Meet the Other Phone. A phone that grows with your child.

Meet the Other Phone.
A phone that grows with your child.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Style and beauty

Looking for style advice? Chat all about it here. For the latest discounts on fashion and beauty, sign up for Mumsnet Moneysaver emails.

Well my "style" seems to be rare... or those of you like me are too shy to say it?

329 replies

velcrobott · 21/03/2005 19:26

In the past few weeks I have posted on topics such as food, Mc Donald and TV....
Now Am I the only one who always cooks from fresh for her kids (because they enjoy the quality of the food and I like cooking), does not go to McD (they wouldn't like it as there is no way I am buying the "gift") and who thinks they have a far better time playing then watching tele.

I was quite surprised to read that several people (and I am sure thousands more) feel it's a treat to feed your kids occasional junk food... what has our society come to??? For those who have the desire, time and interest to not feed junk, allow much/any tele... is it normal that we are considered the odd ones out, the weird ones? It use to be like this (generations ago), it was the norm... now we're called all sorts of things but made to feel that we are too puritanical.

I am sure some of you are going to take this as a controversial thread, it isn't meant like that I want to know if anyone feels like this too.... I feel very lonely on Mumsnet with my more "puritanic" stance

OP posts:
nailpolish · 22/03/2005 09:19

hulababy i totally agree with you.

i HATE smug parents. get it enough at toddlers group, thanks very much

"my child never gets sweets"

thats fine but in a few years time when they have their own dinner money etc they will buy it themselves im sorry but has it not been proven so?

just because i take dd to mcd's for a treat doesnt mean she is worse off that some perfect parents perfect child.

am getting too wound up now,

SleepyJess · 22/03/2005 09:20

Well said again Hulababy. It's so easy to come on here.. and then go away feeling as if you are 'failing' when you are in fact doing your very best!

nailpolish · 22/03/2005 09:21

enid, you never sit down to a meal with husband and children?

and out of interest, where do you go for a meal out? how are you sure its 100% fresh and home made that day?

do your children only drink water? is it bottled water?

Hulababy · 22/03/2005 09:21

nailpolish - don't let it wind you up. At least by allowing the odd naughty treat/activity/whatever know at least the chances of your children disappointing you by possibly rebelling against it all and go along with their peers as a teen is less likely.

JoolsToo · 22/03/2005 09:22

bet you get through a heck of lot of cottonwool

Hulababy · 22/03/2005 09:24

SleepyJess - I ahve given up with that feeling!!! I have done so many of the wrong things - gave up breast feeding, bottle fed, used a dummy, allowed my child to be on her feet from being tiny, not having her in a totally flat pushchair at birth, sent her to nursery at 4 months, worked, let her watch TV, given into the Disney attractim, have junk food, have non organic, have juice, co-slept, did controlled crying..............I could go on forever But you know what? I have the mst beautiful, happy, healthy and sociable little girl. People have stopped me in the street in town and in restaurants to comment on my DD. So, guess what? I no longer care!

expatinscotland · 22/03/2005 09:24

Here, here, nailpolish! Smugness is my no. 1 pet peeve. When you're smug, it's impossible to learn new things or entertain new ideas. It's stiffling for the soul.

SleepyJess · 22/03/2005 09:24

I don't buy sweets either.. and their teeth are very healthy and the denist has commented.. even DS1 (age12 and never had a filling) who has a lot of sugar as his diet requires it!.. but they DO have sweets! They get them on special occasions, from parties and occaisonally from school on birthdays. I am not going to prevent that.. I think it would be a great shame to do so. Tooth brushing it encouraged as soon as poss afterwards, where possible. Bah to the smug puritans.. the majority of us really are the best we can...and whatever happened to "everything in moderation". I think there is a lot of wisdom in this old saying!

Enid · 22/03/2005 09:25

hey woah I am not smug, I secretly take the kids to MacD's behind husbands back.

we have breakfast all together, we eat together at weekends and often eat out - usually in cafes or the local pub, or wagamamas in bristol, or Nandos (the only fast food place dh will go to).

and yes, we don't have any juice or squash in the house except when kids come for tea.

