# These kids are three and four years old..



## nextcommercial (Nov 8, 2005)

I have six daycare kids.

Out of six kids, only TWO have eaten watermelon, and strawberries.

Only one has eaten Kiwi, and none of them have ever seen black berries or rasberries.

They all will eat raw baby carrots with ranch dressing. But, that is THE ONLY vegetable they will eat. Their parents consider tater tots a vegetable.

SO, guess what we are eating the rest of the season??? Watermelon, rasberries, strawberries and kiwi.

I don't honestly know why this bugs me so much, but it really does. The only fruit most of these kids eat is flavored applesauce in a little plastic container with a picture of Blues Clues. They NEVER eat vegetables at home. They look at me like Ive lost my mind if I give them a vegetable that isn't swimming in ranch dip. I even had one mom bring me a giant jug of Kraft Ranch and she told me "DD said you didn't have any ranch dressing for her chicken". So she donated a Costco size bottle to me. Which was extremely nice, and we use it. But, I don't want to make them think the only way to eat healthy food is to drown it in ranch dip.

I guess I'm just venting.


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## nataliachick7 (Apr 3, 2007)

thats really sad, and i dont comprehend it at all. My Ds's first foods were fruits and veggies at 9 months old.


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## StephandOwen (Jun 22, 2004)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *nataliachick7* 
My Ds's first foods were fruits and veggies at 9 months old.

So were my ds's. At 18 months old his favorite food was homemade (by Grandpa) gazpacho. At 4 1/2 years the only veggie he eats is raw baby carrots. He won't touch kiwi, raspberries (used to LOVE them!), blackberries, blueberries, any melon other than watermelon, pears, peaches, any grapes other than green grapes, pineapple, and the list goes on and on and on. Does that mean I'm an evil mother who never exposes her ds to fresh fruits and veggies? Far from it! Don't ASSume that just because a kid doesn't eat these foods, he/she isn't exposed to them at home. My ds has an extremely hard time with foods but he's making amazing progress with the help of his wonderful therapist. My ds is exposed to lots of fresh fruits and veggies. And, with a lot of hard work on his part, sometimes he will allow it on his plate. Very rarely will he touch it (which is amazing progress for him to be able to touch an "unsafe" food!).

And if my son were to eat ranch dip with his chicken I would be doing cartwheels with excitement. Of course, if he ate chicken period I would be amazed. He can eat it smothered in ranch dip, cheese, BBQ sauce, hell- even chocolate. I don't care as long as he eats it (in case you haven't guessed- ds doesn't eat any meat/fish/beans either).


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## texmati (Oct 19, 2004)

: just saw this on the front page. I don't think I've ever eaten blackberries or rasberries (esp at home) and I'm 26. We eat a lot of fruits and veggies, but not those particular ones. Aren't they expenseive?

Have they had oranges and apples (staple fruits)?


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## alegna (Jan 14, 2003)

Well.... dd has eaten watermelon. Eaten strawberries once upon a time... SEEN raspberries, blackberries, blue berries, kiwi and been offered them...

If you offered any to her today chances are she'd turn them down. But she wouldn't eat the carrot sticks and ranch either









People do tend to get in a mind-set of "kid food" and "not kid food"

But kids are sometimes weird eaters too.

-Angela


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## nextcommercial (Nov 8, 2005)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *StephandOwen* 
So were my ds's. At 18 months old his favorite food was homemade (by Grandpa) gazpacho. At 4 1/2 years the only veggie he eats is raw baby carrots. He won't touch kiwi, raspberries (used to LOVE them!), blackberries, blueberries, any melon other than watermelon, pears, peaches, any grapes other than green grapes, pineapple, and the list goes on and on and on. Does that mean I'm an evil mother who never exposes her ds to fresh fruits and veggies? Far from it! Don't ASSume that just because a kid doesn't eat these foods, he/she isn't exposed to them at home. My ds has an extremely hard time with foods but he's making amazing progress with the help of his wonderful therapist. My ds is exposed to lots of fresh fruits and veggies. And, with a lot of hard work on his part, sometimes he will allow it on his plate. Very rarely will he touch it (which is amazing progress for him to be able to touch an "unsafe" food!).

And if my son were to eat ranch dip with his chicken I would be doing cartwheels with excitement. Of course, if he ate chicken period I would be amazed. He can eat it smothered in ranch dip, cheese, BBQ sauce, hell- even chocolate. I don't care as long as he eats it (in case you haven't guessed- ds doesn't eat any meat/fish/beans either).

But, none of these kids have any issues with food, or need therapy. They eat junk food just fine. Just nothing healthy. No. Sadly, its the way things are these days. It seems like I see so many kids who are never offered healthy foods.

Some of my kids have a little pickyness. Some hate certain foods. I always take that into consideration. If I serve eggs to *S*, she will gag on them, so eggs never even touch her plate. Some only like P-nut butter, some only like Jelly. Some hate spaghetti sauce, but love butter on their noodles.

But, this is different. This is just that they have never even offered fresh fruits to their kids. My pickiest kid's mom even said "Oh, Ive never even bought those, how did he do?".


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## PumpkinSeeds (Dec 19, 2001)

My kids won't eat any kind of berries, cherries, kiwi, oranges or any other kind of acidic or tart tasting fruit.

Oh and my older son has *never* eaten a banana and he's almost 7.


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## nextcommercial (Nov 8, 2005)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *aquarian* 







: just saw this on the front page. I don't think I've ever eaten blackberries or rasberries (esp at home) and I'm 26. We eat a lot of fruits and veggies, but not those particular ones. Aren't they expenseive?

Have they had oranges and apples (staple fruits)?

Most of them like apples. I forgot about those. They don't care much for bananas though. Oranges are on every tree in every back yard here, yet they HATE oranges.

To me, having it offered, and hating it are different than never even being exposed to healthy foods in four years of life. Isn't that what parents do? They offer new foods and get excited about it? That way, they might like it if it's pretty, and YOU like it, then maybe it's really good.

(btw, if you have a costco nearby, they are pretty inexpensive there right now. Kiwi is always pretty cheap here.)


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## GuavaGirl (May 6, 2008)

Isn't that crazy!? My husband grew up kinda like those kids. When we met in college, he had never eaten fresh blueberries, or fresh berries of any sort. .....along with a long list of vegetables that his parents had never fed him. They just mostly ate pasta, meat, potatoes, and burritos!


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## StephandOwen (Jun 22, 2004)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *nextcommercial* 
But, none of these kids have any issues with food, or need therapy.

How do you know that? How do you know some of these kids don't have undiagnosed sensory issues? To an outsider, my ds would look like just one heck of a picky kid. Once you dig deeper is when you figure out what the issues really are.

Quote:

If I serve eggs to *S*, she will gag on them, so eggs never even touch her plate.
That's sensory right there.

Quote:

This is just that they have never even offered fresh fruits to their kids.
And you know that about every one of those 6 kids? Or are you making an assumption? If you ask my ds "has mama ever offered you a blueberry?" he's just as likely to say no as he is to say yes (and yes, I have offered him blueberries). If you ask him "Does mama lock you in the closet all day and never feed you any food?" he's just as likely to say yes and he is to say no (and, no, I don't lock him in a closet and he has access to whatever food he wants at whatever time, more or less). You can't always trust what a 3-4 year old tells you


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## Carma (Feb 10, 2006)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *aquarian* 







: just saw this on the front page. I don't think I've ever eaten blackberries or rasberries (esp at home) and I'm 26. We eat a lot of fruits and veggies, but not those particular ones. Aren't they expenseive?

Have they had oranges and apples (staple fruits)?

That's also how it is at our place. We eat those only sometimes. My DD eats fruits (and veggies), she likes strawberry, grapes, bananas, apples, avocado, mandarin, the more regular fruits. We didn't try kiwi yet.

Carma


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## leighann79 (Aug 4, 2005)

I have a 9 year old, 6 year old and 2 year old. None like watermelon. My 6 year old will only eat apples (sometimes), oranges (usually) and baby carrots (not big carots, even if you cut them up). That's it. And that's two more things than a year ago.


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## katheek77 (Mar 13, 2007)

My daughter will go for months refusing her once-favorite foods, and decide all of a sudden to eat something she's spurned repeatedly. She used to love bananas. As in, she'd eat a whole one or more at 12 mos in one sitting. Now, she won't eat a slice to save her life. But she's downing (plain, steamed) broccoli (which she wouldn't eat for months) every day this week.

She won't eat fresh (or cooked) peas or carrots, but loves the Just Tomatoes dehydrated versions. Berries, however, are a perennial favorite...fresh, frozen, OR dried. Just don't mix them into anything.

And she loves her ranch dressing. She'll happily eat it on salad (just did today), but, she would be happiest if she could pour it on anything and everything.

I'll tell you what, though...my *husband* is the one who had never seen a lot of fruits/veggies/dishes before I met him. He had no idea what baked ziti, kiwi fruit, enchiladas, scallions (green onions), or couscous are before I met him (as in, literally had no idea what they are). He had never tried eggplant, hummus, brown rice, or lentils. His family eats a lot of the same meals over and over and over, and the only veggies around were/are onions, potatoes, broccoli, and cauliflower (w/cheese, of course). Fruits are apples and bananas. Sometimes oranges. I almost fell over, though, the first time I visited his parents' house...despite two out of three of them being type I diabetic, they have an entire cupboard (as in, four shelves) of chips, candy, chocolate and cookies. And I'd come with specially baked sugar-free cookies from a diabetic cookbook,







:. If he'd married a woman from a similar family, yeah, I can see how any kid of theirs wouldn't have tried a variety of foods.


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## sunnmama (Jul 3, 2003)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *nextcommercial* 
I have six daycare kids.

Out of six kids, only TWO have eaten watermelon, and strawberries.

Only one has eaten Kiwi, and none of them have ever seen black berries or rasberries.
.

Berries are often very expensive. Maybe that is a factor? I don't buy berries often because of the price.


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## CarrieMF (Mar 7, 2004)

Quote:

Out of six kids, only TWO have eaten watermelon, and strawberries.

Only one has eaten Kiwi, and none of them have ever seen black berries or rasberries.
The watermelon, blackberries & raspberries I can understand.

alot of people are nervous about the black seeds in watermelon or the rinds. Blackberries & raspberries are superexpensive in stores if you're buying fresh. They're much cheaper to buy frozen. Most people do not have access to bushes to get them from there. To get 1/2pint of raspberries(about 20-30berries) it's $5 here. Blackberries are the same price so my kids have never had them. We do however have a 10 x 10 raspberry bush, 2 summers ago we had well over 100 cups of raspberries on them. We just happened to be gone during their peak & my sil had to pick them all.lol

However it does sound like these kids are not fed alot of variety or raw veggies/fruits.


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## BunnySlippers (Oct 30, 2007)

I wish we had a daycare provider forum. There are so many issues, and things to talk over when one has other peoples children full time adn gets paid fot it.

I have had this issue and more.
I have this one family *sigh*. All we drink here is water, the parents knew it before the kids came.
When they realized that the kids really only did drink water they told the kids to ask for juice and refuse water...Well I don't buy juice look in my fridge, if you want a drink we got water







.. so then parents told kids water was rusty and icky







: Like that was helpful. So i had to talk with parents about that.
When they found out the kids ate and liked salad (having never seen it before they thought it was grass) she told them it was gross. Now they don't eat salad and they gag on it when I ask them to try it.
I started blending broccoli into cheese for pizza, the kids LOVED it. I am not sure why, but when the mother was lamenting to me that couldn't get the kids to eat vegetables I told her about the broccoli trick, guess what? now the kids wont eat pizza here.

So many of these kids cannot name a fruit or vegetable to save thier life. Aside from carrots(with dip of course







), apples, bananas and oranges. They do after a few weeks with me. I LOVE fruits and veggies and I like having the kids help with prep work.

Its silly, but it bugs me too.


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## ledzepplon (Jun 28, 2004)

You might also bear in mind that sometimes families call foods by different names, or serve them in a way you're not used to. At our house, we often use "melon" to describe watermelon, cantaloupe, and honeydew. Or we say "regular eggs" for "scrambled eggs" (since dd refuses to eat them if they're called scrambled). Dd also calls sunny side up eggs "egg trampolines."

I know the diets of a lot of kids are pretty bad, but I might not take everything the kids say as the gospel truth.


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## crazyeight (Mar 29, 2006)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *StephandOwen* 
So were my ds's. At 18 months old his favorite food was homemade (by Grandpa) gazpacho. At 4 1/2 years the only veggie he eats is raw baby carrots. He won't touch kiwi, raspberries (used to LOVE them!), blackberries, blueberries, any melon other than watermelon, pears, peaches, any grapes other than green grapes, pineapple, and the list goes on and on and on. Does that mean I'm an evil mother who never exposes her ds to fresh fruits and veggies? Far from it! Don't ASSume that just because a kid doesn't eat these foods, he/she isn't exposed to them at home. My ds has an extremely hard time with foods but he's making amazing progress with the help of his wonderful therapist. My ds is exposed to lots of fresh fruits and veggies. And, with a lot of hard work on his part, sometimes he will allow it on his plate. Very rarely will he touch it (which is amazing progress for him to be able to touch an "unsafe" food!).

And if my son were to eat ranch dip with his chicken I would be doing cartwheels with excitement. Of course, if he ate chicken period I would be amazed. He can eat it smothered in ranch dip, cheese, BBQ sauce, hell- even chocolate. I don't care as long as he eats it (in case you haven't guessed- ds doesn't eat any meat/fish/beans either).

sorry to ot a little but i was wondering if you had any more info on food sensory. ds sounds ALOT like yours. he only started eating meat about 5 months ago and only chicken NUGGETS at that. he gags IF he were to try any type of protien. i can NOT figure out whats going on or if hes picky. TIA!

kids model their parents. we hardly ever eat veggies around here. i am not fond of them, dh doesn't like them. they will try it once in a while but for the most part we don't have veggies (not even potatoes that much). my kids however do love fruit. they have tried almost anything i have bought and although thats not really a wide spectrum its more than apples and oranges. and SMOOTHIES...my god they would live off of them. i can even blend in broccoli and they love it!


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## Qestia (Sep 26, 2005)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *StephandOwen* 
And you know that about every one of those 6 kids? Or are you making an assumption? If you ask my ds "has mama ever offered you a blueberry?" he's just as likely to say no as he is to say yes (and yes, I have offered him blueberries). If you ask him "Does mama lock you in the closet all day and never feed you any food?" he's just as likely to say yes and he is to say no (and, no, I don't lock him in a closet and he has access to whatever food he wants at whatever time, more or less). You can't always trust what a 3-4 year old tells you










Same here. If you ask my DS, "Does momma hit you with a belt all day" he's just as likely to say yes as no. and he asks me "what's this" all the time about everything, even things he sure knows what they are, like our dog! So if you handed him a blueberry, his very favorite food from age one on, he might just ask you what it is and you would leap to awful conclusions, when the truth is, the kid lives on fresh fruit.


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## lilyka (Nov 20, 2001)

My kids are very healthy and have healthy diets. but all the fruits you mentioned are considered luxuries around here. even watermelons are really expensive unless they are on sale by the melon. cantaloupe and water melon - we get those 2-3 times a year. fancy berries we get maybe 1 or 2 times a year. i don't always share. strawberries we get more frequently but I wouldn't call them a staple by any means. grapes, pears and oranges we get ever so often but mostly it is apples and bananas. as for veggies if they eat them raw it is with ranch and it has to be hidden valley for me. they are less picky). They will eat carrot sticks and cucumbers without but I get to hear how miserable and deprived they are.

if you are willing to serve them they will probably start eating. chances are their lack of exposure has more to do with the fact that those are some expensive, messy and high maintenance fruits than that their parents don't know anything about nutrition. also what my kids ask for, what I will pack in a lunch vs what I will feed them at home, what they will tell some people they eat and will tell people they like are all very different.


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## Phoenix~Mama (Dec 24, 2007)

Kiwi is more an exotic fruit... I have only had a very small handful of times and I'm almost 27. I do enjoy it, but it's just not something that is around here a lot.

DSD is hit or miss with what fruits she likes. She loves a lot of veggies though and often shares salads with my Mom.







She LOVES grapes, bananas, apples and oranges.

Strawberries... not so much. She has tried them on several occaisons but only liked eating them the last try a few weeks ago.

Watermelon/other melons we only typically have around in the summer... I think she has eaten that. i know we had watermelon back in Sept... can't remember if she ate or not but I think she did.

But she is always offered stuff, and I make her try at least a little before she forms an opinion on it. Sometimes she is surprised that she likes it. lol

I think it is sad that young kids are already being introduced to drowning everything in Ranch.







There are so many good ways to prepare yummy food.


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## cappuccinosmom (Dec 28, 2003)

Quote:

My kids are very healthy and have healthy diets. but all the fruits you mentioned are considered luxuries around here.
Here too. We can't grow them, and they're too expensive to buy regularly.

Those kids are lucky to have a caregiver willing to give them such abundant variety.


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## hotmamacita (Sep 25, 2002)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *nextcommercial* 
I have six daycare kids.

Out of six kids, only TWO have eaten watermelon, and strawberries.

Only one has eaten Kiwi, and none of them have ever seen black berries or rasberries.

They all will eat raw baby carrots with ranch dressing. But, that is THE ONLY vegetable they will eat. Their parents consider tater tots a vegetable.

SO, guess what we are eating the rest of the season??? Watermelon, rasberries, strawberries and kiwi.

I don't honestly know why this bugs me so much, but it really does. The only fruit most of these kids eat is flavored applesauce in a little plastic container with a picture of Blues Clues. They NEVER eat vegetables at home. They look at me like Ive lost my mind if I give them a vegetable that isn't swimming in ranch dip. I even had one mom bring me a giant jug of Kraft Ranch and she told me "DD said you didn't have any ranch dressing for her chicken". So she donated a Costco size bottle to me. Which was extremely nice, and we use it. But, I don't want to make them think the only way to eat healthy food is to drown it in ranch dip.

I guess I'm just venting.

If these are kids who are in your daycare, their parents may be busy and overwhelmed much of the time and need quick convenient foods their kids will eat. Also, dairy in the system will coat the toungue and actually distort the good taste of fruits and vegetables. They may have tried it, refused to eat it and the parents just opt for convenience.

I'd use your position to help them slow down and feed their kids nutritious kids. You are an awesome provider and really helping these families by making sure they get good foods in them.


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## onlyzombiecat (Aug 15, 2004)

I'm glad you can expose the kids to more variety. I wouldn't condemn the parents though. It really might not have occurred to them to feed those things at that age. Maybe they've never eaten them either. Maybe they don't like them and assumed their kids wouldn't either.
If the kids like them maybe the whole family will try something new.









I'm not sure I tried giving my dd watermelon, raspberries, strawberries and kiwi by age 3 or 4. She has had them by the age of 8. She doesn't like all of them. She loves grapefruit, pears, pineapple, bananas, oranges and apples.
She won't eat a lot of vegetables. I would consider it great if she ate carrots even with ranch dressing. She hates all salad dressings we've tried. She decided recently to hate onions and tomatoes although she ate them before.

My parents were not very adventurous with foods even though we didn't eat a ton of junk food. I actually like trying new things as an adult but as a child things were pretty basic. I would guess the reason was cost, trying to please 5 people with different tastes and their own reluctance to eat those foods. Sometimes I get my reluctant parents to try new foods now.









I remember when I was babysitting a relative's toddler one day and the parents swore up and down he would not eat cereal without added sugar. He ate it fine without sugar for me. It may be that he wouldn't for them or they never really tried it that way just assuming he wouldn't. I think it irritated/threatened them that he did it for me but not for them. If I were a long term caregiver I could see them working on him to say it was yucky without sugar. Some parents are defensive like that.


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## Amila (Apr 4, 2006)

That is odd, to me. But in the mainstream, it doesn't really shock me. I think it is all about offering at a very young age, but most parents don't because of the whole "kid food" thing. We never gave DD jarred baby food- not once.

My DD eats strawberries, raspberries, and blueberries almost DAILY, and has for quite a while (shes almost 2). Those in particular are important to buy organic, so it certainly is an expensive habit, lol. She has had kiwi, watermelon, cantaloupe, mango, currants, grapes, apples, oranges, pineapple...the list goes on- heck I even got a coconut the other day but she didn't realy like it. i try to expose her to as much as i can.

She is a good eater


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## Redifer (Nov 25, 2006)

I'm lucky, in that regard.. my kids will eat anything you put in front of them.. they're little vacuums.

My BIL/SIL are like this, though. 'She won't eat meat.. she doesn't like it'... 'oh, she won't touch green beans'... literally, all they have fed this kid for the past 2 years is eggs, tater tots, french fries, mac'n'cheese, hot dogs and chicken nuggets. And I do know firsthand, i've lived with them this entire time.

But, it's more just an aspect of SIL doesn't know how to cook and really doesn't know what's healthy or not, and BIL flat out refuses to eat any vegetable/fruit other than corn. they literally eat hamburgers and french fries every night. If I cook dinner, I know my niece eats it. She's had everything under the sun when i'm watching her.

We're big fruit/veggie people here. My fridge is always stocked, and from working on a farm, I always got to take home seasonal veggies/fruits. DD1 is only going on 4, and her current favorite food is smoked salmon with soft goat's milk cheese. I believe the only thing she won't eat is pickles. And if you have berries, say goodbye.. she'll eat a whole quart in one sitting.

I honestly think that it has a lot more to do with this country has next to no nutritional education in their early years.. most people truly don't know the difference between healthy food and junk.


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## nataliachick7 (Apr 3, 2007)

I dont buy the whole "but fruits are expensive" thing. When I go to mainstream grocery stores like jewel, I see people with carts full of oreos, poptarts, chips, froot loops, etc. You can buy a few packs of berries or veggies or whatever instead of all that CRAP. USA kids are brought up on JUNK. When they see fruits or veggies they dont know what to do.
My son has eaten berries, kiwi, mango, etc on an almost daily basis since 9 months old. Its not that expensive, i just dont buy all that crap food.


