How much of these things do you consider a treat?

[LajesticVantrashell]

Person A has done/given/bought her DC the following this weekend. Person B thinks this is excessive and that they're all treats which should be given rarely and sporadically.

1. McDonald's
2. Soft play
3. Swimming
4. A new book
5. A small bag of jelly sweets
6. A magazine

This is in between an afternoon in the park, a walk up a hill and some down time playing at home.

How often do your DCs do/have the above?

Person b sounds like a right kill joy. Unless it's a money thing.

I wasn't talking about it being more expensive for four children, I'm saying OP has only given the costs for a child's Happy Meal and (possibly) swimming entry, whereas it tends to cost more if you're paying for adults to do those things as well. It's a bit weird not to, so £25 isn't quite the actual price for doing all that stuff.

@november

My daughter loves any book she hasn't read yet but she loves a new book too and she sees it as a treat.

Like me waiting for the new martina Cole, when she gets a new Disney book she literally runs her hand down the spine and she keeps such good care of her books.

Perfectly fine to do all of those over a weekend, don’t see the issue. Swimming isn’t really a treat, dd goes once a week (some times twice), McDonald’s is a treat, something we do maybe once a month but may also happen the same weekend as everything thing else on your list.

All those are treats to my DC and I couldn't afford to do all on one weekend on a regular basis.

So 2 DC:

1. McDonald's (2 happy meals £10- if 2 adults too £20)
2. Soft play (2 over 5s £16 - local soft play is dearer at the weekend)
3. Swimming (2 DC and one adult £12)
4. A new book (2 books say £10)
5. A small bag of jelly sweets (x2 £2)
6. A magazine (£6)

£55-65 in one weekend would be a treat!

I bought DS a book on Friday.
Saturday was karate class, going to watch a football match, then the cinema and a meal out.
Today was him playing a football match, fast food for lunch, swimming and then the park.

Aside from karate class and football matches, weekends can vary from busy to quiet. Somethings are treats, some aren't. So long as you can afford what you do and have a nice weekend, I don't see that it matters to anyone else.

I usually get books for my DD from the library or if buying, from charity shops or discount shops like the works recently I got 10 books for £10 and the card factory are selling books for £1. Charity shops usually sell children's books for 25p-£1. I think books are important.

Sorry posted too soon. Important and not something I'd begrudge getting my DD or only buy (or borrow from library) for a special occasion.

Judging from what the class bear gets up to over a weekend all but the book Buying are regular weekend activities.

We are trying not to buy magazines due to plastic tat and usually I’d pick another cafe rather than McDonalds but sometimes needs must. the rest sounds like a reasonable but nice weekend. Although depends on the swimming. Regular swim is just exercise, albeit something the kids love to do. Fancy splash pool with flumes would be a treat and we wouldn’t do it every week.

Not all kids magazines involve plastic tat btw.

1. McDonald's: too often DS likes the predictabilty of it and struggles with unknown places and the atmospheres (acoustics) of many coffee shops. The DCs are at the bottom end of healthy weight so I have no concerns in that department.
2. Soft play: The DCs are on the old side now. They were great for the toddler years, especially in poor weather.
3. Swimming: quite a common wet weekend activity. We have swimming lessons and fit a casual swim in with them. A real treat is a trip to a bigger waterpark type leisure centre.
4. A new book: these tend to sneak into the trolley at Costco, they are occasional but if I spot something that they'll be attracted to, I snap it up. Anything to encourage dyslexic readers to love books!
5. A small bag of jelly sweets: I don't routinely buy sweets, they aquire plenty through school etc. They love it if I give them money to pay by themselves.
6. A magazine: DS1 got a subscription (minus toy option) for his birthday so it's posted monthly. I'll occasionally buy them as a novelty for long journeys or a bit of bribery.

It sounds like a lovely, varied weekend. Most weekends we try to get out and fo active things for part of the day. Some things like junior parkrun are free. Some modest like swimming. Some like NT membership are made more affordable. Occasionally a bigger treat. Children thrive on a variety of experiences (including the downtime at home).

Green light sounds like a dreadful parent tbh . Throwing Money on activities and days out at your children doesn’t make you a good parent . Perhaps you’re one of those parents who’s all about # makingmemories.

I agree with B . I hope the op has plenty of savings and is paying into a pension .
Everyone on here complains about the price of food and how expensive life in general is nowadays while wasting their weekly food budget on absolute shite . It’s not too much if it’s a one off , it’s too much if it’s every single weekend . Let your kid be bored and spend the odd weekend doing absolutely feck all . It’s character building .

