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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

To be annoyed lunch was so late

143 replies

happygonicky · 09/10/2014 13:38

Big family lunch at in-laws, have very good-natured toddler who generally eats lunch at 12, naps about 1.30.No major drama if it's bit late, but DH asked his mother if lunch could be served 12ish so toddler wouldn't get too hungry and tired. This was agreed. Because of our hours, not many of our meals are eaten together, so make a point of trying to eat together.

Day of lunch, as we get there at 11.30, lunch is being put into oven. It's a roast so will take 2 hrs. I had brought snacks but not a proper meal because I thought we'd be eating early enough not to need one. Didn't eat till 2, toddler went beyond point of being able to eat, cried a lot, I wasn't able to eat my dinner and we had to leave.

At the time, I just thought, meals can take longer to get on table, especially when hosting, but DH's mother has probably cooked more roasts than I've eaten and use to cook professionally. She knew we'd be eating late. I don't know if it was just thoughtless or, more likely, she didn't like us requesting an early lunch and decided to do it her way. If I'd known, I could have prepared for it. AIBU to be really cross about this. It ruined an important occasion.

OP posts:
MaryWestmacott · 09/10/2014 18:42

Fragolino - I put it down to toddlers not being able to go more than 5 hours without a proper meal, combined with waking early, so breakfast before 7 means lunch before 1, then dinner before 6.

If you are on a 7pm bedtime routine that most people do have in the UK for pre-schoolers, then that works backwards to when other meals and daytime naps need to be - a 1:30-2:30pm nap time is quite common for toddlers I know, so if meals need to be completed by then, a 12-1pm lunchtime sounds about right.

Plus if you have a child who strops up when hungry and needs to eat within a certain timeframe to stop crying/shouting meltdown, then after living through that a few times, you tend to do what works. Having lived through it, eating at 12-1pm was a lot easier than spending a day with a shouty stroppy child. It's just nicer. We made the mistake of not insisting on family sticking to this, and put everyone through a lot of really crap sundays for "lovely big family sunday lunch" before SIL had her DD, she put her foot down, and it's all so much nicer for everyone.

I do believe in working out what works for your own DCs little personalities - and for some DCs, if sticking to a routine on food/sleep is what works, then you do it.

and at the grand age of 38, DH also is a fucking nightmare if he's hungry
.

Gileswithachainsaw · 09/10/2014 18:49

Obviously striving for perfection was a fruitless task. You won't ever have it where they never cry or are angels the whole time or eat everything they are given. You can't predict or expect reactions to situations and of course stressing yourself about it is pointless.

But we aren't talking about perfection here.

We are talking about ability to adapt and make the best of a situation. And that's where it went all screwy. You can't dictate to the world around you and the people in it.

You can however have a back up plan in place which may not be ideal but is still better than the consequences of the alternative. Which in this case was a child gorged on crisps when she could have had a proper lunch. And an exhausted child who could have been put down for a nap.

chickenfajitaswithnachos · 09/10/2014 18:49

PFBMILism.

fragolino · 09/10/2014 19:07

FinallyHere Thu 09-Oct-14 15:59:46 Grin

so true all this seems so clear and simple with friends. Families !!

fragolino · 09/10/2014 19:09

Mary all my friends carry round truck loads of snacks for toddlers, grapes, cucumber, cheese, salami, small sarnie sqaures, biscuits, crackers....bananas,you name it its in the bags...

grannymcphee · 09/10/2014 19:24

You ABVU to be annoyed. How many family lunches for maybe 5, 7 , 8 or more people have you made, to be served at noon? It is no mean feat, I can assure you. Your DH actually asked for a noon lunch so why weren't you, or he at MIL's house at 8o'clock in the morning to start preparing vegetables etc. because that is the time she would have had to start for a noon lunch!!! If you want to eat at an exact time, you book a table in a restaurant. However, you could prove everyone wrong by inviting all the family for Christmas dinner for 12 noon. See how you get on!