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## texmati (Oct 19, 2004)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *nextcommercial* 
Most of them like apples. I forgot about those. They don't care much for bananas though. Oranges are on every tree in every back yard here, yet they HATE oranges.

To me, having it offered, and hating it are different than never even being exposed to healthy foods in four years of life. Isn't that what parents do? They offer new foods and get excited about it? That way, they might like it if it's pretty, and YOU like it, then maybe it's really good.

(btw, if you have a costco nearby, they are pretty inexpensive there right now. Kiwi is always pretty cheap here.)

I will totally check costco's out when they come into season. Now that I have my own family, (just me and DH) I'm trying hard to introduce new (healthy and in season) fruits and veggies.


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## gabysmom617 (Nov 26, 2005)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *StephandOwen* 
So were my ds's. At 18 months old his favorite food was homemade (by Grandpa) gazpacho. At 4 1/2 years the only veggie he eats is raw baby carrots. He won't touch kiwi, raspberries (used to LOVE them!), blackberries, blueberries, any melon other than watermelon, pears, peaches, any grapes other than green grapes, pineapple, and the list goes on and on and on. Does that mean I'm an evil mother who never exposes her ds to fresh fruits and veggies? Far from it! Don't ASSume that just because a kid doesn't eat these foods, he/she isn't exposed to them at home. My ds has an extremely hard time with foods but he's making amazing progress with the help of his wonderful therapist. My ds is exposed to lots of fresh fruits and veggies. And, with a lot of hard work on his part, sometimes he will allow it on his plate. Very rarely will he touch it (which is amazing progress for him to be able to touch an "unsafe" food!).

And if my son were to eat ranch dip with his chicken I would be doing cartwheels with excitement. Of course, if he ate chicken period I would be amazed. He can eat it smothered in ranch dip, cheese, BBQ sauce, hell- even chocolate. I don't care as long as he eats it (in case you haven't guessed- ds doesn't eat any meat/fish/beans either).

























This is exactly, word for word, what I wanted to say. I have a child who is EXTREMELY sensory challenged when it comes to tasting foods or anything near his mouth, really. I'd be doing cartwheels if he had ANYTHING smothered in ranch. I'm considering getting him some sort of therapy to help him get into more foods...


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## texmati (Oct 19, 2004)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *nataliachick7* 
I dont buy the whole "but fruits are expensive" thing. When I go to mainstream grocery stores like jewel, I see people with carts full of oreos, poptarts, chips, froot loops, etc. You can buy a few packs of berries or veggies or whatever instead of all that CRAP. USA kids are brought up on JUNK. When they see fruits or veggies they dont know what to do.
My son has eaten berries, kiwi, mango, etc on an almost daily basis since 9 months old. Its not that expensive, i just dont buy all that crap food.

I think that this might be directed at me.

Yes, junk food is expensive. But certain types of produce are expensive at certian times of the year. Sometimes the choice is between having oranges or berries, not oranges and oreos.

My parents were new immigrants here in the early 80's. Growing up, we always ate well, but some types of food *were* luxuries. And that included some times of fruit. Even now, I don't buy grapes at the grocery store since they are so overpriced. I'd rather get more of another type of fruit. Honesty we don't buy a lot of junk food either for the same reason.


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## hippiemum21580 (Jul 14, 2007)

I can relate as I also do home daycare and am amazed at teh lack of diversity in so many of these childrens diets! The older ones will watch me cutting veggies and ask me "what's that?" about so many things like zuchinni, onions, squash, pears, etc.... It made me realize not all homes serve healthy diets and not all homes include thier children in the cooking process! It IS sad I agree. We are an oddball home in comparison I suppose, heck my 10 month old fav foods are BBQ tofu and avacado!


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## phathui5 (Jan 8, 2002)

Maybe they just don't remember having eaten it? Watermelon is so common. That seems weird to me.


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## kimiij (Jun 18, 2006)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *sunnmama* 
Berries are often very expensive. Maybe that is a factor? I don't buy berries often because of the price.


this is so true! I love berries, but they are too expensive, esp. for how much you get.


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## Storm Bride (Mar 2, 2005)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *aquarian* 
I think that this might be directed at me.

Yes, junk food is expensive. But certain types of produce are expensive at certian times of the year. Sometimes the choice is between having oranges or berries, not oranges and oreos.

I agree. I went on a junky snack food binge at the store last week (I don't even remember the last time I did that - my whole family went into shock), so I'm somewhat up on current prices around here.

I could buy two bags of "good" potato chips (eg. Miss Vickies or Kettle Chips or something - not the cheap brands), or 2-3 "good" (eg. dark chocolate and/or fair trade and/or organic) and spend less than it would cost me for a half pint of raspberries. We eat lots of fruit (strawberries, oranges, apples, bananas, grapefruits, melons, mangoes, papaya, kiwis, etc. etc.) around here, but I buy raspberries and/or blackberries _maybe_ twice a year. They're just way too expensive. I'm very lucky, as my mom still has blackberry bushes, so we can eat hers when they're in season.

I don't think fruit is expensive, but _some_ fruit is very expensive. I just wish I'd realized that raspberries are in the stores _before_ I wasted such a chunk of our food budget.


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## mistymama (Oct 12, 2004)

I just got my son to try a plum today and was super excited!! I've never been able to get him to eat a strawberry, blueberry or kiwi.

Watermelon, yes.

He's super picky. It's not that we don't have fruit around, or that he's not exposed to it on a regular basis.









.. and I love to dip carrots, tomatoes and broccoli in ranch dressing.







: My son likes them plain, but I still dip 'em all. I didn't know it was that big of a deal.


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## purple_kangaroo (Feb 20, 2006)

LOL, I can't tell you how many times my kids have told me or someone else that they've never had a particular food before when they've had it many times. We tend to eat what's in season, and sometimes by the time that fruit is in season again, the kids don't remember having had it.

This winter the tangerines were really good, and were a reasonable price when in season. So we had a box of them all the time for several months. Then there came a time when they were more expensive and not as good quality, so we bought other fruit for a while.

Probably about 2 weeks after we'd eaten the last of the previous box of tangerines, I heard my DD telling someone that she loves oranges, and her mommy used to buy them, but never gets them any more and she hadn't had an orange for _years_. Something like that.

Kids don't always remember things or have an accurate sense of time.


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## nextcommercial (Nov 8, 2005)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Redifer* 
literally, all they have fed this kid for the past 2 years is eggs, tater tots, french fries, mac'n'cheese, hot dogs and chicken nuggets. And I do know firsthand, i've lived with them this entire time.

.

That's what it's like here. Mac and Cheese is ONLY Kraft. Chicken nuggets don't have any actual chicken in it.

At the complete other end of the spectrum, I had a set of siblings who had NEVER eaten fast food. One day, a parent brought McDonalds for their child's birthday. These two looked at it like it was plastic food. Neither one liked it, or ate it. I ended up giving them tuna and broccolli just so they would eat something. The other kids kept saying "it's McDonald's!!" as if that would clear up the confusion, and these two just said "oh..O.K" I was secretly hoping they wouldn't like it.


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## lilyka (Nov 20, 2001)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *nataliachick7* 
I dont buy the whole "but fruits are expensive" thing. When I go to mainstream grocery stores like jewel, I see people with carts full of oreos, poptarts, chips, froot loops, etc. You can buy a few packs of berries or veggies or whatever instead of all that CRAP. USA kids are brought up on JUNK. When they see fruits or veggies they dont know what to do.
My son has eaten berries, kiwi, mango, etc on an almost daily basis since 9 months old. Its not that expensive, i just dont buy all that crap food.

i don't know where you are shopping but none of that stuff is local here (or of it does grow locally there is a window of about a week). A 1/2 pint of blueberries is $5. That would be enough for each of us to have about 5-10 berries. and lets get real. they want the whole container of them. Strawberries are usually $4 a pound and again except for that small window of in season the quality is crap and wouldn't blame anyone for thinking they were gross and not wanting to eat them. and those are for regular. organic is through the roof. chips and cookies are about $2 each and don't go bad in my fridge (not that we buy a lot of that stuff. Perhaps a better comparison would be fruit cocktail and applesauce. again about $.25 per serving as opposed to $5 per serving. We do what we can. we don't always have a large variety but there is always something in the house. We also try to eat local which limits our variety and takes out some of the more exotic stuff.


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## nextcommercial (Nov 8, 2005)

At Costco, two water melons are $6.80

A one lb case of blackberries is $4.80

A four lb case of strawberries is $6.80

Four lbs of grapes are $7.80


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## Llyra (Jan 16, 2005)

I once read (wish I could find it now) a survey that showed some huge percentage of Americans hadn't tasted a single unprocessed veggie in the last year besides baked potatoes and iceberg lettuce. It's sad. I also notice that at the checkout at the grocery store, a lot of times when I'm buying veggies, the kid at the register is asking ME what the stuff is so he can ring it up right. Even easy stuff like zucchinis.

My kids LIVE on raspberries, blackberries, blueberries, and strawberries. They're hideously expensive most of the year in the supermarkets, so what I do is wait until they're in season locally, and buy up a TON of them at the cheapest prices I can find like at the farmer's market or a local farmstand. Then I freeze them in the deep freeze. Then we break out a bag or two a week all winter. Nothing like fresh-off-the-bush raspberries in January. I try to freeze them the same day they were picked, so they're marvelous.

We're big on fresh produce. We grow tons ourselves, buy a huge CSA share every year, and haunt the local farmstands and farmer's market. Then we freeze for the whole year. You can save a ton of money that way. Plus, you get to try so many neat things. My kids have tried just about every veggie and fruit that's available here. I want them to experience all of it while they're still young enough to be open to new food experiences. So occasionally I'll even splurge on the tropical fruits or on odd stuff like starfruit or Sharon fruit.

But I know that as a child, berries were a summer treat for me, that I had once or twice a year. Watermelon came at the 4th of July. Fruit for us meant apples, oranges, and bananas. Veggies meant corn, potatoes, peas, green beans, or carrots. All but the potatoes were out of cans, and were mushy, salty, and totally unappetizing. And that was pretty much it. Maybe we had spinach or asparagus a few times a year. Candied yams at Christmas.

I once had a friend of mine suggest to me that pizza sauce counted as a serving of veggies. Mine probably does, since I puree all kinds of good stuff into it, but the jar stuff is mostly sugar. But in the world of the standard American diet, I think it's pretty common for kids to eat very little fresh produce.


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## ElliesMomma (Sep 21, 2006)

well, this thread scares me and/or it makes me more adament about redoubling my efforts with my 2 year old. she *loves* vegetables and fruits. she sees pictures in books, runs to the fridge and pulls out the broccoli. begged for an apple last night at bedtime because there was a picture in a book. i said if you still want it after your tub i'll go downstairs and get one. she started getting in bed and remembered, so i got her an apple slice!

we grow our own food in summer. i'm a vegetarian. she eats broccoli straight out of the garden. this year we started a raspberry bush and strawberries and blueberries. but it will be a few years before they start producing. nevertheless she knows they grow food and acts like she's ready to eat them now. the little girl across the street who is 4 months older than DD won't eat vegetables the mom tells me, except when they remind her that my DD does.

re: the expesne, you're right, it's not cheap. however blueberries and the like are called "superfoods" because they are *so* nutritious. worth it? i sure think so. and melons, etc., so good for your digestion, too. you know, meat is sure expensive, too. few people are turned off of meat because it costs so much...

the other thing i really push is beans, in part because i need them for protein. DD loves them, eats half a can of kidney beans every day with her eggs for breakfast. we also have fresh fruit, pears, strawberries, melons, whatever i bought. i look for the sales. blueberries go on extreme sales at the end of the summer. you can buy a bunch and freeze them. and re: buying organic, yes, it's a luxury. best if you can just grow your own. otherwise, i'm all for organic if you can afford it; otherwise, just go to aldi and buy the regular and wash the heck out of it. if you can't afford the $3.99 blueberries from trader joes, can you afford the $1.79 at aldi? in my opinion, it's better to have fruit even if commercially grown than no fruit at all.

early childhood is the time when a parent can have the greatest influence on what a child eats for their entire life. not only is your little one building their body from babyhood on, but setting their habits and tastes for life. push the fruits and vegetables and let them see you eating it too.

the part that scares me is, my DD is a great eater at 2. i'm scared that any of this will change in the next few years. hence to redouble my efforts with gardening and that fruits and vegetables are always centerpeice to the foods she is served.


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## nextcommercial (Nov 8, 2005)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *ElliesMomma* 
the part that scares me is, my DD is a great eater at 2. i'm scared that any of this will change in the next few years. hence to redouble my efforts with gardening and that fruits and vegetables are always centerpeice to the foods she is served.


Kids get tired of something they loved a year ago, but they rarely do a complete turn around in their general eating habits.

Everybody has things they can't stand. For me it's avacados. Just the peel makes my skin crawl. I also hate fish. I always have. But, I like everything else now.

As a kid though, if I was given a choice, I would always pick PBJ. I loved Kraft mac n Cheese, but it wasn't usually an option. It was a "Friday night, babysitter dinner" not a meal choice at any other time.

Our tastes change as we grow. Kids tend to like simple foods. Kids usually prefer white bread over whole wheat.

If it's on her plate at meal time, and there isn't an emergency back up meal in the kitchen in case she doesn't like what you are having, she will probably not have too many problems. But, she will still have things she likes better than other things, and things she doesn't really like at all. I thnk it's important to always have a food you know she likes at every meal, even if there are other things she hasn't tried, or doesn't particularly care for.

Someone will eventually give her cheetos, or pringles... and she will like those things!!! (cuz pringles are so good)

Then, some kids just don't like much at all, for whatever reason, they just don't like food.


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## Storm Bride (Mar 2, 2005)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *ElliesMomma* 
re: the expesne, you're right, it's not cheap. however blueberries and the like are called "superfoods" because they are *so* nutritious. worth it? i sure think so. and melons, etc., so good for your digestion, too. you know, meat is sure expensive, too. few people are turned off of meat because it costs so much...

If I spend $4.00 on meat, it's often enough to provide the main part of a meal for my whole family. If I spend $4.00 on blueberries, it's _part_ of a snack. I'm not arguing whether berries are worth it or not, and we do eat a lot of strawberries, and a reasonable amount of blueberries. We're doing well enough financially to pull that off. (DS1 barely ate any berries, except the free blackberries at my mom's, until he was about 8, though. I simply couldn't afford them, and giving him a small handful of a superfood, and letting him go hungry the rest of the day, didn't make a lot of sense to me. He did love fruit, though.)

Quote:

blueberries go on extreme sales at the end of the summer. you can buy a bunch and freeze them.
That's also good, if you have somewhere to store them. I could do that now, but for most of ds1's life, I didn't have a freezer. I still have a shortage of containers for freezing things in, but I'm building that up slowly.

Quote:

if you can't afford the $3.99 blueberries from trader joes, can you afford the $1.79 at aldi? in my opinion, it's better to have fruit even if commercially grown than no fruit at all.
Obviously, food prices vary a great deal. When I quote $4.00 for a small container of blueberries, I'm talking about the price at the cheap grocery store around the corner. I have no idea what they cost at an upscale place.

Quote:

early childhood is the time when a parent can have the greatest influence on what a child eats for their entire life. not only is your little one building their body from babyhood on, but setting their habits and tastes for life. push the fruits and vegetables and let them see you eating it too.
I fed ds1 a lot of fruits and veggies as a child. He was the "weird" kid who took broccoli and green pepper as his kindergarten snack, while the other kids all had apple slices or packaged apple sauce or yogurt tubes. (Class policy was to bring a "thumbs up" snack, which basically meant no added sugar.) He was the only one who would bring a veggie, and he loved them all.

He's 15 now. I can't get him to eat any cooked vegetable, except tomatoes, onions, peppers and garlic in a spaghetti sauce, curry or whatever. He won't eat broccoli or cauliflower, anymore. I make a lot of big green salads at lunch, and try really hard to keep lots of fruit in the house, but I sometimes feel as though I'm fighting a losing battle. I don't even know what happened...


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## Storm Bride (Mar 2, 2005)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *nextcommercial* 
Someone will eventually give her cheetos, or pringles... and she will like those things!!! (cuz pringles are so good)










I'm just laughing at the examples you chose. I _love_ most junky snack type foods and I don't care for Pringles, and you couldn't pay me to eat Cheetos. Salt & vinegar chips are my downfall...and pretzels.


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## katheek77 (Mar 13, 2007)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *nextcommercial* 
Our tastes change as we grow. Kids tend to like simple foods. Kids usually prefer white bread over whole wheat.

.

I agree our tastes change as we grow, especially in regard to strongly flavored foods. I've read that our taste buds become less able to pick up stronger flavors as we age - so, it might make sense that what was a "too" spicy curry at 5 years might be "just right" at 25 years. I used to hate onions, but, now I love them...they were just *too* spicy. Same with jalapenos.

However, I disagree with kids liking simple foods. I think that most kids *are* fed simpler foods and so they learn that that is what they like. But, in most other cultures, kids just don't eat "simple" foods. And they seem to have much healthier attitudes (as a whole) toward food and nutrition. I truly think it's what you're exposed to...my daughter (in general) will eat "mixed" foods...curries, Italian dishes, homemade Chinese, soups, etc. There are a few things that can't be mixed in her world (berries come to mind), but, in general, mixed foods are her preference. She *tends* to prefer flavored dishes. She happily gobbles up brown rice, whole wheat breads, lentils (she had Lentils w/bacon and carmelized onions for dinner tonight...I'm always trying new recipes out on her). She drinks water constantly - it's the only beverage regularly served here (besides breastmilk) - juice/cocoa/etc is a treat, so, she doesn't clamor for it, and, more importantly, she doesn't spurn water. However, I nannied for kids who "couldn't" drink water...I mean, they drank it ONLY under duress. It tasted "yucky" - by which they meant it wasn't sweet...well, yeah, they were sucking on Mom-filled sippy cups with juice *all* day, so, they came to think that they only could drink sweet stuff.

DD does love potato chips, though. And learned the word "cocoa" with DH this weekend. We're not nutrition saints.


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## _betsy_ (Jun 29, 2004)

I'm allergic to strawberries and pineapple, so we don't have those in the house, and I won't be intro'ing them anytime soon to DD, 19.5 months. She's had watermelon, lots of ther fruits and lots of veggies, but things like kiwi just aren't readily available locally grown.


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## dubfam (Nov 4, 2005)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Llyra* 
I once read (wish I could find it now) a survey that showed some huge percentage of Americans hadn't tasted a single unprocessed veggie in the last year besides baked potatoes and iceberg lettuce. It's sad. I also notice that at the checkout at the grocery store, a lot of times when I'm buying veggies, the kid at the register is asking ME what the stuff is so he can ring it up right. Even easy stuff like zucchinis.

My kids LIVE on raspberries, blackberries, blueberries, and strawberries. They're hideously expensive most of the year in the supermarkets, so what I do is wait until they're in season locally, and buy up a TON of them at the cheapest prices I can find like at the farmer's market or a local farmstand. Then I freeze them in the deep freeze. Then we break out a bag or two a week all winter. Nothing like fresh-off-the-bush raspberries in January. I try to freeze them the same day they were picked, so they're marvelous.

We're big on fresh produce. We grow tons ourselves, buy a huge CSA share every year, and haunt the local farmstands and farmer's market. Then we freeze for the whole year. You can save a ton of money that way. Plus, you get to try so many neat things. My kids have tried just about every veggie and fruit that's available here. I want them to experience all of it while they're still young enough to be open to new food experiences. So occasionally I'll even splurge on the tropical fruits or on odd stuff like starfruit or Sharon fruit.

But I know that as a child, berries were a summer treat for me, that I had once or twice a year. Watermelon came at the 4th of July. Fruit for us meant apples, oranges, and bananas. Veggies meant corn, potatoes, peas, green beans, or carrots. All but the potatoes were out of cans, and were mushy, salty, and totally unappetizing. And that was pretty much it. Maybe we had spinach or asparagus a few times a year. Candied yams at Christmas.

I once had a friend of mine suggest to me that pizza sauce counted as a serving of veggies. Mine probably does, since I puree all kinds of good stuff into it, but the jar stuff is mostly sugar. But in the world of the standard American diet, I think it's pretty common for kids to eat very little fresh produce.











This is what I am striving to do!!


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## savithny (Oct 23, 2005)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *StephandOwen* 
And you know that about every one of those 6 kids? Or are you making an assumption? If you ask my ds "has mama ever offered you a blueberry?" he's just as likely to say no as he is to say yes (and yes, I have offered him blueberries). If you ask him "Does mama lock you in the closet all day and never feed you any food?" he's just as likely to say yes and he is to say no (and, no, I don't lock him in a closet and he has access to whatever food he wants at whatever time, more or less). You can't always trust what a 3-4 year old tells you









LOL!

My DS brought home an "essay" he wrote for school yesterday. On it, he said that his favorite drink was "soda."

Well, first of all, we still call it POP in our household, darnit!
Second: We don't have it in the house, and he has NEVER gotten it at a restaurant.
Third: The handful (literally, less than 5) times he has been offered a sip of pop at a social event, he has taken one sip, grimaced, said "It burns! It feels crinkly in my mouth!" and refused to drink any more.

I'm betting that the majority of the other kids were saying that "ooh, I'm going to put soda as my favorite drink," and he went along with that.

Which actually shows the power of peer pressure in food choices. DS's home daycare was run by a Pakistani woman who often served curried veggies or lentils as one of the options. Kids whose parents had never seen such foods all snarfed it down, at least in part because it was served to everyone and a few of them (my kid included) would start eating.

Ironically, DS got a rep as being a picky eater at preschool, because he doesn't like typical kid food. We don't do baloney or tater tots or lunchables or hot dogs, and by the time he was a preschooler he had hit the "if its unfamiliar it must be POISON" phase. He loves black olives, and hummus, and pita, and all kinds of fruit, and grilled chicken with tahini.... but tater tots? Blech!!

