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?

Bloody hell those who buy a child a book whenever they want one must have loads of space and money

kids grow up - you don't have to keep all the baby books, you get rid of the ones they no longer need as you go. You can buy second hand books or packs of heavily discounted collections.

Books are just as much a necessity as yogurts frankly.

(yes, obviously, if we were starving in a country at war we would have a slightly different view.... )

Bloody hell those who buy a child a book whenever they want one must have loads of space and money

Or buy secondhand and have a one-in-one-out policy for donating forwards?

But there was an implication in some comments that you are a terrible parent if you don't buy a book for a child whenever they ask for one

I've read the thread back - not seeing those comments.

So basically we have gone full Mumsnet with this thread

1. McDonalds is the most disgusting thing in the world, it's rubbish, garbage, poison and a sign of poor parenting to even walk past one.

2. All mumsnet kids would read 5 books a day if they could because they are THAT clever.

Ha ha makes me laugh, MC Donald's isn't that bad !

@GoodbyeRosie dont forget the thinly veiled soft play snobbery - 'hell on earth' 'wouldnt share germs in that way'.

I'm going to assume hope that half these posters are on the wind up

Mine are older now but agree soft play centres are the breeding grounds for all sorts....

So basically we have gone full Mumsnet with this thread

Well, yes, now you've included the obligatory, over the top, stuff-no-one-said summary to whip up a bit of the equally obligatory air-punching agreement, it is indeed the full set.

Isn't full MN a big argument with two very different opposing sides?

As in:
McD is the best.
No, it isn't.
Yes, it is.
No, it isn't.
Yes, it is.
People who like McDs are cunts.

Lweji

Well, after two DSs who did everything they could to resist reading an actual book as children, I can honestly say that I do buy DD a book when she sees one she wants. She’s a good reader & I see no reason to discourage her.

From OPs list - McDonalds, soft play & the magazine would be the treats.

I wouldn't choose McDonalds myself, but Dc like it, especially ordering with the touch screen.
We don't live near one, so only eat there if we are driving somewhere and stopping at services. DC would be thrilled though.
I would consider going out for milkshakes or cake or ice cream an equivalent treat - more likely to happen in the school holidays, but might happen at the weekend, just because.

Swimming, DC have lessons at school. None of us like swimming much so don't take them often, maybe a couple of times a year. They would see it as a treat akin to cinema/bowling etc, but probably wouldn't want to go more often.

Soft play, haven't been since Dc were toddlers, they are too old now. But would probably put it in the same category as bowling or cinema or museum ie fun day out.

Small pack of sweets - I would be more likely to buy a chocolate bar or bun from the bakery, but yes, occasional treat, maybe every couple of weeks or so.

Books - especially new books -tend to be presents at birthdays or Christmas, but I might get a second hand one every now and then as a one off. It would definitely be viewed as a treat.

Magazines, DC have a subscription to one which comes monthly.

How old is too old for soft play ? Our centre is up to 10

Our local soft play is aimed more at pre-schoolers. Maybe up to 7 ish?

Whathappenedtothelego do your children really only have sweets or a chocolate bar every few weeks??

Some soft plays organise adult parties in the evening, you're never too old for soft play

Well, yes, now you've included the obligatory, over the top, stuff-no-one-said summary to whip up a bit of the equally obligatory air-punching agreement, it is indeed the full set.

All these things are normal for my kids. Except softplay because I hate it. So that's a treat because we hardly ever go.

Magazines are normal in my house - we get the crafty CBeebies one and make the things together, it's nice and it's also good for DD's fine motor skills.

My kids have a sweetie every day. Usually after dinner.

They get McDonalds every Saturday.

A sweet every day ! Shocking!

BTW, I'm thinking of storing this sentence on my computer.

...over the top, stuff-no-one-said summary to whip up a bit of the [...] obligatory air-punching agreement.

I'm in a couple of threads at the moment where it would be very useful.

McDonald’s- Wouldn’t say it’s a treat, it’s just burger and chips portioned rather small in a happy meal. I wouldn’t feed them it every day but I wouldn’t with a lot of foods- that doesn’t make it a treat. It’s food

Soft play- We go weekly so I don’t think that’s a treat either. DC love it though, me however it’s hell on Earth.....

Swimming- Again we go weekly, but it’s a needed skill imo so not a treat.

Book- not a treat they need books

Jelly sweets- again it’s just food not a treat. My dc pick a sweet on a Saturday when they walk to the village newsagent with DH for papers, sometimes they have haribo others chocolate.

A magazine- I guess that one is a treat

1. McDonald's - treat - we have this maybe once every couple of months (and usually because we need to eat something quick on the way from somewhere to get to somewhere else in a hurry!)
2. Soft play - treat - maybe once per school holiday and the very occasional weekend day (mine prefer trampoline places now)
3. Swimming - mine all have swimming lessons but a splash park type place would be a treat
4. A new book - mine earn 'green cards' from doing their music practice or jobs around the house. Earning 25 green cards gets them a free book. Or they can use their own money to buy them. I will also buy them occasionally for them all to read
5. A small bag of jelly sweets - they have sweets in their treat boxes and could have these at the weekend
6. A magazine - treat - I very rarely buy these as all three have a magazine subscription. They usually pay for extras themselves.

One of my children was just saying to me this morning that we (parents) never buy them stuff like other parents do. We will usually only buy toys etc for bday or christmas. They can earn money and buy their own things and we will occasionally buy them small treats. It's not that we're poor by any means but I don't think children should be constantly bought things and parents giving in to pester power. Treats aren't treats if they're constant...

I don't think the things listed is the issue here.

As I see it, person B should be minding her/his own business.

If it is two parents disagreeing, surely it's time for a talk and an economy check. But bar that it is nobody else' business.

Each to their own

ps - re the buying of books - the reason we don't buy many is because we have thousands of them in the house already! We have no space for constant book buying! We are all extremely avid readers.