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

I would be very sad that my children were being conditioned to associate Mcdonalds with treats. Low aspirations.

Positive reinforcement? Are you a dog?

Why has your DH introduced a Regime? And why are your trips Scheduled?
And why has he made you do it?

Is he in the military?

I would be very sad that my children were being conditioned to associate Mcdonalds with treats. Low aspirations.

This is truly funny, thank you for the laugh.

You can choose a book instead of a toy.

Also, YABU

@sunflowersandbuttercups

Sorry, but what the fuck are you talking about?

That was my first thought. Description of your reaction is so dramatic.

Your OTT reaction is probably at being forced to do something you don't want to do, which is causing you to feel stressed. Angry and stressed, with all the lights may be causing sensory overload and you are probably experiencing a panic attack as a result. It will get worse, not better, so you will have to stop doing it and tell your husband that if he insists on a monthly trip to maccy Ds then he is doing it.

I don't blame you, OP. I once passed out merely walking past a branch of Greggs. The stench of commonness was just too much.

Snobby 🤣
Drive through is absolutely an option! You could also just promise something better than a McDonald's, although I honestly couldn't think of what that would be 🤣

@KarensChoppyBob

Why has your DH introduced a Regime? And why are your trips Scheduled? And why has he made you do it?

Is he in the military?

He sounds like the Drill Sergent off Full Metal Jacket haha

Sistine Chapel Screamer

@DustOnTheWind

How do you feel about The Sistine Chapel?

beat me to it

Oh you poor delicate flower! 😂

This is the funniest and most worrying thread I’ve read in ages.

Is everything okay in your marriage, OP?

I have a similar reaction in a library. Mine is a Pavlovian response, I was once ill in a library and vomited all over the biography section. Now, whenever I'm in one I feel faint and sick.
I find it best to stick to online books!

How do you feel about The Sistine Chapel?

🤣🤣🤣

I'm not sure what the McDs in Aus are like, OP, but if they have outdoor seating areas like many of ours do, could you sit outside? Presumably that'd eradicate the majority of smell and decor issues?

If this is true, I doubt that will assist and suspect OP needs far more help than simply sitting outdoors (and yes, our Macca’s here generally have outdoors also). The piece about not being able to get the smell off the kids hands is very telling.

There could be a few sides to this. For all we know this is the tip of the iceberg and the kids may not have much normality at home with a parent with these sorts of issues and behaviours and the DH’s ‘regime’ may be a bout trying to introduce some more normality to the house and kids lives. OR, he may be a controlling cunt. Can’t say from OP but something is off kilter.

Is your husband working away meaning he can't take them? Why do you have to do as he says?
That's as baffling as anything.

I would be very sad that my children were being conditioned to associate Mcdonalds with treats. Low aspirations.

Ha! Yes, how sad. OP should really find a more "aspirational" food outlet to reward her children. Try Pret A Manger, OP. You get a better class of screaming toddler in there.

OP has clearly not been in Mickey D’s for a while. On our last to scheduled monthly trips to MDs the happy meal toys have been plastic free - top trumps and dinosaur models. Still being played with in our house anyway.

My children quite like McDonalds but absolutely love Five Guys. I quite like Five Guys but it is expensive. Do you have a Five Guys in Australia?

LTB

Fuck me MN is weird today

Do you have an eating disorder, and the “positive reinforcement” is your husband trying to stop it from passing to your children?

That’s the only this makes sense, I think; and it reminds me of a thread last week where there was definitely an ED at play....

OP why did your DH need to introduce 'a regime of positive reinforcement' and why did it include McDs?