To think it is kind of smug when people say

[AThousandNamesNoneOfThemMyOwn]

(Re their babies) "he just eats whatever we eat"

Don't know why. It sort of says "we're so chilled-out, we make our child fit in with our life, we cook from scratch every night,, our DC isn't fussy with food"

All my friends seem to say this and I'm not really sure why it grates. Maybe because DS (9 mths) only 'eats what we eat' part of the time, because we are busy and disorganised and sometimes only manage a pizza delivery or Indian takeaway or just toast. And because DS is going through a ridiculously fussy phase. It just isn't always practical.

[MrsTerryPratchett]

Mine does. Won't bloody sleep, though. Ever. Does that make you feel better? It's mainly luck so if they are gloating about that, it's a bit silly.

[TheMightyLois]

It might be true though. They might only eat fish fingers and jam.

[squeakytoy]

Well my parents probably said it.. because I had that choice or starve...

There was no pandering in my house!

[WickWackThurso]

Our dds are only offered what we eat - doesn't in any way indicate that they ingest it though!

[cheddarcheeselover]

I say that, but I absolutely promise I'm not being smug, I say it when a new parent seems to be getting really rather stressed about what they should be feeding their baby and when, I try to say it in a don't worry, just give them a bit from your plate and see what happens way...

[Sirzy]

Same MrsTerryPrachett.

Ds is 3 and unless I know he really doesn't like something he eats the same as me. It's the way I have always done it and it works and saves he having to cook multiple meals.

[SashaSashays]

It depends, I say this, I said it when I had babies.

It wasn't in accordance with you're definition though, I was politely saying, "cook different dinners, fuck that".

Our reality of this is that all of us ate fish fingers, peas and smilies or something similar. Once DC's were on solids and had moved on from the jars (yes I'm on of those) they had whatever we had, but 99% of the time it was not from scratch. I don't cook from scratch.

Just be equally arsey, "DS has much broader tastes than us, so we prepare him special dinners, elbow deep in quinoa last night ".

[ReindeerBollocks]

My DD did this and I mentioned it to everyone

DS on the other hand has been a battle since day dot. That child just has no interest in food.

It's not normally bragging, but if you have a child who doesn't eat it can sometimes feel that way.

[coldcupoftea]

It sounds smug to you, because it is a sore point so you may be a bit oversensitive.

I may be guilty of saying this to people- only to point out that I fed PFB DD1 lovingly prepared home made baby meals, only using toddler pasta, baby stock cubes etc, slavishly following the Annabel Karmel book, and she is now a complete fusspot.

DD2 just got food plonked in front of her, chopped up a bit if she was lucky (while I was busy cajoling/spoon feeding toddler DD1) and she has always eaten anything and everything.

[thebody]

Ah well.. My kids were all bloody fussy eaters but are now normal eating slim adults and teens.

It's no indication of how they will eat as adults really is it.

All bollocks.

[TallyGrenshall]

I used to say this but DS has now decided that he doesn't like meat so I have a choice of cooking him something different or watching him pick around the meat in a cottage pie for half an hour again

[PurpleStorm]

Well, DS gets offered whatever we eat. He doesn't always eat it though. It's especially disheartening when he refuses to even taste it.

[MurderOfGoths]

I've been trying to get DS trying what we eat, but with an egg allergy it's proving tricky.

[aldiwhore]

I think the use of the word smug is overused.

Saying that, YANBU to feel bloody annoyed.

I felt bloody annoyed at anyone who found any part of parenting easy that I found extremely complex and bloody tough!

Both boys ate what we ate, except when they didn't, and then, they ate what we had and what we knew they'd like!

[vvviola]

Exactly what SashaSashays says. I'm far too lazy to cook more than one meal. We all eat mostly the same. I've been exceedingly lucky that DD1 aged 5 will literally try anything. Her sister at 18 months is a little more difficult but will usually eat most of it.

I had to tweak the whole family way of eating when DD2 was diagnosed with food allergies, but it was still easier for me to do that than to start cooking separate meals.

I do think it's more about what your (as in the general "you") sore points are. When people talk about their 4 month olds sleeping through the night I sometimes feel they are being smug even though they are just stating facts 18 months without more than 4 hours sleep in a row can make you slightly touchy

[TroublesomeEx]

Sometimes it's just true.

Mine did eat whatever we ate. And still do.

Why is that smug? It's just a fact.

[MortifiedAdams]

Dd eats what we eat. However, 60% of her meals in the week are at CMs (where, coincidentally, she eats whatever the dish of the day is).

At home, if I have a sandwich or omelette for lunch, so does she. If I have a very rare Mcdonalds, she gets a portion of nuggets. If we go out to Nandos she has a bit off each of mine and dhs plates. If I make an evening meal.I keep a bit for her for the next day if I know I have her at home. Her favourite is chilli and rice and I usually just do a jar one.

So she doesn eat what we eat but I dont think we are smug about it (or have anything to be smug about).

[MerryCouthyMows]

At 'he eats what we eat'.

In my house, it's now the opposite way around - more often than not, WE eat what HE can eat.

Mostly because he has severe allergies, and the whole household's diet has changed to accommodate that.

So he DOES eat what we eat, but only because we aren't eating something he can't eat!

[ithasgonetotheopera]

I always assume they mean they eat spaghetti hoops and chicken nuggets every night or similar.

Don't think small children could cope with my chilli habit

[MrsKeithRichards]

Ds 2 is 9m and demolished a (homemade) chicken tikka curry. Ds 1 is 7, said it was too hot for him!

It's not smug, it's the way we are. Ds2' s weaning forced me to get more organised again and we're all eating better.

[FergusSingsTheBlues]

I think it sounds smug when people boast about their kids going through from day 1. We all have our sensitive points....and, yes, our son does eat what we eat (biscuits, crumpets, chicken kievs..... Guid scottish diet)

[valiumredhead]

It was fact in our case not smug. Sounds like you are over sensitive OP because you are eating pizzas

[Softlysoftly]

I say it but I'm like you op 99% 50% of the time she has the same meals, except on our crap food days when she just can't do she gets a jar or something just for her.

But can I really be arsed to say all that when talking about babies is dull enough?

[dreamingbohemian]

Oh I think some people are smug about it. No doubt. Not all though.

[StripeyBear]

I don't understand why your baby can't eat pizza or indian takeaway (take the heat out with some extra yoghurt) with you? I mean it's only bread topped with cheese, isn't it?

Small children and babies don't need to eat different things from their parents, and at 9 months breastmilk is the most important part of the diet anyway. Food's just for fun until their one! It doesn't really matter whether they eat it or not. They are not going to starve themselves, and if you're running around making separate food, I think you're only making a lot of unnecessary hassle for yourself.

If you're bf-ing, you've already introduced your baby to the flavours/tastes you like - I think the important thing is to enjoy food yourself and for family mealtimes to be relaxed and enjoyable ocassions. If your children see you enjoying food, they are far more likely to do the same.

(Waits for someone to come along and tell me I am unbearably smug again).