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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

to think 'oh well she'll cope' about DD's friend when we go out to Prezzo for a meal?

124 replies

OrmIrian · 07/04/2009 11:26

DD's is taking 4 friends to Prezzo for a meal on her birthday. She is looking forward to it. It's her favourite place to eat and still feels a little bit grown up to her. One of her friends is very fussy about food. To a very difficult extent. TBH I had forgotten about this when I arranged it. But her mum reminded DH when he met her in the street yesterday. She won't eat pizza or pasta apparently. In fact the only place we could have taken her to eat would have been MacDonalds

I am tempted to say 'sod it' and hope she can find something to eat when she gets there. All the other girls are looking forward to it. Or should I cancel? I really don't want to.

OP posts:
OrmIrian · 07/04/2009 12:55

Indeed I do. It doesn't always work on my DC but it tends to freeze other people's DC to their seats.

OP posts:
Strawbezza · 07/04/2009 13:02

YANBU. No wonder this girl is a fussy eater if her mother indulges the fussiness to the extent of only ever taking her to McDonalds.

OrmIrian · 07/04/2009 13:11

I don't think her parents are exactly adventurous food wise. But they do eat normal meals like roast chicken and veg etc. She won't

Unforunately they are all very overweight. Makes DH froth at the mouth when he sees the girl - he reckons it's child abuse I just thank our lucky stars ours aren't fussy.

OP posts:
Daffodingles2 · 07/04/2009 13:12

It could georgimama. My son is 9.5 and when there is a group of them together they all eat the same things off their plate, even though my ds will normally eat anything.
It's embarrassment I think.

MrsMagooo · 07/04/2009 13:23

YANBU.

It's your DD's birthday & if she wants to eat at Prezzo then you go ahead with that, if this friend of DDs doesn't like any of the food then she has 3 choices, stay at home, come along & eat something or come along & be hungry!

BonsoirAnna · 07/04/2009 13:25

The food problem that this girl has is not your problem but hers. If she has accepted your DD's invitation, she will have to manage (even if by managing, that means eating nothing).

wotulookinat · 07/04/2009 13:36

YANBU. If you make sure you have stuff for her at home in case she's hungry when you get home then you are being well prepared.

Dillydaydreamer · 07/04/2009 13:39

No, don't cancel. With the other girls influence I am sure she will find something to try. If not she will hardly starve and waste away. If she doesn't eat she will just have to get something when she arrives home.

Lawks · 07/04/2009 13:46

Whotook - what a shame for the little boy. And how odd about the crumpets. We have friends like that. Weirdly they eat out themselves but would never dream of taking the children to a restaurant or cafe. Your husband is right - it's a necessary skill. My 3 yr old can do it.

OrmIrian · 07/04/2009 13:47

So when mum drops her off at our house before the meal and mentions it again (which she might) what do I say?

OP posts:
BonsoirAnna · 07/04/2009 14:02

The mother is probably just mentioning it to you so that you are cool with the little girl in question not eating anything at all. So just say something along the lines of "She can eat whatever she wants or nothing - we just want to enjoy her company and ensure she has a good time."

Strawbezza · 07/04/2009 14:05

You say "Don't worry. I'm sure she'll find something she likes on the menu."

If the mum then says "I don't think she will"

You reply "Would you rather she didn't go?" and leave the decision in her hands.

OrmIrian · 07/04/2009 14:05

Maybe anna. I shall assume that is the case.

OP posts:
KimiWantsAnEasterEgg · 07/04/2009 14:20

Don't cancel, can you just un-invite the friend?

DamonBradleylovesPippi · 07/04/2009 14:35

please do not cancel it. I'm sure anna is right, she's telling you so that you are aware and do not stress. DD's friend's mum told me her dd would eat anything ion first playdate. So I cooked scrambled eggs and toast with cucumber and cherry tomatoes on the side. She did not like any of it! Wouldn;t have been easier to tell me the truth?

The company is more important than the food imo.

I've stopped worrying about other children weird eating fusiness tbh even when they come for a playdate. While I won't give them mussels or caviar I'd expect every child to eat basics such as pasta, pizza, meat (unless vegetarians), fish fingers, eggs, carrots, tomatoes etc. If they don't fine not my problem. They can eat at home.

IwishIwereonthebeach · 07/04/2009 14:56

Prezzo's do a very plain grilled chicken with ham and cheese (called sicilian chicken and plenty of other non-pizza/pasta dishes including burgers, so she'll be fine. If she doesn't want anything, thats her problem!!

SheSellsSeashellsByTheSeashore · 07/04/2009 15:02

Do they not sell chips? She can just have chips. My dd1 is fussy but if she carried on like this I would tell her to eat or not go.

YANBU.

LilRedWG · 07/04/2009 15:04

Just say, "Well, if there is absolutely nothing she likes I'll cook her x/y/z when we get back. Don't worry, I'll make sure she doesn't go hungry."

LilRedWG · 07/04/2009 15:04

All the time thinking, "Grrr - little blighter".

OrmIrian · 07/04/2009 15:06

Yes, that is the way to go. if they do chips we'll be fine. But last time we went I'm sure they had no chips but I may be wrong. They used to offer chicken nuggets and chips on the children's menu but that has gone now.

I shall sooth the mother appropriately. Or even hide and send DH to deal with her

OP posts:
LilRedWG · 07/04/2009 15:09

You are okay - thy do fries.

OrmIrian · 07/04/2009 15:11

Aha! Now why didn't I think of that?

OK, fries, coke and ice-cream it is Oh well rather her than me (or my DC)

OP posts:
Walkingwiththighosaurs · 07/04/2009 15:14

I'm really hungry now reading this .

Don't cancel, it will do the little girl good to see other DC eating properly. It may even encourage her to try something. If all else fails like everyone else has said on here you can always give her chips. Half the reason some children don't eat foods is because they are allowed to get away with it.

squilly · 07/04/2009 15:21

YANBU...I haven't read the whole thread (I usually do, but I'm a bit short of time).

My dd is now 8 and a very fussy eater. I try really hard to get her to eat other stuff and I know how it is when they won't eat something on the menu of a standard restaurant. Mine will eat pasta but not pizza and she'll eat chips, so she's ok in most places, but I still feel for the fact that she'll struggle with invites like yours in years to come and am constantly pushing her to try new things in an attempt to avoid this.

If it was my child that had been invited and I knew how fussy she was I'd either say no, which is what my dd would probably choose, or I'd say you can go, I'll feed you beforehand and you can just have some pud at the end. I'd tell her to be on best behaviour during the meal and I'd explain this to the parents. I'd also be very, very apologetic for my daughter's lack of flexibility.

I feel for you both and some of the responses on here just reaffirm to me the way my own dd is viewed. It's a tough issue, much tougher than some parents think.

We've bullied, cajoled, encouraged, urged, bribed and downright deprived dd of other foods. Nothing works. Now, we relax and just make sure that something new goes on the plate every night. Most days I make her take a taste at least a little. Some days I don't push her.

Some parents will always judge the parents of a child like this. Please don't join in the mom bashing. Just find a way around it that doesn't affect your child's day or yours. There will be a solution. Have a great day.

moondog · 07/04/2009 15:22

Jesus Christ.
Ican't believe you [or the mother] have wasted a nanosecond fretting over this.
I've just driven home having had the car windows tapped and shaken by countless half starved children. [Bangladesh]

A little perspective please.
If she won't eat-tough shit. She should stay home or have the manners to keep quiet.

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