Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Child-safe in minutes.

Meet the Other Phone.
Child-safe in minutes.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To expect my nanny NOT to feed my two year old a McDonalds Happy Meal?

654 replies

coolbeans · 18/12/2008 10:06

I know it's not the end of the world and he is nearly three but I don't think it's unreasonable to expect her to ASK me, at least, before takes him out and stuffs him full of chicken nuggets and chips for lunch.

I'm not against McD's as such, but he's still really little and there's no need to take him there yet - it's not a bloody treat - as she seems to think.

I think that's what has annoyed me most. It's just food, I don't want him associating it with being a "treat" outing.

OP posts:
georgiemum · 19/12/2008 09:41

Ok, maybe beating them with something heavier than a large stick. Or feeding them dog poo.

Are we supposed to hit the kids then?

Anna8888 · 19/12/2008 09:43

I don't think anyone should hit children .

But it is interesting to read what people's perception of what standard accepted childcare practice might be in any given culture.

georgiemum · 19/12/2008 09:46

I wouldn't hit mine either. I got a few spanks in my time but it was always when my sister did something, not me! Oh the injustice!

JaneLumley · 19/12/2008 10:40

DS is now 14 and has never asked for fast food.

Not sure when things might change. It's not a huge issue for me at his age - more something I felt I wanted to say to them when they were young, but of course as with all else (and in bits), they will eventually get to choose what they want to keep and what they want to throw out from what I've said to them.

The 8-year-old is still stuck with me and my views . Because they've never had fast food, they don't actually ask me for it. So it's not that I'm saying no all the time.

They've eaten fries in France, at bistros, but they don't like chip-shop fries much - too soggy. Maybe we just haven't found a good local chip shop. This to me would be quite different from McDos.

PingpingsatonSantasface · 19/12/2008 11:13

Your DS is secretly eating macdonalds and eating crap at school.
So they never have takeaway pizza or indian nothing seriously what do you feed your children.

Anna8888 · 19/12/2008 11:16

I know masses of children and adults (all ages) who have barely ever eaten fast food or a takeaway . It is actually quite normal on this planet to eat practically nothing but home-made, home-cooked food.

needmorecoffee · 19/12/2008 11:23

mine have never eaten fast food but thats only lack of opportunity rather than any strict views.
We do have a takeaway once a month if there's money left.
I imagine when the boys gte a job they will be getting pizza or something. Once in a while is no big deal.
We did have a friend who's kids weren't allowed sugar. guess what they did when out of sight of mum!

JaneLumley · 19/12/2008 11:24

Sorry - impossible to say this without sounding smug, but Anna is right; I know lots of families like ours. My ds and dd both eat food I cook myself. No crisps, sweets or shop-bought biscuits.

If ds eats at Mcdos in secret, I think he must also be in the armed robbery business as he doesn't have much pocket money.

When we eat out - not very often - it tends to be what I'd call a real restaurant.

Why do you buy takeaways, Pingping? I always feel I can't afford them. Say £25 quid for enough chinese or curry for us all, and then it's all gone, whereas if I buy two chickens I can get 3-4 meals out of them. Pizza is cheapter, but I can still make one much more cheaply myself.

piscesmoon · 19/12/2008 11:29

Unless you keep your 14 yr old with you at all times I don't see how she can have been out and about with friends and not had junk food.Mine have come across it at parties. Bowling parties=fast food,
swimming parties=fast food,
ice skating parties=fast food,
sleepover parties often include sending out for a pizza.
Just going out to tea with someone can mean junk food!

Anna8888 · 19/12/2008 11:30

At my DD's school there is an on site kitchen and all the food is prepared fresh, by employees of the school (costs a fortune, but there you go - good fresh food is expensive).

We eat freshly prepared food at home and we go to restaurants - but, like JaneLumley, they are "proper" restaurants with freshly prepared food.

Lots of families I know live like this.

needmorecoffee · 19/12/2008 11:31

home cooked biscuits are expensive and take time!
Our diets have gone downhill since dd was born 4 years ago. I used to be all organic and healthy homecooked food. Some I'm pleased if anything goes into the teenagers mouths! As for dd, I am trying by cooking own food and blending it rather than giving her the yucky formula stuff. But even thats tough cos the formula is free.
A £20 takeaway feeds me and dh for 3 days! the boys don't eat it cos they don't like it.

