Page 5 | AIBU - mini eggs and mum

Housemovehopeful2024 · 2026-03-31T20:30:37+00:00

My daughter is almost 7. I am not a fan of her having mini eggs due to the risk of choking (not precious about other chocolate or sweets - it’s just the risk of choking I’m worried about). I have told my mum this but despite that and reminding her, she seems to repeatedly give them to her. One week it’ll be a chocolate yogurt with mini eggs, the next week mini egg cakes (only one egg per cake so perhaps less of an issue?) or a small egg with mini eggs in. This week, they made Easter cakes with the smarties equivalent of mini eggs (still the same size and shape). AIBU to be irked by this or am I being too precious? YABU - stop being so pernickety YANBU - mini eggs are a hazard and in any event she should listen to your wishes

TheNinkyNonkyIsATardis · 01/04/2026 09:28

Two issues - the request following and the sweets themselves.

On the request, she should absolutely respect your wishes, even if she disagrees. (MIL ignored my request recently because she was soooo experienced with the asthma our son inherited from my husband - my son ended up in A&E!).

But on the subject of the actual eggs, I think that at 7 she's more than capable of being taught to eat safely, and I think it's actually a bit dangerous now to avoid things entirely. Age 7, there are lots of opportunities for her to get her hands on stuff with zero adult supervision, so IMO she'd be much better off being exposed to them sensibly.

(My son is 2.5, and although I don't give him checking hazard sweets, he's been on whole grapes and tomatoes supervised for six months, because it means he's prepared if he randomly grabs something at a party etc)

Hollyhobbi · 01/04/2026 09:22

AlteFrau · 01/04/2026 08:22

I have currently opted not to see my grandchildren because of the incredibly prescriptive set of rules that was being put in operation.

Things like car seats, supervision around proximity to traffic, avoiding any foods that might avoid allergic reactions are all absolutely fine. But there just needs to be a little a bit of flexibility, for grandparents who are freely giving their time to provide regular care and support.

If parents want their minute rules to be followed every minute of the day, then they should employ a nanny/find a nursery or childminder that is willing to follow their set of protocols.

Gosh what would you have made of my ex husbands parents who thought it was ok to have our two DDs in a car with no working seatbelts in the back!! They would have been aged about 2 and 7 at the time.

Lmnop22 · 01/04/2026 09:20

TheDenimPoet · 31/03/2026 23:14

Other foods than mini eggs can cause choking, so why are they being singled out? Hope THAT helps.

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Are you joking? They’re being singled out because they’re the subject matter of this post 😂

Rumors1 · 01/04/2026 09:17

https://www.thesun.ie/health/12369066/cadburys-mini-egg-warning-boy-choking-seconds-from-death/

It’s a sun article so you may not want to open buts it’s about a 7 year old that was
choking on a mini egg.

My DS nearly died in front of me
choking on blueberries when he was 2. I cut my kids blueberries and grapes until they were in secondary school! I have a real fear around it after that day. He was choking behind me and wasn’t making a sound.
My 18 year old was talking about getting mini eggs yesterday and I told her to be careful eating them 😊

Mum issues Cadbury's Mini Egg warning after finding her son seconds from death

A MUM has banned Cadbury Mini Eggs in her house after claiming her son turned BLUE and nearly choked to death when one became lodged down his throat. Vicky Heavey was seconds away from performing C…

https://www.thesun.ie/health/12369066/cadburys-mini-egg-warning-boy-choking-seconds-from-death/

firstofallimadelight · 01/04/2026 09:14

GlomOfNit · 01/04/2026 08:11

But surely you can see that the overall risk of choking on any of these food items is really, really low?

I do worry a lot about the ability of people nowadays to assess relative risks rationally. We obviously focus on the horror stories and social media means these circulate like wildfire (not all of them true, either) along with 'helpful' graphics showing all the foods you must never, ever give your child. (this is just an example - I'm not sure there's an aspect of child-raising or being pregnant that isn't now over-thought and catastrophised about).