NeckPainChairSearch well a PP said their children would call McDonald's a punishment rather than a treat which does come off a bit virtuous. My point is that McDonald's now sell a few more items than just processed burgers; they also sell fish fingers and chicken wraps, with grapes, apples and carrots, which are quite normal dinner time meals (in my house at least but I appreciate I'm in South Wales so rather far removed from the lifestyles of many on here). I have no issue with people not liking it, it's the overselling of the hatred that just comes off a bit much for a place that literally sells freezer food that most of us chuck in the oven for our children when we can't be arsed. Or in the case of a chicken wrap and fruit, most people's lunch as adults.

5. A small bag of jelly sweets (x2 £2)
£2 for a small bag of sweets for two kids? You're either being ripped off or talking about a big bag.

I don't think McDonald's is that unhealthy, but do consider it a treat not an everyday thing. We don't go often as there's not one near us, but DD seems to enjoy a cafe or sandwiches from boots etc eaten outdoors (if the weather is nice), just as much. McDonalds costs us the price of a happy meal - I think £2.79? I can't stand McDonalds so don't get anything for myself.

Quite honestly- none of those things would be a “treat” as such.
Saturday is fun day here and Sundays are more about resting.

Dd is 9 and goes out every single Friday after school with her dad as he finishes early and Saturday they have a daddy/daughter day. I know she is very lucky and using my neighbours children as an example, she goes to lots of nice places, eats out and has money to spend on things she loves which are usually stationery and books.

To us it’s very normal.

I have never met a child yet who wouldn’t eat Mc Donald’s . I think some posters are overestimating their children’s tastebuds .

£2 for a small bag of sweets for two kids? You're either being ripped off or talking about a big bag.

That's what I was thinking

Tesco sell a multi-pack of Haribo Starmix (22 bags) for £2.50.

1. McDonald's - it's fine in moderation. DD will always pick Chicken nuggets, fruit bag, and either milk or water, so I don't have a problem with it.
2. Soft Play - we've been twice this weekend. The weather has been dire, and so a good run about will have done her good (obviously would have preferred to have been outside!)
3. Swimming - it's a non-negotiable thing here. A lifeskill which I am adamant she will have.
4. Books - not a treat, very much encouraged. We read every night before bed.
5. Jelly sweets - Are we talking a 10p bag of haribo? They are a treat whatever the size, but I don't think its excessive to have a few sweets a couple of times a week.
6. Magazine - definitely a treat. used in conjunction with a star chart, they work great for encouraging positive behaviour. I don't tend to buy many though...a couple over the last 6 months or so.

When my ds was small he went soft play every week sometimes 2x .

Swimming - weekly
Jelly sweets - never, but chocolate buttons 2-3 times a weeks
Soft play - never, yet (ick)
New book or magazine is an occasional treat.
For my boy aged 2.5

I missed Mac Donald's - also never. Wouldn't say would never do it but would be rare. Maybe once he's older, less rare. But I don't really like it and there are much better burger places.

That's a lot in a weekend and seems excessive! For us it looks like this.

1. McDonald's - treat probably once a quarter on average.
2. Soft play - we live close to one so probably every 6-8 weeks, largely depending on weather and they often get party invitations too.
3. Swimming - weekly swimming lessons anyway,probably a family swim trip once a quarter.
4. A new book - i rarely buy new books other than for birthdays and xmas. We use the library.
5. A small bag of jelly sweets. They can have sweets on a weekly basis.
6. A magazine. Due to my work i get kids mags free on tap so they get one a week each.

1. McDonald's Not really a treat, it's crap... but I'll say yes
2. Soft play sounds like hell to me, but maybe a treat? Undecided
3. Swimming Nope, important life skill
4. A new book Nope, foster a love of reading early
5. A small bag of jelly sweets yes
6. A magazine Meh not really, at least they are reading something

So the first three are fairly standard for us on a Saturday morning - swimming lessons followed by soft play (in the same leisure centre) followed by a trip to the McDonalds drive thru or our local cafe as by that point both DC are so hungry they might start eating their own limbs.

Every second weekend my ILs come over and bring sweets for them, which we try to ration out.

I don't buy magazines - I think they're a waste of money - but if I see books I think they'll like I'll pick them up for them.

Hardly excessive!

1. I don’t like McDonald’s but we’ve eaten in two cafes this weekend so similar.
2. Soft play is a standard for us on a weekend morning early on.
3. Swimming is an important life skill
4. Reading is encouraged always! We visit the library often to swap books. New books are bought with weekly shopping if wanted.
5. A small bag of jelly sweets is a treat but not a big deal. Mine don’t like sweets but have had crisps as treats this weekend so similar!
6. We walk to the corners hop every Friday afternoon on the way home for a magazine as a treat. Not excessive!