What do you make of this?

[Calvados]

My wife has a friend who she visits 2 or 3 times a year. Her friend has a 13 yr old son who'll be 14 in August. He's a really big lad growing up fast. In fact he's just bought an electric razor, so you see what I mean! However, his mother still baths him, puts his pyjamas on him and puts him to bed. I would have thought this would be embarrassing for him, but this happens every night. At least it does when my wife stays there. Why does his mother insist on doing this? My wife daren't say anything as she doesn't think it's her place to but surely this can't be right can it? I would have thought his mother might be embarrassed too but apparrently not. Why can't she leave him to it now? What do you think?

[Jemisa]

My son was 8 when he announced that he wanted to bath himself now. It was the fashion then that boys grew their hair long so he would let me wash his hair, that lasted a couple of months then he did it himself.
He did wear PJs though even at 16 - 17years.

Jem.

[China Doll]

I think it's really rather grim to say the least and I would question it. (I'd possibly report it if I didn't like the answer to my questioning as it really doesn't sound quite right regardless of 'funny business' as it's not a healthy mother/son relationship to my mind).

[4getmenot]

I'm sickened..... every night!, in my day we only got a bath on a sunday!!

[Lakitu]

Even then I'd get a grump on. To this day I cannot take a bath while Bullseye or Antiques Roadshow is on, too many bad memories.

[4getmenot]

or darling buds of may

[4getmenot]

mum leaving my hair to dry naturally curly in the summer then putting me to bed when it was still light **shudder**

[AlBags]

Bullseye? lol ...

Your TV only shows stuff from 70's? lol

[vulcan]

One answer nobody seems to have considered, perhaps the boy wants his mother to bathe him.

[ummmm]

Same as 4get....and had to run from the bathroom to the living room as that was the only room that had heat...!!!

My 13 year old son, in my opinion, is way too open with me. All that includes though is he tells me about his dirty dreams and how many new hairs he's found....

If I tried to bath him....the thought of it....yuk.

[China Doll]

I did consider that vulcan... I just don't think it's healthy.

[Mr Veritas]

I am sorry,but this smacks of Munchausen's Syndrome by Proxy (Google it),or something verging on it?

[ummmm]

Munchausen's Syndrome by Proxy is making someone sick to gain attention for themselves.....

This is just odd.....like she hasn't, and will not, let him grow up.

[bobjugs12]

Am I alone in thinking the boy is going to grow into a serial killer?

[ummmm]

No.

[Mamyalynne]

Possibly bob.

[bobjugs12]

This sounds like an opener to a Hitchcock movie

[karenmac60]

Ever seen the film Spanking the Monkey?

http://www.imdb.com/t...tt0111252/plotsummary

[bobjugs12]

That looks like a really good film. I'll have to see if it's at my local blockbuster

[Mr Veritas]

ummmm
In some ways,this is what this Mother seems to be doing.
MSBP is also making Doctors believe that a child is sick/vulnerable or cannot function without the Mother being there 24/7.This is done to increase the Mother's feelings of self worth and esteen.
If this isn't MSBP,it's something (mentally) similar,or is becoming (fast) MSBP.

[rowanwitch]

I think Mr Veritas might right....During my nursing career I saw a couple of cases... funnily enough both were patients with 'difficult to diagnose...treat blood disorders' At the moment it might be just out of the normal range of behaviour but what might happen if her son starts to resist ....