My children's diet is my choice

[Alx7]

AIBU to think what my children eat shouldn't be up to other people, or be open to criticism.

Post the diet on AIBU if you want to be really torn apart.

In general yes but I find it really hard not to judge the mum round the corner who sends her kid with a packet of crisps for his breakfast on the way to school each morning so...

If it rises to the level of abuse or neglect, you're wrong.

If it's about whether they eat organic, fair-trade quinoa or fish fingers, you're right.

I would agree except if your child is morbidly obese.

YABU if you are feeding them crap. YANBU if you are doing your best to feed them a reasonable diet.

I have a child with a very restricted diet and have had so many comments about how he'll eat whatever I give him when he's hungry (he won't) and he won't starve himself (he will) and that I shouldn't pander to him or cook him a seperate meal. Some people have far too much to say about what other people's DC eat.

Agree with a PP who said that so long as it's not abusive or neglectful then it's no one else's business.

Depends what the diet is. There was a weaning child who died after her parents decided that wheetabix was an excellent food for a baby. There have been other cases of children suffering malnutrition because of their parents choice of diet.

In general terms, then yes, of course. However I know of children sent to school with a pack of jam doughnuts for lunch, which to my mind is not responsible parenting. If your child is malnourished, morbidly obese, and lacking a basic, balanced diet, then I think it should be open to criticism, or rather, support to establish a healthy balanced food intake.

Who has been criticising your child's diet, and what were their concerns?

Depends what you are feeding them and if the diet is restricted why. Then again I'm very close to some people who work in child protection so I will ask them before reporting you.

My sons react strongly to sugar - like I suspect most kids do. As a result we don't give them high sugar food (chocolate, cakes, cookies) except from occasionally (Birthdays, nice meal out etc.)

My MIL thinks this is cruel and that I'm coddling them and will regularly feed them chocolate fingers, easter eggs and cakes. Then claim the reason they're going mad is because they want more and I won't give it to them not that they're looped up on sugar.

What's wrong with giving a baby wheetabix !?!?! Mine has it all the time

Then again I'm very close to some people who work in child protection so I will ask them before reporting you.

Things I've heard and seen people feeding their children and themselves when I worked for Social Services... Wotsits, Coke and doughnuts for breakfast wouldn't even have registered.

A child has a right to healthy nutritious food. If that's what you're children are having there's not a problem.

What the risk with Weetabix?

What's wrong with giving a baby wheetabix

It has salt and too much fibre. Shouldn't be a baby food. Certainly before 1.

Do you mean dry Weetabix? My baby had milk and weetabix every morning when weaning

except if your child is morbidly obese what about it they were malnourished, or is that ok because it’s aesthetically better to be thin

Of course sugar is not great.
Good on you for trying to limit their intake.
Your MIL is an arse for dismissing your opinion.

Oh good grief, then no, YANBU.

In this circumstance you are being perfectly reasonable and your MIL should respect your wishes

Searched the internet for this Weetabix thing and all I could find is that it's not suitable as a first weaning food but is fine after 6 months.

It has salt and too much fibre. Shouldn't be a baby food. Certainly before 1

It has a very tiny amount of salt and is fine for babies from 6 months.

Is there a link for the death of a baby related to weetabix? (If you are talking about the death that was supposedly linked to ready brek then that was wrongly named as a cause as it contains no salt or sugar)

Ready brek Originalcontains no added sugar or salt.WeetabixandOatibixare low in sugar and salt. Each Weetabix biscuit has less than 1g of sugar and only contains 0.05g of salt (1 Weetabix = approx. 19g). Each Oatibix biscuit has less than 1g of sugar and contains 0.07g of salt (1 Oatibix = approx. 24g). Your child will probably eat less than one full Weetabix or Oatibix to begin with. If given once weaning has been established, they should be mixed with the child's usual milk.

If the grandparents are looking after my kids they can give them what they like but I've never been restrictive with things like chocolate and sweet stuff. I believe that consequently they are not massively interested in sweet things now

Weetabix has the same or less salt than 'baby porridge'