
• United States
21 Jul 07
You could try getting her some boys' pants (just don't tell her they are!). They usually have reinforced knees and heavy-duty double stitching.
1 person likes this
@GardenGerty (160708)
• United States
16 Mar 07
It sounds like you have an active little girl who likes to play--Hooray!!!! I knew people who washed the brand new trousers, or pants, then put iron on patches, inside, before they were ever worn, to try to help with the wear and tear. Where I live, the girls often wear jeans, which are a tougher fabric. Some of them have adorable patches of embroidery, or squares from old neckties, nicely finished. It is getting on toward shorts weather here, so many people will have the wear and tear on their own knees.
@mummymo (23706)
16 Mar 07
lol gerty - this is so true!!! She does have some gorgeous jeans - usually with pink embroidery! Jeans are not part of a school uniform and I really do believe in wearing the school uniform - even if it wasn't (which it is) school policy! Can't wait for summer, bruises on her legs will turn into scabs lol .....
@design (849)
• Ireland
17 Mar 07
For a little hole I stitch on either star or flower shaped patches and would put some smaller ones from the knee down or diamonds type things, The girls always help and have lots of fun doing so, can keep the amused for a couple of hours just designing where their going, But like you I prefer skirts and thick tights.
1 person likes this
@mummymo (23706)
17 Mar 07
That does sound like fun and very pretty! I quite like trousers sometimes but not for school! Thanks design
1 person likes this
@Bev1986 (1425)
• United States
16 Mar 07
I really like the idea that someone had about putting a patch inside her pants! That might help some... My youngest was always a bit clumsy and she fell a lot and was always wearing out her pants. But she finally got through that stage and now she's a beautiful 13 year old girl!
@mummymo (23706)
16 Mar 07
yeah there is light at the end of the tunnel! Thank you Bev for giving me hope!
@Jlowe110 (313)
• United States
16 Mar 07
No your not a bad mom, you cared so much about your daughter that you kept trying to fix the tights and trousers. Just shows how much you care.
1 person likes this
@mummymo (23706)
16 Mar 07
Thank you so much for your support my friend!
@jchampany (1130)
• United States
16 Mar 07
I like this topic. NO WAY are you a bad mommy because they are putting holes in their clothes. My son does the same thing. I get upset with him but then I realize. Look, you are asking them not to be a child when you tell them not to put holes in their clothes. Kids fall, trip, play, and every now and then in school, when they go to assembly they may have to sit on the floor and just clammering in and getting on the floor in your spot can put stress on the knee of the trousers. Don't feel bad at all. I have explained to my son that pants are expensive and I cannot keep buying him new ones all the time. I told him I would make him wear his ripped up, holy clothes to school if he couldn't be more carefull. Well, accidents do happen but we have had less holes in the knees since then.
1 person likes this
@mummymo (23706)
17 Mar 07
Thank you so much for your response - think in Niamhs case it is just cos she is clumsy - of course today when she wouldn't have torn anything she didn't fall once! Glad your son has been more careful - he oviously isn't too stubborn!!!lol
@cillerman (403)
• Bulgaria
16 Mar 07
I am very very sorry... BUT THAT IS EXTREMELY FUNNY! :D I think that you should consider looking at the mark of the trousers and clothes in general, because low quality clothes tend to get weaker in time and doesn't stand the weather long.
@mummymo (23706)
17 Mar 07
Glad I could cheer you up Cillerman1 Doesn't matter how good the quality is she could destroy it quicker than a quick thing!
@afreddy (182)
• India
16 Mar 07
How do the holes get there....if she loves to make them then let her have those kind of pants......fashion styles keep changing...let your daughter be happy..thats important
@mummymo (23706)
16 Mar 07
Thats true - but not at the rate she goes through them lol! Actually she falls over a LOT - not really her fault!
