feeding babies junk food

ajbeans

Well, I never bought baby food for my children. They ate people food, just mashed up and without seasonings. So not buying baby food isn't a bad thing in and of itself.

But I would be bothered to see someone feeding their baby junk food all the time. However, it's really not your place to say anything. I understand why you want to, and believe me, I know it would be hard for me to hold my tongue in that situation, but they're not likely to change anything just because you said something, and it can only cause tension. If you have children, maybe you can comment on what you used to feed your kids, or point out some research that says babies need more whole foods rather than processed things, but other than that, you're just going to have to let it go.

SabrinaJL

i as well, am not a parent, so often are my opinions mocked. HOWEVER, a child follows examples, and if the example is an apple vs. a candy bar and the child sees the parent eating a candy bar, 9 times out of 10 they will go with whatever the parent is eating. so for a parent to say that someone without a child doesnt have merit to offer constructive criticism is absurd.

Agreed. I did home daycare and the quickest way to get my kids to eat something different was to eat it myself first. If I was having something they weren't, they wanted to try it too. That's how things like roasted soy nuts and California rolls ended up on my menu.

However, I think most people aren't open to criticism about their parenting be it from another parent or a non-parent. My sister-in-law stopped bringing my nephew around for a while just because a comment my mom and I made to her about not making her son sit in his chair to eat. I imagine if we commented on the way she feeds him, which is atrocious, we'd never see the kid again. It is hard though to sit there and watch her give him powdered sugar donuts for breakfast and fruit gummies as a snack an hour later. The kid lives off Chef Boyardee, fast food and sugar. It sucks, but there's not a damn thing we can do about it.

rthompson81

There's probably nothing you can do about it and it is probably best left alone. But if you feel compelled to (and I understand why you might be), one approach might be to buy a book such as "The CSIRO Wellbeing Plan for Kids" (http://www.csiro.au/science/WellbeingForKids.html) as a gift. Don't refer to the problem directly when you give it. If you have kids, say that you found it full of useful advice yourself, so you thought she might like it, too. If you don't have kids, either say something that doesn't sound pointed about how you thought it looked like a good book and thought she might like it, or lie and say "I won this in a raffle and obviously I can't use it, but I thought you might like it."

Oh! Books instead of direct comments are worse in my opinion. Once, after I made a few not-so-smart life decisions, my dad gave me a book called "10 Things Women Do To Mess Up Their Lives." Not cool. I threw it away, which is probably what they will do with a book like this one, which I'm sure is a great book. These in-laws I'm sure are not dumb, they just prefer to live life this way. Nothing is going to change that except them wanting to change for themselves.

cheri03

Just to add, if you are a non parent, I would never take your advice about my kids. Before I had kids, I thought I knew everything, Guess not!
I see posts about McDonalds, kids food choices etc on here all the time, but until you parent, you really have no idea. You wait till you have an overtired and hungry child in a store. You may think you can hand them fruit but once they cross the line in to over tired land, you will be lucky if the worst thing they eat is cookies.

duckpond11

It is a difficult spot to be in - personally I would just buy them a nice healthy kids cookbook as a present. One that talks about nutrition requirements for kids. I recommend "Secrets of Feeding a Healthy Family", or "Child of Mine, feeding with Love and Good sense". Perhaps they are just ignorant. It is ok for a 6 month old to start on table food if they can do so without choking, but it should be low sodium and healthy.

HappyLuna

Just to add, if you are a non parent, I would never take your advice about my kids. Before I had kids, I thought I knew everything, Guess not!
I see posts about McDonalds, kids food choices etc on here all the time, but until you parent, you really have no idea. You wait till you have an overtired and hungry child in a store. You may think you can hand them fruit but once they cross the line in to over tired land, you will be lucky if the worst thing they eat is cookies.

THIS!

I was exactly the person you descibed when I didn't have kids. Now, I know you do your best. Sometimes that involves junk food. Call social services if you must! I weaned by son at 4 months too..I should be locked up :laugh: The world of parenting, it is b1tching, back stabbing and danm right ugly at times. Until you are there you will never understand. And you learn to nod and agree at everything...but generally do what you think is best.

I am very lucky my son loves fruit and vegetables and eats what is put in front of him. However, children can refuse food...what do you do when they won't eat the healthy meal packed with veggies you put in front of them...clearly you let them starve

I have seen friends do everything right, eat fruit in front of their children ect and they just refuse! My friends son just went through the 'I will only eat chocolate, sweets and chicken dippers' phase. Before he would eat anything! Slowly he is coming out of it, but judging this mother would be wrong! Because she is doing her best. Children have their own personalities and there is nothing you can do about it. Some of the comments here from peeople who don't have kids are worrying. Supermum, let me tell you she doesn't exsist. You will never raise you kids mistake free, away from junk and without being judged yourself. So think about it...would you want to be judged, critised at every parenting decsion you made?

