Children's poor diet

[PoppyConroy34]

Hi everyone. Writing this post not so much for advice but just to find out if any else thinks this is normal or has experienced similar behaviour. My two cousins are 6 and 7 years old. They are lovely girls who can be naughty (occasionally) but all kids have their moments. The problem with them is they they eat absolutely nothing. When I say nothing, I mean literally next to nothing. Their diet consists of probably 70% chips, white bread without butter, crisps (about 2 or 3 packs a day) and just general rubbish like chocolate, crackers or sweets. I can genuinely say I have never seen them eat a piece of fruit or vegetables. I hate to say this as they are my family but my aunt and uncle are absolutely to blame for their poor diet. My aunt in particular is so lazy with the girls and has absolutely no patience. She will give them whatever they want just to keep them quiet. I understand parenting can be testing but sometimes you have to go through a bit of trouble to get results with children. In the last 2 months she has only just stopped turning meals into baby food. Yes I'm being serious. She used to mush up their food into a brown slop to get vegetables and meat into them. It didn't work as the girls got sick of the slop after a while. I don't know if I'm overreacting but I just think something has to be done. They don't eat the majority of the basic foods you'd expect children to love. Food such as pasta, pizza, baked beans, chicken, sausages, strawberries, chicken nuggets etc, they eat none of it. It's just chips chips chips. If we go out to eat my aunt will order 2 bowls of chips for the girls, which I think is just embarrassing. My aunt and uncle place no boundaries on the girls. The other day for example we had a big family roast dinner which my nan had prepared. My eldest cousin demanded baked beans (even though she doesn't like them) which my aunt obviously gave her. She had a small bit of chicken and 1 roast potato on her plate. She ate about 4 singular beans, none of the chicken and half of the roast potato. My aunt thought that was absolutely fine and within 10 minutes my cousin had a bag of crisps and chocolate in her hand. Somebody help !

[BIWI]

Help who? You to stop being so judgmental?

Presumably you aren't with them all the time so you can't know what they're eating at home. And I don't get why ordering chips when they're out is embarrassing? For whom?

Do you have children of your own?

I'd leave well alone.

[BIWI]

Oh, and welcome to Mumsnet

[KaraokeQueenOfTheNorth]

Food is a very emotive subject for parents. I have children who refuse to eat, and it is worrying. It can get to a point where it is a relief just to see your child consume SOMETHING even if it is unhealthy. One of my children has severe food phobias, to the point he has been sick onto his plate when he accidentally put a pea in his mouth. He is actuwlly physically scared of trying new foods, he shakes and sweats.

Of course 3 packets of food a day isn't a good idea, and it does sound like it would be worth their mum trying s little harder to get them to eat other stuff but I do really understand the hatred of battles around food, the anguish and stress of having children who won't eat. It is a hard thing to cope, particularly as everyone always blames the parents and those who haven't dealt with it say things like "I just don't allow my kids to be fussy".

And what on earth is embarrassing about ordering chips in a restaurant?!

[PoppyConroy34]

I am with them an awful lot actually. They live 2 minutes from my house and I see them 3 or 4 times a week as well as babysitting. So don't jump to conclusions. In my opinion it's fine to eat chips. But with something else as well like chicken nuggets, sausages, pizza? I just think 7 year olds should be eating more than just chips.

[PoppyConroy34]

The problem is there is none of this with my cousins. There isn't a battle, there is rarely tears or tantrums because they know that by simply saying to my aunt can I not eat this or only eat a small bit they will get their way. They have gone past the stage of forcing the girls to eat. 90% of the time the kids are given chips and a plain bread roll for dinner. That is not right. I don't care what anyone says. There is no effort made to change their eating habits.

[InSpaceNooneCanHearYouScream]

Can't you broach it with your aunt in a gentle way? Eg ' have you spoken to the GP about their diet? You know, in case they're malnourished?'. If the Aunt laughs it off, saying 'oh, they're fine', you could try saying- 'but aren't you a bit worried that they eat no fruit/veg/meat?'
I know it's not the done thing to interfere but these kids might genuinely be malnourished!

[MazzleDazzle]

What do they do at school? Do they go packed-lunch or canteen?

Just wondering if they eat a greater variety of foods at school.

[PoppyConroy34]

They have a packed lunch because they wouldn't eat any of the school dinners. They often come home from parties and people will say to my aunt, they haven't eaten anything? A packed lunch including a plain butter sandwich, crisps and a bar.

[MazzleDazzle]

I would go with In Space's approach.

Has your aunt or uncle never said anything about their diet to you?