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

[coolbeans]

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.

Lol Anna, tis so true....

Right, I really am off.

Blueshoes, I come from Zimbabwe, where apparently cholera isn't spread by unsafe drinking water, it doesn't actually even exist!

Anna in your post about smarties you indicated that the teacher used the occasional as a reward, personally I would have a much bigger issue with a teacher using food as a "reward" than a nanny taking a child for a actually meal at McDs occasionally. The food as reward system is much more likely to cause food issues for the child than a once in the blue moon McDs.

un repas content

le menu heureux

Anna: "At least the cultural perception of what is normal and healthy food is a bit closer to scientific reality in France and Italy than in the UK..."

But if French schools/carer guidelines do not deem bread healthy enough to feed young children, why do you give pizza/bread to your dd?

Apart from the 2 extremes, what is the scientific reality of normal and healthy food? Probably cultural as well.

I (and all the other parents I know) would much rather the teacher keep the peace in a classroom of 30 4 year olds with the occasional Smartie than with punishment. I have no problems with this teacher at all; I disliked last year's teacher who punished children (under 3 years old) by putting them in the corner in order to keep the peace.

My daughter eats chocolate quite often (chocolate is standard breakfast food here in France) and I don't have any problems with it. I eat chocolate and I don't have any problems with it (and my teeth are perfectly healthy and I am slim).

alors !

la carte joyeuse

hey alors my mom was from there too am so depressed today from the news. give us a shout look at profile.

blueshoes - you are confusing issues.

What I do with my child (and what any parent does with his/her child) is my own business and my own judgement. What a childcare setting does with a child is guided/regulated, and quite rightly, so that parents have a good idea of what is going on when children are outside their supervision.

If children are fed according to the current understanding of what constitues good nutrition when outside their parents' control, and parents are confident of that, then parents can use their own freedom and judgement to do whatever they wish with their children, fully confident that any unhealthy snacks their children are getting are the only ones.

Anyway, here in Paris we have proper Italian pizza, not just fast food crappy pizza. And that's what I give my DD and DSSs.

I agree a policy of fear to keep 4 year olds in line is not a good one but there are other rewards you can use other than food.

It's not the fact you give the chocolate, that's your choice, it's the fact you get so sniffy over other peoples choice of an occasional McD meal when chocolate has little nutritional value for breakfast.

So its ok to hit them and feed them smarties and chocolate, as long as your in France

But us English are cruel child abusers because we may allow the occasional happy meal

I like Big Macs and my skin is perfect and i am a size zero (no i'm no Victoria Beckham )

Personally, I think it is wrong to hit children (even though it is still quite common to see children being hit even in public here); I loathe fast food for a million reasons; and I think chocolate is fine in moderation and there is nothing wrong with occasionally using it as a reward.

And there's nothing wrong with the occasional McDonalds either.

However I am thinking about moving to France more and more, I can have chocolate for breakfast and my DH won't be able to threaten to beat me if I don't make him cakes for his office AND McD sells beer. What's not to like about a country like that?

anna, I am clear about the issues, thank you. I do not disagree that childcare/school settings have to follow stricter guidelines than at home. UK schools do have healthy eating guidelines for their school lunches - though probably patchy enforcement.

My post to you before this was responding to a different point.

LOL.
Anna, be careful with that occasional stuff.

I blame the woman who didn't let her nanny know her anti-Mcdonald's stance tbh.

Punishing someone for not knowing what you haven't told them is wanky.

And the French are all mad and smell of garlic.

Teachers should stand in the corner and hand out smack to the kkids imo.

Whilst it would be right for schools/nurseries have to have a stricter guidelines about day-to-day food, I am not averse to children getting special treats every now and then, without the parents being consulted.

Food is joy, isn't it?

Agree with Fabio

Actually, I disagree there, blueshoes.

My DSSs, for example, spend a lot of time with adults other than their parents. All those other adults think that they are entitled to give the DSSs "occasional" treats (of all natures) without consulting their parents. The trouble is, those "occasional" treats from multiple parties add up to a lot of treats.

I don't think any adult in loco parentis should give treats without consulting parents. Thank goodness, my mother always consults me as a matter of course.