I hate to comment on others parenting, BUT...

[BeyondTheLimitsOfAcceptability]

I've just seen a post on facebook saying that someone is proud that their 6 week old baby has just eaten a whole jar of puree...

Has anyone else seen examples of interesting parenting first hand that they thought were the stuff of MN myth? I honestly didnt think that people this, ahem, naive existed!

Yup, he ate a packet of crisps and a kitkat for breakfast, followed by coke and a burger for lunch and then whatever I could be arsed cooking in the evening, but usually someting like pot noodles or chicken nuggets.

bumbleymummy

maybe the nutritionists know something we don't?

If they advise chips and chicken nuggets are fine as part of a balanced diet then I trust that judgement-it is more dangerous for a child to be underweight than have junk food clearly.

I think people have gone crazy in recent years- it is controlling and bizarre.

I have friends who won't give fruit to prevent the sweet tooth developing. Of course i find it OTT.

Yup, he ate a packet of crisps and a kitkat for breakfast, followed by coke and a burger for lunch and then whatever I could be arsed cooking in the evening, but usually someting like pot noodles or chicken nuggets.

Mmmm I'm hungry now

Not sure if I would say uneducated SK - because as others have pointed out some very intelligent people do some very strange things with their children! I just find it hard to understand why, when all the information is out there, so many people choose to ignore it and still insist that it doesn't do any harm. I don't suppose it really matters because, tbh, my children's diets are the only ones that are important to me. Although, if someone thinks that the only way for a child to get fat, sugar, energy is from foods like chocolate, crisps, chips then surely it is a good thing to post alternative healthier sources?

BTW DS2 hasn't been the best eater compared to DS1 (I blame BLW ) but I still haven't resorted to anything to get him to eat. I think it was Rhonda who said that if they don't know something exists they won't 'only' eat that and I do agree with her. Yes, I could have given him chocolate and crisps and he would have eaten them but I didn't offer them so he ate something else instead. Even if the foods he was eating were limited in variety, at least they were healthy.

I think you need to be careful of taking one piece of specific advice to one parent about a non eating child from one nutritionist and extrapolating that into its fine in general for all children, especially when the rest of the research contraindicates it.

Also nutritionists do not know anything we cant find out ourselves with a minimum of time and effort (eg reading).

cherrysoda, sorry, but do you really believe that there is no alternative to chicken nuggets to fatten up a child? There are plenty of other options and you don't need to be a nutritionist, or obsessed with food, to find them out. I think they are probably just aware that many parents want a quick, easy option rather than a healthy one. Sign of the times I suppose. I

also think parents need to be more controlling because there is more to have to have to control. There is a lot more 'junk' food available alongside all the quick, ready meals etc that weren't really available when we were younger. (or am I showing my age here? :) ) Children have far more access to it and eat a lot more of it than we ever did. That, coupled with sitting in front of a TV/computer means that we have too many obese children and if the parents don't take some control over it it's not going to get any better.

Pfft. OK then, let's take out the word "uneducated" and change it for the word "Stupid" or maybe the word "stubborn" or maybe the word "ignorant" or "arrogant"

I'm talking about the blindness of some of the posters here (and I see another one has turned up again) to the real fear and the REAL POSSIBILITY that you could be offering your child "healthy" food and they could turn it doen again, and again and again, and again...until you are literally on your knees with worry and exhaustion. (Again, to re-iterate, I have NOT been in this position)

The blithe "oh, just offer them some different vegetables! Who doesn't like water?!!! Who doesn't eat peas or carrots?!!" is OFFENSIVE to those parents who have tried them ALL and still their child wouldn't eat.

You think you have the monopoly on educating people, instead what you are doing is haranguing people and making them feel worse.

Nice job. I hope that makes you feel better.

I can see where you are coming from but have seen to often that control backfiring when children get older. Personally I prefer to go for a balanced, everything in moderation approach. As Ds given a choice goes for fruit over chocolate 9 times out of 10 I am obviously doing something right!! Obsessing over every mouthful just doesn't seem healthy to me.

Everyone has different approaches though, it's just you sometimes come across with a lack of understanding of that. Not in a nasty way, it's obvious it's something you are passionate about but that doesn't mean it's the only way to go about it.

"The blithe "oh, just offer them some different vegetables! Who doesn't like water?!!! Who doesn't eat peas or carrots?!!" is OFFENSIVE to those parents who have tried them ALL and still their child wouldn't eat."

Where did I say this? I said what I did with my son and I said I agreed that if you don't give children crisps and chocolate then they don't know they exist and won't ask for them. Do you want to argue with that?

TBH it seems that you (and others) feel the need to judge people who feed their child healthier than you do by trying to put them down or accuse them of acting smug and superior when actually, you do the same thing yourselves by suggesting that they are 'obsessed, controlling, need to lighten up" etc as if you have somehow found the gold standard of parenting and that we should all aspire to be as 'laid back' about food as you are. It's all a bit silly and hypocritical really.

When my Ds was about 4 and refusing to eat most things ,despite having two sisters who ate everything ,I would have been over the bloody moon if he had eaten a packet of crisps or a chicken nugget

Lying, just because someone doesn't agree with you doesn't mean that your arguments are 'falling on deaf ears'. I know you won't agree with me or even attempt to understand what I am saying so should I say the same about you?

