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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

to be planning a letter of complaint to the PTFA for poisoning my children at the Christmas fair?

342 replies

Mincepiedermama · 09/12/2007 12:52

Why does it have to be so packed with sugar? After the fair at the juniors my nearly three year old was sick several times in the night because someone gave him those disgusting sugar walking sticks.

At the Infants fair yesterday I gave my kids pocket money and sent them off browsing reminding them about the sugar poisoning incident so ds3 decided to go for the lucky dip. He pulled out a handbag which I thought was great. I later discovered it was FULL of lollies FGS!

I can;'t watch them all every minute of the Christmas Fair because it's one of the places they should be given freedom to roam. Also I was running a stall.

I love school fairs but the sugar thing really ruins them for me and poisons my kids. Why are people so obsessed with sugar for kids?

I have many years to go at these schools so am thinking of writing or talking to the PTFA people about capping the amount of sugar available at these events. Is that reasonable?

Now if you'll excuse me I have to put some more vomitty bedding in the washing machine.

OP posts:
lilolilbethlehem · 09/12/2007 21:24

haven't the time or the energy to read all the threads.
i) how do you know that the sugar sticks made your child sick??? unlikley to have been the only thing they ate in the 3 days or so food stays in your stomach
ii) well done for running a stall (and I mean that) but if you need to write to the "PTFA people" to complain, it suggests you're not involved in the planning. Stop being wise after the act and go help out organising.
iii) It's a little bit of sugar. If you are so anal about it, your DCs won't learn moderation and one day, when their eating habits are out of your control, they'll gorge themselves on the things Mummy banned. I am anti too much sugar, but party days and fair days are exceptions to any of our normal rules.

Depravedmum · 09/12/2007 21:43

BahHunkerBug - I cannot stop laughing at that last link. Thank you so much

aviatrix · 09/12/2007 21:55

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Message withdrawn

lilolilbethlehem · 09/12/2007 21:57

so get off your lazy arses and go to the PTA meetings and help them work out alternatives. Don't just come on here and moan about it.

lilolilbethlehem · 09/12/2007 22:02

Sorry. But get so pissed off as a stalwart of 2 PTA committees, having people calling us "lazy and unimaginative" option when they have never, ever, offered to help work out alternatives.

Original poster
Mincepiedermama · 09/12/2007 22:02

Wow lil your knee-jerk vehemence and anger is more telling than you know.

'Lazy arses' etc. Why the anger? I was asking other mums if they think it reasonable to approach the PTFA. I can see that it clearly isn't so I won't. I will take up the positive suggestions and try to become more involved (my 4th child is nearly three after all so I should get my 'lazy arse' in gear .

Thanks MN. Job done (if I let the torrent of abuse wash over me, which luckily I have the self assuredness to do).

OP posts:
lilolilbethlehem · 09/12/2007 22:04

Every time we have any event, people moan, groan and criticise. They don't give up their time to help with the planning. Hence the knee jerk reaction having been to a Christmas event today where people were only too willing to criticise, but have never, ever offered to help.

Original poster
Mincepiedermama · 09/12/2007 22:05

I can see how annoying that must be.

OP posts:
DoesntChristmasDragOn · 09/12/2007 22:07

You're whinging about "lazy arses" when you labelled us all "disillusioned oafs?? and I think you displayed some prime "knee-jerk vehemence and anger" in your posts about htis

SpawnChorus · 09/12/2007 22:08

Wow - there seems to be a lot of vitriol directed at Spidermama.

I don't really agree with anti-sugar rant, but surely the fact that Spidermama is usually a kind, helpful and witty poster should count for something?? No need to jump down her throat.

