Please or to access all these features

Add post

Watch this thread

Save thread

Start a new thread

Flip thread

Hide thread

My feed

Active Unanswered threads

Getting started FAQ's

Unanswered threads Acronyms Talk guidelines

Hide shortcut buttons

Talk

AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Flip

1 2 3 4

Original poster

To think this is child abuse

97 replies

FacelikeaBagofHammers · 05/08/2017 13:19

A parent I saw yesterday wheeling a 2 or 3 year old in a buggy. The child was seriously obese. Parent gave said child a can of Pringles to eat on while she shopped as she was whinging.

I think this is grossly unfair on a child as young as this, setting her up for a myriad of health problems. The child is more likely to develop diabetes and probably less likely to take up sports etc as they get older (which is hugely important for personal development imo).

I am aware there are other conditions that can cause children to put on weight, medication, learning difficulties etc (and these are not the scenarios I'm talking about) but other than that, it's the parents responsibility to manage the toddlers weight and activity levels. It's very sad tbh.

OP posts:

Gottagetmoving · 05/08/2017 16:58

How do you know this child didn't have a medical condition
We never know whether an obese child we see has a medical condition.
That's why when we see lots and lots of obese children these days we should assume it could be medical and never consider that the parents are letting the child stuff their faces. Doctors should ignore it too because judging anyone is far more dangerous than obesity...Well on MN it is anyway...

AfunaMbatata · 05/08/2017 17:01

Only those who have no medical or thought to have no medical problems ...obviously if their parent has no medical reason too.

GetAHaircutCarl · 05/08/2017 17:06

If anyone is actually interested in fighting child abuse they can train to become a social worker or a copper or whatever.

If anyone is actually interested in tackling childhood obesity in society they can do all manner of things; volunteer to run sports clubs, become a health worker, organise proper well thought out campaigns.

Judging a parent based on one thing ain't gonna do shit.

EmotionalTeaspoon · 05/08/2017 17:15

Afuna you'd seriously try and make a 2.5 year old go on a half hour walk to the shop/playpark/around town and back? Whilst walking yourself at a snails pace so they can keep up, bent double to keep hold of ttheir hand? Then carry them (along with any shopping) when they get too tired? Or would you end up just going everywhere in the car instead (thus not getting any exercise at all)?

AfunaMbatata · 05/08/2017 17:55

Well I don't have a car so yes, that is exactly what I did. Having a large backpack to carry shopping in etc and backpack reins helps.

AfunaMbatata · 05/08/2017 17:56

Many people do not use buggies, it's not very difficult.

pandarific · 05/08/2017 18:11

Can we all agree that, barring a medical condition, your toddler should not be obese? That's fair enough, right? And if they are, seeing as at toddler age they are wholly dependent on you, then perhaps you need to look again at their lifestyle?

horsefeathers · 05/08/2017 18:11

I don't have a car, I still used a buggy on occasion when DD had turned 3, and she is now a perfectly slim and active 7 year old. Her preschool was a mile up a steep hill and we needed to get there in good time in the morning, so I pushed her the first half and she walked the second half if we had time, not if we didn't. You can march a typical 2.5 year old through several miles but you don't have to. It's not an obligatory part of good parenting. Small children riding in buggies isn't the end of the world and doesn't condemn them to a life of poor fitness.

FoodArtFreak · 05/08/2017 20:14

My DC is nearly 5. I don't have a car. I don't use the buggy day to day but I certainly don't plan to get rid of it yet... I've needed it for trips to the doctor or A&E so I know he can sleep in it if we're going to be there a while. But I'm sure people judge if they see me on the way there or back with my gigantic child in it. However it's none of their business

peachgreen · 05/08/2017 21:08

Good grief. I'm used to people judging overweight adults every time they dare to put something in their mouths, but judging children just takes the biscuit.

Useranon123456 · 05/08/2017 21:17

You know nothing about them! A buggy at that age is normal!

