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

I don’t feel “restricted all the time” because I’m not making a weekly trip for greasy fast food.

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.

Absolutely this.

my dc introduction was at a motorway services , we were all hungry, around 5yo (there isn’t one in the town I live in)

got them both happy meals saying something like ‘this food is super quick, let’s try it’

eat.

‘do you like it?’

dd1 ‘no. I like the toy though.’

dd2. ‘I don’t like the burger. I like the chips and toy though.’

next ten years - treats were toys

now, both teenagers making their own choices, neither will choose mcds at the services, they choose the M&S to go stuff. I choose mcds!

Wow.

I never get why people are so unsure of their choices and decisions that they take on board the berating and judgment of 'friends' and need validation from a bunch of complete strangers to re-assure them that what they are doing is ok.

If you are happy with how you are raising (and feeding) your daughter then that's just fine, have more confidence in yourself!

I'm not ashamed. Every other meal they have is relatively healthy. I'm a mum of four balancing home education, a million clubs and running my own business. Sometimes grabbing a (I would say cheap, but as three of them are older, it's more expensive than the fabulous days when a happy meal satisfied them) quick meal that they'll all enjoy and fills them while we are dashing from football training, dance, cadets, parents being of the kids in school takes a bit of stress off my plate.

My 5 year old is currently eating a homemade carrot and spinach muffin and had porridge with blended fruit and avocado for breakfast. Last night she had a chicken nuggets happy meal with chocolate milkshake. Tonight they'll have homemade lentil shepherd's pie wirh sweet potato mash (and probably chocolate brownies that my husband made at work with ice cream for pudding). The night before they had curry - cooked from scratch.

It's called balance.

They're healthy, fit kids - the reason they've had two McDonald's this week is ironically because of dashing between sports clubs. I don't for one moment doubt rhat my young teenagers occasionally buy junk food when they're out with their friends, but that's fine because I know that about 80% of their diet is home cooked, mostly unprocessed food with a fuck tonne of vegetables.

So no, I'm not proud, but I'll never be bloody ashamed. I'd be ashamed if I was someone who judged others though.

OK. I mean Wikipedia and Google are available. But if you insist…

Coeliac Disease… Auto-immune Disease. NHS very serious about it - as if you don’t stick to a gluten free diet you get a really horrible and difficult to treat bowel cancer.

I had complete villous atrophy, severe malnutrition, 19 mouth ulcers that wouldn’t heal and ulcers all throughout my digestive system. If I eat gluten i can barely wake up for three days. It destroys me.

It’s not anaphylactic. It won’t kill me quickly. It will kill me slowly.

Same here, I grew up on homemade good quality food, hardly anything processed, no junk apart from crisps once a year on my birthday.
As soon as had freedom to buy my own food I went crazy buying loads of crisps, sweets etc and it has set me up for years of yo-yo dieting.

My children grew up with generally healthy food but also a decent amount of crisps, chocolate and takeaways and now as adults have a lot more balanced approach to eating.

Not in any way shape or form
Some people just have a stick up their ass about food

This week we have had pizza from dominos, hungry jacks, kfc and kebabs - been busy, not in mood to cook, ZERO f*cks given

This is what it is for me.

I really do believe “treating” your kids to ultra processed, unethical crap is misguided though.

We have to actually realise what we’re doing as adults to break this cycle.

At 5 years old, kids only know what we show them / feed them. Don’t start making associations with mc d’s as rewards or treats. If anything call it what it is - convinient for you as a parent. Most 5 year olds would prefer a magazine or a
trip to the park.

**TheHerboriste · Today 08:30

Agree.

Dozens of visits per year to McDonald’s isn’t great parenting.**

Just one example where someone (you) has said she's not a good parent.

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.

I couldnt live like that

I need to enjoy what im eating and feeling restricted all the time would be hell
If i feel like maccas fries i will get them, if i feel like KFC, i will get it

There’s nothing wrong with having McDonalds once a week - it’s one meal out of 21 🙄

TBF it’s mostly shits and not much giggles! :-)

Of course not, throw the word Mcdonalds in and people lose their shit.

There was a thread last year about go to Mcds orders and one poster was an absolute twat of "how can you possibly put that food in your mouth, no wonder everyone is fat" then on another thread was talking about a burger place nearby that they LOVED...where they had burgers...and chips...and onion rings. No fucking difference other then snobbery

Would the responses be the same if OP was taking her to some posh cafe for a ‘hot choc’ or slice of cake every two weeks 🙄

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.

oh just read other posts from that user. they're a right judgy fucker 😂

Or she's learning that it is part of a balanced diet, much like every food is and its not a treat, its not something special, its not something to gorge herself on when she gets the chance. its just food.

You are obsessed with fat people. Equating some chips to obesity isn't healthy thinking, not that you care you find fried food and people who eat it repulsive!

Are you proud of this?

Exactly. Chow down fast, fatty food as a “reward” for doing the most mundane things. Because parents can’t be bothered to shop for and prepare healthy meals, or can’t be the adult & withstand children pleading.

Obesity is an extremely expensive public health problem.

Or she’s learning that a few chips every so often is fine in an otherwise healthy diet.

Oh have a word with yourself !

Stop fabricating.

No one has said she’s a “bad” parent. I said it’s not great parenting, which is different from bad. I think it shows poor judgment.

No one equated chips with crack.