@ros0201 (21)
• Malaysia
16 Mar 07
At least you care about your daughter. If you think that you are the worst mommy in the world just because you have decided your little girls to wear skirts, actually... you are one of the caring mother in the world.
@mummymo (23706)
16 Mar 07
thank you so much ros and you are right ... my son and daughter mean the world to me!
@weemam (13372)
16 Mar 07
When my boys were wee I had the same problem , I used to bye iron on patched and do them on the inside of the trousers they lasted a lot longer , don't worry about the skirt and knee high , my granddaughters always wore them too , and they always got skint knees lol , but they are more careful when its the bare knees as it is sore lol , you are the same as most mums pal we are all sent our trials and the kids are the worst ones lol ,,,good morning xx
1 person likes this
@mummymo (23706)
16 Mar 07
good morning honey and thank you - guess you wrote this just before we passed at the corner!?!
• United States
16 Mar 07
Part of parenting is picking your battles. Our pet peeve is our daughters belly can't hang out with too short of tops or have holes in the clothing. If we buy the acid washed jeans with the pre-done holes, it is a different story, I'm talking about nylon running pants where they split on the seam and you can tell that they are just plain worn out. As long as your daughter's clothes are clean and she is presentable, I wouldn't worry about the holes in the knees of the pants. She is trying to fit in with the cool kids and making her own fashion statement. Try to be tolerant, the more you yell, the more she wants this style. Be cautious because the more you inforce skirts, the older she gets, she will sneak clothes and change in school much to your chagrin. If you are battling this badly when she is 5, imagine what it is going to be like when she is 15? Pick your battles and save your energy for the bigger issues still to come. Good Luck, raising children is not an easy task, but daunting & rewarding all in the same breath.
@mummymo (23706)
16 Mar 07
oh the voice of sanity! I have a 13 yr old son who is going through a bit of teenage rebellion but nothing like his baby sister!!! She is a great girl really but boy does she know her own mind and can reason in a ahem 'discussion'! I don't like to even think about her being a teenager, my friends all joke she was born a teenager and tell me that we are too alike and that is the problem! Thanks for your support - hope to speak to you again!
@Sir_bobby88 (8231)
• Singapore
16 Mar 07
No i had seen even worst mummy than you yea ... at least you care about you little girls yea ... some even throw away their babies yea
1 person likes this
@mummymo (23706)
16 Mar 07
ok, thank you sir_bobby - I think lol!
@kathy77 (7486)
• Australia
16 Mar 07
Oh come on I loved it when they bought the idea that our children could wear trousers to school, they were the same colour as the school uniform and always looked start and at least they could keep warm, oh no my daughters never had holes in their trousers. I do not understand why the trousers are getting holes in them all the time.
1 person likes this
@mummymo (23706)
16 Mar 07
Sorry Kathy I just really like to see little girls in their pretty skirts as I think they look so cute - have a look at my photo of my baby - she loves to look pretty! She gets holes in the knees of everything cos she is so clumsy and falls - not her fault really though!!!
• Canada
16 Mar 07
When I was in school we never had this problem because everyone had to wear uniform anyway and girls were not allowed to wear trousers to school at ALL. My daughter wears uniform and strangely enough she wears tights or trousers when it's cold and manages to keep them in impeccable condition. My boys do manage not to get holes in their trousers but omg, they get coated in mud! It takes me more effort to soak them first before taking them up to the laundry room to wash them. I think as far as your daughter is concerned, you have to let her scrape her knees. Once she's skinned them often enough to realize that it really hurts, she'll maybe start to be a little more careful.
@mummymo (23706)
16 Mar 07
Thanks for the support! The only problem with the skint knees being sore is she seems to have a very high pain threshold! At least her dress for my nices wedding is long and covers the knees!
• India
16 Mar 07
hey dont think u r the worst it wil only makes ur life harder .....think ur the best ....after all no one is perfect
@mummymo (23706)
16 Mar 07
Thank you my friend for your sweet response!