Look - life is unpredictable. You can make it a bit more predictable by curtailing perfectly normal freedoms and activities - no trampoline, no cycling, no going out alone with friends, no mini eggs - but where will you draw the line? You need to address the underlying reason for curtailing these normal things, and it isn't the fact that all of these things are out to kill your children. It's the massively risk-adverse mindset.

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It’s reasonable to be cautious, as long as the op teaches her child to be careful rather than banning foods I don’t see why it would be an issue.

Spiffingdarling88 · 01/04/2026 09:11

youalright · 31/03/2026 21:43

You may be unreasonable but I agree with you I'm the same with my kids I'm terrified of them choking i also only let them have lollies if they sat still to eat them. I was still cutting my kids grapes until they where in secondary school 🙈

My husband still does and one's in sixth form 😂 even though the sixth former will go in the fridge and eat them whole anyway

luckylavender · 01/04/2026 09:08

I think at 7 she should be fine. But you don't want her to have them and it seems like loads of junk food to me. Put your foot down.

Happyjoe · 01/04/2026 09:07

Blueshoey484 · 31/03/2026 23:24

Unlike the dig you had at me? Complete with laughter emoticons. No problem thread monitor

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Oh sorry, my laughing upset you? You one of those people who dish it out and can't take it then? Riiiiight. Now I understand.

GetOffTheCounter · 01/04/2026 09:05

Housemovehopeful2024 · 31/03/2026 21:45

Ah this is helpful. It looks as though I am being unreasonable. It seems most people think it’s because mini eggs should be allowed by age 7 and therefore it’s reasonable for my mum to disregard what I’ve asked?

I think you are probably too cautious regarding mini eggs but agree 100% that if you have asked your mother to not do something for any reason then she has no business ignoring your wishes.

Kpo58 · 01/04/2026 09:04

Housemovehopeful2024 · 31/03/2026 22:24

Smarties are fine (I’m not that anxious). It was the smarties branded eggs, which are basically mini eggs by a different name.

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TBH, I wouldn't allow the smarties or milky bar mini eggs as the shells on them are so hard that I have broken a tooth on them. The Cadburys ones are fine though.

Isittimeformynapyet · 01/04/2026 09:03

Orangy · 31/03/2026 22:30

She could blend them into a paste.

😂 love this

Savonne · 01/04/2026 08:56

Christ. She's 7

OneBadKitty · 01/04/2026 08:55

At what age are humans able to safely eat round foods?

I only think of very young children as being at risk- age 3 and under...?

likelysuspect · 01/04/2026 08:51

It raises a question about those kids (and people) who eat quite a highly processed diet, where things are designed to be easy to get down without much mastication, have led to more choking in adults and children, given people arent used to chewing

I dont know if that is born out by stats though or how that would be measured.

The people most at risk of choking are the elderly and no, to answer a poster above, a 7 year old is not 'just as at risk' as younger children. Younger children are more at risk than 7 year olds.

MyFAFOera · 01/04/2026 08:46

Housemovehopeful2024 · 31/03/2026 22:21

Thanks everyone. It’s interesting to see all of the perspectives.

To reply to the PP about what she said when I mentioned it - she said she makes sure she crunches them.

I think perhaps I need to be less uptight about allowing mini eggs (the microwave idea is a good one) but still think my mum should listen to me, even if she does think I’m excessively paranoid.

I do tend to still chop up grapes, partly habit, partly because I think why not reduce the risk? - but then I actually prefer them chopped up so I do this for myself too (not because I’m concerned about my own choking risk).

But by constantly reducing or removing risks you aren't teaching your child how to navigate them?

Beyond about age 3, the focus should be on teaching children the importance of chewing food - provided the child is developmentally normal.

Otherwise you end up with 10 year olds at risk of choking because mummy always cuts up their food so they just assume everything is easy to eat, and other adults quite rightly assume 10 year olds are capable of chewing properly and don't need monitoring. You put your child more at risk by not teaching them how to navigate these hazards.

LittleBearPad · 01/04/2026 08:43

NAMECHANGE87554 · 01/04/2026 08:35

You would cut contact with your grandchildren because your children have a few rules in place? That's awful.