And things change: The kid whose first foods were sweet potatoes and avocado, who loved cauliflower and brocolli soup as a toddler, loathes much of that today (though he does groove on guac, still).

(one additional thought: We withheld many berries until after 12 mos (longer in some cases) because of the possibility of food allergy, since we have a strong history on both sides)


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## traceface (Feb 17, 2003)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *nextcommercial* 
SO, guess what we are eating the rest of the season??? Watermelon, rasberries, strawberries and kiwi

Isn't that expensive to buy berries and nice fruit for all your daycare kids?

Extremely nice of you, but don't cut into your profits too much!


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## nextcommercial (Nov 8, 2005)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *traceface* 
Isn't that expensive to buy berries and nice fruit for all your daycare kids?

Extremely nice of you, but don't cut into your profits too much!


Well, no, not really. I buy it for myself, but it's four pounds of strawberries. I can't eat that much before it spoils, but I really want it. So, I cut it up, and make a pretty fruit dish for the kids. It's part of their lunch, so it's a small portion on their plates. They don't like bananas anymore. (ran that one into the ground) so, I give them my fruit. I LOVE watermelon, and they like to watch me cut it up, they just don't think they like watermelon, or berries, or strawberries.

It's purple, and red, and so pretty, but, most of them won't try it.


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## mistymama (Oct 12, 2004)

You know it's all well and good to say we have so much influence, etc .. and I do agree to a point.

But don't assume that those of us with picky eaters didn't introduce enough foods or influence when our kids were young. My son had a speech delay and major sensory issues .. he went well beyond a picky eater and was in therapy from an early age for those issues. He didn't eat a regular diet until shortly after his 5th bday.

Thus the reason I nearly cried today when he ate and liked a plum.

After everything we've been through (and he's turning out to be quiet a good, healthy eater now!) I find it a bit offensive that people might think I have a picky eater because I didn't introduce enough different foods, fruits and vegetables.


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## cancat (Jun 15, 2004)

This is so weird, because all those fruits are served regularly at the _free_ playgroups run by the city/province. And it's usually all the kids will eat!


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## Kapat (Apr 28, 2008)

My kids love oranges,apples,green grapes,mandarin, strawberries, blueberries, blackberries,pineapples, peaches,raspberries and bananas and every kind of fruit but those are the big favourites here. And almost every kind of veggie that they put in their mouths, actually they like every food that they put in their mouths.

I'm proud to say that i have 4 kids that will rather eat their beautifully made salads than junk food







. I personally think, that's the way it should be, i just cringe at the fact of my kids eating McDonalds or meat







:


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## Amylcd (Jun 16, 2005)

My kids are (soon to be) 6 and 5, and have never eaten strawberries. Not that we don't have them around, we do, but they both refuse to eat them. Also, my oldest has never eaten a banana, raspberries, oranges, OR watermelon (well, she did have bananas as one of her first foods but around the age of 2 decided she didn't like it). The only fruits I can get her to eat are Apples, Cherries, and occasionally a blueberry. This is a child who has never even tasted any type of meat other than fish. Her diet is VERY limited, and not because I don't offer.

We DO have all of those fruits and more in the house at the moment, but she will not eat them. I suppose she'll be like DH, who is 25 years old and has yet to eat a banana (seriously, he has never had a banana! weirdo







). But yeah, if you were to ask her if she has tasted any of the things you mentioned, she would tell you no. Don't assume the parent's are not offering them.


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## aprons_and_acorns (Sep 28, 2004)

I just want to point out that buying up a lot of food when the price is low and freezing it or storing it for later is a great idea to save money if you already have some money to begin with. For a lot of families, buying up food to freeze and use later means they don't have money for food to eat now.


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## marybethorama (Jun 9, 2005)

A child I know well once told someone that she had "never had yogurt" though she really ate it all the time. She just wanted some and wasn't sure how to ask.

My kids have eaten raspberries and blackberries but they very well might not remember.

Watermelon is a bit strange but kids could be calling it a different name.

IME kids say all kinds of things and you have to take it with a grain of salt


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## GranoLLLy-girl (Mar 1, 2005)

My dd was tube fed for the first part of her life (food issues/sensory issues). My ds was bfed until he was two. They both enjoy a variety of foods at different times of their lives. They are both very picky. My ds even more than my dd and he was the one who would eat ANYTHING at the age of two and nursed for two full years of his life! He's now four and likes pasta and pasta. And apple juice. And that's about it.

Threads like these really upset me because there seems to be so little compassion and understanding towards what the parents might be struggling with at home in regards to feeding their children. I'm always surprised at the fact that my tube-fed dd now likes a variety of foods (well, a variety for HER--she still only eats about five things) but compared to my ds, she's doing great--he only eats pasta and juice these days. I'm told by MANY that this is normal. At two--he'd eat ANYTHING and I took advantage of that giving him a large variety of veggies and fruits. Then they get picky at three and four and five and then that changes. As they get past the age of four and five that they try more foods and expand their food vocabulary.

I know this much, I wouldn't want them in a day care setting that looked down upon them because they wouldn't try a particular food or that they only wanted one thing day after day. It would concern me that for the future they would begin to make negative associations with those foods or any foods that they refused.


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## mistymama (Oct 12, 2004)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *GranoLLLy-girl* 
My dd was tube fed for the first part of her life (food issues/sensory issues). My ds was bfed until he was two. They both enjoy a variety of foods at different times of their lives. They are both very picky. My ds even more than my dd and he was the one who would eat ANYTHING at the age of two and nursed for two full years of his life! He's now four and likes pasta and pasta. And apple juice. And that's about it.

Threads like these really upset me because there seems to be so little compassion and understanding towards what the parents might be struggling with at home in regards to feeding their children. I'm always surprised at the fact that my tube-fed dd now likes a variety of foods (well, a variety for HER--she still only eats about five things) but compared to my ds, she's doing great--he only eats pasta and juice these days. I'm told by MANY that this is normal. At two--he'd eat ANYTHING and I took advantage of that giving him a large variety of veggies and fruits. Then they get picky at three and four and five and then that changes. As they get past the age of four and five that they try more foods and expand their food vocabulary.

I know this much, I wouldn't want them in a day care setting that looked down upon them because they wouldn't try a particular food or that they only wanted one thing day after day. It would concern me that for the future they would begin to make negative associations with those foods or any foods that they refused.


Well said! I said something similar about about my kid with sensory issues. I was so thrilled when he ate and liked a plum yesterday because that is a texture he usually rejects.

I get my feathers ruffled in these types of threads, big time.


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## angie7 (Apr 23, 2007)

My kids LOVE fruit and veggies. Has to be fresh, whole, organic fruit/veggies. They wont eat it unless its organic







: Everyday for lunch they get a mix of fruit. Usually it consists of 3 to 4 different fruits that range from bananas, peach, watermelon, canteloupe, apples, grapes, kiwi, mangos, strawberries, rasberries, blue berries, black berries, etc. Basically any and all fruit is good to them. And for their snack they get a fresh plate of fruit that was different then what they ate for lunch. They demand fruit for lunch, if there isnt a portion of fruit on their plate, they refuse to eat it. Have since they were 1 and the same goes for veggies for dinner. It does get expensive but well worth it, IMO. They are healthy little girls that are in love with their fruit and veggies.

Its really sad that many parents dont feel their kids eating habits are important







McDonalds, Koolaid, and sugar is not a healthy diet!!!


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## NYCVeg (Jan 31, 2005)

My SIL didn't try a strawberry until she was 26. She was turned off by all the little seeds on the outside--it wasn't that she was never offered them, she just never ate them. But I think a lot of it is parental influence. Dh's family really doesn't eat a lot fruit. His dad doesn't like it (at all) and has a phobia (no joke) of bananas. I'm actually not sure I've ever seen any fruit in their house. Or a fresh vegetable, for that matter. I think maybe they buy apples now and then. They're never short on 100-calorie-packs of different cookies and candies, though.

We keep our house stocked with fruit and dd loves it--all kinds, from the mundane to the exotic.


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## ElliesMomma (Sep 21, 2006)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *NYCVeg* 
My SIL didn't try a strawberry until she was 26. She was turned off by all the little seeds on the outside--it wasn't that she was never offered them, she just never ate them. But I think a lot of it is parental influence. Dh's family really doesn't eat a lot fruit. His dad doesn't like it (at all) and has a phobia (no joke) of bananas. I'm actually not sure I've ever seen any fruit in their house. Or a fresh vegetable, for that matter. I think maybe they buy apples now and then. They're never short on 100-calorie-packs of different cookies and candies, though.

kids pick up on it when one or more parent won't eat (or enjoy eating) what they're being served.


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## mammal_mama (Aug 27, 2006)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *GranoLLLy-girl* 
I know this much, I wouldn't want them in a day care setting that looked down upon them because they wouldn't try a particular food or that they only wanted one thing day after day.

I agree -- and even if the provider's just looking down on the parent and not the child, it's still wrong.

OP -- I think it's great that you're committed to offering these children a wide variety of nutritious foods. But when you say things like: my daycare children don't like XYZ ... so guess what I'm serving for the next month? -- well, it just sounds like you're on some kind of a power-trip -- like it makes you feel you're better than the parents, if you get kids liking things they don't eat at home.

I know I used to get on these kinds of power-trips when I cared for other people's kids, before having my own. I liked the feeling that I was offering something "better" than what they got at home -- whether food-wise, or affection-wise, or whatever. But you know what -- I still wasn't their momma, the kids still knew who their mommas were, and it was so much healthier for me to get a life of my own and stop trying to be "better than" someone else.

Yes, caring for these children while their parents work is a wonderful vocation: I just wish you'd drop the patronizing attitude you seem to have toward these other parents (as I wish I had sooner). By the way, I have one child who's a choosy eater, and one who'll (currently) eat just about anything. Sometimes we have a varied diet with lots of fresh produce, and sometimes we have to focus on what can provide maximum sustenance for minimum cost.

To look at my varied eater and assume we must be wonderful parents and always offer a wide array of foods, or to look at my choosier child and assume we must be awful parents who only buy processed [email protected], is just going to be inaccurate anyway you slice it. I do think these kids are very lucky that you care about their nutrition, but they're not so lucky that you're slamming their parents.


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## mtiger (Sep 10, 2006)

Quote:

I know this much, I wouldn't want them in a day care setting that looked down upon them because they wouldn't try a particular food or that they only wanted one thing day after day.
I agree -- and even if the provider's just looking down on the parent and not the child, it's still wrong.

OP -- I think it's great that you're committed to offering these children a wide variety of nutritious foods. But when you say things like: my daycare children don't like XYZ ... so guess what I'm serving for the next month? -- well, it just sounds like you're on some kind of a power-trip -- like it makes you feel you're better than the parents, if you get kids liking things they don't eat at home.
I have to agree. If, when my kids were younger, their DCP had said similar sorts of stuff? I'd have found a new DCP. You don't KNOW their situation, financial or otherwise. It's great that you're trying to expand the children's palates. Buyt don't down their parents - because you really don't know what, how or why they raise their kids as they do.


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## j924 (May 17, 2005)

I have a little boy here in daycare who tells me all the time that his parents don't feed him at home. Now my kids bring their lunches and this kids always has a stacked bag. But he was so consistent I decided to talk to his parents. They assured me he was eating (this kid is four years old and weighs more than 50lbs so it was obvious he was eating something somewhere) They then told me that he had been saying for some time now that I was giving his lunch to other kids. It was typically the kid whose lunch was most envied that day! Kids that age are not the best record keepers. Even if they have never eaten those fruits, do you think blasting the parents is going to magically get the kids to open up to watermelon? On average we eat probably a watermelon a week in the summer over here. My son will not touch the stuff. Sometimes people just don't like certain foods.


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## marybethorama (Jun 9, 2005)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *mammal_mama* 
I know I used to get on these kinds of power-trips when I cared for other people's kids, before having with my own. I liked the feeling that I was offering something "better" than what they got at home -- whether food-wise, or affection-wise, or whatever. But you know what -- I still wasn't their momma, the kids still knew who their mommas were, and it was so much healthier for me to get a life of my own and stop trying to be "better than" someone else.

My mother does that all the time with her grandkids (including my kids).

Then she points out how happy the kids were when they did whatever it was. Her grandkids are happy to be with her because she's their grandmother. No matter what she does.


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## Mama Poot (Jun 12, 2006)

My 2.5yo is a veggie eater, however my 21 month old will only eat veggies if they are hidden in things, and even that can be a stretch. He'll pick the peppers and other vegetables off his pizza. Now, said 21mo loves fruit and will eat just about any kind of fruit that exists, but as far as green things are concerned we're just not there yet with him. I also wouldn't worry so much about the kids enjoying something to dip their vegetables in-at least the veggies are being consumed!


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## mammal_mama (Aug 27, 2006)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *mistymama* 
.. and I love to dip carrots, tomatoes and broccoli in ranch dressing.







: My son likes them plain, but I still dip 'em all. I didn't know it was that big of a deal.

Yeah, really! I don't get the disdain about Ranch either ... just seems like a matter of personal preference to me.


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## veganf (Dec 12, 2005)

what a sad sad commentary on our society.


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## dubfam (Nov 4, 2005)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *mammal_mama* 
I agree -- and even if the provider's just looking down on the parent and not the child, it's still wrong.

OP -- I think it's great that you're committed to offering these children a wide variety of nutritious foods. But when you say things like: my daycare children don't like XYZ ... so guess what I'm serving for the next month? -- well, it just sounds like you're on some kind of a power-trip -- like it makes you feel you're better than the parents, if you get kids liking things they don't eat at home.

I know I used to get on these kinds of power-trips when I cared for other people's kids, before having my own. I liked the feeling that I was offering something "better" than what they got at home -- whether food-wise, or affection-wise, or whatever. But you know what -- I still wasn't their momma, the kids still knew who their mommas were, and it was so much healthier for me to get a life of my own and stop trying to be "better than" someone else.

Yes, caring for these children while their parents work is a wonderful vocation: I just wish you'd drop the patronizing attitude you seem to have toward these other parents (as I wish I had sooner). By the way, I have one child who's a choosy eater, and one who'll (currently) eat just about anything. Sometimes we have a varied diet with lots of fresh produce, and sometimes we have to focus on what can provide maximum sustenance for minimum cost.

To look at my varied eater and assume we must be wonderful parents and always offer a wide array of foods, or to look at my choosier child and assume we must be awful parents who only buy processed [email protected], is just going to be inaccurate anyway you slice it. I do think these kids are very lucky that you care about their nutrition, but they're not so lucky that you're slamming their parents.


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## LuxPerpetua (Dec 17, 2003)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *mammal_mama* 
I agree -- and even if the provider's just looking down on the parent and not the child, it's still wrong.

OP -- I think it's great that you're committed to offering these children a wide variety of nutritious foods. But when you say things like: my daycare children don't like XYZ ... so guess what I'm serving for the next month? -- well, it just sounds like you're on some kind of a power-trip -- like it makes you feel you're better than the parents, if you get kids liking things they don't eat at home.

I know I used to get on these kinds of power-trips when I cared for other people's kids, before having my own. I liked the feeling that I was offering something "better" than what they got at home -- whether food-wise, or affection-wise, or whatever. But you know what -- I still wasn't their momma, the kids still knew who their mommas were, and it was so much healthier for me to get a life of my own and stop trying to be "better than" someone else.

Yes, caring for these children while their parents work is a wonderful vocation: I just wish you'd drop the patronizing attitude you seem to have toward these other parents (as I wish I had sooner). By the way, I have one child who's a choosy eater, and one who'll (currently) eat just about anything. Sometimes we have a varied diet with lots of fresh produce, and sometimes we have to focus on what can provide maximum sustenance for minimum cost.

To look at my varied eater and assume we must be wonderful parents and always offer a wide array of foods, or to look at my choosier child and assume we must be awful parents who only buy processed [email protected], is just going to be inaccurate anyway you slice it. I do think these kids are very lucky that you care about their nutrition, but they're not so lucky that you're slamming their parents.


I love, love, love your posts, Mamal Mama. I've been meaning to pm you that for a while, but why not make it public knowledge?









To the OP, I think your heart is in the right place, but after reading several judgmental food threads on MDC today, I have to say that you are making some offensive assumptions here. If my child would eat raw carrots swimming in ranch dressing, I'd jump up and down and do the hula. If I could consistently get her to eat any vegetable by using ranch dressing, you'd bet I'd serve it at every meal. I was thrilled the other day when she ate a piece of watermelon. Kiwi? Strawberries? Blackberries? Raspberries? She'd never touch them. I've tried. I get so frustrated with the people on MDC who pull out the, "Well _my_ child was first fed on fruits and vegetables, so I know s/he will develop good eating habits" kind of attitude, as if those of us with picky eaters must have missed that memo. Some of us, in spite of our knowlege of nutrition, in spite of all of our creativity in serving healthy food, in spite of every effort we can muster to get our children to love natural foods, have picky eaters. Yes, by all means, set a healthy example and let the children see you eating these yummy and delicious foods, but please let off the judgment if they choose not to partake.


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## ElliesMomma (Sep 21, 2006)

legit question, here, not meant to offend anyone: to the OP: are the daycare kids eating the "new" fruits when you offer them? if yes, then to anyone who has an answer: why would they eat them at daycare, but not at home?


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## Liquesce (Nov 4, 2006)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *ElliesMomma* 
why would they eat them at daycare, but not at home?









: I went through a phase as a kid where I would eat literally nothing but hot dogs, sliced, with ketchup. *Except* for my aunt (my daycare provider for a few years). To me her food -- in all it's same-as-what-my-parents-ate variety -- was borderline magical. Different environments sometimes just lead to different responses.


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## mbm (Jun 14, 2006)

When I was little, Grandma was forever pushing cantaloupe down our throats. As an adult, I will eat cantaloupe if it is included on my breakfast plate, but I will not go out of my way to buy it. DH strongly dislikes all melons so I can easily envision a future in which we are the rotten parents that don't give the kids cantaloupe at home.

On the other side of the coin, I didn't eat a grapefruit until I was 30 -- we just never bought them when I was growing up. And now I like grapefruit. So despite our best efforts to the contrary, our future young'uns may well turn into cantaloupe lovers!


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## arwenevenstar (Mar 25, 2005)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *StephandOwen* 
How do you know that? How do you know some of these kids don't have undiagnosed sensory issues? To an outsider, my ds would look like just one heck of a picky kid. Once you dig deeper is when you figure out what the issues really are.

That's sensory right there.

And you know that about every one of those 6 kids? Or are you making an assumption? If you ask my ds "has mama ever offered you a blueberry?" he's just as likely to say no as he is to say yes (and yes, I have offered him blueberries). If you ask him "Does mama lock you in the closet all day and never feed you any food?" he's just as likely to say yes and he is to say no (and, no, I don't lock him in a closet and he has access to whatever food he wants at whatever time, more or less). You can't always trust what a 3-4 year old tells you









Sorry to hijack this thread, but Steph I would be really interested in knowing more about sensory food issues. i might cross post this. My ds is nearly 6 and still won't eat much in the way of fruit or veg. he will eat apple puree, a banana occasionally, dried bananas, raisins and mango pieces and one bite of a veg on his plate after much coercion on my part. His siblings, either side of his age, eat everything. He was brought up the same way, ate the same food, ate all fruit and veg as a small baby but stopped around 18 months to two and I don't know what to think. He does gag on kiwi and has brought it back up, but please can anyone PM me with more info I am desperate to know how to deal with this.

Okay, back in my hole now!!


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## mammal_mama (Aug 27, 2006)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *LuxPerpetua* 
I love, love, love your posts, Mamal Mama. I've been meaning to pm you that for a while, but why not make it public knowledge?









Thanks!


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## phathui5 (Jan 8, 2002)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *nextcommercial* 
At Costco, two water melons are $6.80

A one lb case of blackberries is $4.80

A four lb case of strawberries is $6.80

Four lbs of grapes are $7.80

Sounds like I need to find a Costco.


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## phathui5 (Jan 8, 2002)

Quote:

But when you say things like: my daycare children don't like XYZ ... so guess what I'm serving for the next month? --
She didn't say they don't like fruits, she said they hadn't had it. What I read was that she felt they weren't getting it at home so she was going to serve lots of it.


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## StephandOwen (Jun 22, 2004)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Liquesce* 







: I went through a phase as a kid where I would eat literally nothing but hot dogs, sliced, with ketchup. *Except* for my aunt (my daycare provider for a few years). To me her food -- in all it's same-as-what-my-parents-ate variety -- was borderline magical. Different environments sometimes just lead to different responses.

We have a lot of fun with this one around here! Owen goes to feeding therapy once a week. His OT is WONDERFUL with him and is helping him soooo much. We love her and won't be giving her up for anything.

A couple weeks ago she got Owen to drink blueberry pomegranate juice. Uhhh.... whatever happened to water and OJ being the only things he would drink?!? LOL! He did the same thing with lemonade- sucked down 2 cups for her. We went to the store and got lemonade and.... he gagged and spit it out at home









But he does something similar at daycare. He absolutely refuses to eat the lunch at daycare. No matter what it is, he will not touch it. He *may* eat a slice of bread, depending on what it looks like and whether the stars are aligned properly that day







And it's not just their food. I've brought food from home, that we KNOW he loves, and serve it to him (same plates the daycare uses) in place of their lunch. He WILL. NOT. TOUCH. IT. Food we know he likes. Different setting, different people, different plates.... he won't eat it. He will happily gobble down the snack (usually apples or bananas or crackers of some sort) at daycare though







: They've even gotten him to eat a couple new foods at snack time! But he won't touch his lunch.

His OT and I are working on this but, needless to say, it's frustrating! His OT's theory on eating things for her and not for me is that he needs his environment knocked upside down. So we eat in different places (outside now), use different plates/cups, etc. Anything we can do to get him out of his routine at home (which, with an autistic child, isn't easy to do!!).

Quote:


Originally Posted by *arwenevenstar* 
Sorry to hijack this thread, but Steph I would be really interested in knowing more about sensory food issues. i might cross post this.

