A parenting expert says mums should fart in front of their kids!
"A well-timed fart can lighten the mood!"
When it comes to raising boys, Maggie Dent knows a thing or two.
The mum of four sons has written an incredible book, From Boys To Men; Guiding our Boys to Grow to Happy Healthy Men and in it she shares practical advice for mums and dads raising teenage boys.
And we’re going to zero in on one surprising chapter … farts.
In her book, Maggie writes: “I think mums need to learn to fart more if they have sons. A well-timed fart can lighten the mood, defuse a conflict and be a wonderful bonding connection with a son.”
“Farts are fun for them,” the parenting expert says. “A fart triggers dopamine and endorphins of love.
“And dads all know that – but we need mums to step up next to the grumpy boy that hasn’t said good morning or thank you or looked you in the eye, stand next to them and drop a well-timed fart.
“He’ll love it.”
“A well-timed fart can lighten the mood!”
For boy-mum, Belinda, who was raised in a fairly liberal household with a mum who was open about sharing a robust fart or two but a father who would rather they were done in private, Maggie’s advice was pivotal in helping her decide whether or not to let rip in front of her son Charlie.
“I host the same dichotomy of good manners vs tear down the motherf**king establishment, so that when I had a kid I was like, ‘oh… how do I deal with this?'” she told Bounty Parents.
“Luckily I have a couple of good girlfriends who are proud farters, and my partner Patrick is like the Fart King, so that when I heard Maggie Dent talk about the power of the fart it helped me decide which side of the fence to be on!”
Belinda credits an open attitude about farting with helping Charlie understand how to read a crowd.
“To fart or not to fart, that is the question! And I have to say that Charlie is better at knowing when and where to fart than us. For example, he’ll move away from us when he needs to fart, and will even warn us in advance if it is just a casual fart. Patrick could learn a thing or two from him.
“But as weapon of mass destruction, all rules are out the window and I now find myself in the strange situation where I wish I could not only fart on demand but with great gusto, or at the very least more often – I just don’t fart much, dammit!”
Do mums really fart in front of their kids?
As a mum of four I can confirm that, yes … some of us do. It’s a regular bugle-fest up in this joint. One of our favourite games is trying to figure out whose butt was the offender.
However there are some who manage to keep it in. We put out the call to see what the fart rules are at homes in Australia, and here’s what we found out …
As a mum of four boys, Maggie Dent knows a thing or two about flatulence!
Mum of three boys, Melanie: “Having a household filled with boys (and socks) has always been accompanied by odour. Fart jokes / “cupcakes“ (which requires farting in ones hand and feeding it to another) fart noises produced from your armpit/and even a App called Fart Piano meant that farts have always been hilarious and yeah, I join in. Why not?! Farts are natural (or sometimes supernatural). It’s a bonding thing!”
Mum of four, Jen: “No and no!!! You aren’t allowed to fart in front of me unless you want me doing it in front of your friends! I think every time they fart it’s also a possibility that they will crap their pants. So as far as the advice that it’s good to lighten the mood? It’s still a no. We have a million way to laugh vs air passed via a canal of sh*t!”
21-year-old Baillie: “My mum taught me the art of farting. Make sure the room is quiet, whoever is near you is not paying attention and let it rip!”
WATCH: David Beckham accuses Victoria of farting whilst making cake. Continues after …
Mum of three, Katie: “I never did and always have thought it was gross. Then BAM – had my third baby six weeks ago and I’m farting left right and centre. Can’t help it! Can’t hold ‘em in anymore! I blame the kids!”
Boy-mum, Elise: “100% Farty McFarty pants over here. My child has a delightful morning ritual of climbing into bed and doing his first fart of the day as soon as he’s under the covers! Must be love.”
Mum of two, Carolyn: “I was mortified once at a kids 6th birthday party when my son’s classmate came up to me and asked: “Is it true that bananas make you fart? Banjo told us they do!” I had to tell the boys to not tell people I fart!”
Mum of four, Amy: “There are still women scared to fart in front of male partners and men who are horrified by women farting. All goes back to being ladylike etc. Another bullsh*t rule established by the patriarchy that women now have to dismantle!”
Boy-mum, Tegan: “My favourite thing is to fart in my sons room and close the door. Then I wait. First the groans then laughter as my son realises what I’ve done. He doesn’t think it’s gross or unladylike. He just sees his mum having a joke with him!”
Find out more about Maggie Dent’s new book on her website here.
