To think playgroups shouldn't give out junk food?

[neonyellowshoes]

I go to one may be once a fortnight. The standard snack is fruit plus juice (don't agree with the juice) but there is always other shit 'just this once'. Chocolate, cake, iced biscuits today...

This is publicly funded.

It's a nice group but the shit food is putting me off.

Am I being precious?

Ha ha! Just noticed a thread on why British kids are fat!

Nuff said.

Is it just me who never knew juice was something people 'didn't agree with' until they came on MN?

I am morally opposed to Ribena Vimto is alright though

Before I unfollow this thread and your obnoxious posts re-read this

Don't think I'm going back. Will be happily smug and judgemental while DS enjoys a full set of teeth, normal BMI and a lack of childhood onset diabetes

I’m sure you will feel great but you’re removing a social outlet for your DS that he may very well love over something you have full control over.

It’s a shame your failure to do something so simple such as remove the biscuit from his paws is so insurmountable he loses out.

Sad.

My DC are all between 10th and 25th centile for BMI. The children learning that biscuits, cakes, crisps, etc are fine in moderation as part of an overall healthy diet aren't the ones that are getting fat. The ones getting fat are those who eat this stuff three and four times a day and, in my experience at least, the ones denied it altogether. Out of my high school year group, the ones who were skinny kids but got fat as adults are the ones who weren't allowed to have the treats.

Course I've been around small children

I have 2 children.

I never carried snacks as we either walked (so pain in arse trying to eat walking along)

Or got the bus so you couldn't eat on the bus anyway.

Of they didn't eat much breakfast and got hungry by 11/half past I just did am early lunch rather than give food to try and make them last longer then Wonder Why they don't eat their dinner.

Most the people I met who gave lots of snacks then moaned they'd kids didn't eat.

STDG I think it depends how you are presenting things to the dc too.
If there isn’t any sweets left because you’ve eaten them all, and no one can go and get some again, then you can be as little controlling as you want, there is still no sweets left in the house.

In that case, you can make it something to fight against. Make it all about control.
You can let the dcs choose if they want to eat them all in one go and little by little.
Or you can explain why it’s not good to eat a lot of sugar etc.. (and key won’t care a jot about it as teens, when they still feel invincible)
But you can certainly give very few if not no sweets to a child whilst not making it about control.

OP the attitude I have taken is to not buy any sweets at all. But let them eat the ones they are given. So they can have some after a meal.
They usually get some for Christmas, birthdays, some ‘special’ sweets when my parents are away. There is always some in the house lol. But it’s a packet that last several weeks (eg dc has chocolate from Easter that has been eaten. They’ve had ONE Easter egg...)
We dint control quantities and they have been able to help themselves if they really wanted anyway for a very long time.

I agree it’s some posters that with birthday parties at primary, they will get some there too. And crap food (because that’s seen as party food and that the sort of stuff everyone eats!).
But, for me, that’s the the 5% over the 95% of the time when they eat well.

Statistically, 1 in 3 of the children of PPs claiming that "it's a biscuit, it won't do any harm" will be overweight or obese by the time they're 11. So I'd take the advice with a pinch of salt.

My DC have never been keen on snacking either Giles, they've somehow survived without withering away due to a lack of raisins and cherry tomatoes.

Obnoxious? Really? Those are known childhood health issues which are on the rise and are diet related. For that reason, the public purse should not be funding the cause- shit food.

(For those looking for a reason to attack me- I do know the difference between type 1 and 2. Have BOTH in my family so I have no intention whatsoever of making it more likely that DS gets type 2 in later life. No sign of type 1 yet, luckily).

The children learning that biscuits, cakes, crisps, etc are fine in moderation as part of an overall healthy diet aren't the ones that are getting fat.

Sorry but biscuits, crisps and cakes are NOT part of a healthy diet.
They are full of sugar, fats, transfats (for the industrial ones), colouring, additives etc etc.
I am happier with homemade stuff and that is actually healthier.
But we have completely lost the idea of what is a healthy diet. As well as what is actually a small quantity.