I don't want to de-rail this thread but I'll try and get a post up about sensory food issues today sometime.


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## lilyka (Nov 20, 2001)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *nextcommercial* 
At Costco, two water melons are $6.80

A one lb case of blackberries is $4.80

A four lb case of strawberries is $6.80

Four lbs of grapes are $7.80

Thats great if you have a costco. . . . within 400 miles. we have sams club but I am not a member. and when I was their fruits and veggies were very sub par. usually tasteless or bitter. I want my kids to like fruits and veggies so it important to me that I get stuff that actually tastes good. For the longest time I thought I hated apples, oranges and strawberries. turns out i was just eating poor quality ones. when I have a good one I quite enjoy it. But then I am the girl who knows all the guys in the produce department and when the truck comes in and when they stock what and am not scared to ask them to go in back and get me something fresher . . . . . I would rather have good frozen stuff than poor quality "fresh" stuff. when our fruits pr veggies pass their peak i hide them in stuff like smoothies or desserts or cooked up somehow. My kids may very well look at a fresh piece of fruit and think "I have ever had that" when in fact they may have had it in a smoothie or cooked in something or simply served differently than you are serving. For example I slice oranges into circles. if you were to slice them differently (at the ages of 3 and 4) they might not recognize them as oranges or when they say they have never had them, may mean "I have never had them that way."


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## Potty Diva (Jun 18, 2003)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *nextcommercial* 
At Costco, two water melons are $6.80

A one lb case of blackberries is $4.80

A four lb case of strawberries is $6.80

Four lbs of grapes are $7.80

We don't have a Costco membership, but do have Sam's Club. They are STILL expensive for us.

Kailey will not even try a kiwi- though I have offered them.

We stick to bananas, apples, grapes, and strawberries (when they are on sale).

She does like watermelon.

AND when offered food at others houses she will say that she has never tried something when I know she has- she just forgets.

And the only veggie Kailey likes is corn- grr!


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## AllyRae (Dec 10, 2003)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *nextcommercial* 
But, none of these kids have any issues with food, or need therapy. They eat junk food just fine. Just nothing healthy. No. Sadly, its the way things are these days. It seems like I see so many kids who are never offered healthy foods.

My son eats junk food just fine too. And I breastfed him until he was 3 1/2 years old. And I gave him homemade organic foods instead of jarred baby foods. But now at 4 1/2 years old, he's 30 lbs and is required to drink a carnation instant breakfast every day because now he will not eat:

-vegetables of any type, raw or cooked
-Meat of any type
-beans
-tofu
-pasta
-rice
-potatoes
-corn
-anything "mixed"
-anything with sauce on it

What does that leave? Fruits and sugary/sweet carbs. That's it. And nothing mixed. Does that make me a bad parent? Nope--I did the best I could. It makes me the parent of an autistic child with sensory processing disorder (and you guessed it...he's StephandOwen's nephew.







: ).

I can guarantee he has a full range of healthy foods, fruits, and veggies to choose from at home. And his little sister eats them all just fine.


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## StephandOwen (Jun 22, 2004)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *AllyRae* 
It makes me the parent of an autistic child with sensory processing disorder (and you guessed it...he's StephandOwen's nephew.







: ).









Yup, the two crazy cousins









And just to point out, in case you think my ds was raised on formula and went straight to cheeto's.... he was breastfed for 3 1/2 years until he self weaned. When he started eating food I made 95% of what he ate (the other 5% were times we were out of the house so I grabbed a jar of food.... he ate less than 10 jars in his life and most of those were the organic kinds). He ate a wide variety of foods between 6 months and 18 months, including all sorts of fruits and veggies, berries (which were grown in our backyard so we had TONS of raspberries, black raspberries and blackberries. That was actually his breakfast for his 1st birthday), fish, ground meat (in spaghetti sauce and in chili), gezpacho, rice, pastas, etc. 99% of what he ate was healthy (if for no other reason than he HATED sweet things- no cake, cookies, brownies, ice cream, etc for him!).

And then it all went downhill. At his worst he was down to bananas, cheez-it crackers, water, breastmilk, apples (sometimes, not always), watermelon, french fries, and donuts (only certain ones, couldn't have sprinkles or anything like that on them). He was showing many many signs of autism and SPD, only part of which was food related (though food was, and still is, a major issue).

At 4 years old he had a nutrition evaluation. He was getting HALF the calories he needed (and that was with donuts and fries in his diet!!). This was not an issue of being a picky eater. This was an issue of a disorder severely affecting him. Fortunately we got him into feeding therapy and he's doing well, but still has a LOT of work to do. He still eats no meat, beans, rice, pasta (except Kraft mac n cheese and spaghetti, bow-ties with homemade smooth sauce only), berries (except the random bite from a strawberry), veggies (except raw carrots), tofu, dips (except ketchup on fries), mixed foods at all (once he graduates from his single food therapy he'll move on to mixed foods.... it'll be a looooong process- we're looking at years of feeding therapy).


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## littleaugustbaby (Jun 27, 2003)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *nextcommercial* 
At Costco, two water melons are $6.80

A one lb case of blackberries is $4.80

A four lb case of strawberries is $6.80

Four lbs of grapes are $7.80

That is not cheap...if you have a limited weekly grocery budget, $5 or more is a whole lot of money to spend on something that will spoil in less than a week. And ack...$7.80 for 4 pounds of grapes? That's almost $2 a pound! There is no way I'd pay that much! I won't buy grapes if they're more than $1/lb. I also won't buy watermelon for more than $2.50 each....or strawberries for more than $1.50/lb...those prices aren't even close to reasonable.


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## Marlet (Sep 9, 2004)

I haven't read all the posts but wanted to reply.

Don't assume anything. DD1 would not eat strawberries (despite them being a frequent) for a long time. It wasn't until she was 2.5 she licked one. Not eat one, LICKED one. Maybe these kids have been exposed but because they refused the first (or second or third....) time round the parents dropped it. I had given up on strawberries and was surprised when she ate one last month (she's almost three).

Also, I wouldn't push the food unless you know for sure there are no allergies. I have seen it mentioned children naturally avoid foods that may not agree with them (whether it be upset stomach or full blown allergy).

Who knows? Maybe they are just picky eaters.







Just because they like junk food and eat it willingly doesn't mean they don't get veggies and fruits offered and served to them when they aren't at your house.









And for most mainstream eaters I don't think blueberries and kiwis and what not rate high on the list of foods to get. Before we went vegetarian our fruit was apples, oranges, bananas, and lemons and limes. Occasionally mangos or something would land in the basket but those foods were expensive! It didn't make sense to be buying them when 1. they weren't our "normal" selection and 2. when quality can't always be assured. We rarely buy blueberries. They are spendy! If we do it's more like a special treat for us later on. My kids will rip through them (DD1 sneaks off with the little container and eats them by herself in one sitting) and then it seems like they were wasted for what we paid for them. For all you know that could be the case with these families.

I think this is a "don't assume" moment personally.


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## mammal_mama (Aug 27, 2006)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *phathui5* 
She didn't say they don't like fruits, she said they hadn't had it. What I read was that she felt they weren't getting it at home so she was going to serve lots of it.

Well, I read her posts as saying that they hadn't had those particular fruits and weren't familiar with them, so they weren't wanting to try them, so she was going to keep serving them for the rest of the season.

Not so bad in itself -- but combined with her critique of the parents, it just seemed rather patronizing and controlling to me. I wouldn't have reacted so much to her decision to serve the fruits they didn't want, if it weren't for the way it seemed the parents were being slammed.


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## Kathryn (Oct 19, 2004)

We don't serve pineapple or kiwi in our house as I'm allergic to them. The kids smush bananas into the carpet, so they're not allowed. None of them will eat oranges, raspberries, blackberries, and only one will eat blueberries and strawberries. They love one type of apple only and won't eat any other. Mango's, starfruit, etc.. they won't even try or touch. They like grapes, but they're too expensive right now. Mainly, they eat apples. It's not from lack of my trying, it's from sensory issues and dislikes of foods. Same with veggies. They'll eat corn, potatoes, carrots, beans, and tomatoes. Carrots are the only raw veggie they'll eat. I eat squash daily, they won't touch it. It's not always the parents, yk.


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## kewb (May 13, 2005)

I don't know, this thread reminds me of another one I was reading recently. To paraphrase another poster from that thread: Oh no! Run, cover up your kids before they catch the dreaded mainstream disease.

All kids are different. What they do for a parent is different for a friend. Congrats to the original poster for offering up such wonderful fruits.


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## Hoopin' Mama (Sep 9, 2004)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *nataliachick7* 
I dont buy the whole "but fruits are expensive" thing. When I go to mainstream grocery stores like jewel, I see people with carts full of oreos, poptarts, chips, froot loops, etc. You can buy a few packs of berries or veggies or whatever instead of all that CRAP. USA kids are brought up on JUNK. When they see fruits or veggies they dont know what to do.
My son has eaten berries, kiwi, mango, etc on an almost daily basis since 9 months old. Its not that expensive, i just dont buy all that crap food.

We eat mainly locally grown food that is in-season, so my child doesn't often have berries, mango, or kiwis. We had a good run of 4 weeks of strawberries.

So he wouldn't know what to do with a kiwi if you put it in front of him.

I think we have a serious food problem in this country. But kids are picky eaters. And honestly, when I look at a cart full of these fruits, I immediately think of the gas that it took to get them to my city, the fact that they probably came from Monsanto seeds, etc. I am almost as repulsed by that as you may be from fruit loops.


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## Hoopin' Mama (Sep 9, 2004)

Llyra said:


> My kids LIVE on raspberries, blackberries, blueberries, and strawberries. They're hideously expensive most of the year in the supermarkets, so what I do is wait until they're in season locally, and buy up a TON of them at the cheapest prices I can find like at the farmer's market or a local farmstand. Then I freeze them in the deep freeze. Then we break out a bag or two a week all winter. Nothing like fresh-off-the-bush raspberries in January. I try to freeze them the same day they were picked, so they're marvelous.
> 
> We're big on fresh produce. We grow tons ourselves, buy a huge CSA share every year, and haunt the local farmstands and farmer's market. Then we freeze for the whole year. You can save a ton of money that way. Plus, you get to try so many neat things. My kids have tried just about every veggie and fruit that's available here. I want them to experience all of it while they're still young enough to be open to new food experiences. So occasionally I'll even splurge on the tropical fruits or on odd stuff like starfruit or Sharon fruit.
> 
> ...


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## ElliesMomma (Sep 21, 2006)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *OtherMother'n'Madre* 
IWe rarely buy blueberries. They are spendy! If we do it's more like a special treat for us later on. My kids will rip through them (DD1 sneaks off with the little container and eats them by herself in one sitting) and then it seems like they were wasted for what we paid for them.

see, to me, i wouldn't consider it a waste at all if my child ate all the blueberries. i'd figure 1) they were good for her and 2) obviously her body needed them, or else she wouldn't have craved them so much to "sneak off" and devour them. to me, the only time fruit is wasted is when you buy it, don't use it for a week, and then throw it out. fresh fruit is fresh. when you buy it, eat it that day or the next. it actually loses its nutritional value the longer it sits uneaten.

i've been following this tread and i notice so many, many people are ripping the OP for being judgmental on the basis of kids with sensory issues that you would think half the kids in america have sensory issues. (maybe they do?) and then there seems to be a lot of defensiveness along the lines of fruit is such an expensive indulgence. but here i sit eating my way through two packs of sliced up strawberries (which my 2 year old is also enjoying) and if this is our worst indulgence, to me, i figure: oh well. we save money by taking second hand clothes and second hand toys and never eating out. frankly, i'd rather spend the money eating fresh food, but that's just me!


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## Katzchen (Aug 13, 2007)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *ElliesMomma* 
there seems to be a lot of defensiveness along the lines of fruit is such an expensive indulgence. but here i sit eating my way through two packs of sliced up strawberries (which my 2 year old is also enjoying) and if this is our worst indulgence, to me, i figure: oh well. we save money by taking second hand clothes and second hand toys and never eating out. frankly, i'd rather spend the money eating fresh food, but that's just me!

At least you have enough money to choose what you would like to indulge in. Not everyone does.


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## ElliesMomma (Sep 21, 2006)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Katzchen* 
At least you have enough money to choose what you would like to indulge in. Not everyone does.

true


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## mammal_mama (Aug 27, 2006)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *ElliesMomma* 
i've been following this tread and i notice so many, many people are ripping the OP for being judgmental on the basis of kids with sensory issues that you would think half the kids in america have sensory issues. (maybe they do?)

Maybe -- but I don't see any reason to be so critical of other families and the ways they do things, sensory issues or not.

Quote:

and then there seems to be a lot of defensiveness along the lines of fruit is such an expensive indulgence. but here i sit eating my way through two packs of sliced up strawberries (which my 2 year old is also enjoying) and if this is our worst indulgence, to me, i figure: oh well. we save money by taking second hand clothes and second hand toys and never eating out. frankly, i'd rather spend the money eating fresh food, but that's just me!
I'm glad you're enjoying your snack. As far as defensiveness, I don't see why anyone should feel a need to defend their purchasing/cooking/eating choices to anyone else -- or at least to anyone outside the immediate family. I don't think anyone called fruit an expensive indulgence -- but certainly some kinds of fruit are more expensive than others.

It makes sense that people on a limited budget would focus more on foods (including fruits) that are more filling for less money -- and also, if you don't have much money for food, you tend to buy the things you know your kids will like and eat, rather than experimenting with something they might reject.


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## littleaugustbaby (Jun 27, 2003)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *ElliesMomma* 
the part that scares me is, my DD is a great eater at 2. i'm scared that any of this will change in the next few years. hence to redouble my efforts with gardening and that fruits and vegetables are always centerpeice to the foods she is served.

IME, it does get harder as they get older. At two, my DD loved all sorts of healthy foods. The only processed foods that she ever ate were "healthy" versions of things from the HFS. Animal crackers made from whole wheat flour and sweetened with molasses, stuff like that. And things like that were rare. She ate tons of fruits and veggies. She was my great eater.

At 4.5, she still eats a healthy diet, and does know the difference between healthy and junk, but the lines have gotten blurred since she started becoming more social and going to preschool. It is frustrating, because I laid this good solid foundation for her, and then she started becoming more socialized and hanging out with friends who brought a "healthy" snack of apples with caramel, or graham crackers with cream cheese to school or the park. A lot of her friends eat a lot of the SAD and eat a lot of fast food. It's much, much harder to keep them away from that stuff when they start hanging out with other kids. A lot of times, our friends will leave the park and go to McDonald's, and they will ask if DD wants to go while she is standing right there. It leaves me with the choice of having to dissapoint her, or giving in and taking her to McDonald's. It would be nice to shelter her forever...but I can't do that. It's just really important to find the balance, and to teach her when it's ok to have treats and junk, and when it's time to be healthy.


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## Nature (Mar 12, 2005)

My girls have had blueberries, and they've had raspberries because we found a wild bush at the park one day. We buy apples, bananas on occasion and grapes when they're in season. Buying strawberries or oranges is a HUGE treat for us. Most of the other fruits we don't get unless they happen to hand those out at the local food pantry.

Fruit is expensive. We buy what we can. Unfortunately it goes bad quickly.
We also have a SN child that is picky about her foods.

For us, we don't have enough money or food stamps to buy as much fruit as we'd like.

They've never had a kiwi, fresh pinapple, guava, or many other fruits. There are also plenty of fresh vegetables they've never had. If it comes in a can or frozen chances are higher they've had it because its cheaper.

I absolutely do not see eating fruits and vegetables or lack of eating them as a sign of good mothering, or bad mothering.

I'm glad you have enough money to eat your strawberries. On good months we enjoy some too. But to assume that if we don't buy fruits and vegetables that we must be spending our money on other less important things is absurd and plain wrong. Our bills get paid and there is very little leftover for anything fun, and yes.. that includes strawberries. Its not a necessity. For us, strawberries are an expensive indulgence.

I don't judge you for buying them, why do you judge others for not buying them?


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## Hoopin' Mama (Sep 9, 2004)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Nature* 
My girls have had blueberries, and they've had raspberries because we found a wild bush at the park one day. We buy apples, bananas on occasion and grapes when they're in season. Buying strawberries or oranges is a HUGE treat for us. Most of the other fruits we don't get unless they happen to hand those out at the local food pantry.

Fruit is expensive. We buy what we can. Unfortunately it goes bad quickly.
We also have a SN child that is picky about her foods.

For us, we don't have enough money or food stamps to buy as much fruit as we'd like.

They've never had a kiwi, fresh pinapple, guava, or many other fruits. There are also plenty of fresh vegetables they've never had. If it comes in a can or frozen chances are higher they've had it because its cheaper.

I absolutely do not see eating fruits and vegetables or lack of eating them as a sign of good mothering, or bad mothering.

I'm glad you have enough money to eat your strawberries. On good months we enjoy some too. But to assume that if we don't buy fruits and vegetables that we must be spending our money on other less important things is absurd and plain wrong. Our bills get paid and there is very little leftover for anything fun, and yes.. that includes strawberries. Its not a necessity. For us, strawberries are an expensive indulgence.

I don't judge you for buying them, why do you judge others for not buying them?

This is well said. A big hunk of cheese can cost the same as a carton of strawberries, and cheese is a sure thing around here.
Fortunately, more and more farmer's markets and CSA's are taking WIC and food stamps, so people are getting more opportunities for fresh stuff. But not everywhere.


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## Potty Diva (Jun 18, 2003)

Quote:

This is well said. A big hunk of cheese can cost the same as a carton of strawberries, and cheese is a sure thing around here.
Fortunately, more and more farmer's markets and CSA's are taking WIC and food stamps, so people are getting more opportunities for fresh stuff. But not everywhere.
But only people who qualify for WIC or Food Stamps.

We fall right in the middle. Too much to qualify not enough to indulge.


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## Marlet (Sep 9, 2004)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *ElliesMomma* 
see, to me, i wouldn't consider it a waste at all if my child ate all the blueberries. i'd figure 1) they were good for her and 2) obviously her body needed them, or else she wouldn't have craved them so much to "sneak off" and devour them. to me, the only time fruit is wasted is when you buy it, don't use it for a week, and then throw it out. fresh fruit is fresh. when you buy it, eat it that day or the next. it actually loses its nutritional value the longer it sits uneaten.

No I know it's not wasted and I'm glad she eats them! It's the mentality of wanting thins to last and not get ripped through so quickly. I plan out foods big time so if they are gone within two seconds and I meal planned with them things get difficult. I'm sure I'm not the only person to have that mentality. For all we know the parents mentioned in the op could be of the same mind set.

Interesting thread.


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## ElliesMomma (Sep 21, 2006)

i'm sorry for those who are struggling by on food stamps, WIC, etc. i can imagine that it must be tough to be on a tight tight budget. FTR my strawberries were $1.29 a pound at aldi.


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## Potty Diva (Jun 18, 2003)

Elliesmama- I wish we had an Aldi's close but ours is in Southern Pines - a 45 minute drive. Gas is too high to be driving that far, even for a sale.

We have Food Lion and Walmart in our town, oh and Food King (nasty veggies and fruits though).


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## Nature (Mar 12, 2005)

I've never even heard of Aldi








Their store locater says they don't have any in my state or nearby at all. Oh well.


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## mistymama (Oct 12, 2004)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Nature* 
I've never even heard of Aldi








Their store locater says they don't have any in my state or nearby at all. Oh well.

I honestly don't think you are missing much. We got a new one by us and I had heard so much about it, I went to check it out. Everything is an off-brand and the few things I tried were AWFUL. :gag: At our store the limited produce section was simply gross. And this was a new store!!

Not to mention the irritation of having to find a quarter to deposit into the shopping cart just to use one.


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## Potty Diva (Jun 18, 2003)

a quarter to use the shopping cart?! Well, I won't be going there anytime soon.
That is just counter-productive. They are limiting how much the customers buy if they are unwilling to spend a quarter on a cart. Heck, I would only buy what I could carry just to prove a point.

We used to have a Winnie Dixie with great produce, but since the super Walmart came it went out of business.


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## 4evermom (Feb 3, 2005)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Potty Diva* 
a quarter to use the shopping cart?! Well, I won't be going there anytime soon.
That is just counter-productive. They are limiting how much the customers buy if they are unwilling to spend a quarter on a cart. Heck, I would only buy what I could carry just to prove a point.

You get the quarter back when you return it, but it is a PIA. It's to keep people from using the carts to walk all their groceries home or to the bus stop. A lot of city grocery stores have them. Some have wheels that lock if you push them past a certain line in the parking lot.


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## Potty Diva (Jun 18, 2003)

that is so wild, but does make sense.

Now I am thinking, "only a quarter?" That wouldn't buy a new cart fer sure


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## mommyoftwo (Apr 6, 2004)

My ds will not touch fruit and it certainly isn't because it isn't available. He will eat three types of veggies also available and offered constantly. We just went strawberry picking and he said "I'll help pick but I will not try one".

My dd will practically eat nothing but fruit and veggies.

They were both fed the same well rounded, healthy diet as babies with very little processed food.

Go figure. Some kids are just naturally very picky. I don't think that he has sensory issues because we don't see it with anything else.

I just keep offering and have seasonal fruits and veggies available. You can't force a kid to eat them.


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## 4evermom (Feb 3, 2005)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *OtherMother'n'Madre* 
No I know it's not wasted and I'm glad she eats them! It's the mentality of wanting thins to last and not get ripped through so quickly. I plan out foods big time so if they are gone within two seconds and I meal planned with them things get difficult. I'm sure I'm not the only person to have that mentality. For all we know the parents mentioned in the op could be of the same mind set.

Interesting thread.

Oh yeah, I totally grew up with that. My dad wouldn't buy food the kids liked too much.









Grapes were for holidays like Easter. If kiwis were on sale, we'd each get half a kiwi, _maybe_ twice a year. I'd ask to pick strawberries as a big birthday treat (June birthday). Special food doesn't go far with 7 kids. Things would have to be strictly doled out or it would be gone before everyone had a small amount.

