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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

to think that my 6yo DD shouldn't be eating an 8oz steak

111 replies

bratnav · 03/05/2010 20:09

DDs came back from a weekend at their fathers today. DD2 mentioned that they had been out to lunch yesterday with Daddy, aunty and cousin and she had a steak.

exH then stated proudly that he had ordered adult meals as it was 2for1 (only on adult meals) and both DDs had finished the plateful DD1 had a carvery and DD2 had an 8oz steak with peas and chips I understand that it was a good deal, but couldn't he have taken the excess food from their plates before they started eating?

On what planet is it ok for a parent to let 6 and 7yos overeat to this degree? I admit it is an ongoing issue between us, but FGS that is ridiculous isn't it?

OP posts:
SirBoobAlot · 03/05/2010 20:11

Umm... I don't get the problem? They cleared their plates so they were obviously hungry.

lal123 · 03/05/2010 20:12

not if its only once in a while? It won't kill her

withorwithoutyou · 03/05/2010 20:12

Unless your daughters are overweight I can't really see the problem either.

MrsWobbleTheWaitress · 03/05/2010 20:13

I have no idea what is wrong with what you've just described! Surely it's only a problem if they eat that much every single day! Don't you ever overeat on special occassions?

And steak is bloody good for you!

totalmadness · 03/05/2010 20:13

I don't really thing that is over eating, so yes yabu

GypsyMoth · 03/05/2010 20:13

You're inventing a problem for the sake of it!!

Yabu

worldgonemad72 · 03/05/2010 20:14

if they were hungry, whats the problem? kids at that age burn so much energy.

dizzydixies · 03/05/2010 20:14

wouldn't have a problem with it either - if someone else footing the bill

RustyBucket · 03/05/2010 20:15

Did he force into them ?

runnybottom · 03/05/2010 20:17

He fed hungry children food that they enjoyed, and clearly wanted as they ate it all? What a terrible father!

FFS.

MumNWLondon · 03/05/2010 20:18

YABU - as long as its an occasional treat - unless she's overweight and you have to really watch what she eats or if he had to force them to finish it.

My DD(6) loves steak and mixed grill and would do the same.

StrictlyKatty · 03/05/2010 20:18

They ate it.... they were clearly hungry.

I literally cannot see a problem.

differentID · 03/05/2010 20:18

They must have been hungry to be able to get through that amount of food. It isn't as if he was pinning them down and shoving the food in them. Overeating on a regular basis is not good, but seriously a one-off is not going to kill them.

Original poster
bratnav · 03/05/2010 20:18

It's just that it's an ongoing problem with exH, all his family are 'big' (not exactly a skinny minnie myself, but we try to eat healthily) and it's always like a competition to see who can eat the most. I just don't feel it's a healthy attitude to food.

OP posts:
KorkiiEffenkrakers · 03/05/2010 20:18

What is the problem? My son will eat HUGE meals sometimes then for days he'll exist on a bit of yogurt and fruit. I let him choose the amount of food he eats. On boxing day he (aged 4) ate a totally rare easily more than 8oz steak and thoroughly enjoyed it. And why not? Don't we also as adults have the occasional blow out, especially if we've gone to a restaurant?

You sound disturbingly controlling IMO.

MadamDeathstare · 03/05/2010 20:18

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

bellavita · 03/05/2010 20:21

They were hungry, they ate it. No problem.

It isn't like they were eating a load of processed food is it?

KorkiiEffenkrakers · 03/05/2010 20:23

You will end up giving your girls food disorders if you are so obsessed with the amount they eat.

FWIW my parents were really controlling about the amount/type of food I ate as a child. I am a size 18 and am going to an eating disorders clinic next year.

My son, who has always been able to choose what he wants (within reason) will cheerfully go to a cafe and choose an apple as a snack. 'Unhealthy' food is not a treat to him as he sees it as just another choice he can make.

When I was his age I would have stabbed my grandmother for a mars bar.

Please be really careful or you will end up screwing up your DDs' relationship with food for life.

MadamDeathstare · 03/05/2010 20:25

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

islandofsodor · 03/05/2010 20:25

At manyplaces the meaks on the two for one menu are smaller than on the regular menu anyway, only just bogger than a child sized.

Same with lunch menus.

olderandwider · 03/05/2010 20:27

Is this an ongoing problem then? If they only eat a few meals with ex it won't matter, but I guess eating large meals several times a week could spell trouble for their weight. Portion sizes for 6 year olds should be much smaller imo.

OhExpletive · 03/05/2010 20:29

YABU, and also mad. Many parents would be delighted to have children who ate 'proper' food so willingly. So they had a treat? Big deal. This sounds a lot more like someone finding fault with an ex than a real problem with the food.

SarfEasticated · 03/05/2010 20:29

I used to eat adult sized portions of roast dinner all the time when I was a child at my Nan's house, and then two portions of syrup sponge

minkulus · 03/05/2010 20:30

I actually disagree with the majority of posters here - if the girls were 'encouraged' to eat an adult meal because it was the cheap option then I think that says more about the exH than to OP IMHO. although there may well be other issues stemming from it being an access visit etc, i would be quite cross if someone did this to my dds.
I don't think even the hungriest child shoul be encouraged to eat adult meals- they dont need all that food in one go.

Bonsoir · 03/05/2010 20:30

bratnav - you are quite right to be worried if your exH's family are all large. My DP's family are all large because they overeat and cannot break the habit.

I don't have a problem with children overeating from time to time (at a wedding or at Christmas) - such is life. But they shouldn't be overeating systematically when with a parent or GP, and getting in the habit of eating adult sized portions in restaurants is very noxious.