Crispmonster1 · 05/08/2017 21:20

The salt level in a tin of Pringles will be very high. As will the fat levels. This is probably not something the parent is aware of. Not child abuse imo but certainly ignorance.

x2boys · 05/08/2017 21:45

I don't know really and neither do you my son has autism and has a very selective diet it causes many issues he isn't gaining weight so he's been referred by his paediatrician to the dietician he doesn't look under weight though but his paediatrician has advised to feed him foods he will eat in high calories so basically you can't judge from a snapshot?

Iwanttobe8stoneagain · 05/08/2017 21:53

Probably more detrimental to pass on such a judgemental attitude as you will inevitably to to your kids!

pandarific · 05/08/2017 22:24

I think OP has said the buggy is neither here nor there - it's the fact that the parent gave a severely obese toddler a can of Pringles to keep them quiet when out shopping.

Useranon123456 · 06/08/2017 08:01

So my ds was in 98th percentile as baby, and was probably around 90th at the age of 2.5. He Is now 5.5 and 50th centile. He is also an excellent runner - loves it and almost national level, although too young for anything more than park runs - but would compete if he could.

Even up to age 4 he jumped in and out of the buggy! I don't think I ever gave him pringles, but he eats and has eaten, ice cream! Chocolate! etc ... from age 2.

Age 2.5 is too young to be calling children overweight or obese. As they get older things settle down! Were the pringles a wise choice? - as I said before, the OP doesn't know these people! Who is she to judge! Everyone parents differently! That 2.5 yr old may well be a slim, high level runner by age 5, like my DS. I'd have been mortified if I'd been accused of child abuse when DS was 2.5!!

Useranon123456 · 06/08/2017 08:06

Sorry, those centiles were for weight by the way!

Devilishpyjamas · 06/08/2017 08:15

If I saw a large child in a buggy I would assume they had something more complex going on TBH.

For about 5 years my son ate no meat, no fish, no fruit, no veg, no dairy (unless we could hide it in a buckwheat pancake). He was weaned onto a very healthy diet - food restruction was part of his regression into severe autism. His diet was awful. He mainly had walkers plain crisps when out (he wouldn't eat chips so couldn't even buy those). And no he wouldn't eat when he was hungry, he would eat nothing until he was smelling of pear drops and throwing up.

His food issues were probably sensory and took a year long sensory programme to correct. He still has days when he gags on everything. Although these days you're as likely to see him tucking into goats cheese or (a red) apple as a packet of crisps. Was always a skinny beast although at the age of 18 medication is causing some weight gain.

So no I wouldn't judge someone's kid for eating pringles (fat or thin). Nor would I be ignorant enough to assume a poor diet is due to poor parenting of easy to correct.

StillDrivingMeBonkers · 06/08/2017 08:29

A parent I saw yesterday wheeling a 2 or 3 year old in a buggy. The child was seriously obese. Parent gave said child a can of Pringles to eat on while she shopped as she was whinging.

A school gate mum acquaintance of mine has 3 children with cystic fibrosis, which in some cases has bowel disorders too. Oddly, orange crisps (wotsits, onion rings, prawn cocktail) are one of he few foods he can eat without it being a trigger.

You judge away, OP.

Spikeyball · 06/08/2017 08:39

Afuna using a buggy does not make a child overweight. I have a slim 11 year old buggy user.

UnaPalomaBlanca · 06/08/2017 10:01

My children used pushchairs til about 3, maybe nearly 4 (gasps...) because we didn't have a car. If, for example, you are trying to get your older DC to school, you cannot walk a mile ( and home again) at the pace of a 3 year old every morning and afternoon.

Starsandwishes · 06/08/2017 11:07

Op has pointed out several times the pushchair was not the issue she was just explaing what she saw.

In the case and over weight child in pushchair.

In another case it could be over weight child walking with their mum.

Flip

1 2 3 4

Swipe left for the next trending thread