Would you take a mindee to McDonalds?

[snufflepuff]

Today I'm taking my son and mindee to a big pet shop to see the animals. It's on a trading estate about 30 minutes from home, and the only places to eat there are McDonalds or KFC. I could drive to the closest town centre and go to a cafe but it's rather expensive (just under £5 for a childrens lunch box style meal- half a sandwich, fromage frais tube, crisps, piece of fruit and a carton of juice) and I'd also have to pay for parking. If the weather was nicer I'd take a picnic but it's far too cold for eating outside at the moment!

I'm of the 'everything in moderation' opinion. I realise that McDonalds isn't the healthiest option but now and again it will do no harm.

I'll ask mindees Mum how she feels of course, I'm just wondering what you think?

[ajs]

Yes, I don't do it often but as a treat I never even think about it

[Mollymop]

I thikn it is fine, it's not like you take them there all the time.
Maybe swap chips for carrot sticks and burgers for chicken nuggets, if that would make you feel better! lol

[wendywu]

Yes i would do it as a fun treat, i often do this on Christmas Eve to save cooking.

There is nothing wrong with now and then, enjoy :thumbsup:

[onceinabluemoon]

I wouldn't because I personally don't like macdonalds food nor do my kids but if the mindees parents are ok with it and you guys like it then go for it, once in a while won't do any harm.

[sillybeans]

I took mindee's to MD's after a visit to a city farm. They all had their chosen happy meal and drink (fruit shoot's all round :rolleyes:) and one of those mini fruit bags.

All my parents were fine with it and they only knew about it afterwards. I still managed to give all the children their 5 a day and i'm in the same camp as you 'everything in moderation'.

It has only been that once in 5 months of having them but to be honest, if i was going once every 3 months I wouldn't really be worried about it

[snufflepuff]

Doesn't matter now anyway! Mum just text to ask if she can do different hours today so she will be leaving here at 1.15pm, won't have time to go now! Never mind maybe another time!
Thank you everyone

[onceinabluemoon]

Oh what a shame, I hate when parents change their hours at the last minute and okays for the day have to be cancelled. :( Hope you have fun anyway

[AliceK]

I take my own 2 children there if one is nearby when we are out and about, I see nothing wrong with it as you say everything in moderation. I would take my mindees as a treat except I can't as I have one parent of a full-timer who would freak if I asked her if I could do this (even though I know she went there at the weekend herself)
Go for it :thumbsup:

xxxx

[rickysmiths]

Doesn't matter now anyway! Mum just text to ask if she can do different hours today so she will be leaving here at 1.15pm, won't have time to go now! Never mind maybe another time!
Thank you everyone

I personally would have said no. I would not cancel a planned trip on the day for this reason. I might negotiate a slightly earlier return time as a compromise.

[muffins]

Doesn't matter now anyway! Mum just text to ask if she can do different hours today so she will be leaving here at 1.15pm, won't have time to go now! Never mind maybe another time!
Thank you everyone

Thats not on at such late notice:rolleyes:I would have said no if it interferes with plans already made!

[snufflepuff]

Well it works out that mindee is here for 4 hrs 45 minutes but I've already been paid for 6.5hrs so it's in my favour really, and she's my only mindee today so it doesn't mean someone else has to miss out. She will leave at 1.15pm so I could take my son to see the animals after she leaves instead.

[kel1983]

tomorrow I am going to pizza Hut with my sister and her children. I have 1 mindee aged 3 and give her a hot meal. I have just printed off voucher for kids to eat free :clapping: This is a one off treat never taken mindees out for lunch but think it is good for them to experience eating out.

[FussyElmo]

Well it works out that mindee is here for 4 hrs 45 minutes but I've already been paid for 6.5hrs so it's in my favour really, and she's my only mindee today so it doesn't mean someone else has to miss out. She will leave at 1.15pm so I could take my son to see the animals after she leaves instead.

All worked out nicely then - and I would have no problem taking the mindee to macdonalds :thumbsup: In fact now you mention it is there time for breakfast :laughing:

[angeldelight]

Oh I would def go

Just so I can have one :clapping::clapping:


Angel xx

[loocyloo]

we go, not often ( but thats mainly 'cos the nearest macdonalds is about 40min drive away :eek: )

i love macdonalds :D

i usually give LO milk or water to drink, fishfingers or nuggets, but if they ask for a burger thats fine, and fries. i never cook chips at home. i usually get a fruit bag as well. if getting at least 2 happy meals, i do one with fries and one with fruit and they share :D

i have a LO now, who is veggie, so i would not be able to take her! shame, as i know the other LO i have that day would love it!

[~Chelle~]

I took the kids there for breakfast yesterday before we went to the park. I love the sausage and egg mcmuffin :blush:

[angeldelight]

I took the kids there for breakfast yesterday before we went to the park. I love the sausage and egg mcmuffin :blush:

Now your talking Chelle

Yummy :laughing:

Forget the kids what about us lot ha ha

Angel xx

[mama2three]

we go, not often ( but thats mainly 'cos the nearest macdonalds is about 40min drive away :eek: )

i love macdonalds :D

i usually give LO milk or water to drink, fishfingers or nuggets, but if they ask for a burger thats fine, and fries. i never cook chips at home. i usually get a fruit bag as well. if getting at least 2 happy meals, i do one with fries and one with fruit and they share :D

i have a LO now, who is veggie, so i would not be able to take her! shame, as i know the other LO i have that day would love it!

