To think children can go a couple of hours without eating

[OnlyFoolsnMothers]

Not sure if this is just the people I hang out with but every park play date I go on at the moment (there’s quite a few- child is 4), the other parent brings with them copious amounts of snacks.
I’m in no way a food nazi, my child has a morning snack, the odd ice cream when out on hot days, a biscuit pudding after her dinner - I always carry water and an apple- but even I think she can manage 2 hrs in a park without me having to produce a family size bag of crisps, popcorn, a fruit shoot, a haribo.
I’m really fed up of it, firstly because I’m the grinch who says “no” when my daughter asks if she can stuff her face 2hrs before dinner and secondly, because then (unsurprisingly) the other kid sits there eating rather than playing.
If you take a picnic amount of food to a 2pm play date- pls why?

Why don't you ask them outright. I am sure you are in the right. Try to embarrass them!

In my experience regular snacks equals a happy time. Ever had a hangry toddler on your hands? Urgh. If theu are running around at a park or soft play then they tend to work up an appetite very quickly but be too distracted to realise until the hamger hits.

I think toddlers tend to self regulate anyway so if they are snacking they will probably just eat a bit less at their next meal (and possibly have a more varied diet).

Some kids are grazers rather than eating set meals, so it might not be a case of not 'being able' to go a couple of hours so much as having a different approach to mealtimes. But I agree with a PP that the only way to find out is to ask the person your talking about.

My friend had a horrendous ds... She basically bribed him continously with shite to make him behave out of the house.

Once out clubbing she produced a Mars bar and a bag of Wotsits she found in her bag - woo hoo!!
It became a regular thing eating a Mars mid drinking session!!

I trusted my children not to faint between meals. Maybe a tiny snack to keep them going.
But the number of parents who greet their children at the school gates with food?

I agree, I really don't think it's a good habit to have children grazing all day, it simply isn't necessary (not to mention bad for teeth). One of the things I hated about nursery was the copious amount of unnecessary snacks.

I always have snacks in the park, because it means that DD (very active, normal weight, eats meals well) has more fun.

Perhaps your DD is asking for food because she's hungry? Little kids are growing and running around, so need regular top ups.

Why don't you ask them outright. I am sure you are in the right. Try to embarrass them!

Embarrass them? As if they'd immediately see the error of the ways. I doubt they care what OP thinks.

It’s really none of your business how other people parent their children or how they feed them. Accept that you can’t control other people or stop hanging around with other people? Strange post.

@thistimelastweek

I trusted my children not to faint between meals. Maybe a tiny snack to keep them going. But the number of parents who greet their children at the school gates with food?

My 5 year old has lunch at 11:30 at school and i collect him 4 hours later at 3:30 so yes, I bring him food...!!!!!

@thistimelastweek maybe they're taking them straight to activities/the park/clubs?
I remember being absolutely starving after school and having to wait until my mum stopped to talk to every single parent in the playground we had walked home. Wouldn't want the same for my children and I can't think of a single parent at my kids school that doesn't bring an after school snack

Multiple reasons

• mine are different ages so need different amounts of food

• maybe we had a lie in and a late breakfast

• maybe they didn’t eat much at lunch

Mostly I think it’s none of your fucking business how other people feed their kids.

A 2pm playdate for us would mean a snack at 3 - after lunch at 12 and dinner at 6, my dc need a snack midway through. I also have a cup of tea and a little something at about 3when I'm working. Don't know why that offends you.

Wouldn't occur to me to bring snacks to the park. If we're at the park we're playing not eating. My sister probably would but she tends to stay much longer, me and my son get bored after an hour but they could do 3 hours easily.

I always make sure I have snacks on a day out. My two boys are both petite for their age and constantly on the go so they get hungry. We give them snacks to stop them moaning they are hungry. I do however try to pack healthy snacks and try to encourage them to wait for lunch/dinner if we are nearing those times. My youngest son will also very rarely sit for a lunch if at the park so will graze throughout the afternoon.

I always have snacks in the bag as it means we can always stay longer if we’re having a good time 🤷‍♀️

Cue fat kids eating snacks on demand. It is NOT necessary. If a child has 3 meals a day, there is absolutely NO need for 'snacks'.

@PurpleVerbena oh bless do you not let your children exercise?!

Yanbu OP.

Quite a few of my son's peers are already looking pretty chunky at 4 and I'm not surprised - they have parents who routinely hand out a croissant as a mid morning snack, washed down with a hot chocolate, whole (adult sized) packets of crisps to each child, biscuits, fruit juice etc. Its a constantly stream of high calorie foods, all at portion sizes that are too large even for a growing active child.

I then look like a right stingy cow because no, I'm not giving my toddler a whole bag of doritos for a snack.

My 5 year old has lunch at 11:30 at school and i collect him 4 hours later at 3:30 so yes, I bring him food...!!!!!

You bring food? How far away from school do you live that you can't just wait until you get home?!

OP I agree with you. As a nation, we are horribly overweight because people eat too much. Eating habits are often formed in childhood. It’s ok to be very hungry for an hour or so before a meal. People seem to be unaccepting of feeling hungry.

Posts like this make me want to leave Mumsnet. There's lots of different ways to parent and children are different. So what if other parents let their kids snack more!

@namechange7865 my children have clubs/activities/park meet up etc every day after school. We never go straight home. We're definitely not unusual at our schools.

@namechange7865

My 5 year old has lunch at 11:30 at school and i collect him 4 hours later at 3:30 so yes, I bring him food...!!!!!

You bring food? How far away from school do you live that you can't just wait until you get home?!

Perhaps this poster doesn't go immediately home after school every single day

God my kids are eating constantly. Drives me nuts. They literally don't stop. They also eat their dinner. One is height 50th centile and weight 25th. The other is 9th centile for height and weight.

Snacks are quite low calorie though and not always carb based