To be annoyed if your dcs went to McDonald's 3 times in 5 days....

[drained1]

By their father. He had them from Tuesday night - Saturday lunch time in half term. He's 33 and still lived with his mum and dad. His mum usually takes holidays from her work when the dcs visit but she didn't this half term. Which is good! She shouldn't have to use her holidays from work as child care. But she cooks all their meals, washes all the clothes etc. Ex does nothing.

Was sorting through dcs bag and found 6 happy meal toys. 2 dcs mean he's taken them 3 times in 4 days.

Now I don't mind my kids having McDonald's. I take them maybe every 4-6 weeks as a treat. But I just feel annoyed he can't even make them a meal. He tends to buy them dairy Lea lunchables for their lunch.

Or aibu to feel abit annoyed? I know it's his time with them and he can do what he wants

If he was doing this every couple of weeks I would say something, but as he only sees them during holidays I wouldn’t say anything.

Just be pleased you aren’t with him anymore. He sounds a lazy arse.

I agree I wouldn’t say anything however yes I would be pissed off. I don’t particularly like McDonald’s but teaching them take away bus occasional food would be my response unless they were out on daytrips it’s not that hard to throw something in the oven

Last week mine went twice. DH had the kids for two days during half term as I was on a course and he took them for a treat for lunch, and then we were travelling back from somewhere and it was the nearest place to eat once the whine of the starving small child started.

They won't go for ages now so I'm not particularly concerned about it.

I wouldnt say anything. Not your business unless you expect him to also start looking into what you feed them or do with them when he isn't there (excluding anything dangerous of course). Yes, its a bit pathetic that he couldnt be bothered to cook for his kids but it's fast food, not child abuse.

Very lazy, his mum enables him unfortunately.

Well I did ask dd as I wondered if those who suggested about the extra toys maybe be correct. But no, McDonald's 3 times and Greggs once.

It's not so much the McDonald's that frustrates me....it's that he cannot even be bothered to cook for them for the little time he has them. It's not hard. For ds especially- he actually loves his vegetables/fruit and you can stick anything on his plate and he will eat it and finish it all.

How hard is it to boil some pasta or pop a pizza in the oven?

Anyway yeah it's defo a pick your battle situation and this isn't one. It's just frustrated me abit but it's fine

What are you annoyed by?

Nutrional status? - depends on choices. Could be awful. Might be ok. And it is 3 meals out of 15 that he has them for. You say he won't see them for another 2 months? That's another 180 odd meals where you'll feed them what you feel they should eat.

Effort? Food is fuel. Get it efficiently - do other fun stuff.

That he's not a grown up? You know this. That is why he is an ex

That he doesn't see them often enough?

That he is dong things with them that they all perceive as a treat? Devaluing it for when you do it with them? Disney dads always fall down - when chips are down it is you they will want

McDonalds is a treat!

It's annoying yes but you're right not to make an issue of it.

Sounds like you are very well rid of this waste of space man by the way!

Also, from what you say it sounds like he used them as an excuse to go himself

Let it go OP
His attitude towards foo is rubbish
His attitude towards his dcs and his parents is crap.
But you knew all that. There is a reason why he is an ex.

A good thing, he can’t be bothered (or can’t due to distance?) see his dcs that often. And when he does, his mum is usually doing most of the work.
At least, this means you know they are eating a good enough meal in the evening. And he won’t be able to have a huge influence in them.

I would look at it (and present it as such to the dcs) as à one off. Things that happen with dad but can only happen like this because they are unusual.

My daughter has been once in 9 years, thanks to a 'surprise' at Brownies that we weren't told about. I'm still annoyed about it now! 3 times and I'd be livid, and asking why he was so happy to fail his children in this way without the help of his Mummy.

So incredibly lazy...I wouldn't be happy.

“My daughter has been once in 9 years, thanks to a 'surprise' at Brownies that we weren't told about. I'm still annoyed about it now!“

Blimey!

My boyfriend does this with his own kids, every second weekend. Not always maccas, could be pizza or fish n chips (just to mix it up).

Does my head in, and they’re not even my kids.

My dd only went when she was younger with friends parents on days out.She is not a picky eater but only likes the chips so she didn't see it as uch of a treat but of course loved the plastic tat!

While it’s not ideal if they had had fish fingers and chips once and nuggets and chips twice but cooked at home would that be deemed such an issue?

Probably one that firmly falls into “pick your battles”

As a one off I would let it go, as an aside though there will be plenty of people on here that will be giving their children processed food every day I would be more worried about them

How would a frozen pizza be better?

Was it 3 different toys? Do they still do the same toy for a week thing? If so I'd expect them to all be the same toy ( or maybe two different ones?)

If all different maybe he bought them?

I've been in similar situations ( Ex once fed a then 3 year old DS a multipack of crisps on the way home from holiday - the entire 6 bags ) and have learnt to pick my battles. He's not going to change, if anything it'd probably make him try to annoy me further!!

3 of them are the same, dd said she got the same toy every time she went which is why she gave them to her brother - they were in his bag.

Putting a pizza in the oven wouldn't be better health wise. But it would at least show the slightest bit of cooking - if you can call it that.

You've got to realise that for him (not the average person but for my lazy ex i mean) putting a pizza in the oven means he has to actually...get up and put a pizza in the oven, get plates out, doubt he would give them knives and forks tbf.....then get the pizza out, cut it into slices, and then wash 3 plates and an oven tray. That's too much effort for him.

By me saying 3 of them are the same - he brought home 6 angry birds. 3 were the same. The other 3 were different colours

Sorry op but I think there is very little you can do about this.

Their dad is a lazy man child. You can only change your response & your own behaviour.

So it's not about the actual food. You want him to be a different person. But If he was a different person he presumably wouldn't be your ex.

Angry birds you say. Ponders taking dc to mcd.
I wouldn't bother saying anything at Christmas when next he sees them.
Yes he is a lazy man who you're well rid of. It's unfortunate but it's really not the end of the world. Perhaps keep having chats about healthy meal choices with the kids.