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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

to ask politely that a visiting child not to have sugar on his cereal?

360 replies

ChaosTrulyReigns · 14/03/2011 10:34

Occasionally I'll have one of DD2's classmates before school, as it helps with his parents' working situation.

I have 4 DCs who obviously will have to be cautious over their eating habits for life. Genes. Sad

Therefore we have only cereals that are not excessively sugary for breakfast.

This child moans about what is on offer at my house. So he then asks for augar to be added to weetabix, which I would rather not, but if DS is not in the room he can have some discreetly, as the girls understand my rationale, but DS is only 4 and I would rather not have this eating style visible to him.

So, AIBU to request politely that he doesn't add sugar when ChaoticBoy is around?

OP posts:
nethunsreject · 14/03/2011 10:36

Say you have none in.

I don't have sugar in the house, unless I am going to be baking.

tattycoram · 14/03/2011 10:38

Yanbu. I would ask his parents to explain it to him. My DS has a friend with an egg allergy so if we are in a cafe with them she can't have cakes. He accepts that it would be hard for her if he were to eat a big cake in front of her, it's not that big an ask imo

GypsyMoth · 14/03/2011 10:39

No don't give in to him....... It's a lesson in life!

gorionine · 14/03/2011 10:39

I think you are a little bit unreasonable on two accounts:

  1. Is it not better if your DS cannot have certain food that it is made very obvious to him he cannor
t have them for safety? if he does not know he is not allowed some foods (I might have got iit wrong but it is what I understand here "but DS is only 4 and I would rather not have this eating style visible to him.") so if offered anything he is not allowed he can say "no thanks, I cannot have it!"

2 If you did not have sugar at ll at home I would understand you not wanting to go out of your way but if you do indeed have sugar why not just give him some?

QuintessentialShadows · 14/03/2011 10:39

I think you need to speak to the parents of this child about this situation.

Either that, or bluntly say he eats what is on offer, or he doesn't eat. Sugar on weetabix? That is absurd.I would not be surprised if he doesnt get it at home, and tries his luck with you. For all you know, you will have mum on the phone ranting that you are giving her child sugar on his weetabix!

squeakytoy · 14/03/2011 10:40

YABU, weetabix without sugar is bloody horrible.

A little sugar really is not going to cause problems to anyone later in life.

worraliberty · 14/03/2011 10:40

Bleuurrgghh! No way could I eat Weetabix without sugar.

I've had this sort of thing for years and I've just simply told my kids that all children are allowed different things..and not all Mummies and Daddies have the same rules.

QuintessentialShadows · 14/03/2011 10:41

Frozen blueberries is your Friend here. Heatlhy, no sugar, full of vitamin and antioxidants, and brings flavour to the weetabix. My kids love it.

worraliberty · 14/03/2011 10:42

Why the fuck is everyone so scared of sugar and salt nowdays?

Moderation is the way to go...not bloody hysteria!

QuintessentialShadows · 14/03/2011 10:43

And the prize for the most hysterical sounding post goes to......

Worraliberty.

Grin

I think the sugar situation is explained in the op.

SevenAgainstThebes · 14/03/2011 10:44

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

LaWeasel · 14/03/2011 10:44

I think it's confusing to say he can have it sometimes but not others.

If you don't allow sugar on cereal, don't say yes to anyone, if it's okay in moderation, allow it in moderation for all the dcs.

curlymama · 14/03/2011 10:45

Get the parent to tell their child to stop asking for sugar and accept what is offered or go hungry. Either that, or you stopp looking after their child before school.

Or make toast.

winnybella · 14/03/2011 10:46

YABU.

Little sugar is nor the same as stuffing your face with mars bars at 7am.

But then I'm not really bothered by a bit of sugar: DD has some in her porridge every morning, I take it in my tea and coffee.

compo · 14/03/2011 10:46

We had sugar on our weetabix
dh doesn't
he's the fat one, lol
but he always had two growing up, I only ever had one

reratio · 14/03/2011 10:46

YABU asking for some sugar to be added to weetabix isn't unreasonable IMO. Your DS is going to have to learn he needs to be much more careful regarding his sugar intake and restricting this child probably isn't going to help.

GwendolineMaryLacey · 14/03/2011 10:47

YABU, there is nothing wrong with a 4yo having a sprinkle of sugar on a pretty vile tasting cereal, assuming they don't have any medical reason why not. If this is such a big deal then offer the child something else entirely. Your dcs situation is not his fault.

stripeymama · 14/03/2011 10:47

Frozen blueberries sound nice. We give any DC that are here raisins to top their cereal.

Its not about being scared of sugar Hmm - raisins are very sweet too and probably as bad for their teeth tbh.

But sugar is empty calories and messes with their energy levels in a way that dried fruit doesn't. Raisins also have nutrients, eg iron - important for growing children.

I want to set them up with good eating habits for life. So sugar isn't outright banned, they get sweets and cakes too at other times, but breakfast is an important meal at which healthy choices are offered in our house.

catchmeifyoucan · 14/03/2011 10:47

Sorry, I think worra is practically the only person here sounding even vaguely sane. It's sugar ffs, not grated plutonium. Get a grip!

TrillianAstra · 14/03/2011 10:47

Weetabix without sugar is horrible.

worraliberty · 14/03/2011 10:48

Actually Quint I was kind of referring to your post when I mentioned hysteria Wink

Sugar on weetabix? That is absurd.I would not be surprised if he doesnt get it at home, and tries his luck with you

How on earth is a bit of sugar on Weetabix 'absurd'? And why would you be surprised if he got it at home? Confused

QuintessentialShadows · 14/03/2011 10:48

Amen Stripeymama!

stripeymama · 14/03/2011 10:48

And weetabix are bleurgh, its true.

We find cornflakes, puffed wheat, fruit porridge, those apricot wheat square things all go down better here.

GwendolineMaryLacey · 14/03/2011 10:48

Sorry, just seen it's your ds who is4 not the visiting child. Still stands though. Do what SevenAgainstThebes suggests and get his cereal ready before they all troop in.

squeakytoy · 14/03/2011 10:48

I think the sugar situation is explained in the op

Is it? Just reads as being over-cautious and slightly hysterical to me.