The judgment about what other people feed their kids is SO old! I'd really love it if people would assume others have reasons for doing things the way they do.


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## Nature (Mar 12, 2005)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *4evermom* 
Oh yeah, I totally grew up with that. My dad wouldn't buy food the kids liked too much.









Grapes were for holidays like Easter. If kiwis were on sale, we'd each get half a kiwi, _maybe_ twice a year. I'd ask to pick strawberries as a big birthday treat (June birthday). Special food doesn't go far with 7 kids. Things would have to be strictly doled out or it would be gone before everyone had a small amount.

The judgment about what other people feed their kids is SO old! I'd really love it if people would assume others have reasons for doing things the way they do.









:

werd.


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## 4evermom (Feb 3, 2005)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Potty Diva* 







that is so wild, but does make sense.

Now I am thinking, "only a quarter?" That wouldn't buy a new cart fer sure

















Most people don't want to give up their quarter permanently









And it keeps them from leaving the cart at the far end of the parking lot or kids from pushing them into creeks. It's not like most people want to keep the carts (Some do. I see people using them for collecting scrap metal.)


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## meganeilis (Mar 12, 2006)

for the OP

You're not making snide comments about people at the next table in a restaurant, these are kids you spend a ton of time with every day, and you care about their well being. Kudos to you for trying to broaden their horizons. It's not easy to take care of little ones that are not your own.


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## mammal_mama (Aug 27, 2006)

And big







for the parents of these children, who are working hard to raise their families, and are paying the OP to care for their children while they work. It's hard to trust someone else to care for your children -- also, someone who cares for your children sees into your family life in a way no one else does, so these parents have basically invited the OP into their inner sanctum, as well as making it possible for her to do childcare as a livelihood.


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## mistymama (Oct 12, 2004)

You get the quarter back, it's a deposit. I just found it a total PITA because I rarely have cash/change on me!

Then to get inside and find yucky produce, well, let's say I'll never take the time to go there again. I've heard people rave about Aldi, so maybe our store just sucks!










I like to buy my produce from Publix. It can get pricey, esp organic, but the quality is so much better than Winn Dixie (not that we have one close by anymore!) and I try my best not to shop at our local Wal Mart neighborhood market store. But I must admit, their produce was pretty good.







:


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## mistymama (Oct 12, 2004)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *4evermom* 







Most people don't want to give up their quarter permanently









And it keeps them from leaving the cart at the far end of the parking lot or kids from pushing them into creeks. It's not like most people want to keep the carts (Some do. I see people using them for collecting scrap metal.)

When I went to Aldi I was so confused. I thought it cost a quarter to use the cart and I was a little put out.







So when I put the cart back and my quarter popped out, I got all excited.

I can see why they do it, but it's one of the many things that make me never want to go back there again!


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## josybear (Jul 24, 2006)

i had to stop reading this thread around post 20 - my mouth is watering like crazy!


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## aprons_and_acorns (Sep 28, 2004)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *4evermom* 
I'd really love it if people would assume others have reasons for doing things the way they do.











YES


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## Storm Bride (Mar 2, 2005)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *mistymama* 
Not to mention the irritation of having to find a quarter to deposit into the shopping cart just to use one.


Quote:


Originally Posted by *Potty Diva* 
a quarter to use the shopping cart?! Well, I won't be going there anytime soon.

This has probably already been addressed, but there are no grocery stores here that don't require a deposit for a cart. The one around the corner from me (fairly cheap store, not upscale) requires $1.00. This has been in place here for a long, long time.


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## lilyka (Nov 20, 2001)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *ElliesMomma* 
see, to me, i wouldn't consider it a waste at all if my child ate all the blueberries. i'd figure 1) they were good for her and 2) obviously her body needed them, or else she wouldn't have craved them so much to "sneak off" and devour them. to me, the only time fruit is wasted is when you buy it, don't use it for a week, and then throw it out. fresh fruit is fresh. when you buy it, eat it that day or the next. it actually loses its nutritional value the longer it sits uneaten.


you must only have one child. if one of my child snuck the big treat and snarfed it down I would be ticked. I would have not gotten any, the other children would not have gotten any and until i went out and dropped another $10-$15 on 2 more packs of blueberries so that everything was fair for the kids and they each got a full thing of blueberries I would have no peace. of course then the one who snuck the blue berries would be crying because she would want more and her other two sisters were feasting while she got none never mind that she had already selfishly devoured 5-$7 bucks worth of blueberries and I would be dealing with all these tantrums while still having nothing but crappy carbs to snack on because another $5 for a serving of blueberries is just too much no matter how much a anted or needed them. . . not to mention all the gas running back and forth to the store. . .


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## lilyka (Nov 20, 2001)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *4evermom* 
You get the quarter back when you return it, but it is a PIA. It's to keep people from using the carts to walk all their groceries home or to the bus stop. A lot of city grocery stores have them. Some have wheels that lock if you push them past a certain line in the parking lot.

It also save the store a lot of money by not having to go retrieve carts. The grocery store i worked at had 3 full time guys in the day and 2-4 guys at all times in the evening who did nothing but retrieve carts at $6 - $10 an hour. so lets say the average wage is $8 an hour and the average is 2.5 people running carts from 6AM - 11PM. thats 17 hours. That works out to about $350 a day just to retrieve carts. Not to mention those stolen, broken, abused and rusted by rain ice and salt. (and people wonder why we push drive up. . . .it used to be your only option). I would probably never shop at aldis (especially for produce as I don't trust too cheap produce) but i can certainly understand their cart system, even if it is a pain in the butt.

A new cart cost $200-$300 dollars.

and continuing this totally off topic rant about things that make your groceries more expensive. . . .
other things to think about the raise the price of your food. . . .

letting your kids mess around with stuff. cans are not toys. playing with them, rearranging them ect leads to loss. cans get dented, things down the isle get knocked off and broken. (same goes for letting little kids push carts) also just rearranging price tags and cans cost a lot. I made $10 an hour and spent half my shift straightening up what little kids messed up (it was all knee height. i assume adults have better things to do) and reorganizing shelves. and I was one of the lowest paid people on that shift. this goes for dropping stuff all over the place because you kid snagged it and you don't feel like putting it back where it goes. bags. seriously we spent a fortune on these. if everyone would bring their own bags, or at least ask the sacker to fill the bags (they are strong) not get double bagging, don't sack your milk or things that don't really fit in bags, etc everything a store does cost it money. every friendly employee. oh don't throw crap on the floor. There are no garbage cans in grocery stores because people steal stuff and throw the packaging away. just ask someone to throw it away for you. one guy got paid probably over $10 an hour plus benefits to sweep all day. no kidding. there were also two part time janitors always cleaning.


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## dubfam (Nov 4, 2005)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *ElliesMomma* 
but here i sit eating my way through two packs of sliced up strawberries (which my 2 year old is also enjoying) and if this is our worst indulgence, to me, i figure: oh well. we save money by taking second hand clothes and second hand toys and never eating out. frankly, i'd rather spend the money eating fresh food, but that's just me!

Since we eat Local, In Season Organic berries they are more of a luxury for us as well.

I would rather go the healthier route of buying the safe fruits.

Do you realize just how many chemicals and other junk you are ingesting when you eat cheap, non organic berries that have been transported over 1,000 miles to get to you??
Not to mention that most of the nutritional value is lost when foods are grown that way.

I promise that there are more things in those berries that are bad for your body than there are good.

This is not a judgment on what you eat. It is just HILARIOUS for me to see people acting like berries from Costco or Aldi's (?)( WTF?) are healthy!!!!!!








And then putting other people down for not eating them as if they are doing a disservice to their bodies by NOT consuming chemical ridden foods.

Everyone has a different opinion on what is healthy. No matter what your family eats there are sure to be people who think that it is not healthy. It is so ridiculous to get all "Holier Than Thou" over fruit!!!!!!

*sigh* I DO Love MDC so much, but I wish people would quit being so FRIGGIN judgmental!!!

.


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## Qestia (Sep 26, 2005)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *dubfam* 
Since we eat Local, In Season Organic berries they are more of a luxury for us as well.

I would rather go the healthier route of buying the safe fruits.

Do you realize just how many chemicals and other junk you are ingesting when you eat cheap, non organic berries that have been transported over 1,000 miles to get to you??
Not to mention that most of the nutritional value is lost when foods are grown that way.

I promise that there are more things in those berries that are bad for your body than there are good.

This is not a judgment on what you eat. It is just HILARIOUS for me to see people acting like berries from Costco or Aldi's (?)( WTF?) are healthy!!!!!!








And then putting other people down for not eating them as if they are doing a disservice to their bodies by NOT consuming chemical ridden foods.

Everyone has a different opinion on what is healthy. No matter what your family eats there are sure to be people who think that it is not healthy. It is so ridiculous to get all "Holier Than Thou" over fruit!!!!!!

*sigh* I DO Love MDC so much, but I wish people would quit being so FRIGGIN judgmental!!!

.


Are you joking? Because this is the most judgemental food-related post I've seen on MDC, and that's saying A LOT.


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## mistymama (Oct 12, 2004)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Storm Bride* 
This has probably already been addressed, but there are no grocery stores here that don't require a deposit for a cart. The one around the corner from me (fairly cheap store, not upscale) requires $1.00. This has been in place here for a long, long time.

Yeah, I understand the reason behind it. But it's not common around here, at all. I'll stick to Publix with good produce and someone who walks you out, and makes sure your cart gets back.


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## 4evermom (Feb 3, 2005)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Qestia* 
Are you joking? Because this is the most judgemental food-related post I've seen on MDC, and that's saying A LOT.

That's funny, 'cause I didn't think so.









I'm of the camp which would rather ds NOT eat the most highly pesticide contaminated foods unless grown organically so that means no strawberries and raspberries from Costcos.


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## dubfam (Nov 4, 2005)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Qestia* 
Are you joking? Because this is the most judgemental food-related post I've seen on MDC, and that's saying A LOT.

How so?

People are going on and on about how healthy this stuff is.

It isn't healthy.

What did I say that you found to be judgmental?
That we won't eat strawberries in the middle of December that were grown in Mexico?


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## Qestia (Sep 26, 2005)

yup, and that people who think fresh fruit that doesn't meet your standards could possibly be healthy are just hilarious!


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## dubfam (Nov 4, 2005)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Qestia* 
yup, and that people who think fresh fruit that doesn't meet your standards could possibly be healthy are just hilarious!

It is Hilarious to see people judging other people for not eating unhealthy foods.

THAT is my point. I don't really worry about what other people eat...but I certainly wouldn't claim that Organic potato chips are good for your body, and then criticize other people for not eating them.

Which is essentially what is happening on this thread.


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## mammal_mama (Aug 27, 2006)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *dubfam* 
It is Hilarious to see people judging other people for not eating unhealthy foods.

THAT is my point. I don't really worry about what other people eat...but I certainly wouldn't claim that Organic potato chips are good for your body, and then criticize other people for not eating them.

Which is essentially what is happening on this thread.

Yes, I totally got your point when I read your previous post!







I knew you weren't judging other people for eating non-organic fruits: You were just asking them to *stop!* judging others for _their_ purchasing choices. You were asking for the respect to be extended both ways.

It's so funny that anyone would think your post was the most judgmental!


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## Hoopin' Mama (Sep 9, 2004)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *dubfam* 
It is Hilarious to see people judging other people for not eating unhealthy foods.

THAT is my point. I don't really worry about what other people eat...but I certainly wouldn't claim that Organic potato chips are good for your body, and then criticize other people for not eating them.

Which is essentially what is happening on this thread.

Totally get your point. And it is a good one.


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## Hoopin' Mama (Sep 9, 2004)

Also, I do think we have a real food problem and it goes beyond our nation. Our collective head is not in the right place when it comes to growing and transporting our food supply. I think this needs to be addressed on a higher-level though, not so much by judging what is on our neighbor's plate or in their shopping cart.

OP - I don't doubt it is frustrating for you to see the preference for processed food all the time. I get that. I also can't imagine having the stress of packing up food every morning/evening that would get my picky eater through the days at daycare. I would probably rely more on convenience food myself if this were part of routine.








to the Moms who have this extra task. You are so much busier than me! And I feel pretty busy.


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## MommytoTwo (Jun 20, 2004)

Quote:

My kids LOVE fruit and veggies. Has to be fresh, whole, organic fruit/veggies. They wont eat it unless its organic
seriously? at two?


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## meganeilis (Mar 12, 2006)

How is judging the OP and being overly critical and snarky any better than head scratching over what some young kids will and will not eat?


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## lyttlewon (Mar 7, 2006)

Hmm..My kid has never eaten kiwi. I don't like it so I have never bought it. I am allergic to seedless watermelon and you really can't buy the real stuff around here so my kid hasn't eaten watermelon either. Blackberries don't grow wild in the inland northwest and are about $5 a pound in the store. She has eaten strawberries, grapes, oranges, apples, bananas and her favorite fruit is a tomato.







:


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## dubfam (Nov 4, 2005)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *meganeilis* 
*How is judging the OP and being overly critical and snarky* any better than head scratching over what some young kids will and will not eat?

Where was that post?

.


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## 4evermom (Feb 3, 2005)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *meganeilis* 
How is judging the OP and being overly critical and snarky any better than head scratching over what some young kids will and will not eat?

I honestly think the majority of the posts were parents of kids with sensory issues or ones with low incomes trying to make others understand that they shouldn't assume all kids eat the way they do out of parental ignorance and lack of caring. This board is extremely varied in geography and family income. Fresh fruit is not readily and economically available everywhere. Feeding young children things that are highly contaminated by pesticides is not a priority for some. Feeding them organically grown things isn't financially feasible for some. Some kids won't eat them regardless of availability. And some eat them and tell their daycare provider they've never seen them before in their life.


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## Katzchen (Aug 13, 2007)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *4evermom* 
I honestly think the majority of the posts were parents of kids with sensory issues or ones with low incomes trying to make others understand that they shouldn't assume all kids eat the way they do out of parental ignorance and lack of caring. This board is extremely varied in geography and family income. Fresh fruit is not readily and economically available everywhere. Feeding young children things that are highly contaminated by pesticides is not a priority for some. Feeding them organically grown things isn't financially feasible for some. Some kids won't eat them regardless of availability. And some eat them and tell their daycare provider they've never seen them before in their life.

















:


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## UUMom (Nov 14, 2002)

I would absolutely freak if someone offerred my little kids commercial, imported or trucked-in fruit like that. Non -organic strawberries are one of the worst things a child can eat, imo. When my kids were little they might have said they never had those fruits, esp if you asked in winter and they couldn't recall their summer feasts. The only strawberries my kids eat are the ones I grow or by locally *in summer*. They only get wild blueberries in season, and mostly from Maine. You can imagine how long that growing season is.







Sadly.

Variety is fine, but not when you're talking about dangerous pesticides and food trucked in from zillions of miles.

To me, healthy food is food grown in season, offerred in season, and local. My children haven't had kiwi, watermelon or berries in nearly a year. Summer will be here before you know it, and then they can have a party. Meanwhile, they can eat winter squashes and other local produce that keeps well.


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## Pancakes (Jan 22, 2008)

I read the first few post, and the last few posts, but only want to comment on the OP.

About 8 years ago I had a home daycare where I would watch very few kids during the day and just about half the neighborhood after school. One little girl that lived across the street would come over to play with all of the kids, she was 6. Whenever she'd come over she'd have her bottle of orange soda and bag of chips in hand...always. Not my kid, not even a kid I watched...none of my business.

However, one day she saw a bowl full of apples on my counter and asked if she could have one. I didn't think anything of it and said yes. She ate it and asked for another...sure. After the second one she asked for another and I told her that it would probably be best to wait a little bit to see if she really wanted it. Her response "But they are so good, I've never had one before" I immediately freaked thinking maybe she had some kind of odd apple allergy and called her mother. Nope....Mom said that the little girl had never had an apple because she didn't buy fruit unless it was in a can and was surprised that she even ate the apple.

So yes, I do understand what you are saying. Some families just have different priorities in life. It's sad when fresh foods...even apples... isn't one of them.


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## mammal_mama (Aug 27, 2006)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *meganeilis* 
How is judging the OP and being overly critical and snarky any better than head scratching over what some young kids will and will not eat?

And how is judging and criticizing the parents any better than head-scratching over why some people promote diversity in diet, but disdain diverse practices among people?


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## meganeilis (Mar 12, 2006)

Neither is worthwhile, which is why I'm not participating in either behavior.

If you find a post to be critical and unproductive, the answer is not to respond with more unproductive criticism in turn. It doesn't add anything to the atmosphere of the boards, and it makes a member here the target of pack mentality. The line between "here's another perspective" has long ago been crossed and it's not spiraling into plain old meanness. Maybe it's not my place to step in and say it's not cool, but I just don't think the tone that's being used here is really in the spirit of these boards.


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## dubfam (Nov 4, 2005)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *meganeilis* 
Neither is worthwhile, which is why I'm not participating in either behavior.

If you find a post to be critical and unproductive, the answer is not to respond with more unproductive criticism in turn. It doesn't add anything to the atmosphere of the boards, and it makes a member here the target of pack mentality. *The line between "here's another perspective" has long ago been crossed and it's not spiraling into plain old meanness. Maybe it's not my place to step in and say it's not cool, but I just don't think the tone that's being used here is really in the spirit of these boards.*

What do you mean?

I thought the OP was pretty mean/judgmental

I am not really sure where else this thread could have gone when it starts out that way









And who is being mean to the OP?

.


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## meganeilis (Mar 12, 2006)

Little jabs about ASSuming and "the most judgemental food post ever" etc were made that were not productive, just snarky. Of course it's kind of the members here to be worried about the OP's day care families, but she is a member here, she's one of us, and even if you don't love what's she saying, being kind and respectful to her would be nice too.


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## bluetoes (May 12, 2007)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *4evermom* 
That's funny, 'cause I didn't think so.









I'm of the camp which would rather ds NOT eat the most highly pesticide contaminated foods unless grown organically so that means no strawberries and raspberries from Costcos.


Costcos does a great line of organic frozen fruits. DS is tucking into blueberries as we speak, he prefers them frozen. Even fresh fruits I freeze to go in his morning yogurt.

We can give our kids healthy foods but there is no guarantee they'll eat them. I am lucky I have a healthy eater but I am not going to be smug about it!


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## dubfam (Nov 4, 2005)

Quote:

Little jabs about ASSuming and "the most judgemental food post ever" etc were made that were not productive, just snarky. Of course it's kind of the members here to be worried about the OP's day care families, but she is a member here, she's one of us, and even if you don't love what's she saying, being kind and respectful to her would be nice too.
Yeah I can agree with that-but I think most threads with this many post contain at least a few completely worthless, snarky posts.

I guess I am just so used to it that I don't notice it as much anymore


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## UUMom (Nov 14, 2002)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *meganeilis* 
Little jabs about ASSuming and "the most judgemental food post ever" etc were made that were not productive, just snarky. Of course it's kind of the members here to be worried about the OP's day care families, but she is a member here, she's one of us, and even if you don't love what's she saying, being kind and respectful to her would be nice too.

One of the reasons I would never use home day care is because many providers/mothers tend to be the most judgemental of all, as they are babysitting because they do not want to leave their own kids with babysitters. Over the years, the family day providers I''ve known are the ones at playgroup/library story hour etc who tend to talk about how they could never leave their kids, how lazy the parents are etc. 'They get off work at 4, but they don't bother to pick up until 5!" People tend to offer childcare in their homes so they can stay home. Most (not all, but flame me anyway) don't tend to think those women who work are good enough mothers. "I don't know *how* they could leave their own children!"

I've seen family day care poviders judge the most ridiculous things. From wanting the child to have only organic food to wanting the child to be changed more often. "Do they think their kid is the only kid I have?" or "They think their kid is *so* special!")

I also realize that too many people think some foods are healthy when they are aboslutely not! Non- fat prepared foods, fruit juice (even natural ones) , and non- organic fruits among them.

If I used child care, I would rather it be through a group of people with a variety of experiences and beliefts, over one mom who thinks her way is the only right way. There is nobody the home day parent can bounce ideas off of, or who witnesses (besides the children) her style. It's the day care providers judgement/beleif alone which determines the care, and if the parent disagrees, they are assumed wrong by the home day provider.


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## Potty Diva (Jun 18, 2003)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *mammal_mama* 
Yes, I totally got your point when I read your previous post!







I knew you weren't judging other people for eating non-organic fruits: You were just asking them to *stop!* judging others for _their_ purchasing choices. You were asking for the respect to be extended both ways.

It's so funny that anyone would think your post was the most judgmental!

Personal I was a bit offended that anyone would suggest this. *I* was going for "most judgmental post" and implying someone else has earned this title totally undermines all my work.


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## dubfam (Nov 4, 2005)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Potty Diva* 
Personal I was a bit offended that anyone would suggest this. *I* was going for "most judgmental post" and implying someone else has earned this title totally undermines all my work.


Maybe Next time...


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## UUMom (Nov 14, 2002)

Quote:

Costcos does a great line of organic frozen fruits. DS is tucking into blueberries as we speak, he prefers them frozen. Even fresh fruits I freeze to go in his morning yogurt.

We can give our kids healthy foods but there is no guarantee they'll eat them. I am lucky I have a healthy eater but I am not going to be smug about it!
A lot of Costco organic food, like Target and Walmart, and organic store brands are actually imported from China. There is no way to know if these 'industrial organics' are actually 'organic'. Most of the CA organic, even, are industrial as well. Even if they are not sprayed, the soil is pretty depleted and corners are cut. Factor in thousands of miles to market, and you're really not looking at food-food as our ancestors without disease knew it. When I thought of liottle kids not eating those trucked and sprayed strawberries, I thought "Thank god!"

Food that is not locally produced for local people are hugely lacking in nutrients.

It is very upsetting. We need to rethink what 'food' is.