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Depends on the rules probably.

GlomOfNit · 01/04/2026 08:37

Bunnycat101 · 01/04/2026 08:31

Mini eggs are actually terribly designed in terms of choking risk. There are lots of posters who are blasé about this but it’s one of the things I’m still conscious of with older primary children. If they eat them, I want them sitting down and concentrating not walking around or playing. I’m the same with things like sweet lollies. I wouldn’t ban them at 7 personally but I think they do need a bit of care and your mum is unreasonable to ignore you.

Yes. Mini eggs should actually be designed to be shaped as ... not sure. Long thin strands maybe? Small gravel-sized irregular nuggets run through with tiny holes that afford ingress of oxygen?

Wouldn't you rather just ban them, the wicked things they are, shaped just like little eggs?

NAMECHANGE87554 · 01/04/2026 08:35

AlteFrau · 01/04/2026 08:22

I have currently opted not to see my grandchildren because of the incredibly prescriptive set of rules that was being put in operation.

Things like car seats, supervision around proximity to traffic, avoiding any foods that might avoid allergic reactions are all absolutely fine. But there just needs to be a little a bit of flexibility, for grandparents who are freely giving their time to provide regular care and support.

If parents want their minute rules to be followed every minute of the day, then they should employ a nanny/find a nursery or childminder that is willing to follow their set of protocols.

You would cut contact with your grandchildren because your children have a few rules in place? That's awful.

CoffeeCakeAndALattePlease · 01/04/2026 08:33

Yanbu to ask your mum to follow your preferences.

However, 7 should be fine to eat mini eggs unless they’re stuffing them in without chewing. It’s really until 4 or 5 there’s a higher risk.

Walkaround · 01/04/2026 08:32

Bunnycat101 · 01/04/2026 08:31

Mini eggs are actually terribly designed in terms of choking risk. There are lots of posters who are blasé about this but it’s one of the things I’m still conscious of with older primary children. If they eat them, I want them sitting down and concentrating not walking around or playing. I’m the same with things like sweet lollies. I wouldn’t ban them at 7 personally but I think they do need a bit of care and your mum is unreasonable to ignore you.

So, provided grandma doesn’t let her eat her mini eggs yoghurt while simultaneously skipping or singing, all’s fine. 🤣

Heynow87 · 01/04/2026 08:32

SunnyKoala · 31/03/2026 22:35

The stuff about choking always boggles my mind : lollipops, grapes, mini eggs.... Kids can eat anything as long as you weaned them on real food, not slop, and don't hover or interfere with their confidence or concentration.

And families can and should also kiss and cuddle babies!!

A bizarre take! My DD 7 is very prone to choking to the point of vomiting and is not fussy at all, will eat dishes from all around the world and will eat spice, all fruit and veg. Also eats every meal at the table 🤔

Bunnycat101 · 01/04/2026 08:31

Mini eggs are actually terribly designed in terms of choking risk. There are lots of posters who are blasé about this but it’s one of the things I’m still conscious of with older primary children. If they eat them, I want them sitting down and concentrating not walking around or playing. I’m the same with things like sweet lollies. I wouldn’t ban them at 7 personally but I think they do need a bit of care and your mum is unreasonable to ignore you.

Walkaround · 01/04/2026 08:29

(Although overall, to be so risk averse that you count the risk of a 7-year old choking to death on a mini eggs as significant enough to deprive your 7-year old of them is, imvho, massively OTT and unlikely to teach your DD how to assess life’s multiple risks sensibly).

GlomOfNit · 01/04/2026 08:28

FasterMichelin · 01/04/2026 07:43

Yes. Incidences of choking are just as high with 7 year olds, who by that age often eat more, with less monitoring or cutting.

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Yes, you have a point there. I think a liquid diet delivered by IV is probably the only way to go really.

Spare10k · 01/04/2026 08:27

FasterMichelin · 01/04/2026 07:43

Yes. Incidences of choking are just as high with 7 year olds, who by that age often eat more, with less monitoring or cutting.

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Can you evidence that?