FioFio · 19/12/2008 11:32

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn

Anna8888 · 19/12/2008 11:32

The DSSs (11, 13) sometimes eat fast food. But it isn't a big part of their lives at all. They actually like proper food - DSS1 has been asking for ages whether he couldn't drop the school canteen and go home for lunch and make himself something he likes better. He is going to do this from next term.

JaneLumley · 19/12/2008 11:33

I don't think ds has ever been to a party catered by McDonalds or KFC or Pizza Hut - he'd have said so.

I didn't say he'd never eaten junk, only that he's never eaten fast food.

He doesn't like most crisps and things like that and tends not to eat them.

This makes us sound snooty, I know, but though he's been to all those kinds of parties, most of the mothers would generally see things as I do.

Anna8888 · 19/12/2008 11:34

FioFio - not a competition, just let's be clear that, contrary to what some posters claim, eating fast food and takeaways regularly is not the lot of every child on the planet. Thank goodness.

Tortington · 19/12/2008 11:35

yes fio - its a competition. there are certain people who are bloody perfect clearly.

georgimama · 19/12/2008 11:46

I don't know why you are so het up on this subject, Anna, you are a SAHM aren't you? So you wouldn't pay someone else to look after your child anyway?

Anna8888 · 19/12/2008 11:47

I work part-time - (university) term-time only so I don't use much childcare. But I do use it from time to time. And the DSSs have always had a full-time nanny (paid for by DP).

bamboostalks · 19/12/2008 11:54

JaneLumley "Most of the mothers would generally see things as I do", Wow! what a terrific bunch you sound, maybe you can your own "perfect mums" section on here. For parents of teens who never eat junk food...what a long list that would be.

piscesmoon · 19/12/2008 12:06

I cook food from scratch and we have a balanced diet but I fail to see how you can manage not to have junk food occasionally when out.Places like the Bowling Alley do very popular party packages-I can't see me replying to a party invitation saying 'Tom would love to come bowling but I'm afraid he doesn't eat junk food so I will collect him early'!!
I live a few miles from a major public school. They have a sports centre that makes money from DCs parties at weekends. I used them a lot, they had a great sports hall, swimming pool and even a climbing wall and were competitively priced. Part of the package was either hot food, burger and chips, nuggets and chips etc or rolls, crisps, cakes etc. They didn't do a healthy food option.
Unless you live in an isolated bubble, hand pick your DCs friends and issue parents with pages of instructions (if they have your DC) I fail to see how they can avoid the dreaded burger and chips!

Blondeshavemorefun · 19/12/2008 12:07

anna- are you really serious

you would fire your nanny for taking them to md's?

unless you had stated no fast food, then that nanny would be sueing your arse off for unfair dismissal

as i keep saying, nannies arent mind readers, we do use our iniactaive(sp) over many and most things, but IF there is something that a mum really doesnt like, then for fucks sake tell your nanny,and we would never do it

would you object to home made chips? still fatty, junk food imo - a chip is a chip - whether mds, burger king or at home

but if you cut a potato into wedges,and put in oven with some chocken/fish etc and some veg, you have a healthy home cooked meal

Anna8888 · 19/12/2008 12:14

DP has had issues with the DSSs' nanny feeding them things he didn't agree with and, although that didn't lead to her dismissal (she's been around for a long time) it has certainly contributed to his desire for her to leave.

But, like I say, general expectations of the standards of nutrition provided by nannies are higher here in France (or in Italy) than in the UK. People are fatter in the UK, too.

FabioHasBirtdaiTiemForCaik · 19/12/2008 12:15

lol at this thread
especially Pantofino

And lol at 'Perfect mums' topic.

Do it do it do it do it do it.

ipanemagirl · 19/12/2008 12:29

I know a mum who would only ever let her children eat all vegetarian additive free organic food.

Then she'd come to school in a taxi occasionally with dd on her lap, no car seat, no safety belt.

Weird set of priorities.

I think people can over focus on food purity and can demonise junk food, obviously junk food is rubbish but occasionally having it does little harm. I think bringing children up to be food fascists is odd. Fine, have high standards and all but it's not necessary to demonise junk food or the people who eat it.

Blondeshavemorefun · 19/12/2008 12:34

"DP has had issues with the DSSs' nanny feeding them things he didn't agree with and, although that didn't lead to her dismissal (she's been around for a long time) it has certainly contributed to his desire for her to leave"

what did she feed your child?

Swipe left for the next trending thread