The worst Mother of the year award goes to me

or so I thought with the following tale until my friends told me equally funny stories of their own "Bad Mothering" moments.


Yesterday I stepped through the door to the basement to switch off the light before going out, only to hear the door click shut behind me and, yes, it was locked with Hannah on the other side! It was like a scene from a dramatic movie with me flinging myself at the door with my hands up screaming Nooooooooo! So there I was locked out of the main part of the house and my eleven month old locked inside with free run of the stairs, sockets and everything else. Luckily I work well under stress and even more luckily the basement has a door that leads directly out to the garden that I could get out. So I ran to my neighbours house and pounded on the door to use her phone, called Jarlath at work (the only other person in America with a key to my house) and told him to get home quickly. I then ran back across to the house and went to the big bay window to the kitchen and started banging on the window and shouting for Hannah. I have never been more relieved when her wee head appeared around the corner and she came smiling over to the window and stood the whole time thinking what a fun game this is banging and talking to Mama through the window. Jarlath made it home in about 15 minutes (it usually takes at least 20 minutes) and came tearing into the house and let me in.

So I accept the award with my head hanging low.

What lesson will I take away, well leave a key to the house in the basement or with a neighbour.

So anyone still want to buy the Irish lucky white heather from me! Please someone just b.loody take it before it kills me, lol.

H Xx

Friends Stories


The title is mine! I actually did drop Tom on his head on a concrete floor when he was a baby which in my reckoning qualifies for the worst mother of all time title. Thankfully he wasn't hurt but as you can see Youre very small beer in comparison. Chin up. Maryxx by Ivybuttons


I think we all have moments like this! At 3 months I popped Zach on the bed and turned my back on him, only for him to display his very newly acquired rolling skills, landing with a thud at my feet! At 8 months old, and just starting to learn how to climb up and down stairs, I stupidly thought I could sit Zach at the top of our stairs to wait whilst I went to put the buggy up at the bottom ready to go out!! Needless to say, he tried to follow me, and tumbled head first top to bottom! He was fine, after a Mummy cuddle, I was a wreck for hours, and didn't go down the stairs without him for another 3 months!! And to this day I have no idea what possessed me to do it i the first place! I could go on, and on, and on!!

I doubt you'll ever do it again, but maybe the key with the neighbour or similar is a good idea, just in case!

Nat by Natsplatt


My youngest daughter aged about 4 months fell out of her cot when I didn't put the base in it properly,she fell on to a hard tiled floor in Cyprus,I sat up all night holding her,I was worried sick and she developed a large blue bruise on the side of her head,she was a very quiet baby from birth and she didn't even cry! I had visions of having her being taken away from me for being a bad mother My other kids said I must have rattled her brains! by shirleymarye

I remember many years ago as a new mum taking my son in his pram to the local shops and leaving him outside the post office and then half way home before I realised I had left him outside in his pram. Never ran so fast in my life to retrieve him. by Eloise

My mother once did exactly the same with one of my brothers! And apparently when she was once taking the bus somewhere with me (aged about 3) and my brother (still a baby), she put me on the bus platform, then as she turned round to pick up bags, pram and baby, the bus drove off with just me aboard! I don't remember this at all but my mother says it gave her nightmares for ages. by Pennyt

Like Nat, we had our eldest on the bed and he rolled off - I'm sure most babies have rolled off something - even when you're keeping an eye on them it happens! Also with our eldest, a few days old - we had him in the car seat in the car, stopped at traffic lights and we were both admiring him (he was in the front seat as the back seat belts were too short) when we both suddenly gasped in horror - we hadn't even fastened the seat belt around his car seat!!! I really did feel I was the worst parent then! Or when I missed Megan's award assembly by thinking it was another day. I'm sure there are loads more instances by scarlet21

Me too to both of mine....the daughter at 2 years old was accidently locked in the house, key inside on hook on wall, and that is one little girl you could not take your eyes off for a minute. I was frantic - but however much she got up to mischief in or out the house, she did take it seriously and followed my instructions..to pull a chair from the dining room, climb onto it, reach for the key, come down, drag the chair to the back door, climb up again, on tip toe and pass through the electric fan in window (thankfully it wasn't on!) and presto I managed to unlock the door.

There I have the story to tell my mid 30s daughter - and you will be able to tell Hannah too when she is older the day mummy accidently locked her in the house at 11 months old. Don't even think that you are the worst Mother, far from it, you have one very happy child there, and all this may just have been an adventure to her - another exciting part of her life. by shanzi


My mum did this to both my brother and me, and we were 10 years apart!! She left John outside the butchers and 10 years later she left me outside the co-op! Aperantly my father was less than impressed on both occasions lol. Maryxx by ivybuttons again!

What are your own stories!!??