I'm sure most of us have got the occasional quirky opinion. And it's clear that she feels very strongly about her children's health and nutrition - hardly something to be condemned.

lilolilbethlehem · 09/12/2007 22:08

Thanks, really, that's good of you to say. No reason you shouldn't make suggestions to your PTA, especially if you're not happy with what they are doing. If you don't say, they won't know and will do it again. All I'm trying to say is PLEASE go along to a meeting to do it and only complain if you would be happy to put yourselves in their shoes and try to find a solution that keeps everyone happy and suits the budget!! Honestly, it's not as easy as you might think

moondog · 09/12/2007 22:22

rofl at this thread.
Spider you have to accept that the 'oafs' of this world don't see owt wrong with this sugarfest.
Next time,do what I do and let your kids have a quick recce. Lead them firmly to approved activities such as tombola and 'pin the tail on the donkey' and then yank them away sharply when they catch sight of the crap and bundle them into the car screaming while people stare at you in horror.

rofl also at Harpsi's rusty can of chickpeas and bottle of Piat d'Or (do they really still churn that out?
I was wel lfucked off with our raffle.I donated a jar of caviar (really!) worth about £60 and come the big night it was hidden behind a bloody tin of Quality Street! I ask you! I had expected it to have its own little revolving pedestal at the very least.

ineedapoo · 09/12/2007 22:23

dare I say I would rather have the chocolates than caviar what an oaf i am

tigermoth · 09/12/2007 22:25

So, what do you all feel about the Krispycreme donut company 'sponsoring' donuts for school fairs? This happens regularly at our school fair - donuts on sale and a competition to see how fast a child can eat one with no hands

moondog · 09/12/2007 22:25

Wash yer mouth out Ineed!!!!!

Saturn74 · 09/12/2007 22:26

ROFL @ "Toddle off now oafs. Those Fruitshoots won't drink themselves".

ineedapoo · 09/12/2007 22:26

with full sugar coke only

DoesntChristmasDragOn · 09/12/2007 22:29

When DSs have won stacks of sweets at a fair though, I ration them. They know they're not allowed to scoff them all at once. Sometimes I put them in the cupboard and they're never seen again... the sweets, not the children. I'm fairly militant with the amount DSs get to eat at once.

aviatrix · 09/12/2007 22:34

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn

bosch · 09/12/2007 22:47

sorry, can't read thread for laughing so much at opening post. Yes, yabu. I also manned a stall at the christmas fair - the kitchen! I thought you were being serious about poisoning.

Of course there is sweet stuff at a christmas fair - and a sensible parent makes sure their kid doesn't eat too much. I didn't send my kids off on their own, dh looked after them. I would confidently expect that if I sent them off on their own with some money they would have bought more sugar than you can shake a stick at, a load of old tat (toys) and then been as sick as dogs all night.

pinetreedog · 09/12/2007 22:49

I'd rather win quality street than caviar any day

mumzyof2 · 09/12/2007 22:52

This is CRAZY!!
My 3yr old is a vegetarian, and if I took him to a school fair, and let him run round unsupervised, and somebody gave him a ham sandwich and he ate then, then, mpm, you are saying that would be the SCHOOLS fault, not mine for not watcing him? Thats crazy.
Although I have to say, he wouldnt eat it because he knows what he can and cannot have.
Sugar - poison?
'I put a drop of sugar in his drink', doesnt have quite the same ring to it as arsenic, does it?!?!

mumzyof2 · 09/12/2007 23:02

Oh, and the Fruitshoots comment? My son has never had one of those in his life, I just wont allow it. But just because we let our children eat sugar, it does not mean all our children are obese, hyperactive little brats!! NO sugar at all will just them want it more. A little in moderation is fine!
And if you are so against sugar, then why did you allow your child to have ANY at all, surely, being so against the idea, you wouldnt have allowed that?

DoesntChristmasDragOn · 10/12/2007 10:54

mumzyof2, a better analogy would be if one of your (metaphorical) older children gave him a ham sandwich whilst he was sat on your lap and you didn't notice because you were chatting...

Blu · 10/12/2007 11:08

Spidermama - it does sound as if your children see sugar and gobble it....oaf I may be but watch out , I am a smug oaf. I have never made a particular deal of witholding sugar, don't offer much, but don't make any deal of it...and at Ds's Christmas Fair, he just put all the sweets he aquired in his bag and didn't eat any - said he would save them, and later, asked if it would be ok to have one. I said 'of course'. The rest are in a tin on the table - within his reach, he knows where they are...he hasn't bothered. But I have to hide them tonight as a load of kids who have parents who treat sugar like poison are coming and they are always the ones who pester, badger, and even pilfer from the tin in order to get their hands on it.

Smug-preening-fest.