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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

Neighbour's kid

144 replies

claramaria · 13/01/2022 12:11

The neighbours a few doors down from us send their child to the same school that mine attend.
A few morning recently I've seen neighbour walking kid to school (she's in Year 1) eating a packet of crisps. Seriously. At 8.30am. Maybe that's all the kid gets in the way of "breakfast". Kid is overweight (as are parents) and it upsets me to see a young child walking to school eating a packet of crisps for breakfast.
I was brought up in a culture where children eat healthy, nourishing breakfast at home (or at before school club), not crisps in the street. AIBU to find this an upsetting sight?

OP posts:

handshigh · 14/01/2022 12:48

You're being a bit ridiculous. You don't know whether the kid has a healthy, nutritious breakfast before leaving the house and then just wants to eat the crisps from their packed lunch early. My child had a phase of eating shepherd's pie for breakfast and Weetabix for dinner. None of your business!

cultkid · 14/01/2022 12:51

😑 so many reasons why you can't say anything

I know it's not a great sign. I get upset with things like that too. Multitude of reasons why child might be eating them, lots perfectly reasonable tbh.

I don't understand why eating crisps at 830am is bad but having them at 5pm is ok (I still always say no to my kids who ask all the time in the morning for crisps) not sure what the answer is but don't say anything x

ForTheLoveOfSleep · 14/01/2022 12:57

Yesterday my daughter had fruit and pancakes. Today she would only eat custard creams and milk.

Something is better than nothing.

Fimofriend · 14/01/2022 13:34

I thought that was normal in Britain? When we used to do the school run there were always children eating something unhealthy on their way to school and after school it was completely ridiculous. It was at least half the parents that gave their kids an unhealthy snack as the first thing when they exited the school. I also did it on rare occasions as other children offered my daughter candy etc. and I wanted her to be able to reciprocate. I did cheat sometimes, though, and brought berries or grapes.

MrsTrumpton · 14/01/2022 14:00

@OnceuponaRainbow18

No wonder why soooo many kids are fat I England when so many people think a packet of crisps is fine for breakfast…! Blows my mind.

Crisps for breakfast is shit. There’s no other argument.

Mind your own business- yes that’s how so many kids have been killed recently by parents/adults.

But you don't know the circumstances of the child having the crisps. They could've been part of their packed lunch and the kid decided to eat them on the way to school, just because. You're just assuming it's down to lazy parenting.

RegardingMary · 14/01/2022 14:08

In no way is it a cultural thing, I can't think of any particular culture where a bag of crisps is breakfast.

It's a desperate measures thing, something quick to grab so they're not late after already having breakfast. I doubt anyone is reaching for the crisps thinking its the healthy option.

There's no need to be so judgemental

Pamlar · 14/01/2022 14:18

It would upset me too. I saw a toddler being pushed in the rain eating an ice cream at 8ish.
Of course it non of my business or yours for that matter but it's a horrible sight. Esp when we don't know the full picture.
But def do not get involved

Andtheyalllookjustthesame · 14/01/2022 14:45

Are people really upset about chubby kids eating quavers on the walk and toddlers eating cornettos in their buggy? I mean it's not perfect parenting but it's not actually upsetting is it. I don't think I'd even notice. Short of a toddler drinking a red bull there's not much I'd judge people for feeding their children.

MogsBestestFurball · 14/01/2022 14:50

How do you know that the child is not autistic?

Many autistic children have sensory issues around food and will starve themselves rather than eat something outside of their tolerated foods

Yabu to judge another parent you know nothing about.

Pugroll · 14/01/2022 14:54

@Andtheyalllookjustthesame

Upsetting isn't the right word, but as someone who was fed shite growing up as it was easier and before I knew any better or could buy my own food I do find it bad. It took a lot of teaching myself about nutrition and battling with years of yo yo dieting to undo the damage of early habits instilled. They weren't lazy or malicious, but also didn't have access to information at their fingertips as we have now with the Internet. Anything else detrimental to a child's health would be okay to challenge someone on, but for some reason shite junk food isn't.

Pugroll · 14/01/2022 14:54

@MogsBestestFurball

How do you know that the child is not autistic?

Many autistic children have sensory issues around food and will starve themselves rather than eat something outside of their tolerated foods

Yabu to judge another parent you know nothing about.

Yes they might be, statistically it's more likely they aren't though.

LampLighter414 · 14/01/2022 15:46

Snout. Out.

vodkaredbullgirl · 14/01/2022 15:50

Nice to see Op dumped and ran

phishy · 14/01/2022 15:53

@vodkaredbullgirl

Nice to see Op dumped and ran

I’m ambivalent on what is being discussed but do you really expect her to come back and keep getting abused?

Kitfish · 14/01/2022 15:57

My son has an eating disorder - ARFID. He refuses to eat anything for breakfast and often spends days living on crisps plus a few mouthfuls of other food. I'd be glad to see him eating a packet of crisps on the way to school because at least he's eaten something. Refuses almost all "sensible" meals - even though offered 3 times a day. You have no idea if this child is the same. Please don't judge.

Steelesauce · 14/01/2022 16:14

I wouldn't of even though twice about it. My kids eat chocolate waffles for breakfast so who am I to judge.

That said, I've never understood why there are so many overweight children? Mine eat pudding, sweets, sugary cereals, nuggets and chips all the time but all 3 are thin as a rake? Teeth all in perfect condition too. They must be really inactive (again, not sure how that happens because mine don't stop) or eating enormous portions!

MrsFluffyBum · 14/01/2022 19:20

What does ARFID stand for?

lollipoprainbow · 15/01/2022 09:48

My daughter has ASD, she has eschewed breakfast for a packet of Doritos! Maybe someone should call social services.

TooMuchSugar22 · 16/01/2022 18:49

I'm sure I saw this post the other day?

But either way no it's not the healthiest. But that's not your place to judge.

That child may be fussy, may have an ED where they only eat certain foods.
Either way that's not your business.

My dm used to judge a family member because they're child's lunchbox was all veg sticks, low fat this and that. They were very underweight and looked unhealthy, dark eyes. Always falling asleep. A pack of crisps was a ONCE A MONTH treat.

They're now adults and binge often in sweets cake crisps etc

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