You may be on to something here op, I remember the first rush of sugary goodness after my first malted milk at playgroup, it was obviously the gateway biscuit of my generation because by 5 I was having a penguin bar with my marmite sandwiches for packed lunch, by 10 I was having weekly trips to the pic n mix sweet shop after Brownies, who then taught me how to make and distribute literal brownies under the guise of a 'bake sale' and it's been down hill ever since.

Sorry but biscuits, crisps and cakes are NOT part of a healthy diet.

I disagree. My DC know that these things are not good for you so it's best not to eat lots of them or to eat them often but that they are okay to have as a treat now and again for example, at the cinema or at a party. There's more to a healthy diet than simply food, there should also be a healthy attitude towards food choices.

I actually agree with you in principle OP, I do. I allow DD one or two biscuit at playgroup once a week.

Digestives, not “shit”. But I’d still allow her party rings iced gems whatever. Food is a social experience and I want her to be equals with her buddies.

What I have a problem with is your “CHECK ME OUT IM SO MUCH FUCKING WISER THAN YOU MUGS” attitude.

Hence I’m hanging out for the deletion message

I was just grateful that someone volunteered to run our playgroup tbh. My DS has a dairy and soya allergy so I am well accustomed to not allowing foods which everyone else is eating - which you could do if you felt so strongly.

Come on, it's pretty obnoxious to proudly declare that you'll be smug and judgmental of any parent who has a child with tooth decay or diabetes.
You've taken the idea of a biscuit snack at toddler group and run away with it like a mad person; reading all sorts of sinister implications that simply aren't there.

Sorry but you're responsible for your child's diet. Don't get angry at an occasional playgroup.

Not going to ask for this to be deleted.

When you stand back and think about it, it's madness.

In no other context would you be called smug, obnoxious or whatever for not giving your child something that is actually proven to be harmful.

These sorts of groups should be promoting healthy eating.

Perhaps they want mothers to feel it’s a non-judgemental space where mothers won’t be constantly hectored and made to feel guilty. Aren’t many of those around.

Will be happily smug and judgemental while DS enjoys a full set of teeth, normal BMI and a lack of childhood onset diabetes.

Just FYI OP I was raised on organic home cooked healthy meals from scratch and I'm still fat. All it did was meant once I was a teenager I sought out junk food as I'd never been allowed it.

DH on the other hand was raised on turkey dinosaurs and penguin bars and is a healthy BMI.

In no other context would you be called smug, obnoxious or whatever for not giving your child something that is actually proven to be harmful.

And the solution is simple, tell your DS "no, you can't have that" whilst leaving the other parents to make their own decisions on what their DC can/cannot have. If you still want him to have a snack but not the "shit" that they're offering then provide your own.

Don't think I'm going back. Will be happily smug and judgemental while DS enjoys a full set of teeth, normal BMI and a lack of childhood onset diabetes.

Health is holistic.
Social and emotional development is just as important.
I hope the thought of your DS not having a biscuit is more important than him interacting with other children.

I hate unexpected food at playgroups too, but mainly because one of mine has allergies and has to sit there watching everyone else eat.

I also hate having to keep an 'emergency treat' at the bottom of my bag in case anyone whips out snacks.

DD goes to dance classes and recently they've started give out lollypops at the end of every session, just why!

I don't buy my kids any sweets generally and it amazes me how much they end up with, people give crappy food to children constantly.

YANBU OP.

All the people professing how thin you and your kids are despite eating cakes and biscuits are missing the point. 40% of children and 60% of adults are overweight or obese in the UK, meaning that many people are NOT "just fine" with it.

Sure, these things are fine in moderation, but as a society with serious weight issues, maybe we need to rethink why we feel the need to give cake or chocolate biscuits to groups of toddlers when they 100% do not need it.

And as someone with weight issues, I'm telling you that I was raised on healthy food and I'm still fat.

It's almost as if there are other factors at play, isn't it.

Were you replying to me, Bangojam?