To want to faint in McDonalds?

[TheLowestFlyer]

DH has slowly introduced a regime of positive reinforcement that, for a wide range of reasons, means I have to take the DC to McDonalds once a month for a sit down meal. This produces a physical response in me that makes me want to, first, gag and then faint. I assume it must be the vaporised oil in the air, the terrible food odours and weird and discoloured plastic decor (and the hyperactive and frankly unappealing toddlers screaming around whenever we go?). Whatever it is, it triggers a really intense response from me and I basically dread these scheduled outings and have to choke back vomiting for the whole meal.

Unfortunately the DC have become really emotionally invested in these going to MacDonalds (to what I think is a really unhealthy level) and DH's schedule means that I am unquestionably the only one who can take then. How do I extricate myself from going to McDonalds? Has anyone else weaned their DC from depending fast food? They genuinely love it, especially the earth-killing toys they abandon minutes after leaving

Just say no? Get your dh to take them instead?

@TheYearOfSmallThings

Then you present the Happy Compromise!

You could make burgers and fries at home! You could make a McMuffin at home!

Mum? Is that you? That bullshit didn't work on us in the 1980s, and it definitely won't work now.

I'm trying to be upbeat in face of McMisery. Other 1980s parenting clichés are available.

Let's make our own coca cola with the sodastream!

Actually my mum would just have said No. She ignored our crestfallen faces quite easily by never wearing her glasses.

If my dad had been involved in ghastly McPromises she'd have told him quite icily to deal with it himself, in front of us, and then gone to get her hair done.

I'm in Oz too. I went to the mall tonight...to go to Kmart with DD who absolutely HAD to go...I thought I'd faint the minute I walked into the mall! The nasty lights, the lack of natural light, the smell of the chemical laden floor cleaner the cleaners were using.

I was having a terrible time! I can relate.

If your DH wants them to go to McDonalds he takes them. If you can cope with other eating establishments you take them there.

How hard can it be

If he refuses to take them on the weekend then YOU tell them that Daddy won't take them anymore. Let them nag him!

Let's make our own coca cola with the sodastream!

Clearly you are not my mum. We had a soda stream but we could only make "Orangina" by mixing orange juice and fizzy water. No cola at all

@DustOnTheWind

How do you feel about The Sistine Chapel?

Just what I was thinking.

After 'what the fuck'???

You all sound really weird

Well just tell him that doesn't work for you. Remember, 'no' is a complete sentence!

Just seen the update.

Then your being a total dick OP. Just take them somewhere else and grow up!

Hahahahahahaha

This is such a non-problem. The DC dont have to go to McDs and blaming it on your DH is nuts. Just tell them your going somewhere else this week and gradually phase it out. I don't see how you have got yourself in this position and cant see a way out.

So it's ok for him to "flatly refuse" but not possible for you to flatly refuse. Are you worth less than he is? Or is it that in your autonomous parenting decisions he has placed a higher value than you on teaching children that they can't override other people's needs with their desires?

This literally makes so little sense op, that it's so hard to comment. It's so weird that it's difficult to tell whether it's a joke, or that there is something very very wrong in your life.

So, you have an extremely abnormal reaction to McDonald's, let's assume you're telling the truth and not joking.

Your husband and children would be aware of this reaction, no?

So, why on earth would people who love you expect you to do this?!?

Why would you do this?

For example, I'm allergic to cats, they make my eyes itch. So, at no point have my dh or my dc (from when they knew this- so say 2yo) thought it would be a good idea to get a cat. Because they make my eyes itch. They like me, so that's normal.

Op. You're full of more shit than the stables.

@TheLowestFlyer Cool story bro.

YANBU OP. MacDs is horrible. Best thing- your husbands rule/treat for the kids means he can do it.

@KoalaOok They don't do the plastic toys any more in UK. yes they do.

Totally missing the point, but I thought all their toys were paper/cardboard/soft toys/books now...

Put a clothes peg on your nose.

Give the DC some extra harissa infused hummus when you get home and no one will be permanently damaged.

I'm revising my previous comment to simply say here is a grip OP.

@Tinacollada

Put a clothes peg on your nose.

Give the DC some extra harissa infused hummus when you get home and no one will be permanently damaged.

A dab of vicks vapour rub under each nostril is actually the bollocks for rank smells. Favoured by morticians dontchaknow

You really don't understand what autonomous means if you're forcing yourself to undertake an activity with your children that you neither desire nor planned.

YABU for wanting to faint in McDonalds

YABVU for playing silly buggers with physically creating a link between "good behaviour" and "eat bad food"

@DustOnTheWind

How do you feel about The Sistine Chapel?

I can't find the thread! Can you post a link, please please?!

I think the Sistene Chapel link was posted upthread but I'll try again