FWIW we do have someone in the family who has an actual food phobia so I don't think I would ever say something along the lines of what SK said. The fact that she accused me of saying that and the fact that you agree with her just goes to show how you actually don't bother even trying to read my points and just choose to assume things. Selective reading at its finest...I guess you're another one who needs to be told to read what people actually write rather than what you'd like to think they write.

Bumble I think its a reference to my comment about the amount of 12 year olds who come for dinner who do not eat any vegetables at all.

People get defensive when they start to feel uncomfortable and threatened.

celery is the devils food

My MIL would look after my DS1 a couple of days a week while I was working. I watched her get his bottles ready one day while we chatted in the kitchen - she took them out of the steriliser and rinsed them under the tap to get rid of the smell of the steriliser fluid. When I pointed out that there was no point sterilising them if she was going to do that she was and looked at me a bit patronisingly. I still think it's funny .

As for veg, DS1 has always been willing to eat pretty much anything and loves his veg. DS2 would eat fruit but refuse ALL veg. Then, when he was about 8 he decided to try some brocolli with gravy on it. Since then he has been willing to try just about anything.

Oh bumbley. You failed to read my posts and have therefore judged my judging of your judging (are you still with me?) incorrectly.

Lets me deal with your first point which was: Where did I say this:

"Bumbleymummy Thu 04-Aug-11 16:34:52
Does he not drink milk sirzy? Why squash? Why not diluted fruit juice?"

There was also definitely a post WAYYYY upthread asking the "who doesn't like peas and carrots question"

It might not have been you, besides my criticism wasn't all about just YOU Bumbley.

As I have said many MANY times on this thread, and in fact my first post acknowledged my own UP MY OWN ARSE attitude to healthy eating in children, my children LOVED fruit, veg, water, pasta and all of the wonderous homecooked stuff I feed them. I AM LUCKY.

Berating other parents, whose children have different tastes (and I do believe that this can be a genetic disposition) is not only arrogant but DISTATEFUL (Oh the irony)

Read my posts.

The read yours:

"think they are probably just aware that many parents want a quick, easy option rather than a healthy one. Sign of the times I suppose."

Stupid spelling mistakes. You know what I mean

bumbleymummy... I wasn't actually referring to you. In many ways, I agree with what you're saying, I just don't like the way you say it. Your posts come across as 'superior' and actually, I don't think you mean them that way.

I don't read 'selectively' but I do pick up on specific points and disregard others. I don't need to be 'told' to do anything, by the way. Sheesh... lighten up and realise that this thread has been quite fast-moving and you're not being attacked for your beliefs, there are posts before and after yours. Either that or go ahead and write your book and just put it 'out there' for people to buy and then you won't have to deal with minions on a chatboard.

I'm not defensive of any of my choices because they are that - my choices made with the information that I have. I'm always prepared to pick up new ideas and concepts but I have to confess, some people have a talent for communication and others don't.

Now please, stop making assumptions about me and I'll do the same for you.

Gosh this has moved fast today so haven't been able to read all of it but ...
I have been a childminder and have looked after children with limited diets ......they eat what is offered or don't eat..........they don't starve themselves wilfully until school age. The child who came to me eating only bananas as fruit, no veg and little meat at 18mths was treated as outlined. The child ate most veg including aubergines in moussaka and pepper, onion, green veg etc, all fruit and most meat within 3 months. Mum was amazed. I told her not to give her any substitute if she didn't eat and it does work. I am now a HV (nurse prior to childminding) and unless a child is losing weight would advise similar. If they are not offered junk then they stand a better chance of liking healthy foods.
The trouble is that lots of new parents don't understand that during weaning when food is spat back out it is the child getting used to the texture and not a dislike, they then don't offer it again and the child then doesn't accept it. It takes at least 15 tries before they get used to new tastes and textures.

My Ds wouldn't even eat junk

I left my 1 year olds sippy cup at home once when we stopped for lunch in a food court. Grabbed an empty coca cola paper cup from KFC so she could have some water in it.

Some of the staring peoples faces were PRICELESS.

I do agree there are some idiots about but don't be TOOO quick to judge :p

My friend was actually pleased that her two year old daughter had eaten a whole pot noodle, I was speachless....

Witch you are wittering - you are getting everyones posts all muddled up - pay more attention haha!!

Thanks croc - thats what I was trying to say earlier before I was flamed for Trying To Starve Small Children To Death or likewise.

Shirley, you've asked me to read your posts but perhaps you really should read mine. I read back through my comments and I'm actually wondering why you've addressed your posts to me at all. The peas and carrots comment wasn't mine. Re the milk/juice comment - What is wrong with asking someone who says their child will drink nothing but squash why they have chosen squash over diluted fruit juice? Is every question to be taken as a criticism? I haven't berated anyone on this thread - I can't find a single one that is insulting so I'd really like to know why you're accusing me of being arrogant, distasteful or accusing people of being uneducated.

The last comment you've quoted was in relation to nutritionists suggesting chicken nuggets and chips to fatten underweight children up. Not really sure why you have included that at all - is that supposed to be me berating other parents? Berating some nutritionists would probably be more accurate!

Lyingwitch - It wasn't me who said I was going to write a book...