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## meganeilis (Mar 12, 2006)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *UUMom* 
One of the reasons I would never use home day care is because many providers/mothers tend to be the most judgemental of all, as they are babysitting because they do not want to leave their own kids with babysitters. Over the years, the family day providers I''ve known are the ones at playgroup/library story hour etc who tend to talk about how they could never leave their kids, how lazy the parents are etc. 'They get off work at 4, but they don't bother to pick up until 5!" People tend to offer childcare in their homes so they can stay home. Most (not all, but flame me anyway) don't tend to think those women who work are good enough mothers. "I don't know *how* they could leave their own children!"

I've seen family day care poviders judge the most ridiculous things. From wanting the child to have only organic food to wanting the child to be changed more often. "Do they think their kid is the only kid I have?" or "They think their kid is *so* special!")

I also realize that too many people think some foods are healthy when they are aboslutely not! Non- fat prepared foods, fruit juice (even natural ones) , and non- organic fruits among them.

If I used child care, I would rather it be through a group of people with a variety of experiences and beliefts, over one mom who thinks her way is the only right way. There is nobody the home day parent can bounce ideas off of, or who witnesses (besides the children) her style. It's the day care providers judgement/beleif alone which determines the care, and if the parent disagrees, they are assumed wrong by the home day provider.

Well, I've recently begun provide day care for a friend in her home, and I'm sorry that you are brushing off _most_ in home day care providers with such sweeping negative responses. I'm not sure how never wanting to leave your kids with a DCP would be a negative attribute, especially on an AP board. I know from my personal experience that my 'style' does not set the tone for the care I provide. Because I am caring for a small number of children, the parents expect that I will be following their directions to a T, after all I don't have to work within to strict rules and regulations of a center and my attention is not spread thin. Basically, the disrespect and the expectation that things will be done a certain way is a two way street. The parents in these situations are not picture perfect, and neither are the DCPs. I hate to see day care providers treated poorly considering the amount of time, energy and care they put into their jobs. Caring for kids that are not your own is hard. It's not just tiring, it's hard on your heart because you come to really care for the kids and want the very best for them, and if a DCP is thinking about the kids' well being, and not the parents, well that can't be all that bad.


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## UUMom (Nov 14, 2002)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *meganeilis* 
Well, I've recently begun provide day care for a friend in her home, and I'm sorry that you are brushing off _most_ in home day care providers with such sweeping negative responses. I'm not sure how never wanting to leave your kids with a DCP would be a negative attribute, especially on an AP board. I know from my personal experience that my 'style' does not set the tone for the care I provide. Because I am caring for a small number of children, the parents expect that I will be following their directions to a T, after all I don't have to work within to strict rules and regulations of a center and my attention is not spread thin. Basically, the disrespect and the expectation that things will be done a certain way is a two way street. The parents in these situations are not picture perfect, and neither are the DCPs. I hate to see day care providers treated poorly considering the amount of time, energy and care they put into their jobs. Caring for kids that are not your own is hard. It's not just tiring, it's hard on your heart because you come to really care for the kids and want the very best for them, and if a DCP is thinking about the kids' well being, and not the parents, well that can't be all that bad.

I hope most people have better family day provider experiences than I have had. In fact, I hope that my terrible expereinces are unusual.


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## ElliesMomma (Sep 21, 2006)

wow this discussion has gone in so many different directions. but to the point of organic vs. non-organic, i did a little online research and came up with the following lists of the produce that soaks up pesticides, versus the produce that doesn't absorb as much. (you guys were right about the strawberries, thanks for the heads up.)

produce to buy organic only (otherwise has high pesticide exposure):
* peppers
* cherries
* peaches
* apples
* raspberries
* potatoes
* strawberries
* pears
* grapes
* celery

produce to buy organic only if you can afford it (has lower pesticide exposure):

* broccoli
* sweet corn
* mangoes
* sweet peas
* bananas
* avacados
* kiwi
* onion
* pineapple
* cauliflower
* asparagus


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## UUMom (Nov 14, 2002)

Asparagus, in fact, is among the safest of all commercial whole veggies/foods available. Asparagus, no matter where from, consistently contains nearly no pesticide residue. it's one of cleaniest, healthiest foods one can eat. And it's seasonal. Totally seasonal. If it's spring, it must be asparagus time.







:


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## allgirls (Apr 16, 2004)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *cancat* 
This is so weird, because all those fruits are served regularly at the _free_ playgroups run by the city/province. And it's usually all the kids will eat!

I see you are in Ontario..and yeah..I was thinking the same thing. I am noticing..and I'm not sure if it's regional but here where I live in SW Ontario kids eat a LOT of veggies. That's not to say there are no Mac and Cheese meals...we eat that occasionally on lazy nights but most nights we have salads/a cooked veggie etc. and my kids love raw and if I bring a veggie or a fruit tray to a kid event it's gone.

If I go to an event hosted by a parent 9//10 times there are veggies and fruits served with a dip but still lots of berries, kiwi, melon etc. I have one friend who will do a playgroup thing and have pizza and timbits and I think that's how they generally eat because both her and her dd are overweight(a lto) but I've noticed her dd goes for the fruit and veggies too.

Maybe we just have an abundance. Maybe there is more nutritional information and education available here. I don't know what it is but it does seem like I am surrounded by a lot more people who have fruit and veggie rich diets than what is described by most Americans as the SAD.


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## Pancakes (Jan 22, 2008)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *UUMom* 
One of the reasons I would never use home day care is because many providers/mothers tend to be the most judgemental of all, as they are babysitting because they do not want to leave their own kids with babysitters. Over the years, the family day providers I''ve known are the ones at playgroup/library story hour etc who tend to talk about how they could never leave their kids, how lazy the parents are etc. 'They get off work at 4, but they don't bother to pick up until 5!" People tend to offer childcare in their homes so they can stay home. Most (not all, but flame me anyway) don't tend to think those women who work are good enough mothers. "I don't know *how* they could leave their own children!"

I've seen family day care poviders judge the most ridiculous things. From wanting the child to have only organic food to wanting the child to be changed more often. "Do they think their kid is the only kid I have?" or "They think their kid is *so* special!")

I also realize that too many people think some foods are healthy when they are aboslutely not! Non- fat prepared foods, fruit juice (even natural ones) , and non- organic fruits among them.

If I used child care, I would rather it be through a group of people with a variety of experiences and beliefts, over one mom who thinks her way is the only right way. There is nobody the home day parent can bounce ideas off of, or who witnesses (besides the children) her style. It's the day care providers judgement/beleif alone which determines the care, and if the parent disagrees, they are assumed wrong by the home day provider.


This entire post makes me sad. I did home daycare for a year and a half. Not because I'd never leave my kids in daycare, but because I had a friend in need and I was a stay at home mom. The daycare just kind of grew from there. I loved the kids I cared for, it's been 8 years and a cross country move and I still get updates about three of the kids I watched. (Well 6 kids, but 3 are a friend's kids)

I'm sorry you had a cruddy experience with a home daycare provider. I had nothing but positive experiences with them. When my kids did require daycare, I actively sought home daycares because I felt they were in a much more caring environment with a much lower child/provider ratio.


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## UUMom (Nov 14, 2002)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Pancakes* 

I'm sorry you had a cruddy experience with a home daycare provider. I had nothing but positive experiences with them. When my kids did require daycare, I actively sought home daycares because I felt they were in a much more caring environment with a much lower child/provider ratio.

I've never used family day care. I have observed child care providers in playgroups, on playgrounds, and library story hours etc. These I've known were very judgemental of parents. If that's not you, that's lovely. We need loving providers who will not give off negative vibes to children because they don't approve of the parents' ways.

I can only speak to my experiences over the years. And my expereinces with wrt famiy day care providers over the years have not been good. I hope my experiences have been unusual.


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## Hoopin' Mama (Sep 9, 2004)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *UUMom* 
I've never used family day care. I have observed child care providers in playgroups, on playgrounds, and library story hours etc. These I've known were very judgemental of parents. If that's not you, that's lovely. We need loving providers who will not give off negative vibes to children because they don't approve of the parents' ways.

I can only speak to my experiences over the years. And my expereinces with wrt famiy day care providers over the years have not been good. I hope my experiences have been unusual.

Two people I know had to pull their children from home daycare because they found out the dcp had a very, very low opinion of working mothers. In one instance, they realized the Mom was spending much of the time homeschooling her own older child.

I, OTOH, had a short-lived but lovely experience with an in-home provider. I would be upset though if she were posting about me on the internet.


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## UUMom (Nov 14, 2002)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Hoopin' Mama* 

I, OTOH, had a short-lived but lovely experience with an in-home provider. I would be upset though if she were posting about me on the internet.


I try not to think that my experiences would be common, but when I read the OP, it all came back.

It's so easy to dismiss other mothers' efforts. I don't think family child care providers should be so judging of the children and families they care for. There is a trust issue that should be respected. I used to get a sick feeling in my stomach when I heard day care moms say bad things about the kids they cared for or the parents who loved those kids. If it's not working, end it. If you find the child likes fruit or whatever, tell the parent "Zoie loved lunch today! She ate so many blueberries!'. Put positive vibes out into the world instead of feeling smug about what you have been able to provide for your own kids.


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## dubfam (Nov 4, 2005)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *UUMom* 
*I try not to think that my experiences would be common, but when I read the OP, it all came back.
*
It's so easy to dismiss other mothers' efforts. I don't think family child care providers should be so judging of the children and families they care for. There is a trust issue that should be respected. I used to get a sick feeling in my stomach when I heard day care moms say bad things about the kids they cared for or the parents who loved those kids. If it's not working, end it. If you find the child likes fruit or whatever, tell the parent "Zoie loved lunch today! She ate so many blueberries!'. Put positive vibes out into the world instead of feeling smug about what you have been able to provide for your own kids.

I feel the same way

My Mom did daycare for years and she was so judgmental of the parents. ESPECIALLY when it came to their (the kids) diets.

She would gossip about it every chance she got.

She still talks about "the poor little girl who didn't know what celery was" (20 years ago!) and acts smug for introducing it to her









That is what drew me to this thread.

I would certainly hope that the majority of DCP's aren't like that, but I don't have any personal experiences (besides my Mother of course)

.


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## bluetoes (May 12, 2007)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *UUMom* 
A lot of Costco organic food, like Target and Walmart, and organic store brands are actually imported from China. There is no way to know if these 'industrial organics' are actually 'organic'. Most of the CA organic, even, are industrial as well. Even if they are not sprayed, the soil is pretty depleted and corners are cut. Factor in thousands of miles to market, and you're really not looking at food-food as our ancestors without disease knew it. When I thought of liottle kids not eating those trucked and sprayed strawberries, I thought "Thank god!"

Food that is not locally produced for local people are hugely lacking in nutrients.

It is very upsetting. We need to rethink what 'food' is.

Yes his blueberries were grown in Canada. You know how you can't trust the standards of that uncivilised nation!

Mommier than thou much?!


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## UUMom (Nov 14, 2002)

Quote:

Yes his blueberries were grown in Canada. You know how you can't trust the standards of that uncivilised nation!

Mommier than thou much?!
I've got nearly nothin' on the OP, however, and her horrible day care parents who have never even bothered to given their children commercial blueberries from Canada.


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## StephandOwen (Jun 22, 2004)

Can we all just accept that not everyone feeds their children the same foods? This whole thread has my head spinning. Can you even imagine what the world would be like if there *were* rules governing what we feed our kids and when? "Okay, today is Monday so dinner tonight is fish (that you caught with your own hands, of course) with (organic) lemon butter sauce (1 Tbs only), baked potatoes (grown in your own garden) (1 tsp butter on top, no exceptions), (organic, grown in your own garden) green beans (sauted only, no herbs tonight) and apples (Gala only, sliced into 8 wedges). Dessert is one scoop vanilla ice cream, no toppings.

Seriously!

Why don't we all take a step back and be grateful that we DO have choices on what to feed our children! And, for those of us who are doing better, financially, than others- realize how lucky you are and how quickly the tables can turn. Be thankful you have the means to be choosy about what your child eats. Not everyone is that lucky.


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## UUMom (Nov 14, 2002)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *StephandOwen* 

Seriously!

Why don't we all take a step back and be grateful that we DO have choices on what to feed our children! And, for those of us who are doing better, financially, than others- realize how lucky you are and how quickly the tables can turn. Be thankful you have the means to be choosy about what your child eats. Not everyone is that lucky.


And not demonize little children and their families if they haven't eaten something you are able to feed your kids, for whatever reasons.


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## mammal_mama (Aug 27, 2006)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *meganeilis* 
and if a DCP is thinking about the kids' well being, and not the parents, well that can't be all that bad.

But the best way to promote the child's well being is to care for and respect the parents, too! It doesn't have to be either/or.


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## mammal_mama (Aug 27, 2006)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Potty Diva* 
Personal I was a bit offended that anyone would suggest this. *I* was going for "most judgmental post" and implying someone else has earned this title totally undermines all my work.


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## Sharlla (Jul 14, 2005)

My kids have never had black berries, kiwi, rasberries and many other fruits. Typically I only buy oranges, bananas, and apples. In the summer if canalope or watermelon are on sale I will buy those.

Kids can be finicky, some don't like vegetables. Thankfully mine do but I wouldn't hold them down and force them to dat it. If ranch dressing was the only way that they would eat them then you bet your behind they would be getting ranch (BTW I don't eat veggies without dressing







)


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## UUMom (Nov 14, 2002)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Sharlla* 
Kids can be finicky, some don't like vegetables. Thankfully mine do but I wouldn't hold them down and force them to dat it. If ranch dressing was the only way that they would eat them then you bet your behind they would be getting ranch (BTW I don't eat veggies without dressing







)

On my dark days, I crave Ranch Pringles. I'm not proud of it, but there you go. lol

Ranch dressing is actually very easy to make. Quality ingredients of good buttermilk, eggs, etc is not a horrible thing. If you don't have a dairy allergy, of course.


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## Hoopin' Mama (Sep 9, 2004)

In this house, dip is our friend.


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## Hoopin' Mama (Sep 9, 2004)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Potty Diva* 
Personal I was a bit offended that anyone would suggest this. *I* was going for "most judgmental post" and implying someone else has earned this title totally undermines all my work.

You'll have to take the title for the next thread, Potty Diva


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## UUMom (Nov 14, 2002)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Hoopin' Mama* 
You'll have to take the title for the next thread, Potty Diva









Although you'd better be quick about it.







There's often a queu.


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## bluetoes (May 12, 2007)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Sharlla* 
If ranch dressing was the only way that they would eat them then you bet your behind they would be getting ranch (BTW I don't eat veggies without dressing







)

Some would say the same thing about ketchup, also available organic BTW. Not me of course. I would NEVER make chicken a la ketchup with his all natural all organic free range who paycheck a pound chicken strips.....


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## chfriend (Aug 29, 2002)

UUMom, please please please pm me your recipe for ranch. dd1 would eat the cat if he were dipped in ranch.

My kids eat brussel sprouts and broccoli like they are candy. Spinich and chard are complete favorites. But, it wouldn't occur to me that their friends' parents are feeding them nothing but nutrionally deficient meals if they declined them at our house.

Even though my kids eat lots of things, I'm sure there are other things about them that would stand out in daycare. The 3 year old prefers not to speak to grown-ups she hasn't known for at least a year. The 7 year old had a wheat allergy from around 3-7 years old and had wild tangled hair, dirty clothes and constantly skinned knees at that age. Heaven only knows what kind of assumptions might have been made about them!

I took the OP to be someone blowing off steam about work and how their "bosses" are idiots. I've got days like that when my co-workers drive me nuts. Sometimes their eating habits seem genuinely strange as well.


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## BetsyS (Nov 8, 2004)

I forget how diferently some people eat than we do at my house.

When my mom remarried, my stepdad had never had worchestershire sauce. NEVER in his life. And he was an adult. Just for lack of exposure. Now, the man loves the stuff, but it cracks me up that he thought of it as some exotic flavoring. LOL


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## tex.mom (Jun 30, 2006)

My kids love most fruits but let their veggies go to waste if I offer them (except carrots & ranch), so I've stopped offering them for now. It gets on my nerves when my mom suggests that I'm the problem. My youngest won't eat meat either and he came that way!


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## NYCVeg (Jan 31, 2005)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *BetsyS* 
I forget how diferently some people eat that we do at my house.

When my mom remarried, my stepdad had never had worchestershire sauce. NEVER in his life. And he was an adult. Just for lack of exposure. Now, the man loves the stuff, but it cracks me up that he thought of it as some exotic flavoring. LOL

I've never had Worcestershire sauce.







I've eaten in a dozen foreign countries, dh and I go to a huge variety of restaurants--everything from Ethiopian to Korean to Lebanese to Thai-French fusion--and my parents exposed us to a very wide range of foods when I was a child. I think I've tried practically every fruit and veggie out there--star fruit, dandelion greens, ramps, edible flowers, you name it--and I eat grains that many people have never even heard of. Not having had an individual item doesn't mean you're necessarily a sheltered eater. Sometimes it's just the luck of the draw.


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## HannahsMomma (Oct 2, 2006)

My dd eats all of those fruits. We use dip for veggies sometimes as long as there isn't icky ingredients like trans fats.


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## BetsyS (Nov 8, 2004)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *NYCVeg* 
I've never had Worcestershire sauce.









And, I always thought of Worchestershire as one of the very basics of seasoning--salt, pepper, worchestershire. Go figure.

But, my stepdad really was a sheltered eater. The list of things he hadn't had was long when he and my mom got married. Many, many types of fruits and vegetables, never had tofu, never had anything but the most basic cuts of meat, and really, had never branched out of seasoning anything with much of anything beyond salt and pepper. He would say he'd never had something, and my brother and I would start gasping, "No way! There is no way!" My poor stepdad.


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## NYCVeg (Jan 31, 2005)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *BetsyS* 
And, I always thought of Worchestershire as one of the very basics of seasoning--salt, pepper, worchestershire. Go figure.

But, my stepdad really was a sheltered eater. The list of things he hadn't had was long when he and my mom got married. Many, many types of fruits and vegetables, never had tofu, never had anything but the most basic cuts of meat, and really, had never branched out of seasoning anything with much of anything beyond salt and pepper. He would say he'd never had something, and my brother and I would start gasping, "No way! There is no way!" My poor stepdad.









Maybe it's regional. Where are you from? I don't know anyone who uses w. sauce regularly. After salt and pepper comes GARLIC!









I do know what you mean, though. I did almost drop dead when my 26yo SIL told me she had never had a strawberry.


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## nancy926 (Mar 10, 2003)

I have not read all 9 pages!

Just wanted to point out that strawberries are often not all that expensive. I think around here, you can get a pound of strawberries for the same price as 4 good-sized apples. When they are in season, they're even more reasonable.

Blueberries and raspberries can be crazy expensive (except in the summer/fall), but we buy them in season or on sale (or at Costco).

My kids like berries of all kinds, as well as grapes and apples, and smoothies made with frozen strawberries and non-frozen banana (and yogurt and ice). They are not as enamored with veggies...they will eat carrots, and occasionally lettuce, and my younger one LOVES red bell pepper. And sometimes they will eat grilled zucchini, but sometimes not. They tried star fruit this winter when we were in FL...they weren't all that into it. (Honestly, neither was I.)


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## damona (Mar 27, 2008)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *chfriend* 
UUMom, please please please pm me your recipe for ranch. dd1 would eat the cat if he were dipped in ranch.

i am sitting here giggling like an idiot at this line. my dh is giving me very odd looks. thanks a lot!









i feed my kids weird stuff. i admit it. and not all of them like everything, but it's on the plate at least. fruits, berries, veggies... i get bored with standard stuff and look for exotic. i love farmers markets!

not all people are like that tho. my dh will eat just about anything i put in front of him, but a lot of it he's never tried, or even seen before! his mom is the "spaghetti sauce comes in a jar that says meat flavoured" and "beef and gravy comes from a freezer tray" type of cook. i remember staying there for a week when ds1 was just a tiny thing and dh's gramma, who we were taking care of and who was non-verbal from a stroke, oh man, she just looked so suspicious every time i gave her her plate! she never did eat half of what i made, now that i think of it... and she never touched the veggies.

i know many a kid who thinks that veggies are going to kill them and that if it's not an apple, it's not fruit! yet my kids ask for steamed broccoli and green beans. luck of the draw?


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## cjanelles (Oct 22, 2005)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *mammal_mama* 
I do think these kids are very lucky that you care about their nutrition, but they're not so lucky that you're slamming their parents.

Does anyone here honestly believe the OP is actively criticizing the parents in front of these children?

I'm sorry, but I think there is a lot of harsh criticism going on toward the OP when it seems to me that she's really just venting a frustration. Geez.


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## dubfam (Nov 4, 2005)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *cjanelles* 
Does anyone here honestly believe the OP is actively criticizing the parents in front of these children?

I'm sorry, but I think there is a lot of harsh criticism going on toward the OP when it seems to me that she's really just venting a frustration. Geez.

She is slamming them on the here on this thread...I don't think that anyone said that she was doing it in front of the kids

I would be PISSED if my *hypothetical* ( I don't have one) DCP was posting this about me and my family on the internet

She is most definitely criticizing the parents at the very least

.


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## cjanelles (Oct 22, 2005)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *dubfam* 
She is slamming them on the here on this thread...I don't think that anyone said that she was doing it in front of the kids

I would be PISSED if my *hypothetical* ( I don't have one) DCP was posting this about me and my family on the internet

She is most definitely criticizing the parents at the very least

.

Well, we all vent about our jobs and our lives, and the MDC is supposed to be a safe place for us to vent our frustrations sometimes. If someone came and posted a frustration about her manager at a Fortune 500 company, likely most people would be supportive and listen rather than raking her over the coals for not being nice enough or empathizing with the manager.

I think everyone here slamming the OP for her "criticism" is just as guilty of the same bad behavior they are accusing her of...


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## OhDang (Jan 30, 2008)

You know, Kids say these things ALL the time but it doesn't mean it's true.

I nanny a 7 year old, and the other night i was making dinner.
I asked her if she wanted some cantalope(sp??) she said No i have never tried that i hate it . :\ um...she has had cantalope many times. Then i asked her if she wanted some honeydew..."No i hate it i never had it". Yes she has had it before.
Kids just say these things.


