Sorry but I cant take to this idea at all. As a child gets older if they work out that they can say NO and you as the parent have to go along with that then there will be children that will no longer have baths and they will remain in soiled nappies or refuse to have one put on and they will pee and poop where ever they please. Children go through a phase where “No” becomes their favorite word so when they refuse to give their consent for you to help them undress and get into a bath what do you do. Back away and leave it or do you then try to convice them to say yes? Perhaps bribe them with candy? Seems to be very much sending the wrong and confusing message.

I think most of us talk to our babies while we are doing things with them, bathing, changing nappies, toilet training etc. If we are doing this we are halfway there, and our children will soon wake up to the fact that mum or dad is doing them a favour by changing their nappy so they don’t have to put up with a burnt behind.

I always used to tell my boys that I was going to change their nappies or give them a bath. They never said anything but, then again, I didn’t expect them to say no.

How silly, if I asked my 20 month old if he wants his nappy changed he would just say ‘no!’ What do I do then? Let him sit in it and get a bad nappy rash or go ahead even though he has not given consent? I don’t know which is worse. Do I want to teach my son that his ‘no’ can be violated? I’d rather teach him that as his parent I know what is in his best interests right now, and as he gets older he will have more and more control over what happens to him. Consent is important, but common sense in the parental relationship should trump the baby/ toddler’s feelings because they do not yet have the ability to be reasoned with.

This is ridiculous, start explaining when they can understand not babies.

I will also say, each to their own.

I agree that as kids get older, you should talk to them about what’s going on and why, and try to get them to agree. Don’t know about starting it with babies.

I agree that this is an interesting argument. How often do we say to a big that we are just going to change that wet happy or let’s go clean you up and snake you more comfortable. I think K most of us tell the hub now matter how little what we are going to do. I feel somehow that this is possibly more important than asking for a consent that the tiniest of bubs can not give. I think K majority of parents are talking to Thier little ones allowing them to know before hand that they will be cleaned up and changed. It seems to happen naturally. Why make it so po!itically correct. It a good argument of what are you going tondo if they refuse or say no. You are going to to it anyway won’t makes more sense to let them know why you are undressing them. Next are we going To also ask consent before placing them on a potty or consent to go to the toilet or wipe Thier nose or wash Thier face. It seems to be taking things too far.

Each to their own.
My toddler runs away from me laughing whilst saying no. She thinks it’s a game but if she doesn’t let me clean her bottom, it gets extremely sore. Am I meant to let her sit in a poo nappy all day & have it burn her bottom until she tells me it’s ok to change her nappy. I don’t think so.

Each to their own ……..

She can do that with her babies, and I will parent my babies in the way I feel is right and appropriate.

Also yes plenty of parents tell babies what they are going to do and they might ask toddlers but I can tell you that while a toddler might not like sitting in mess plenty of babies do and it’s specifically babies not toddlers she’s talking about. Lots of comments like we all ask in childcare and they say….. that’s toddlers and not what this is talking about.

This worries me, it is more dangerous than people realise. If you ask your baby for consent and they don’t want their nappy changed what are you going to do? You’re going to change it anyway because it is bad for them to sit in poo can burn them and make them sick do what you end up teaching them and any siblings watching is that it doesn’t matter whether or not you consent I’ll do it anyway. This is definitely not something we want to be teaching our kids. What we need to be doing is explaining in age appropriate ways what they are in control of. Unfortunately this extreme talk ridicules the important message of teaching our children about consent.

interesting take on things

Very interstesting article