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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:
stripeymama · 14/03/2011 11:03

And yes of course sugar is present in many many foods.

But we are debating the merits (or otherwise) of adding refined sugar to foods that are not inherently sweet.

shaz298 · 14/03/2011 11:03

I couldn't be forced to eat weetabix without sugar.

If you have rules about suger then I'd definitely offer something else for breakfast like already suggested.

Eating is something which is very personal and I personally don't believe that anyone should be forced to eat something they don't like - In fact I think it's cruel to do so.

gorionine · 14/03/2011 11:03

Might be just me stripeymama, but is is not "better" to give a bit of sugaron their cereals to a child early in the morning when they have all day to spend it than after school on a Friday in the form of sweets?

Blu · 14/03/2011 11:04

Put the weetabixes in dishes on the worktop, add sugar to the guests weetabix, add milk all round and serve - your 4 yo will not know.

MillsAndDoom · 14/03/2011 11:04

Your house, your rules - you're doing the parents a favour, however weetabix with or without sugar is horrible

valiumredhead · 14/03/2011 11:04

Honey is sugar too! Used to look after a dentist's child and honey was seen in the same light as sugar.

Fine if you want to give it to your kids but don't be fooled into thinking its 'better.'

YABU btw as cereal is RANK! Wink

bumpsoon · 14/03/2011 11:04

there are 11g of sugar in 100g of blueberries Wink

ZZZenAgain · 14/03/2011 11:04

I would give a visiting child what s/hge is used to , if I have it in the house

Prunnhilda · 14/03/2011 11:06

Of course it's healthier not to have sugar on it, or at all, but it is inedible if you're used to it, which he is, so of course he's going to have problems eating it.

SO MAKE TOAST.

amidaiwish · 14/03/2011 11:06

actually what it comes down to is this really isn't up to the OP
it is up to the mum
if you are doing her a favour then let her child have a bit of sugar on his weetabix if that is what she lets him have
if you don't want your dcs influenced by this, then you put it on, discreetly, before giving it to him.

if you're really not happy about this then let him bring his own cereal, or have breakfast at home, or don't have him. but it isn't up to you to change this child's eating habits.

theDudesmummy · 14/03/2011 11:07

Why is it a problem to have a bit of sugar? I grew up eating Coco Pops every day and had a happy and healthy childhood. I have also always (except for the eighteen months after having DS) been a very normal healthy weight...

bupcakesandcunting · 14/03/2011 11:07

Yes but I think you only need a tiny drizzle of honey to sweeten something instead of a tablespoon of sugar.

Ephiny · 14/03/2011 11:08

I've never heard of anyone putting sugar on weetabix, I thought the whole point of weetabix was that it's a healthy, wholegrain no-added-sugar cereal!

I'd just say you don't have any sugar in the house, we never do and I'm sure it's not that unusual. I don't think sugar is an evil food or anything and we do often eat foods that happen to contain sugar, but can't remember the last time I bought an actual bag of sugar. I would have no use for it Confused

HipHopopotomus · 14/03/2011 11:08

Good luck with that. I am thinking you must be a totally awesome parent to have convinced your kiddies to eat Weetabix without sugar

As for weetabix with hot water, I feel quite ill.

Mind you I've never been much of a cereal fan as an adult - as children my siblings and I ate cereal with unlimited added sugar and YES we all have lifelong weight problems (in my brothers case quite serious), so I totally see you point. In my mind how we learnt to eat as kids (especially attitudes re sugar) are directly linked to our lifelong weight issues.

DD has cereal without added sugar but it does have sugar in it - though I buy the own brands which have less sugar than the 'premium' (scoffs) brands.

But it's your house, your rules, your table - so push the sugar free, YABNU. Could he have toast?

littleducks · 14/03/2011 11:10

I'm really surprised people think that sugar on cereal is healthy. And I'm no Puritan, I indulge in lots of cake.

It does seem deeply ingrIned from responses on here, sugar is normal or a big no no

Laquitar · 14/03/2011 11:10

Reading your first post i thought your ds cant have sugar for medical reasons but after your second post i am Confused

We have porridge with apple/banana and cinammon. I used to hate porridge and now i like it. In the summer weetabix with banana and bit of honey sometimes. Visiting children can have as much sugar as they like as long as their parents are ok with this.

squeakytoy · 14/03/2011 11:11

Nobody said it was healthy, but it certainly isnt that harmful in moderation.

I would rather eat something I enjoy the taste of than be forced to eat something that tastes like mushed cardboard.

JoanofArgos · 14/03/2011 11:11

YABU.
People have sugar on cereal, your kids will have to get used to it eventually!

thefirstMrsDeVere · 14/03/2011 11:12

I think the problem is that you have been inconsistent. You really should have said 'we dont have any' from the beginning if its that much of an issue.

I would be a bit Hmm myself because my kids are not allowed sugar on their cereal and another child coming in and demanding it would be a headache.

Give him rice pops, they are ok without sugar.

auntpolly · 14/03/2011 11:12

I feel terrible reading this, my kids had waffles (which I made myself if that helps, no?) and maple syrup this morning! I think as long as teeth are brushed after and it is in moderation, sugar in the morning is ok.
But, I agree YANBU as your kids have never had it. I would say we don't have any sugar, and give him the option of putting a banana (or some other fruit) on his weetabix.

TheseThingsAreGoodThings · 14/03/2011 11:12

I put a couple of spoons of babyfood puree ontop if my DC's weetabix.

Not sure if that is better or worse than sugar. Its just a habit we got into from when they were weaning!

Plain weetabix without anything is pretty grim!

gorionine · 14/03/2011 11:13

Where is Op's second post? I cannot see itConfused

littleducks · 14/03/2011 11:13

I agree about these habit staying for life, dh also thinks it's normal to eat a teaspoonful of butter, mil suggested I do it to give the kids calcium! When I said it was unhealthy she comaoned that I put tonnea in mashed potato

Vallhala · 14/03/2011 11:13

YABU. It is your right to police what your children eat, even if that includes telling Johnny that although Susie can have sugar, he can't. It is the right of the other parents to decide what Johnny can or cannot eat and whilst I appreciate that you are speaking of what goes on in your home I think you have to be a courteous host and respect that the other parents want their child to eat their choice of diet. If you're unhappy to offer the care of this child without making decisions that should be for his parent to make then it's maybe time to tell them that you're unwilling to have him any longer.

This rule doesn't of course apply to allowing the other child to climb on your furniture or let the hamster out of his cage!

I'm speaking as a mother of vegetarian, sugar and nut eating DC who often had meals with their similarly aged meat-eating, nut allergic cousin whose diet was micro-managed as she was a gymnast so I'm not totally ignorant of this kind of situation.

Desperateforthinnerthighs · 14/03/2011 11:13

Weetabix without sugar - yuck....DS has sugar and raisins with his weetabix...yummy!

Cant see what the problem is and yes YABU