SleepyJess · 22/03/2005 09:25

doing the best we can.. sorry...

Hulababy · 22/03/2005 09:25

DD doesn't actually have sweets. She doesn't like them yet (I know this will change). It's fab - I love proper sweeties - so I get them all after a party

JoolsToo · 22/03/2005 09:26

"But you know what? I have the mst beautiful, happy, healthy and sociable little girl. People have stopped me in the street in town and in restaurants to comment on my DD. So, guess what? I no longer care! "

can I use this quote on the next breast - v bottle thread?

SleepyJess · 22/03/2005 09:26

Hulababy, not all of those things on your list can possibly be construed as the wrong things! But good for you..and DD... 'sod 'em all'!

MistressMary · 22/03/2005 09:27

Everything in moderation is true enough.
My Gran followed this saying - she lived til she was 101, BTW.

Hulababy · 22/03/2005 09:27

JoolsToo - I have already probably done it!

JoolsToo · 22/03/2005 09:29

I've probably used something similar but it always seems to fall on deaf ears

Bozza · 22/03/2005 09:30

But hula aren't they going to rebel anyway At least give them something to rebel against! Anyway where's this teenager bit? DS is 4 and I took him to Meadowhall yesterday where he had a minor rebellion. Went to a cafe and bought a piece of chocolate cake (huge sticky piece) to share between him, me and DD while DD had her milk. But then he was "a bit hungry" and wanted a "spotty biscuit"* 10 mins later. He did a bit of "kevin the teenager" with his shoulders and arms and then managed to make himself cry (because his tummy was rumbling). DD was also crying and it was basically awful.

*spotty biscuit = a Millie's cookie with smarties on. Dh buys them for him but I never do.

Hulababy · 22/03/2005 09:31

LOL Bozza; DD is just nearing the threenage years.

JoolsToo · 22/03/2005 09:31

in the good old days of no convenience food and healthy eating - my dad used to eat dripping butties

Hulababy · 22/03/2005 09:32

Children often got sugar sandwiches too - yuk!

SleepyJess · 22/03/2005 09:32

My dad used to eat dripping butties when I was a child.. and sometimes I was 'allowed' one too! Ewwwww! Pure, unadulterated cholesterol!!!

SleepyJess · 22/03/2005 09:33

And bread soaked in condensed milk! This was a real party treat apparently!

Mud · 22/03/2005 09:33

and vegetables were over-cooked so all the nutrients would have seeped out

ahh the good ol' days

MistressMary · 22/03/2005 09:40

yep sugar sandwiches, jam and bread or chees and bread every night.
Dripping veg cooked til kingdom come.
Smoked, drank, but also did more manual work too.
No hoovers, dishwashers,etc....

flamesparrow · 22/03/2005 09:41

I'm a terrible woman, and really don't care!!!

My baby has MacDonalds - I have MacDonalds [bigger shock and some horror too]

My child watches oodles of TV , and sometimes it is even grown up TV!!! [gasp]

She will be fed fish fingers and chicken dippers.

She knows the taste of sweets.

Also....

She knows how to eat at a table and behave at a restaurant (be it a restaurant with knives and forks, or MacDonalds)

She can make her own fun with a small lump of plastic from a Happy Meal, instead of big expensive educational toys.

She can sign, tell me what various animals are and what how you play different instruments thanks to Something Special, Tweenies, Fimbles, and Shrek!

She will eat anything she is given from fresh homecooked roasts and salads, to the convenience foods, and not turn up her nose because it isn't good enough for her.

She also knows the taste of fruit, and will ask for fruit more than the sweets.


She is young, but has already learnt about balance, and about choice. 

She will be raised to know that people's choices are just that, their own choices, and that she shouldn't feel superior just because she thinks her choices are the "the right ones".
Swipe left for the next trending thread