Hakluyt · 09/10/2014 19:29

"Having lived through it, eating at 12-1pm was a lot easier than spending a day with a shouty stroppy child. It's just nicer. We made the mistake of not insisting on family sticking to this, and put everyone through a lot of really crap sundays for "lovely big family sunday lunch"

What I find completely baffling is why you didn't give the toddler something to eat at 12, let them have a nap while you had a nice relaxed lunch then they wake up in time for pudding. Seems like a win/win to me!

MaryWestmacott · 09/10/2014 19:36

Hak - because MIL wanted a family lunch, with dgc, not an adult lunch without. And was offended when I tried the packed lunch option. As MIL is in all other ways, a wonderful MIL, I just sucked this up and coped. SIL took the route of "if you want us there, here are our terms" - Sunday lunches for the whole family have been rescheduled to 12:30, and are now pleasurable experiences! (That said, my relationship with mil is a lot better for having never been "the difficult one", for overall family harmony, just accepting a few hard work Sundays have been worth it)

ConkerTime · 09/10/2014 19:40

Mary Westmacott your SiL is a genius. It is usually easier to negotiate when it is your own family.

MaryWestmacott · 09/10/2014 19:54

Conker - my SIL is a whole thread in itself - she's married to BIL not DH's sister - but she's built herself a reputation of being a bit 'hard work' and subsequantly, she rarely has to throw her toys out of the pram, the slightest hint that she's unhappy, and everyone works round keeping her calm!

I loved the "well, DD needs to have a nap and will only sleep in her own bed or the buggy, so we're off for a walk now, you just carry on without us." one Sunday at 1:30. MIL wanted the DGC at the table, all of them, not one walking round the local streets in a buggy. I was a bit Shock but SIL only had to do it the once - the next big family Sunday lunch we were all invited to be there for 12, food on the table by 12:30. Grin

AryaUnderfoot · 09/10/2014 20:19

This thread brings back really horrible memories of a ruined Christmas at SIL's.

SIL got into a complete panic cooking Crhistmas dinner and asked DH to take over for her. I helped out with the 'boring bits' (peeling, chopping etc). MIL offers to look after DD. We asked her not to give her any crisps as she wouldn't eat any dinner. DD (2) got grouchy, MIL gave her two bowls of crisps.

DD ate no roast dinner (not eating food is the ultimate sin to MIL). MIL calls her a 'toad' in front of the rest of the family - turning to her other DGD and saying 'you weren't a toad'. She thanks DH for all his hard work with dinner.

Happy days....

happygonicky · 09/10/2014 20:35

Have definitely learned from the experience. I've been asked by SIL and friends with kids (before I had baby) to prepare an early lunch and did so, wasn't a problem for me, but I can see it would be for others.

OP posts:
YackityYakYak · 09/10/2014 21:07

If this were my MIL I'd know she had done it on purpose. She has an almost military precision in the kitchen and knows EXACTLY when everything will be ready.

My DM on the other hand, just keeps preparing until everything I finally ready, and meal times are very unpredictable.

Sadly, I take after my DM and if I want to make sure a meal is at a particular time I REALLY have to work hard to make sure it is. But the silver lining is that my DC are really flexible with their meals, they had no choice the poor souls!!!

Pilgit · 09/10/2014 21:36

Oh god my MIL has total blindness about how long things take. 'Planned'dinner for 6.30. 5.30 turns round and nothing has begun. Starts cooking at 6.00. Then gets really confused why it isn't on the table till. 8.00. Then 3 year old DD was great but I was on tenterhooks for the hunger meltdown (did try and feed her but kept getting told it won't be much longer. ..).

2minsofyourtime · 09/10/2014 21:53

Yanbu, see I don't think they can have it both ways, either lunch is early and dgc join in and eat,

Or

Lunch is late and either dgc are gumpy, or have already eaten and therefore bored and not at the table

They don't get to have it all there own way

2minsofyourtime · 09/10/2014 21:55

And it's not just mil, have made ex sandwiches before because lunch was late and my dad was very cross because of the waste of food

2minsofyourtime · 09/10/2014 21:55

Dcs

hollie84 · 09/10/2014 21:58

MIL should have been clear that lunch wouldn't be until 2pm.

You should have been more aware of what was going on around you and fed your child and put them down for a nap.

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