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## PumpkinSeeds (Dec 19, 2001)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *OhDang* 
You know, Kids say these things ALL the time but it doesn't mean it's true.

'
That's true. I asked my son what he would say if someone asked him what he normally eats for breakfast. He replied that he doesn't eat breakfast.







So not true.


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## Nature (Mar 12, 2005)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *lilyka* 
you must only have one child. if one of my child snuck the big treat and snarfed it down I would be ticked. I would have not gotten any, the other children would not have gotten any and until i went out and dropped another $10-$15 on 2 more packs of blueberries so that everything was fair for the kids and they each got a full thing of blueberries I would have no peace. of course then the one who snuck the blue berries would be crying because she would want more and her other two sisters were feasting while she got none never mind that she had already selfishly devoured 5-$7 bucks worth of blueberries and I would be dealing with all these tantrums while still having nothing but crappy carbs to snack on because another $5 for a serving of blueberries is just too much no matter how much a anted or needed them. . . not to mention all the gas running back and forth to the store. . .









you captured the spirit of my house perfectly!


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## dubfam (Nov 4, 2005)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *cjanelles* 
Well, we all vent about our jobs and our lives, and the MDC is supposed to be a safe place for us to vent our frustrations sometimes. If someone came and posted a frustration about her manager at a Fortune 500 company, likely most people would be supportive and listen rather than raking her over the coals for not being nice enough or empathizing with the manager.

I think everyone here slamming the OP for her "criticism" is just as guilty of the same bad behavior they are accusing her of...


Being a DCP is a LOT different from working in a fortune 500 company.

I doubt that anyone would be less than angry if their DCP was posting things like this about them on the internet.

I do not think the OP has the right (ethically) to do this in a public forum. It is unprofessional at the very least...

Talking to someone IRL would be a more appropriate way to vent.









.


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## mammal_mama (Aug 27, 2006)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *cjanelles* 
Does anyone here honestly believe the OP is actively criticizing the parents in front of these children?

I think kids pick up on it when someone has such a negative view of their parents.

Quote:

I'm sorry, but I think there is a lot of harsh criticism going on toward the OP when it seems to me that she's really just venting a frustration. Geez.
However, since she chose to do it here, she obviously was open to hearing some other perspectives.

I vent sometimes, too: I recently vented, on another thread, about a neighbor who seemed critical of me. Another poster challenged my thinking by saying that as a radical unschooler, I should be more open to people's curiosity ... not her exact words, but I was glad she said what she did. It helped me look at my neighbor's questions/criticism in a different way.


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## cjanelles (Oct 22, 2005)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *dubfam* 
I doubt that anyone would be less than angry if their DCP was posting things like this about them on the internet.

I do not think the OP has the right (ethically) to do this in a public forum. It is unprofessional at the very least...

Talking to someone IRL would be a more appropriate way to vent.









.

Perhaps the OP doesn't have anyone in real life with whom she feels she can discuss these things? Perhaps she hoped that she'd get a little understanding from the members of the MDC because she shares many values with other members here, non-mainstream values, I might add.

As for her ethical right to vent about the parents of her daycare kids, I don't see her naming names, giving out identifying information or otherwise specifying anything about these people that could identify them to someone reading the post, so there is nothing unethical about her venting her frustration in the manner she did. If she worked for a medical office and she posted a vent about something going on in her office and did so in the same vague terms she did here, she would not be censured by the privacy laws--because she didn't identify anyone.

Call it "bad form" or an error in judgment, but I think implying the OP is somehow "UNETHICAL" because she dared complain about the parents of the kids she cares for is beyond hyperbole.


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## dubfam (Nov 4, 2005)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *cjanelles* 
Perhaps the OP doesn't have anyone in real life with whom she feels she can discuss these things? Perhaps she hoped that she'd get a little understanding from the members of the MDC because she shares many values with other members here, non-mainstream values, I might add.

As for her ethical right to vent about the parents of her daycare kids, I don't see her naming names, giving out identifying information or otherwise specifying anything about these people that could identify them to someone reading the post, so there is nothing unethical about her venting her frustration in the manner she did. If she worked for a medical office and she posted a vent about something going on in her office and did so in the same vague terms she did here, she would not be censured by the privacy laws--because she didn't identify anyone.

Call it "bad form" or an error in judgment, but I think implying the OP is somehow "UNETHICAL" because she dared complain about the parents of the kids she cares for is beyond hyperbole.

I will continue to call it unethical...I never said it was illegal or that she had violated a privacy act. I would also consider discussing medical clients to be unethical.

*eth·ics Pronunciation[eth-iks]
-plural noun
1.(used with a singular or plural verb) a system of moral principles: the ethics of a culture.

2.the rules of conduct recognized in respect to a particular class of human actions or a particular group, culture, etc.: medical ethics; Christian ethics.

3.moral principles, as of an individual: His ethics forbade betrayal of a confidence.

4.(usually used with a singular verb) that branch of philosophy dealing with values relating to human conduct, with respect to the rightness and wrongness of certain actions and to the goodness and badness of the motives and ends of such actions.*

.


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## cjanelles (Oct 22, 2005)

I know the definition of "ethics."

I also know the definition of making a mountain out of a molehill.

That said, clearly we feel differently on this subject and I will just have to agree to disagree with you.


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## rightkindofme (Apr 14, 2008)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *dubfam* 

*eth·ics Pronunciation[eth-iks]
-plural noun
1.(used with a singular or plural verb) a system of moral principles: the ethics of a culture.

2.the rules of conduct recognized in respect to a particular class of human actions or a particular group, culture, etc.: medical ethics; Christian ethics.

3.moral principles, as of an individual: His ethics forbade betrayal of a confidence.

4.(usually used with a singular verb) that branch of philosophy dealing with values relating to human conduct, with respect to the rightness and wrongness of certain actions and to the goodness and badness of the motives and ends of such actions.*
.

So you think it is unethical to complain completely anonymously about your job if you are a daycare provider, but it isn't unethical to complain about a different job? You expressed earlier that you think that it is different if someone complains about a Fortune 500 company. Why is it that you feel it is different?

As far as complaining in a public forum goes... well... if you can't pick the poster out of a lineup and you have no idea who the parents are that she is complaining about, what is the problem? That is the point on anonymity. It seems as though it would be more of a problem for her to complain to people in her life who know who she is talking about. Then she would be "gossiping." Here she is venting a frustration without hurting anyone in any way.

Oh, and to go through your definition: she isn't violating the ethics of our general culture (yeah, internet boards like this exist for people to talk about their lives and that includes job frustrations). She obviously isn't violating her personal ethics by posting, though she could be violating yours. And given that you posted that complaining about job stuff in general isn't the problem it isn't #4. Which leaves # 2.

Why do you think that daycare providers should be placed into a position where they are not allowed to vent frustration when other people can? Because OH.MY.GOD. they might be implying that they don't agree with how other people parent? So what? Given how you are responding here I'm willing to bet that you don't agree with how other people parent at all times. Are you allowed to say so?


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## dubfam (Nov 4, 2005)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *rightkindofme* 
So you think it is unethical to complain completely anonymously about your job if you are a daycare provider, but it isn't unethical to complain about a different job?

I Sure do!

It's like comparing apples and oranges.


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## cjanelles (Oct 22, 2005)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *dubfam* 
I Sure do!

It's like comparing apples and oranges.

I want to ask a question, but I want to preface it by saying that I'm not being obnoxious and that my tone isn't sarcastic. I said I would simply accept the fact that we don't agree on this subject, and I do...but your above statement really has me wondering.

Can you explain why it is you believe that it is unethical for a DCP to complain (anonymously) about her job but it's not unethical for an employee of a large company to complain (anonymously) about her job?

You say it's like comparing apples to oranges. And I wonder what you mean. I mean, certainly comparing an in-home day care to a Fortune 500 company is like comparing apples and oranges, but I don't understand how an employee complaining about her job with either is like comparing apples to oranges. Would you expound on that?


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## Honey693 (May 5, 2008)

The school i work at has a grant to get fresh fruits and veggies from a local grocery store and you should see some of the reactions from the kids (K-5). Pineapple brought a chorus of what is that stuff? Watermelon and strawberries weren't much better. We had to stop serving tomatoes, peas, and a few other veggies b/c the kids would not touch them. Carrots are ok, but only with ranch. About half the kids are still leery of anything that isn't an orange (which I hate b/c then they're all sticky all day), apple or banana. Even pears are weird to some of them.
Plus my 5th grade group has had to take home a food pyramid worksheet all week. More than half the class doesn't' eat anything but meat, fat and grains at home. This was signed by parents so I'm assuming they aren't lying.


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## dubfam (Nov 4, 2005)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *cjanelles* 
I want to ask a question, but I want to preface it by saying that I'm not being obnoxious and that my tone isn't sarcastic. I said I would simply accept the fact that we don't agree on this subject, and I do...but your above statement really has me wondering.

Can you explain why it is you believe that it is unethical for a DCP to complain (anonymously) about her job but it's not unethical for an employee of a large company to complain (anonymously) about her job?

You say it's like comparing apples to oranges. And I wonder what you mean. I mean, certainly comparing an in-home day care to a Fortune 500 company is like comparing apples and oranges, but I don't understand how an employee complaining about her job with either is like comparing apples to oranges. Would you expound on that?

You really can't figure out the difference????


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## rightkindofme (Apr 14, 2008)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *dubfam* 
You really can't figure out the difference????

Uhm, I can't. And most people consider me extremely bright. Is it possible for you to explain your reasoning?


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## cjanelles (Oct 22, 2005)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *dubfam* 
You really can't figure out the difference????

Clearly I can't or I wouldn't have asked.

Never mind.


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## Potty Diva (Jun 18, 2003)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *rightkindofme* 
Uhm, I can't. And most people consider me extremely bright. Is it possible for you to explain your reasoning?

This will have to be explained to me as well.

The actual businesses are obviously different, but the relationships and people are still the same and still affected in the same manner would the news get out that said employee is venting about her work situation.

But, chances are no one will know the difference either way. She isn't telling us who she is, where she is, or who her customers are. She isn't elling us the names or exact ages of the children, or what they look like, what their parents do for a living, nothing identifying.

Might it make some parents paranoid that this is their caregiver or that their caregiver may be "venting" to others? It might. But these people need to get over it. We ALL vent about our jobs from time to time. It doesn't mean we "hate" our jobs, just that we are human and sometimes get overwhelmed and stressed.

Now, about that explanation...


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## aprons_and_acorns (Sep 28, 2004)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *cjanelles* 

Can you explain why it is you believe that it is unethical for a DCP to complain (anonymously) about her job but it's not unethical for an employee of a large company to complain (anonymously) about her job?

I'm wondering the same thing.

I was just thinking about this thread today, because at dinner tonight I had a bowl of sliced apples on the table and my 3 y.o. son said, "Oooh, I never had these before."









(We buy a 5 pound bag of apples every week, btw)


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## dubfam (Nov 4, 2005)

I guess I am the only person that sees this as being inappropriate/unprofessional/unethical to talk smack about your daycare families on the internet.

I don't have time to launch into a huge explanation right now...but I will come back later and do so


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## dubfam (Nov 4, 2005)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *cjanelles* 
I will just have to agree to disagree with you.

until someone else jumps on your bandwagon???


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## dubfam (Nov 4, 2005)

A Home DCP is almost like an extended (honorary) member of your family. When parents have to WOHM they are putting so much trust in their child care provider.

They are trusting that the DCP has respect for them as parents. You, as the Home DCP, should be loyal to your families that you are providing care for. NOT trashing them on the internet.

Totally different from griping about company policy or a nasty supervisor at a major corp.

Gossiping about your clients who are trusting you to be almost a part of the family....a total breach of trust IMO.

But then again, this is the reason I SAHM with my kids...

Maybe I just have higher expectations of a DCP than most people...I am okay with that









.


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## rightkindofme (Apr 14, 2008)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *dubfam* 
A Home DCP is almost like an extended (honorary) member of your family. When parents have to WOHM they are putting so much trust in their child care provider.

They are trusting that the DCP has respect for them as parents. You, as the Home DCP, should be loyal to your families that you are providing care for. NOT trashing them on the internet.

Totally different from griping about company policy or a nasty supervisor at a major corp.

Gossiping about your clients who are trusting you to be almost a part of the family....a total breach of trust IMO.

But then again, this is the reason I SAHM with my kids...

Maybe I just have higher expectations of a DCP than most people...I am okay with that









Ok. Thank you for explaining where you are coming from. Do you think it is unethical to vent about your family on the internet?


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## dubfam (Nov 4, 2005)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *rightkindofme* 
Ok. Thank you for explaining where you are coming from. Do you think it is unethical to vent about your family on the internet?

Nope. Totally Different.

You don't get to choose your family.

As a DCP you DO get to choose who your clients will be. And it is a business relationship, even if it is unique.

If the people that you are providing daycare for bother you enough to bash them on the internet then maybe it isn't really a good match, you know?

.


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## rightkindofme (Apr 14, 2008)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *dubfam* 
Nope. Totally Different.

You don't get to choose your family.

As a DCP you DO get to choose who your clients will be. And it is a business relationship, even if it is unique.

If the people that you are providing daycare for bother you enough to bash them on the internet then maybe it isn't really a good match, you know?
.

I'm confused. First you say that daycare providers shouldn't bash clients because they are honorary family members, but then you say it is a business relationship.

From where I am sitting (it's a pretty couch) everyone has some level of frustration with people they interact with. Humans are annoying. I feel like anonymously venting about something small that annoys you (and whether or not kids eat strawberries and watermelons is certainly a small thing) allows you to get out the level of irritation you feel with people. It's not hurting anyone. The people you are feeling frustrated with never even have to know you were frustrated with them but they get to benefit from you lowering your frustration level. I agree that it would be unacceptable to say, "My name is Mary and I work at Sunshine Daycare and the parents of little Billy and little Sally are horrible parents." I don't feel like that is what the original poster did though. She has a certain set of strong values around what sorts of food children should be exposed to (I'm not saying those values are right or wrong) and she said essentially, "Gahhhhhh!!!! How can people not share my values?!" That seems like a pretty neutral thing to me.

I think that where your opinion and mine are sharply diverging is that I think that it isn't fair to hold different people to different standards of behavior. I'm very universal in my approaches to things. This bites me in the @$$ sometimes because I'm too black and white, but it also means I am far more tolerant in situations like this. Maybe this is just a situation where you are seeing a different shade of gray than exists for me.


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## cjanelles (Oct 22, 2005)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *dubfam* 
until someone else jumps on your bandwagon???

What are you talking about?

I don't understand your tone when I have been very careful to be conscientious of mine.

I don't need anyone to jump on my bandwagon to disagree with you. I think you are wrong. I thought you were wrong when I first responded. I think you are wrong now.

The fact that several other people don't understand your position has nothing to do with my disagreeing with you.

All in all, I've tried to be respectful. Obviously, that doesn't make much of a difference to you. Oh well. So much for meaningful communication.


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## dubfam (Nov 4, 2005)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *cjanelles* 
What are you talking about?


this

Quote:


Originally Posted by *cjanelles* 
*That said, clearly we feel differently on this subject and I will just have to agree to disagree with you.*


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## dubfam (Nov 4, 2005)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *cjanelles* 
Perhaps the OP doesn't have anyone in real life with whom she feels she can discuss these things? Perhaps she hoped that she'd get a little understanding from the members of the MDC because she shares many values with other members here, *non-mainstream values,* I might add.

As for her ethical right to vent about the parents of her daycare kids, I don't see her naming names, giving out identifying information or otherwise specifying anything about these people that could identify them to someone reading the post, so there is nothing unethical about her venting her frustration in the manner she did. If she worked for a medical office and she posted a vent about something going on in her office and did so in the same vague terms she did here, she would not be censured by the privacy laws--because she didn't identify anyone.

Call it "bad form" or an error in judgment, but I think implying the OP is somehow "UNETHICAL" because she dared complain about the parents of the kids she cares for is beyond hyperbole.


What, exactly, are "Non-Mainstream Values"???


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## dubfam (Nov 4, 2005)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *rightkindofme* 
I'm confused. First you say that daycare providers shouldn't bash clients because they are honorary family members, but then you say it is a business relationship.


Yep

It is both

I am not sure what is confusing...









.


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## madskye (Feb 20, 2006)

Complaining is par for the course. But the judgment of other people's parenting gets old--no matter what your values are, or what philosophies you to which you adhere.

I'd say the thread sparked with so many people because we are all so darn tired of being judged for our choices as parents, yet...it's so darn hard to stop judging.

Ha--maybe I should have said the judgment of other people's parening NEVER gets old!


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## mammal_mama (Aug 27, 2006)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *madskye* 
Complaining is par for the course. But the judgment of other people's parenting gets old--no matter what your values are, or what philosophies you to which you adhere.

I'd say the thread sparked with so many people because we are all so darn tired of being judged for our choices as parents, yet...it's so darn hard to stop judging.

Ha--maybe I should have said the judgment of other people's parening NEVER gets old!











My main concern with the OP's bashing of the parents is not so much about the ethics of anonymously complaining about unnamed people, to complete strangers who have no way of knowing who you are or who you're talking about.

It just bugged me, when the OP's bashing of these children's homes and lifestyles, was followed by what seemed to be a lot of posts saying things like, "How lucky these children are, that at least they have you to care about them."

I wasn't saying the OP was a terrible person -- I just don't think any child is "lucky" to be spending his/her days with someone who has such disdain for that child's parents. And no, I don't for one second believe that the OP says hateful things about the parents in the children's hearing.

I just know, from my own personal experiences of being a kid, that adults don't have to say anything directly bad about another person, for kids to pick up on the fact that they dislike/disapprove of that other person. So, I think that if she loves these kids and wants to keep caring for them (and I believe she does), she needs to make a choice to start loving and respecting their parents, too.

And no, respecting doesn't mean agreeing with all the other parent's choices ... it's impossible, anyway, to find one. single. other person who we're going to agree with 100% anyway. It just means that she respects the fact that God (or whatever force she believes in) has entrusted these particular children to these particular parents -- so there must be something about these parents that's *ideal* for these particular children. They were *meant* to grow up in these families.

As I've already said, I sometimes come here to vent, too. But I always do so knowing that I'm venting to a diverse bunch of people, some of whom may sympathize more with the person I'm venting about, than they do with me. I think it's healthy to hear back from all kinds of people -- sure, empathy and sympathy helps, but so does the reminder that diversity is essential to life and good problem-solving.


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## aprons_and_acorns (Sep 28, 2004)

I just bristle a little when caregiving workers are called members of the family by their employers. I know it's done out of respect for the close relationship, but caregiving workers have their own families. I think they are entitled to the same kind of mixed emotions that most of us have toward our jobs. And as long as anonymity is closely guarded, I don't see a problem with venting about it online or anywhere else.


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## aprons_and_acorns (Sep 28, 2004)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *madskye* 
Complaining is par for the course. But the judgment of other people's parenting gets old--no matter what your values are, or what philosophies you to which you adhere.

I'd say the thread sparked with so many people because we are all so darn tired of being judged for our choices as parents, yet...it's so darn hard to stop judging.

Ha--maybe I should have said the judgment of other people's parening NEVER gets old!

This is SO true!


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## Marcee (Jan 23, 2007)

I have been following this thread and I just dont see where the OP was "bashing" the parents per se. Expressing shock perhaps but not bashing. And while she was expressing shock she was not complaining about the individual children, to me she just seemed really surprised that they had not been exposed to things that she feels are fairly common. It is not like she came out and said "My Day Care Parents are horrible parents and complete unfeeling a-holes because these kids have never had a strawberry..."

I really think she just seemed shocked....


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## dubfam (Nov 4, 2005)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *mammal_mama* 









My main concern with the OP's bashing of the parents is not so much about the ethics of anonymously complaining about unnamed people, to complete strangers who have no way of knowing who you are or who you're talking about.

It just bugged me, when the OP's bashing of these children's homes and lifestyles, was followed by what seemed to be a lot of posts saying things like, "How lucky these children are, that at least they have you to care about them."

*I wasn't saying the OP was a terrible person -- I just don't think any child is "lucky" to be spending his/her days with someone who has such disdain for that child's parents. And no, I don't for one second believe that the OP says hateful things about the parents in the children's hearing.

I just know, from my own personal experiences of being a kid, that adults don't have to say anything directly bad about another person, for kids to pick up on the fact that they dislike/disapprove of that other person. So, I think that if she loves these kids and wants to keep caring for them (and I believe she does), she needs to make a choice to start loving and respecting their parents, too.*

And no, respecting doesn't mean agreeing with all the other parent's choices ... it's impossible, anyway, to find one. single. other person who we're going to agree with 100% anyway. It just means that she respects the fact that God (or whatever force she believes in) has entrusted these particular children to these particular parents -- so there must be something about these parents that's *ideal* for these particular children. They were *meant* to grow up in these families.

As I've already said, I sometimes come here to vent, too. But I always do so knowing that I'm venting to a diverse bunch of people, some of whom may sympathize more with the person I'm venting about, than they do with me. I think it's healthy to hear back from all kinds of people -- sure, empathy and sympathy helps, but so does the reminder that diversity is essential to life and good problem-solving.

This

I think it stinks that she has this attitude about the parents

I wouldn't want my DCP judging my family like this.

I feel like it's just that much worse because she did it online.

.


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## UUMom (Nov 14, 2002)

Yes. Not to mention, it's just one side of the story, and 100% negative.


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## Carma (Feb 10, 2006)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *dubfam* 
This

I think it stinks that she has this attitude about the parents

I wouldn't want my DCP judging my family like this.

I feel like it's just that much worse because she did it online.

.

It reminds me of complaining about DH outside the marriage. I don't do that. When/if I start doing that our marriage will probably be at a very weak point.
Some people see complaining about DH or DW outside marriage completely different though...just for venting and getting it out.