Breast or bottle?
If bottle, which formula?
Co-sleep or not?
Is their room too cold? Or they need a vest on tonight? Are they too hot? What if the temp drops loads in the night?!
Cloth or nappies?
Gina Ford or Baby Whisperer or Attachment Parenting?
Cry it out or No cry sleep solution?
Routine or Baby led?
Slings or Buggy or Both?
Weaning?!
Baby led weaning or puree foods?
Dummy's do they damage children?!
Sleeping Bag or covers?

All easy decisions I'm sure! But you will be judged on every single one! Too the point where some mothers can have you in tears and tell you, 'your damaging your child'. P1ss off! If that's the case then we all damage our children some how. Its deciding which way its best to do it

Going slightly off track, but I think its best to think of the whole picture. Parenting can be hard enough with being judged by people who have children, let alone those who don't! Keep an open mind. Its ok to think 'I will/will not do this with my children', but until you are their and never know.

hbrekkaas

I agree what 6 month old babies don't need fast food, pizza and cake all the time. I have 3 kids, we have never bought baby food. Our oldest ate homemade baby food, our younger two turned their noses up and ate what we were eating by 8 months old. Not mashed, just in little peices. They get treats, if we want Mcdonalds, everyone has McDonalds. 90% of the time, they are eating something I made from scratch. They get dessert every night, a cookie, brownie, cake etc. that I baked.

That said, its none of your business. You are not a parent, you do not get to tell someone else how to parent. Even when you are a parent, its still not your right to tell someone how to raise their baby. Asking a question like "I didn't realize babies that young could have pizza" would probably be ok, saying "You're doing it wrong" is not. Its really not your fight to fight though. Its your husbands family, not yours, and its up to him to say something if he feels something needs to be said.

My SIL used to give me "advice" when my first born was little, and it would piss me off. She didn't have kids and had no right teling me what to do. Now she does have kids, and would never ever try and give me advice again. She realized pretty quickly how irritating it is to have someone critique your parenting skills.

There are going to be mistakes when you are a parent. There always are. If the baby is happy and healthy, leave it be.

ninerbuff

my sister in law feeds her six month old daughter pizza and cake (i wish i was joking) HOW DO I EXPRESS THIS CONCERN WITHOUT OVERSTEPPING MY BOUNDARIES?

his entire family watches her eat brownies and pizza while smiling and laughing about how cute it is
meanwhile im just horrified! itd be different if it was just for really special occasions (i suppose) but its very often. i honestly dont think she even buys her baby food because whenever i see them eating a meal, she just eats what the adults eat but mashed up into bits. this includes mac and cheese, chicken nuggets, pizza bites, burritos, pudding packs, all kinds of fast food and just tons of things that even adults should only have in moderation. NEVER veggies or fruits!

should i just not say anything? i dont want them to dislike me or be rude because they are newly acquired in-laws but it seriously shocks me to see!


EDIT: ive politely talked to my husband about it before and while he completely agrees that a baby should never be fed food like that, he also is afraid to say anything for fear that he would offend them. so its not me vs him its pretty much us vs his family

Ain't your kid. You can mention it, but telling people they are doing wrong will usually make them reject your advice. The sad thing is fat kids become fat adults. And it's not the kids fault.

tladame

I understand not wanting to offend them. So, instead of saying something that they might take offense to, maybe you can casually suggest something to them. Like, "Hey, I saw this great website that has all these recipes for homemade baby food." Maybe they will show an interest.

I made all my daughter's baby food in the blender, froze it in ice cube trays, and popped one out when it was time to eat. It was so easy, and they were healthy foods. I didn't give her cake until her 1st birthday, and since then, I only give her sweets every once in awhile (an M&M is a good potty training motivator!). You don't have to completely eliminate goodies, but let kids know they are an occasional treat. Nothing wrong with that. Luckily my 2-year-old loves fruit, so that's usually what she asks for when she wants a treat (usually strawberries, grapes, or raisins).

Good luck, and I hope for the baby's sake they will start feeding her better. Poor little thing.

calibri

I completely agree with that as when I was younger I had a friend who's parents never aloud any junk food ever in their house and wheb she got old enough to get pocket money all she ever bought was junk. I remember her mum saying to her "how cone your so fat when we don't let you eat junk?"

Man, I feel like I'm a jerk, but even I think that's harsh.