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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

to refuse....

227 replies

thenightwalker · 10/02/2011 13:58

To let my child eat fast food!

My daugter has a party this week and the mother has decided to get all the kids there amcdonalds happy meal.

All the other mums have agreed.

My daugter is just about to turn 2 and i think this is just unacceptable food fo a child that ytoung.

I wont let her be having it.

I dont feel like im being unreasonable.

Would you let yours? Even if it is just a one off?

OP posts:
Tortington · 10/02/2011 14:32

i wouldnt, mine only ate the best burgers - burger king, anything else is an abomination

FreddyTeddy · 10/02/2011 14:32

Tanmu thats so sad Sad, poor lad.

Original poster
thenightwalker · 10/02/2011 14:33

Its not about her being fat atall. Its about the high salt content at such a young age.

She has chocolate and cake every now and again as a treat.

She eats a good balanced diet and at parties she does usually have all the good food and the have her treats aswell.

But a macdonalds..

For children under 2?

I just dont see why i shouldnt say no to that?

OP posts:
altinkum · 10/02/2011 14:33

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

BringOnTheGoat · 10/02/2011 14:34

Just to be clear though my much younger DD has had chips, fish fingers, nuggets and a bite of my burger (not all in one day though) Grin

gordyslovesheep · 10/02/2011 14:34

bless you - you have so many shocks comming your way! childrens parties are rarely healthy Shock

LizaTarbucksAuntie · 10/02/2011 14:35

you can say no to it, but people may think it's a little strange....

they are also entitled to an opinion :)

BlooferLady · 10/02/2011 14:35

Why is everyone being so hostile?! Item #34 in the rulebook of 'How To Make Someone Do Exactly The Opposite of What You Advise': take the piss.

You are being very PFB, but then FBs are P, I guess. And I'm a bit worried about getting too uptight about treats - good food can be homemade flapjack or lovely chocolate just as much as a carrot stick and dry grilled cod - but you're not a freak Hmm

whatdoiknowanyway · 10/02/2011 14:35

My kids had the occasional McDonalds as they were growing up. Nothing major but not so limited that they would feel deprived. It was usually at a birthday party or as part of a day out and they enjoyed it.

From the age of about 10-12 McD just didn't have the same appeal and they would only eat it when we were out and about if there was not another option available. It probably helped that they were very sporty and conscious of what they put into their bodies.

Oldest daughter is now at university and recently complained to me that she was unable to take advantage of the special offers on takeaway Pizzas and other fast foods as she didn't like the high salt/cheese/ fat levels. I was quietly pleased that she had taken sensible eating habits with her when she left home.

fedupofnamechanging · 10/02/2011 14:36

I have always found that my children eat very little at parties. They are too busy playing. If you feed your child before the party, she will probably eat very little junk while she is actually there.

You will not offend the other parent by being rude and your DD will not be eating junk. Problem solved!

Have to say though, that while I agree this is not good food for a 22 month old baby, you will have to compromise sometimes, or you will end up isolating your child from her peers and that will be much worse for her than the occasional junk food meal

TheSecondComing · 10/02/2011 14:36

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Original poster
thenightwalker · 10/02/2011 14:37

Okay altinkum so what your saying is i shouldnt judge people who let their children have mcdonalds as a treat but mojority of you are sat here judging me and calling me a freak or a nutter because id rather my child not have fast food?

Im not always this bothered about food. i just dont think macdonalds is suitable for this age group atall.

Is that such a bad thing

I think this has been blown way out of proportion

OP posts:
FreddyTeddy · 10/02/2011 14:39

Bloofer I agree a homemade flapjack is a delicious treat, and if I went to a kids party where homemade yummy treats were offered I'd be delighted, but thats not normally the case. So its normally a choice of go to party and eat what is offered or decline invites. I know which I'd go for.

melrose · 10/02/2011 14:39

Oh, how this has made me laugh as 5 yrs ago it could have been written by me.

OP, print it out and read it when pg with no.3, promise you will chuckle.

chaya5738 · 10/02/2011 14:40

I was going start an allegation of trolling so did an advanced search to see if the OP had posted before.

She mainly posts on forums about children's health, worrying that he child has or will get this or that. Someone is a tad overprotective/paranoid...

One meal of McDonalds? Please. If a child's health is going to be compromised by one meal of McDonalds then you should be worried about more than that meal.

Original poster
thenightwalker · 10/02/2011 14:41

haha i know melrose i probably will. But for now.. still not happy about her eating a macdonalds haha.

Imnot going to budge on this. She will be having carrots and fruit.

And im not going to make my child into some kind of social outcast with an eating disorder for not letting her have a macdonalds while shes still so young.

If she wer a little older id probably let it slide. But at 22 months it just aint happenin!

OP posts:
PurpleCrazyHorse · 10/02/2011 14:42

I see where you're coming from, in that I wouldn't want my 18mo DD to eat a McDs beef burger & fries. However, I would either have popped into McDs to look for an alternatively she could have, or politely declined the invite. Simples Grin

I would not arrive bring her own food as DD is very likely to want to walk around steal everyone elses if she didn't get a Happy Land box to eat.

I'm sure you can eat the chicken nuggets/fish fingers yourself (or offer them to some hungry mums) while your DD eats the fruit/carrot sticks and drinks water/juice/milk. That would be a good solution and I don't think the host would think that was rude.

HecateQueenOfWitches · 10/02/2011 14:42

You posted asking if you were being unreasonable.

That is asking for our opinions

We gave our opinions.

Because you ASKED for them.

now, hands up people - who actually gives a fuck if the OP gives her child a mcdonalds or not? Anyone?

You asked for opinions, you got them.

But we actually don't care what you do.

It's your choice.

altinkum · 10/02/2011 14:42

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Ripeberry · 10/02/2011 14:43

Happy meals can be quite healthy. If you have fish fingers, swap the chips for carrot sticks and have milk or water, then there is nothing wrong with it and TBH most kids like the happy meals for the toy!

choccyp1g · 10/02/2011 14:43

Well, if the party counts as one out of 3-4 would be fine, then 26% of your salt recommendation for the day sounds fine.

Never thought I'd spring to the defense of McDonalds.

Original poster
thenightwalker · 10/02/2011 14:44

chaya..

I am overprotective and paranoid. And for that yeah i am abit of a freak!

But this is a seperate issue i actually know half the time im being unreasonable in my incessant worrying.

But i think not giving a macdonalds to a toddler is quite a normal thing

OP posts:
choccyp1g · 10/02/2011 14:44

One out of 3 to 4 meals per day I mean.

FreddyTeddy · 10/02/2011 14:45

Blown out of proportion?! You posted in AIBU!

chaya5738 · 10/02/2011 14:46

I really wonder how much your child is going to be eating at this party. My DD is 19 months and she never sits still when she is somewhere new - she is too excited. It would be delighted if she ate something! I reckon she'll have the odd fry and bite of the burger and that is it.

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