The only big worry I have is that the kids pick up on the complaining in the OP case and are influenced by it (because the DCP is so important) in their relation toward their parents. This is visa versa also true.

Carma


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## iamama (Jul 14, 2003)

Okay so yesterday at dd school the teacher was furious and in shock that the *oranges that were being served by the cafeteria were injected with carbonation*...Kids said they tasted like soda!!! I agree with the op. I don't think she is trying to judge...just shocked at what she sees. People are becoming further removed from nature taking eating food in its natural state with it! I think it is pretty clear that a good chuck of Americans eat crap. Processed, injected and boxed for your convienence. blech


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## mammal_mama (Aug 27, 2006)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *iamama* 
Okay so yesterday at dd school the teacher was furious and in shock that the *oranges that were being served by the cafeteria were injected with carbonation*...Kids said they tasted like soda!!! I agree with the op. I don't think she is trying to judge...just shocked at what she sees. People are becoming further removed from nature taking eating food in its natural state with it! I think it is pretty clear that a good chuck of Americans eat crap. Processed, injected and boxed for your convienence. blech

Carbonated oranges? Sounds kinda yummy to me! Not for all the time: I do love oranges just as they are -- I love grapefruit, too, but sometimes it's just fun to sprinkle a little sugar on top, or drink some grapefruit juice cocktail, for a little added kick.

Frankly, if my children went to public school and I was determined that they only get foods in their natural state, I'd've been sending their lunches from day 1. Only, in my case, I'm just determined that my children have natural foods _available_ to them, and I'd be okay with them sampling the odd carbonated orange, if they wanted to see if they liked it.

You know, sometimes we buy oranges and find they're rather sour and not so tasty -- maybe next time that happens, we can try adding carbonation, rather than me and dh being the only ones willing to eat oranges that week.


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## thefragile7393 (Jun 21, 2005)

I appreciate the OP's vent....but I cannot, as of yet, get my 2 yo to eat any type of fruits and veggies, and his first solids were fruits and veggies. I hate it.


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## rightkindofme (Apr 14, 2008)

Near as I can tell the divide is between people who think it is ok to vent and people who think that venting like this is disrespectful. I know that I'm new around here and all but bedrest during the end of my pregnancy has given me a lot of time to sit around and read on the internet.







It seems as though a rather large percentage of the threads here on MDC are venting about something: moms/moms-in-law/children/partners/jobs/medical situations/etc.

I guess I don't see the point in being upset by people venting on a bulletin board. If you think it is inappropriate for people to be doing it, why are you reading the threads? I'm really not trying to be rude in asking. When things irritate me or I think they shouldn't be happen I don't keep looking at them. What do you get out of continual exposure to people doing things you disapprove of?

For me I'm reading threads because even when I don't think I will adopt a point of view it's neat to see where other people are coming from. If I find a thread that really bugs me I don't look at it again.


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## Alyantavid (Sep 10, 2004)

Quote:

I guess I don't see the point in being upset by people venting on a bulletin board. If you think it is inappropriate for people to be doing it, why are you reading the threads? I'm really not trying to be rude in asking. When things irritate me or I think they shouldn't be happen I don't keep looking at them. What do you get out of continual exposure to people doing things you disapprove of?
The same could be said of the OP. This thread bugs me because as a working mother, I trust my child's care to someone else for the majority of the day. I'd be mortified if she was complaining to other parents about this certain mom of a kid in her care, about how she won't cut his hair or how he has to have his own blankie for naps or about how he can't have certain foods so she has to make allowances for that.

I understand the OP was venting but it seemed so judgmental. And then all the other posters piled on too agreeing it was horrible these poor children hadn't had watermelon.


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## FondestBianca (May 9, 2008)

OMGoodness! I absolutly LOVE fruits. I honestly don't think there is a fruit in this country I haven't tried. My daughter loves them too. If parents are concerned about cost they should look at the fact that it is much cheaper than buying those tiny little containers of apple sauce (I've bought those... wheres that paper bag when I need it







). Often times, if I don't think the kiddo and I (hubby isn't a big fruit eater) will consume the fresh fruits in time I will buy the no sugar added frozen fruits. I nuke them in the micro and eat them raw. They are also a great substitute over pancakes, desserts, and toast. The frozen black cherries are my absolute favorite! Just this week my daughter and I finished off the bananas, 3 apples, 3 necturines, and quite a few helpings of frozen fruit mix with peaches, mangos, pineapple, grapes, and honeydew. We JUST had a bowl not 10 minutes ago.

I think part of this whole easy, crappy, food, mind set comes from dependence on fast food. I know a lot of moms who, when in a time crunch will run to McDonalds claiming the nuggets are "all white meat and healthy". Thats nuts, those things are horrid! We all get stuck in ruts and try to make things easier and quicker. We don't want to deal with complaining from the kids so we cover things in condiments. I've done it too (although I've managed to be fast food free for over 3 years and my daughter has never had anything from a fast food joint). At least be glad they are eating the veggies. It's a start. But, just because you have the ranch doesn't mean you have to use it. It's your daycare! Also, maybe there is a home made version you or one of the other moms could make that would be healthier than the store bought.

There are so many foods we should keep kids away from and it gets hard to keep it all straight. it's extra hard when it's other people's kids. There was a week when I had to watch my neice and nephews while their mom and grandmother were at work. I asked their mom to bring food over because they would eat me out of house and home and turn their noses up at my food. She said, "ok, I'll just bring over what they would be eating here." She got here and there was just one single grocery bag and in it was large, identicle, rectangle shapes. She said, "there is one for each of them (ages 1.5, 5, and 8 at the time). They already had cereal for breakfast (sugar cereal) so they each have a meal for lunch and a snack." She left and I went to put away their meals. Out of the bag I pulled 6, bargin bin, TV dinner meals with sad excuse for meat, tiny portion of dehydrated looking veggies, and large dessert. I stared at the meals for quite some time before putting them into the freezer. Undoubtedly these meals left all of the kids hungry and feeling unsatisfied. The two older kids both said they needed ranch and ketchup for their meals as well. AHH!

I understand your frustration. Just try not to be too hard on the parents as I'm sure we all have areas where we could use improvement. Maybe, in a nice way, find some reading material or resources explaining importance of proper foods and dangers of the bad foods. But, then again they may find a way to be offended by that.

Gosh, I just don't know what to tell you besides, "I feel ya"


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## mammal_mama (Aug 27, 2006)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *rightkindofme* 
I guess I don't see the point in being upset by people venting on a bulletin board.

I'm not "upset" that she vented: I just think it's okay for people to respond to what she's saying. As I've already said, I come here to vent sometimes, and I know full well that some others won't agree with me, and will share their own perspectives about what I'm saying.

Quote:

If you think it is inappropriate for people to be doing it, why are you reading the threads?
As I've already said, I don't think venting is inappropriate, and I'm actually drawn to these kinds of threads because I enjoy a good debate.

Quote:

I'm really not trying to be rude in asking. When things irritate me or I think they shouldn't be happen I don't keep looking at them.
Well, when things irritate me, sometimes I speak up and share my perspective.

Quote:

What do you get out of continual exposure to people doing things you disapprove of?
I agree with Alyantavid, the same thing could be said/asked of the OP.

After all, I'm only exposing myself here when I choose to click that mouse button: choosing to care for other parents' kids is a choice to expose yourself to way more stuff that you disapprove of, especially if you let yourself get riled over whether they're eating the watermelon (me, I'm cool if no one else wants the watermelon, cause I can eat it fast enough that it won't spoil!







)

Quote:

For me I'm reading threads because even when I don't think I will adopt a point of view it's neat to see where other people are coming from. If I find a thread that really bugs me I don't look at it again.
That's great! I guess that means you're not really bugged by this one, huh?!


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## mammal_mama (Aug 27, 2006)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *FondestBianca* 
But, just because you have the ranch doesn't mean you have to use it. It's your daycare!

So, if a parent brings ranch for her child, it's up to the provider to decide whether she thinks the child should have it?

Quote:

Also, maybe there is a home made version you or one of the other moms could make that would be healthier than the store bought.
That's cool -- and if the child likes that version just as well, the mom would probably be happy to take her bottle of store-bought ranch back home.


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## rightkindofme (Apr 14, 2008)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *mammal_mama* 
That's great! I guess that means you're not really bugged by this one, huh?!

Confused sometimes, but not bugged.







The debate over what kids have or haven't eaten by a certain age is not one I feel any angst about in any way shape or form.







As far as criticizing other parents goes... I consider it more telling of the person complaining than anything else. Not necessarily in a bad way--it just gives me interesting information on what they value.

I think that a lot of people are really worried about being seen as "bad parents." Given how many of the parents I have known throughout my lifetime have been viewed by outsiders as "good" while abusing their kids colors how much I care about the judgments people will make about my parenting.

And I know I have different values from most. I'm good with that.


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## nextcommercial (Nov 8, 2005)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *dubfam* 
Nope. Totally Different.

You don't get to choose your family.

As a DCP you DO get to choose who your clients will be. And it is a business relationship, even if it is unique.

If the people that you are providing daycare for bother you enough to bash them on the internet then maybe it isn't really a good match, you know?

.


What about all the parents complaining on the internet about the provider? You don't think that is offensive? Instead of complaining about the provider, the parents really should find a new daycare? Go to working moms and do a search on "provider" or "Daycare".

The thing is, if you think that your daycare provider NEVER complains about the parents you are so very wrong. We all complain about the parents. SOmetimes to our coworkers, sometimes to our spouses. But, we all have things about the parents that bug us. It can be as small as sending your kids to daycare in flip flops, or as major as ignoring dental problems. It can be annoying things like bringing your daughter over in summer clothes in the middle of winter and announcing that she can't go outside, because she isn't dressed for the weather.

But, we ALL have complaints.


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## BookGoddess (Nov 6, 2005)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *nextcommercial* 
That's what it's like here. Mac and Cheese is ONLY Kraft. Chicken nuggets don't have any actual chicken in it.

At the complete other end of the spectrum, I had a set of siblings who had NEVER eaten fast food. One day, a parent brought McDonalds for their child's birthday. These two looked at it like it was plastic food. Neither one liked it, or ate it. I ended up giving them tuna and broccolli just so they would eat something. The other kids kept saying "it's McDonald's!!" as if that would clear up the confusion, and these two just said "oh..O.K" I was secretly hoping they wouldn't like it.

That's my daughter. She won't eat McDonald's food. We haven't taken her there and we haven't taken her to a junk food place (although I sometimes go to those places on my own














. DD would prefer broccoli, zucchini, rice, and chicken over fries and a burger.

FWIW I think the OP was sharing her frustrations with us. Nothing wrong with that. I can't identify who she is and who her clients are. She didn't do anything wrong. Day care providers, preschool staffers, and babysitters DO complain. I know a few and yes they do complain. Why wouldn't they? People in other professions do and so long as we vent without any identifying information I don't see anything wrong with it.


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## nextcommercial (Nov 8, 2005)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *BookGoddess* 
FWIW I think the OP was sharing her frustrations with us. Nothing wrong with that. I can't identify who she is and who her clients are. She didn't do anything wrong. Day care providers, preschool staffers, and babysitters DO complain. I know a few and yes they do complain. Why wouldn't they? People in other professions do and so long as we vent without any identifying information I don't see anything wrong with it.

Thank you.


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## meganeilis (Mar 12, 2006)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *mammal_mama* 
So, if a parent brings ranch for her child, it's up to the provider to decide whether she thinks the child should have it?


The parents I sit for provide juice. I made the decision put a splash of it in the water I serve with lunch only (no walking around with it). Maybe that makes me a bad DCP because I made the decision that I would not have tooth decay and obesity on my conscience.


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## dubfam (Nov 4, 2005)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *nextcommercial* 
What about all the parents complaining on the internet about the provider? You don't think that is offensive? Instead of complaining about the provider, the parents really should find a new daycare? Go to working moms and do a search on "provider" or "Daycare".

The thing is, if you think that your daycare provider NEVER complains about the parents you are so very wrong. We all complain about the parents. SOmetimes to our coworkers, sometimes to our spouses. But, we all have things about the parents that bug us. It can be as small as sending your kids to daycare in flip flops, or as major as ignoring dental problems. It can be annoying things like bringing your daughter over in summer clothes in the middle of winter and announcing that she can't go outside, because she isn't dressed for the weather.

But, we ALL have complaints.


Well reading this thread just makes me glad that I am able to SAHM with my kiddos. This whole thing is just...yuck...
I just really can't imagine trusting someone with my kids who is going to gossip about me.

You are right, you can find something wrong with *every* parent. Why not look for the good stuff? And if there is too much bad stuff to overlook, then end the relationship.

I don't believe that all providers talk about their families this way. I am sure a lot do, but I would imagine there are those who don't.

If someone was talking about their daycare provider this way then yes, I would think they should pull their children.

I personally don't use MDC as a place to vent about personal relationships unless I am seeking advice or help. Anything else is just gossiping.

.


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## Azuralea (Jan 29, 2007)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *dubfam* 
Well reading this thread just makes me glad that I am able to SAHM with my kiddos. This whole thing is just...yuck...
I just really can't imagine trusting someone with my kids who is going to gossip about me.

You are right, you can find something wrong with *every* parent. Why not look for the good stuff? And if there is too much bad stuff to overlook, then end the relationship.

I don't believe that all providers talk about their families this way. I am sure a lot do, but I would imagine there are those who don't.

If someone was talking about their daycare provider this way then yes, I would think they should pull their children.

I personally don't use MDC as a place to vent about personal relationships unless I am seeking advice or help. Anything else is just gossiping.

.


This has strayed far afield of the original post, but FYI, I worked both as a nanny and with a good-quality daycare, and IME the childcare providers I worked with generally considered it _extremely_ bad form to gossip or complain about the families, at least in any broad sort of way. If there was one family that was particularly problematic, asking quietly and privately for anonymous advice was okay, but not out-and-out gossiping. In fact, in the daycare center where I worked, they prided themselves on their confidentiality and how parents should (and were) free to open up to them because they would be treated with respect.

So, no, IME all childcare providers don't gossip about their parents, and I think there are lot of really good ones out there that would be appalled at the idea that ALL childcare providers gossip.

Edit: I realized later that I should clarify that I haven't read the thread and don't actually know what gossip was being done. I just saw this in the recent posts and since I know for a fact not all childcare providers gossip, and dubfam was asking, I chimed in.


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## mtiger (Sep 10, 2006)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *FondestBianca* 
If parents are concerned about cost they should look at the fact that it is much cheaper than buying those tiny little containers of apple sauce (I've bought those...

Why is it assumed that "the kids don't eat strawberries" equals "the parents buy nothing but little containers of applesauce and Fruit Gushers"? Yeah - they're just as expensive. But the parents figure since strawberries spoil very quickly, they buy a bag of apples instead?

Why this "OMG! The child's never had watermelon! Or Kiwi!" attitude? Maybe the kid gets apples and bananas every day. That's really *O.K.*


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## mammal_mama (Aug 27, 2006)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *meganeilis* 
The parents I sit for provide juice. I made the decision put a splash of it in the water I serve with lunch only (no walking around with it). Maybe that makes me a bad DCP because I made the decision that I would not have tooth decay and obesity on my conscience.

It really depends on the situation: If the parents are just bringing juice, for all the kids to use (not just their own), to help you out with food costs -- then I don't think they'd really care if the kids got it in a splash with their lunch-water, just so long as the kids actually got it, and weren't complaining that they never get to actually drink straight juice.

But if Sally's mommy is bringing juice for her to drink with her breakfast or lunch, and Sally prefers to drink it straight rather than diluted in water, I do think it's wrong for the provider to dictate in what form she gets her juice. Especially since the provider could give her the straight juice, remind her to swish with water (or brush her teeth) when she's done eating, and minimize the risk of decay in the same way that diluting it would. Giving drinks with a straw is easier on teeth as well.

As for giving it to them to carry around as they play, I can't imagine any parent being mad if you gave them water for that purpose, and just gave the juice at a meal or snack-times. In addition to the tooth-decay risk, I think parents would understand the dcp's preference for not having juice spilled all over the house.


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## mammal_mama (Aug 27, 2006)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *dubfam* 
If someone was talking about their daycare provider this way then yes, I would think they should pull their children.

Yes, this!

Again, I'm not so concerned about the ethics of discussing our irritations when we're not giving any identifying information about ourselves or the people we're discussing.

But, yeah, if someone has a totally low opinion of the person they're in an important relationship with -- whether this person is a friend or relative they're spending lots of time with, or a daycare provider, or a parent of a child they're caring for, then I do find myself wondering why they're continuing the relationship.

_Especially_ if the person they're bashing is the one caring for their precious child -- I'd wonder how anyone could leave their child with someone they have no respect for.

And I have to agree with the posters who've said that they're glad they're able to stay home with their kids: It certainly would bug me to be entrusting my precious flesh and blood to someone who'd be mad at me for letting my child wear the flip-flops she loves!


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## mammal_mama (Aug 27, 2006)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *mtiger* 
Why this "OMG! The child's never had watermelon! Or Kiwi!" attitude? Maybe the kid gets apples and bananas every day. That's really *O.K.*

Uhm, yeah that!


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## Treasuremapper (Jul 4, 2004)




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## GSMama (Jul 26, 2006)

I've heard that a child needs to be offered something more than 50x before you can be sure they won't eat it. My DD will turn up her nose at something one day and gobble it up the next....case in point, she ate a half dozen stalks of asparagus yesterday which she wouldn't touch the week before.

We offer her everything and what she chooses to eat is her business...within reason of course.


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## BookGoddess (Nov 6, 2005)

I feel for the OP. I don't know her at all but I honestly this thread has gone so far on a tangent beyond its original intent that it's hard to understand some of the criticism levelled at her. She's not actively criticizing these children in front of their parents. She's not criticizing the children in front of the children. She came here to vent and get support from other MDC mamas. Some of the posts in here are quite astonishing.


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## cjanelles (Oct 22, 2005)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *BookGoddess* 
I feel for the OP. I don't know her at all but I honestly this thread has gone so far on a tangent beyond its original intent that it's hard to understand some of the criticism levelled at her. She's not actively criticizing these children in front of their parents. She's not criticizing the children in front of the children. She came here to vent and get support from other MDC mamas. Some of the posts in here are quite astonishing.









:


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## mammal_mama (Aug 27, 2006)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *BookGoddess* 
I feel for the OP. I don't know her at all but I honestly this thread has gone so far on a tangent beyond its original intent that it's hard to understand some of the criticism levelled at her. She's not actively criticizing these children in front of their parents. She's not criticizing the children in front of the children. She came here to vent and get support from other MDC mamas. Some of the posts in here are quite astonishing.

I guess we each just define support in different ways: She's gotten to vent -- but as far as the support, some people see that as telling her how lucky the kids are, while others are exhorting her to have more respect for these children's parents, and to try to appreciate their home situations and lifestyles.

And about going off on tangents, that's what these discussion boards are all about: The original thread sparks people's thoughts on a variety of related subjects, and the discussion takes on a life of its own.


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## FondestBianca (May 9, 2008)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *mammal_mama* 
Carbonated oranges? Sounds kinda yummy to me! Not for all the time: I do love oranges just as they are -- I love grapefruit, too, but sometimes it's just fun to sprinkle a little sugar on top, or drink some grapefruit juice cocktail, for a little added kick.

Frankly, if my children went to public school and I was determined that they only get foods in their natural state, I'd've been sending their lunches from day 1. Only, in my case, I'm just determined that my children have natural foods _available_ to them, and I'd be okay with them sampling the odd carbonated orange, if they wanted to see if they liked it.

You know, sometimes we buy oranges and find they're rather sour and not so tasty -- maybe next time that happens, we can try adding carbonation, rather than me and dh being the only ones willing to eat oranges that week.

carbonated oranges!!!!

nect thing you know they are gonna start making carrot hybrid that are part carrot part ranch dressing just so more kids will eat them! They will most likely be called carranchots.

carbonated water is terrible for people, especially devoloping children. It limits the very process in their body that helps them to grow and have the needed energy to tackle thier day. Especially a full, mentally and physically tasking school day. I think overuse (or any use) or carbonation is partly to blame for many problems we are seeing in children, teens, and adults today. If people are curious about it specificly I urge anyone to do some reading about carbonated substances.

I practically lived on pepsi and diet pepsi when I was a kid. I don't blame my mom by any means... she simply didn't know how and and why it was terrible for my brother and I as well as herself. When I read about it (on a purely scientific level with no personal opinion mixed in) I simply could not drink it any longer nor ever let my child have it. If they choose to drink it when they are adults so be it, it's not like it's the worst thing they could be doing by any means but, I prefer to keep it away!

I love oranges but, I do have to say that the school oranges sometimes are picked and served before they are ripe and taste pithy and like dirt... so I can see why kids were complaining and why they thought putting carbonation in them would help kids not to be so wasteful of food that had already been purchased and served.

Furthermore I think you made a great point about sending lunches with your children. As far as I know all schools allow and encourage parents to do that. If we don't give others the opportunity or task of feeding our children we don't have to worry so much about what they may be eating when we aren't there.


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## StephandOwen (Jun 22, 2004)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *FondestBianca* 
nect thing you know they are gonna start making carrot hybrid that are part carrot part ranch dressing just so more kids will eat them! They will most likely be called carranchots.









Sign me up to be a taste-tester! LOL! Yum!


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## mammal_mama (Aug 27, 2006)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *FondestBianca* 
Furthermore I think you made a great point about sending lunches with your children. As far as I know all schools allow and encourage parents to do that. If we don't give others the opportunity or task of feeding our children we don't have to worry so much about what they may be eating when we aren't there.

True! Back in the beginning of public education, I think most kids either walked home for lunch, or carried their lunch in a bucket if their farm was too far away. I guess that kept 'em safe from the carbonated oranges!


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## BelovedK (Jun 7, 2005)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *mammal_mama* 
True! Back in the beginning of public education, I think most kids either walked home for lunch, or carried their lunch in a bucket if their farm was too far away. I guess that kept 'em safe from the carbonated oranges!


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