12/21/24
February 01, 2012
Mom Climbs Rocks with Baby on Board: A photo of a rock climber in Wales shows the 26-year-old single mom ascending a cliff with her toddler daughter in a carrier on her back. Menna Pritchard is wearing a helmet but her daughter Ffion isn't. "There was no risk of any rock fall," Menna said. " I knew 100 percent it was safe ... I had a mountain climbing instructor there too and I'm pretty confident of my own competence." Pritchard is an outdoor enthusiast who writes about babywearing, taking a young child in a sling, on her blog. "I have been a fan of 'babywearing' since before Ffion was born, doing lots of research," she writes. "I probably bought her first carrier when I was around 6 months pregnant."
Seems like a good reason to get a babysitter. I realize that Pritchard states "There was no risk of any rock fall" but it just sounds to me like she's asking for trouble. How much fun can the kid have sloshing around on her back?
posted by 67nickel at 10:30 AM on February 01, 2012
It would be ffrightfful if they ffell.
posted by kokaku at 10:41 AM on February 01, 2012
Mom says elsewhere she regrets wearing the helmet and Ffion now has one.
A lot of the baby on board stuff is sweet, but rock climbing with a toddler on your back is bonkers.
posted by rcade at 10:50 AM on February 01, 2012
"you need a license to buy a dog, to drive a car — hell, you even need a license to catch a fish. But they'll let any butt-reaming asshole be a [parent]." from "Parenthood"
posted by scully at 10:56 AM on February 01, 2012
She should have done something safe and healthy for the kid like plunk her in front of a television set and feed her chicken nuggets and kraft mac.
posted by lil_brown_bat at 11:12 AM on February 01, 2012
I don't get the false dilemma. Are you suggesting the net effect is healthy for the kid? Why?
posted by yerfatma at 11:19 AM on February 01, 2012
She should have done something safe and healthy for the kid like plunk her in front of a television set and feed her chicken nuggets and kraft mac.
That's a dumb argument. There's a wider range of parenting choices than either plopping the toddler in front of the TV or bouncing her uncovered head off a cliff wall because mommy's foot slipped.
Perhaps the kid might even enjoy outdoor activities in which she can walk around.
posted by rcade at 11:23 AM on February 01, 2012
In the US, that would have been grounds for an investigation and visit from Family Services as to the competency of the parent to retain custody. Just sayin'.
posted by Tinman at 11:32 AM on February 01, 2012
Class I climbing would be perfectly ok with a baby, but yeah, class IV or V, maybe even III is a bit silly.
posted by LionIndex at 12:01 PM on February 01, 2012
Clearly a bad idea. Life is random, things can go wrong, accidents happen.
posted by insomnyuk at 12:47 PM on February 01, 2012
That's a dumb argument.
It's not an argument at all. Lighten up, Francis.
posted by lil_brown_bat at 02:16 PM on February 01, 2012
Totally unclear from your phrasing. You're a hard read, Sgt. Hulka.
posted by yerfatma at 02:28 PM on February 01, 2012
Sgt. Hulka is a great response deterrent. What can you say to that? No, I most certainly will not lighten up, Francis!
posted by rcade at 02:40 PM on February 01, 2012
Clearly a bad idea. Life is random, things can go wrong, accidents happen.
To be fair, there was probably a greater chance the baby would have died on the drive over to the climb, than on the climb itself. It's just that it happens all the time, so people become desensitized to the occurrence.
But babies getting injured/dying from their mom climbing rocks? That's unusual and gets everyone's attention.
posted by grum@work at 02:59 PM on February 01, 2012
Without the climb, where is the drive to?
/sound of one hand clapping
posted by yerfatma at 03:06 PM on February 01, 2012
Here's a rock climbing board discussing this mom.
posted by rcade at 03:13 PM on February 01, 2012
Whenever I go up a ladder to fix the roof on my house I generally strap on an infant. He never says anything that tells me he doesn't want to, so what's the harm?
posted by dyams at 04:34 PM on February 01, 2012
All these newfangled expressive lifestyle concepts are that I'm having trouble keeping up with. Babywearing... shirtcocking...
We are just never going to run out of new ways to be ourselves.
posted by beaverboard at 06:00 PM on February 01, 2012
I knew 100 percent it was safe .
That statement proves that she has not thought it through completely. Taking the kid for a walk around the house is not 100% safe. Silly thing to say.
posted by dviking at 06:21 PM on February 01, 2012
Hey, every time I do something that requires care, I usually tuck a newborn into my shirt, just to make sure that I'm paying attention properly. Gotta be extra careful, I got an innocent new human life here, people. I'll be under that car in the garage, he's all tucked up in my left armpit (I'm a righty), and I'll be torquing away and he'll just wiggle a little and it all comes into focus, you know? So I know I gotta be vigilant, after all - the fucking car is being held up by cinder blocks. Have you seen the price of a decent jack these days?
(I can't think of a single reason why this is in any way a good idea. And I fully support letting 14 year olds go off into the ocean alone on a boat. )
posted by WeedyMcSmokey at 07:57 PM on February 01, 2012
My wife is into baby wearing. It's awesome and extremely helpful, but this daft bint... WHAT THE FUCK ARE YOU DOING?!?!?!
posted by Drood at 01:04 AM on February 02, 2012
Hey, every time I do something that requires care, I usually tuck a newborn into my shirt, just to make sure that I'm paying attention properly.
I think you just stumbled on a way to make the Pro Bowl watchable.
posted by rcade at 07:54 AM on February 02, 2012
I can't really think of any reason why mom would have a helmet on, but baby attached to her back wouldn't need one.
I can't really speak to whether it was dangerous for her two-year old, but it certainly doesn't look like fun for the little one. Mom gets to do all the moving around and exercising and the child doesn't get to do any.