or are other peoples' children really fussy?

[BlackBag]

Today I had a lovely, polite friend (6 years old) of DD (who's 5), round for a play, snack and lunch.

Turns out she does n't like apples, bananas or satsumas only nectarines and plums.

She does n't like water.

She got a mud splash on leg so the garden explore had to finish straight away for thorough cleaning of muddy knee and welly.

She ate only a small piece of ham and lots of all day.

She is very caring regarding my younger DD and kept calling for me and asking me to wipe little ones snot encrusted face, a battle which can be fought and generally lost every 3 minutes.

My own mostly snot free face has run through then at hearing them all laugh but also and at food & dirt stuff. I'm exhausted at the responsibility of it all. Please tell me it gets easier and my kids don't do that in your house.

I think I am a bit soft on my kids' friends as I remember forcing myself to eat cherry tomatoes at a friend's house aged 6 because I didn't want to be seen as rude.

I hated tomato and duly vomited all over this friends carpet.

The mother still served me cherry tomatoes with EVERY MEAL.

Makes me shudder just thinking about it.

Does it really matter how fussy other peoples children are?

Life is short.

And lol'ing at everyone doing the competitive shuddering

'oh I know what you mean, my children adore balsamic vinegar and my friends child eats nothing but processed cheese'

Dd1 (3) doesn't like cake or ice cream or fish fingers or most veg (cucumber comes with every meal).

However she likes prawns, homous & would happily drink balsamic vinegar (as would I!).

I was very fussy as a child, it's actually quite stressful :(

Lol @ cross post with gibbon!

Wasn't trying to be smug! Dd is actually really fussy. Pasta & pesto is a staple in our house. Oh & she won't eat filled pasta unless it's 'micky mouse' shaped

Bumper, just saw cross post too. Obvious you are not one of the smug ones

I always assume my children are as annoying at other people's houses as their children are at mine. I'm just immune to their annoying quirky ways.

My dd's friend won't eat anything with a sauce, or fish, or pasta, or pizza. I just cook what I was planning to make anyway and offer her a slice of toast.

My kids eat everything from the crappiest chicken nuggets and plastic bread to mussels, offal and sashimi. That's 'cause they're greedy accommodating like me.

When I was younger I wouldn't have dreamt of saying I didn't like something at someone elses house. I just forced it down!

DD (9) will eat everything put in front of her apart from mushrooms - although she adores homemade mushroom soup??? The only problem I have with her at other people house is that she's always saying she's hungry!

We are vegetarian in other people houses and mostly vegan in our own so other people do panic about what to feed her though we always just say vegetarian stuff is fine.

Luckily - DS (1) is the same. Only thing he can't have is Kiwi due to an allergy.

I watch a friends DS who is Raw Vegan. At first I was really worried but it's incredibly easy to deal with as my 2 love everything he eats. But I can see that other parents would hate to have him around for tea [hmmm]

I like tittybb's view. I always ask what someone would like, before they come round. and then if they get there and don't eat it. so what. 'slice on toast', will do. life's too short. offer the kid ice cream and chocolate and I'm sure life will be dandy.

I would never dream of 'not inviting' anyone. raw vegan or anyhting else. people get so hung up on these things. it doesn't really matter, does it ?

I too have the gannets who eat almost anything. like forehead and titty. and my kids eat posh nosh and all possible crap aswell, home made curry to greggs and spahetti cheese rubbishy things.
I normally feed them pre and post playdates !! skinny as a rake !!

bet you've guessed that a large proportion of our monthly income is spent at sainsbury's , huh ?

Loudlass I am like that. I do not like water. Unfortauntely for me I do not like the vast majority of juices either.

I will drink water on holiday but I really, really struggle to get enough down and often top up with fuid intake with Callipo's and watermelons. Not that I would complain about that

My brother ate nothing but tuna sandwiches for years.

He's still a fussy bugger, although he won't touch tuna now (can't imagine why...). He's recently discovered, at the age of 23, that actually he loves oranges, but won't eat pasta, potatoes, red meat, fish, amongst a vast list of other foods. He does eat pizza and my mum's homemade soup. However, everything must have tomato ketchup with it.

It sounds loony (and is) but I have a feeling it all stems from traumatic meals at my dad's house when we were kids. My brother was a very sensitive little boy and I'll never forget his face when my dad placed pork chops and brussel sprouts in front on him - he would blanch and start doing a little fidget thing he always did - and then my dad would scream at him because fussiness was a pet peeve of his. This happened every time we stayed over, without fail, and it was horrible. So my sister and I would eat my brother's food for him. I think, as a result of all this, my poor bro is actually a little bit phobic.

Parents don't ime pander to these fussy eaters, they have gone round the twist trying to get them to eat a vegetable. So no judgypants, please.

My dds are both mildly fussy in different ways. However, they always scoff everything at friends' houses, Partly peer pressure but dd1 says she doesnt like it "but eats it to be polite". Phew.

I don't really have small dc anymore, but my best tea was always to make pizza bases, put toppings in bowls and then they could make their own. It definitely gets better as they get older.

I think you can think that your dc aren't fussy at home, because they are used to your way of cooking. I know that mine in the past were given things that they would eat at home, and didn't eat it at somebody elses house because it was a bit wrong. Smallish children are often creatures of habit.

Ha ha, I know a mumsnetter who's daughter used to burst in to tears at the sight of a mess on the TV! Her dad's a bit obsessive over cleaning and pristine clothes, so you may find one or more of her parents has a thing about these things and it's just rubbed off.

Her parents must like to spend on fruit then, keeping her in a constant supply of nectarines and plums won't be cheap!

My children are delightful & will eat anything, they will be polite to you & respect your home & family. Other kids are feckin animals.