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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

AIBU? about the food at a party I went to yesterday....

104 replies

harpsichordcarrier · 31/01/2007 10:32

so I went to a party yesterday - joint birthday for a 2 and 3 year old. The children ranged in age from 1 to 4.
the food was served around a table and all the children sat down - they served sausages, potato wedges, carrots and brocolli. all the children got exactly the same on their plates.
So far so good...
then one of the mums (one of the hosts) started making a running commentary.

Oh look X isn't eating his brocolli! come on X eat your brocolli!
look Y has cleared his plate! everyone give Y a round of applause!
Z hasn't eaten her carrots! no cake for Y!
how is R doing! come on R! clear your plate and everyone will give you a big clap!
onandonandon

so anyway cards on the table I found this mad and maddeningly. DD1 was getting more and more anxious, because she doesn't eat potato wedges. so when cheerleading woman said come on R clear your plate! she kept saying mummy I don't have to ewat the potatoes with the skin on do I mummy do I? and cheerleading woman said come on everyone likes chips....
I was the only one not clapping and whooping. I felt like a freak and a weirdo.

am i being unreasonable in not wanting my dc's to be pressured into eating more than they want to eat?
why when we worry about child obesity is it a good idea to whoop when a child asks for more sausages and potatoes?
AM I BEING UNREASONABLE

OP posts:
Fillyjonk · 02/02/2007 08:07

pmsl at moondog

actuallllly

I never get why adults are so obsesssed by what their kids are eating

if its healthy and they are not collapsing from hunger, let them get on with it

and my kids like broccoli so ner

EmmyLou · 02/02/2007 10:29

Went to a party with DD2 when she was little where the mother had cooked spaghetti bolognaise. OK, not what you would expect partyfare wise, but then again, pretty standard kids' fare. But ooooh, you should've heard the nannies bitching. Felt quite sorry for the mother - her son could well have requested spag bol - the other kids weren't bothered.

So I guess its not what they eat at a party but the weirdo touchline food coaching that's just NOT in the party spirit.

Take a whistle next time Harpsi.

mozhe · 02/02/2007 11:09

Children should by and large be able to control what they eat....not adults. What horrible, oppressive behaviour, I would have said something very direct ! Shoving food down children is the way of childhood obesity and possibly a lifetime of being overweight, so well done her !

Original poster
harpsichordcarrier · 02/02/2007 11:14

actually, dd1 and dd2 both ate all their broccoli and carrots and sausages... and dd2 kept joining in the clapping! the wee traitor (she'ss 14months

OP posts:
Dinosaur · 02/02/2007 11:16

No, not at all unreasonable, I would have hated that too.

sexkittyinwaiting · 02/02/2007 12:13

These people are ABSOLUTELY BONKERS they clearly have far too much spare time on their hands. If I were you I would avoid them like the plague, they are a real mental health risk to children.

Greensleeves · 02/02/2007 12:16

Am still periodically roffling at the OP actually, I can just picture the silly cow. I wish I had been there so I could have said "It's a birthday party, not the fucking Grand National"

Greensleeves · 02/02/2007 12:17

but without the naughty word, obviously

dejags · 02/02/2007 12:22

wow parties have sure evolved Harpsi.

I have such lovely memories of pass the parcel at my friends' parties when I was little.

What a strange thing to do at a childs birthday party.

Nowt stranger than folk.

EmmyLou · 02/02/2007 13:25

OTOH, if you kept the naughty word in, you might've avoided having to pay a repeat visit next year...

FluffyMummy123 · 02/02/2007 13:29

Message withdrawn

Pennies · 02/02/2007 13:34

I have done a couple of kids parties now and there was much much more waste at the one where I served pasta and bol sauce compared to the more standard party food one (sandwiches etc). Of course there was cake and all that for pud... I'm not that mean!

EmmyLou · 02/02/2007 13:41

I always do extra crappy sweet stuff for any parents that come/stay/lurk prior to party dismissal.

crazylazydaisy · 02/02/2007 14:03

I agree with Greensleaves - i keep thinking about the OP and smirking. Even thought about it in swim pool today when 3 mums were chatting, then one of their dds went down the baby slide, they all stopped talking and shouted "Hurrah!"" Well done Tallulah!"" Clever girl!" gave her a rousing round of applause and without taking breath carried on where their conversation left off. Bless her, Talullah totally ignored them. That Dr Tanya has a lot to answer for bet she was thinking

crazylazydaisy · 02/02/2007 14:04

Sorry for sp - meant Greensleeves

Greensleeves · 02/02/2007 14:06

You get people like this at playgrounds and soft play places too - following their kids around the equipment egging them on with John McCrirrick style running commentary, I always think "Oh, shut up and sit down, you daft cow"

sexkittyinwaiting · 02/02/2007 14:06

I only ever serve crap at kids parties now, having done more of them than I'd care to remember in the 8 years I've been a mum. I have done a very through, very rigorous and painstaking study and have reached the monumental conclusion that that is what kids like and it is an effing party. Bring on the crap party food and fruit shoots (alright, maybe not those)

Tortington · 02/02/2007 14:09

you see i would have ate the plate promised my kid maccy d's if she kep her gob shut and gave her a wink when she was pronounced winner.

no wonder my kids think i'm fab

princessparty · 31/01/2010 22:17

Was there wine being served to the adults by any chance ?
MY DCs would have been very unimpressed at being served carrots and broccolli for a party meal.They look forward to a birthday tea full of e numbers !

scottishmummy · 31/01/2010 22:24

cheerleader moms chirruping about food.gross

now,had she said wine and olives

how is SM doing! come on SM clear your plate and everyone will give you a big clap!
onandonandon

i would have gladly wolfed food and bowed

NoahAndTheWhale · 31/01/2010 22:27

Why has this thread been resurrected after three years?

Portofino · 31/01/2010 22:32

Can I just add, before it closes down, that such people are loons, and I for one am going to follow the principles set down my dd's Belgian friends. Squash, crisps, cake. Sod the rest.

2shoes · 31/01/2010 22:33
Biscuit
paisleyleaf · 31/01/2010 22:35

exactly 3 years.

busymummy3 · 31/01/2010 22:59

you get mothers(yes i'm afraid it is the mothers, dads just tend to sit and read the paper!) like this at every party also any other activity eg there is a mother at my dd's swimming class who whoops and hollers(eh ! where did I get that word from!)all the time at how fantastic her dd is in the lesson encouraging us all to look at her childs breast stroke butterfly backstroke etc etc to see how fast she is look how she can jump in and it goes on on on and on . it never seems to occur to her that noone is listening or interested I just let those types of mums get on with it and give them a wide berth as I think do a lot of other "normal mums"