To take DD 5 to McDonald's every other weekend?

Only prudent, prepared and self-disciplined people should. One can be all of that without being wealthy.

I don’t think it is bad parenting at all. People are making very low blows.

However I disagree that posters who are taking about habits have an unhealthy relationship with food. I don’t eat convenience food with any regularity and i think I have a very healthy relationship with food. I’m not denying myself. I just don’t really like the food.

McDonald’s with market themselves as a great treat for kids. But their food is not special and it’s bad for you. A homemade cake, a special meal in a restaurant, a freshly baked pastry from a bakery. These are all high quality occasional “treats” that have had care go into their creation. The thinking that mass produced cheap and widely available food is a treat is making us fatter and sicker.

When someone invites judgment by posting “AIBU to…” in a forum frequented by 1000s, they are inviting judgment. It’s disingenuous to become indignant at receiving a variety of honest feedback.

Also, who appointed you the comments police?

But why can you not do a treat that's not full of rubbish, like taking her somewhere that does proper cake made with real ingredients?

Reading comprehension is your friend.

I said “not great.” Meaning, sub-optimal. Possibly mediocre.

Those words are not equivalent to “bad.”

Perhaps spend more time with a dictionary than trying to “gotcha!” on mumsnet.

I avoid presenting McDonalds or similar junk food places as a “treat”. Cheap, mass produced, unhealthy food should not be considered a treat in my mind. I’m also conscious of not rewarding with food generally or linking in happy memories with eating unhealthy food. I think habits like this are developed in childhood.

That said. That’s my thing and how I think about valuing good quality food. It’s definitely not awful parenting or anything.

You asked.

She’s learning that unhealthy junk food is a reward and something to relish, at age 5. She’s developing a taste for fatty salty sugary processed food. Associating it with good times.

I like McDonald’s chips myself and could happily eat them several times a week instead of the 2-3 occasions per year I allow myself. One has to make these things the exception, not the rule.

So, only wealthy people should have babies?

Reading comprehension is our friend. I said people who can't secure their children's future. People who can't get life insurance will have to find another way to do so. But most don't even attempt it; they just "fall pregnant" and hope for the best.

There are SO MANY "single mums" who post on here that they had a child by some arsehole, have "no family, friends or support network," but nevertheless thought it was an OK idea to produce a new human being without a Plan B let alone Plan C, D and E. That's reprehensible.

People who act like victims of circumstance when the perfectly ordinary consequences of their life choices meet up with perfectly ordinary events like illness, job loss, economic woes, etc. are not impressive. People who say "I have to feed my kids mcdonald's because I can't afford anything else" are not impressive, especially since every Tesco in the land sells beans, rice and other low-cost, more nourishing food.

SO tired of the excuses.

The 'gluten free' thing is entirely manufactured bullshit. So is your mouthy chum.

Careful, I suggested that earlier and got deleted. Someone doesn’t like it.

Blimey, you’re creeping very close advocating eugenics

Reading comprehension is our friend. I said people who can't secure their children's future. People who can't get life insurance will have to find another way to do so. But most don't even attempt it; they just "fall pregnant" and hope for the best.

There are SO MANY "single mums" who post on here that they had a child by some arsehole, have "no family, friends or support network," but nevertheless thought it was an OK idea to produce a new human being without a Plan B let alone Plan C, D and E. That's reprehensible.

People who act like victims of circumstance when the perfectly ordinary consequences of their life choices meet up with perfectly ordinary events like illness, job loss, economic woes, etc. are not impressive. People who say "I have to feed my kids mcdonald's because I can't afford anything else" are not impressive, especially since every Tesco in the land sells beans, rice and other low-cost, more nourishing food.

SO tired of the excuses.

Suggesting that someone who can’t obtain insurance due to disability shouldn’t have children isn’t something that sits right with me.

Most people have family members or friends who would step up and ensure their children are not ‘penniless orphans’ should anything happen to the parents. Not having life insurance does not mean their care has not been secured should the worst happen.

Hogwash. My family is very working class, and not privileged. But we were raised to be frugal, self-disciplined, cautious and self-reliant.

I would argue that someone who can't somehow secure their offspring's care should anything happen to the parents should probably avoid having children. What is the alternative: take the chance of leaving penniless orphans???

Good point.

An occasional treat is very different to a fortnightly routine, as you well know.
Look, you asked the question. People have answered.
You clearly weren’t interested in any answer that you disagree with, so why ask? You do you. 🤷🏼‍♀️

What about disabled people who can not get affordable insurance? They shouldn’t have children because they can’t get insurance?