to ask my MIL to NOT add salt to my DS's Easter Sunday Lunch??? Rant warning!

[star1976]

DS is 13 months old, and MIL adds so much salt to her food that I can taste it. Asked her, very politely, if she could give him veg and potatos with no salt added.

She said that food without salt tastes awful, so I pointed out that I never add salt and have had no complaints. She said that is cause she has never eaten my cooking and it must be rancid! (Hmmmm wonder why I have never invited her for dinner ).

I am so angry, cause she completely ignored my request and dished him up the same as everyone else (which he actually never ate, good boy), and as usual I could taste the salt. She asked me if I could taste it and said yes, but she just laughed about it and reitterated her point about how terrible my food must taste.

THEN, just to really really really piss me off, she gave my DS a turkey bone to chew on !!!!!!!!! I am so bloody angry, I wanted to walk out!

[2cheekymonkeys]

The older generations are used to eating masses of salt and just don't get our obsession with trying to cut down on it. My mum can't physically eat a meal until she's sprinkled a carpet of salt on it, before she's even tasted it. I never add salt to my 2 ds's food and my mum thinks I'm making a fuss about nothing. Now she's been told she's borderline for high blood pressure. Wonder what could have caused it...?

[StripeyKnickersSpottySocks]

But surely if you're pretending that DS will have it later then this totally undermines what you're saying about him not having salt? She will think that you don't really mind as she believes that you go home and feed it to him at home.

Take your own food for him and tell him why you are providing your own food. Give her some info about dangers of high salt diets for anyone never mind kids.

[mummytosteven]

ah now the crisps/sweet/cakes I see as being part of the grandparent prerogative to do a bit of spoiling. but the salt I completely agree with you on. I never ever ever add salt to my cooking; my mum and gran had/have big BP problems, and I verge on BP problems, so it seems a sensible precaution.

LOL at the Zim/salt situation FannyAnnie - my housemate at Uni whose mum grew up in South Africa always had to add salt to my cooking as she was used to having food with salt in cooked by her mum (who btw was a fabulous cook)

[star1976]

My DD doesn't eat there cause she is a really fussy eater and MIL (they're not even related to my DD) picks at her for not eating properly. Think I will just take DS's food seperate next time too.

[star1976]

We don't really go very often, and up until now have managed to get away with DS not being fed whilst there, taking it home and pretending he will have it later.

Although she didn't seem to understand why he couldn't wait till 2pm for his Sunday dinner when he gets fed at noon every other day of the week.

She also buys so many sweets, chocolate, cakes and crips for the kids (DD 8 and DSS 10), and I know she is trying to be nice, but we have a drawer full of them and they would be obese if they ate in one week the amount that she buys! We end up throwing away cause it goes out of date, or giving it to DSS to take home to his mum (and her brood of children).

[pansypants]

if there is a next time i would take ds his own food...

[raspberryberet]

And you also need to get your dh to back you up when she starts - does he ever defend you against her?

[raspberryberet]

I was going to say what Custy said.

You need to either be much more insistent (and do things like remove turkey bones from your son's hand), or stop seeing them altogether.

She undermines you, she mocks you, she insults you ... why are you bothering?

[custy]

why would you continue to have people like this in your life - and willingly spend time with them eating?

[star1976]

My mum had a stroke last year and has had to cut right down on salt, so she now has to do two pans of veg, hers and then one with salt for my dad! So I do understand that some people are just stuck in their ways.

Just think that it is up to me what my son eats and she should respect that. Has really wound me up!

As for the turkey bone, she wouldn't give it to her dogs in case they choked, but was happy to give to my DS!

[LittleSarah]

No you're not, what a numpty she sounds. I use salt but try to be sparing. My dad always has to add salt to whatever I cook him, it is just what he is used to. I wish he would try and cut down though.

[TheArmadillo]

my post sounder harsher than I meant sorry.

She sounds like a pita

[star1976]

DP was really good about it actually, and we ended up bring most of DS's meal home with us as he didn't eat it and said we would give him it for tea, but it went straight in the bin!

What winds me up the most is, that regardless of her opinion, he is MY son, and she should respect that and respect my wishes!

[fannyannie]

just be glad your entire IL's aren't Zimbabwean - everything is cooked with LASHINGS of salt - and there'd be no getting away from it.

However do see where you're coming from with the salt.......not sure of the huge issue over the turkey bone though..........

[tribpot]

My god. If I was being mean I would wish her some health condition that required a low-salt diet, that would be justice. (In fact eating that much salt may make it a reality I guess!)

[TheArmadillo]

Take your own food or don't take ds for a meal there.

Is she is acting like that over it, then just calmly refuse to let him eat anything she cooks.

If she tries to start an argument over it, say that you have pointed out that ds cannot have that much salt in his meal, and if she doesn't want to provide food for him that is fine and you will bring your own.

Will your dp back you up over it?

[boysontoast]

snort!

she sounds like a right charmer!

goodness, you should have her round for dinner and soon. cook something with lots and lots of chillis in or something.