McDonald’s isn’t a ‘treat’

[Busybeebeebee]

I’ll try and keep this simples.

Both my sons go to their dad alternate weekends Friday 4pm- Sunday 3pm.
On a Friday when he picks them up, they go to McDonald’s for tea.
Saturday they tend to go somewhere like Brewers Fayre which although is marginally better still processed chicken crap with fries and a token corn on the cob.
Sunday it’s back to McDonald’s for lunch.

He genuinely sees no issue with this.

AIBU?

YABU - yes, all kids like McDonald’s and twice in a weekend is fine.

YANBU - cooking something decent for growing kids twice a fortnight isn’t difficult!

Don’t get me wrong, in an emergency I would stop and grab them something in McDonald’s but I can’t get my head around it being something to get excited about. 4 shitty nuggets, tiny portion of fries and a milkshake. They don’t even like the toys.

I hold my hands up, I’m not a food nazi or anything like that, I just genuinely am astounded.

earning over £10k a month so it’s not like he can’t afford somewhere better!

He's earning £10,000 A MONTH and only takes them for Maccy D's or Brewer's Fayre? Surely he'd have a fucking in house chef on those wages? 😂

I agree, Notodontidae. I was quite taken with the Brewers Fayre menu but, honestly, McD's do far better food than they used to, a good variety, healthy stuff, fruit etc. Not that I've been in one since I don't know when but recently looked at their menu after someone suggested it and would definitely eat some of it.

My ex h has never fed our DS anything other than Mcd’s. Ever. Often 3 times a day. He’s an utterly lazy cunt, has very limited court ordered contact. I can’t imagine that OW’s child is treated with such can’t be bothered contempt. Fucks me off no end 😡

Presumably his selfishness and shit parenting is part of the reason why he's your ex?

Crap effort on your ex’s part, OP. It’s definitely not a treat if it’s that often. It’s not even a treat full stop. It’s unhealthy, shitful food. Boak.

Eugh YANBU. That’s lazy and poor parenting by him. Nothing wrong with having a treat. But no one needs McDonalds twice in one weekend. As others have said how long and hard is making pasta, stir fry or pizza?

So he has them both for basically 48hrs, twice a month. And within that time, they eat burgers twice. Stop being a princess about brewers fayre, no it's not fine cuisine, but it does serve roasts, meat and two veg type meals. Maybe it's that he doesn't want to spend his minimal time with them cooking?

Is it that he'd rather go swimming all Sunday morning, and spend quality time with them, and this only leaves an hour to grab some fast food before they have to go?

When you're perfectly happy to give them breaded fish (fishfingers presumably or very similar) every week, or 4 times a month, you can't get on your high horse that the other parent gives them burgers 4 times a month.

You sound like a bit of a pain in the ass to be honest.

Here, have my first and follow it with a Big Mac

It's shit OP. Once in a while is fine....my DC get a McDonald's about once every 2 months if that. There's no nutritional value in it.

You sound like the pain in the ass yourself frankly. Op has them day in day out and he can’t be arsed to cook decent food for them ever? Why is the bar set so insultingly low for fathers?

No, it’s lazy. Once a fortnight is OK, even once a week, but certainly not twice, with another crap meal in between. I’d be really annoyed with this.

Sorry, misread, thought it was every week. Twice every other week and a crap meal in between is still too much. I agree about the bar being set so low for fathers. He needs to grow up and learn how to nourish his children properly.

YANBU at all but my Dad was always like this too. I would have KFC or McDonald’s for lunch then a pizza take away for tea most Saturday’s. Sunday was usually croissants, McDonald’s/KFC again and maybe a Sunday dinner in a pub or restaurant. I also ate a bucket load of sweets, ice cream and chocolate. Amazingly didn’t become obese but did need a lot of fillings...

I would be mortified if my DC ate like that. It definitely isn’t normal and your ex is being a lazy sod. He only has them four days a month, he could make some effort for them.

It's lazy and I agree it means you spend your time making up for it. My ex did this. Weekends with dc were hotdogs and burgers.

Get a photo of them instore and Twitter him as a prospective client joking joking.

Its nothing to do with the McD's and everything to do with his laziness.

Clearly doing actual caring for his children is either beneath or beyond him, it certainly isnt a priority. I wonder why you left him.........

My DD only eats decently on access weekends as her father lives with his mum, her grandma, who makes sure she eats well. I suspect she will still do it when he moves into his new place (luckily v near her) in the next week or so.

If we fed them like that every day we would be in court from them trying to get custody and the kids would have malnutrition. Even after they leave, they assume we will do all the womens work.....cunts.

Jesus that's a really unhealthy weekend, full of salt.

Hate McDonald's haven't eaten one in 6 years, DH does and sometimes gives DS a frie but I out my foot down, with ever getting him a happy meal.

Meh. Twice a month, would be hard pressed to care.

Every weekend and I might be annoyed. Might.
Can't say I've ever given a thought about what my children are fed when not with me

CJs its twice a weekend, twice a month. Now once a week is ok, but twice in 48 hours is not good. Its sheer laziness.

Grim. Once a weekend is more than enough. Lazy git.

And yes I know it averages out at once a week, but its all packed in to a small time scale which is what makes it bad.

CJs its twice a weekend, twice a month. Now once a week is ok, but twice in 48 hours is not good. Its sheer laziness.

I'd still be struggling to give a fuck.
So, he's lazy. I can be as well. I've had weekends where I've ordered in/gone out for every meal

As long as it all averages out, I honestly wouldn't care.

FFS I can’t believe the amount of people who are saying going to Mc Donald’s is a treat! Are you actually serious? Unbelievable

What would annoy me about that set up is it means you can't really ever take them to McDonald's which is a pain because it's so handy when you're out and about.

So two weekends a month but the rest of the time with you they eat healthier food? I don't see a problem with that at all, unless their weight is more than it should be? Two weekends a month in my opinion is a treat, it equates to 4 days out of 30/31.

The comment below sums up my feelings about the comment above.

DH used to give the DC junk food when it was his turn to sort out dinner, he said it was 'fine occasionally'. I pointed out that he was using up all the 'occasionally' and there was none left for me.

He gets to be the fun parent - though even for kids, the appeal of MacDonalds must start to wear off when it's twice every other weekend. But she cannot give them lazy junk food once in a while because their lazy father has filled the quota. It's not very fair. (On either the OP or her children.) That's the problem with it.

It sounds too much for me but we only go to Mc Donald’s 2-3 times per year when traveling.
Twice per week is not great but what can you do? You can’t change your Ex. But you can teach your boys about food and what to choose: you can get less unhealthy meal from Mc Donald. You could mention this to him if boys are unhappy but even though it’s better if they will tell their dad themselves. Sorry, I missed how old are they.

I haven't RTFT, just the OP
I was all for saying YABU, nothing wrong with McDonald's every now and again may or may not have been there today and go there every other week or so
What you're saying is pretty slack though.
He has them Fri - Sun and during that time does McDonald's twice and a Brewers fayre pub meal to boot?
OK, as a once off weekend I'd let it go but if it was every weekend I'd be like "surely you can do a meal at least once at home?!"
So I voted YANBU.