They do a veggie burger !!
I have taken my mindees , as an occasional treat then why not?

[Tealady]

I thikn it is fine, it's not like you take them there all the time.
Maybe swap chips for carrot sticks and burgers for chicken nuggets, if that would make you feel better! lol

Which? did a report on this and said that parents often give nuggets, carrots & water to make it slightly healthier but that isn't enough to sustain children until the next meal/snack so your better off letting them have the chips and then an OJ as their drink.

[Velleity]

Remember to ask for no salt on the fries :D

[snufflepuff]

Remember to ask for no salt on the fries

Yes I always ask for no salt, even on my own fries, they put far too much on, yuck!

[FussyElmo]

Yes I always ask for no salt, even on my own fries, they put far too much on, yuck!

Now I dont think they taste right without the salt :eek: when i do junk I do junk:eek:. Still got the thought of mcdonalds breakfast in my head :)

[mushpea]

love their chips and gotta have the salt cause they just dont taste the same without:D
I dont see any harm in going occasionaly,, cant remember the last time I took them though!

[crazyXstitcher]

I took the kids there for breakfast yesterday before we went to the park. I love the sausage and egg mcmuffin :blush:

I'm hungry again now.

We went yesterday as part of a whole day out treat but it's not something I'd do regularly.

[christine e]

yes we go to MDs as a treat from time to time (might go today) - find staff in there very helpful especially when I go in with 3 little ones - carry the tray for me, help finding high chairs, if something gets spilt they come over and help - cannot fault them. Went in at Xmas with 5 children and then they gave me 5 balloons - one of which blew away when we went outside and out they came with a replacement and held it until I had got them all in the car

Cx

[JulieA]

We have been once this week - what with it being half term. We spent the morning at soft play, and stayed later than planned which meant I didn't have time to cook the planned meal. As we were driving past there was a chorus of 'Chips!' from the car (funny how they all recognise the M from a distance!) and a look of total disbelief on their faces as I actually turned into MacDonalds - i usually say I can't see it and drive past!

It's not something we do that often, and at home we have fresh home cooked meals every day, so sometimes it's nice to be a bit lax!

[sarahjane]

I had a problem with this a few months ago, I had a 4 yo who was leaving to go to school so I said we'd go out for lunch as a special treat, he asked to go to Mcdonalds which I was happy with, so I asked the parents of others I had that day, 1 lot were fine but the other totally freaked out :eek: they were against Mcdonalds for ethical reasons.
I did explain that this was a special request and that I'd said it was the childs choice and I wasn't going to change my plans. I offered to drop him off early and refund money for hours not used but in the end she agreed although made it quite clear it wasn't to happen again. He loved it and obviously at the age of 2 had no idea about ethics :)

[babs]

we eat out at least couple of times a week. no not always macdonalds. when we go to softplay go to the cafe there and they have sandwich,fruit and a drink of milk. when we go pets at home go morrisions and have some sort of meal with fruit, ( mash,beans and sausage ) and drink. at macdonalds littleones normally have fish fingers or chicken nuggets with fruit bag and share my chips as i dont eat many ,drink of milk . sometimes i take a packed lunch with me depends on how im feeling..

[singingcactus]

Yes I would. I do. I will again. Just got back from pizza express too :) Nom noms.

[Bushpig]

In my other life, years ago, I worked on the design campaign of 'I'm Lovin' it', and know exactly what goes into the burgers etc. I wouldn't eat it (unless stuck on a desert island with no choice), so would certainly not give it to a child, my own or a mindee :panic:

It's called 'junk food' for a reason :rolleyes:

[janminder]

In the long summer holiday will probably go one or two times. We went in the xmas hols once. I think its ok as an occasional treat and so far parents have been fine about it :)

[onceinabluemoon]

In my other life, years ago, I worked on the design campaign of 'I'm Lovin' it', and know exactly what goes into the burgers etc. I wouldn't eat it (unless stuck on a desert island with no choice), so would certainly not give it to a child, my own or a mindee :panic:

It's called 'junk food' for a reason :rolleyes:

is it mechanically removed 'meat' by any chance?

[Mollymop]

Well it works out that mindee is here for 4 hrs 45 minutes but I've already been paid for 6.5hrs so it's in my favour really, and she's my only mindee today so it doesn't mean someone else has to miss out. She will leave at 1.15pm so I could take my son to see the animals after she leaves instead.

Half a day off for you then, whoop whoop! That sounds better to me than McDonald's LOL (after the week I have had!)

[miffy]

I would take them too, nothing wrong as a treat. Got me hungry now, haven't had a macdonalds for ages. :laughing:

Miffy xx

[Suebb1]

Yes I've tasken mine to Md's before now. ( about once a year!!!) I don't actually like the food so have to watch on whilst they enjoy themselves!!!

[Monkey26]

Yes we went just before xmas - i only had two mindees and we went to the newly refurbished museum for the morning then to macdonalds for lunch. The girls had a chicken nugget happy meal each with milk and an additional fruit bag. I also took a small yogurt and some cucumber sticks with me (neither eat carrot sticks so wasn't worth trying that one!) Girls loved it and parents had no problems what so ever - all in moderation :D x

[chez]

yes we go, in fact we went today. I see nothing wrong with it personally.

Last week we went to pizza hut which i have to admit is more my fav place to take them - they eat free and I can fill them up on salad bits so feel better about going.

Nothing about pizza being my fav food - honest :blush:

[Trpta108]

I had a problem with this a few months ago, I had a 4 yo who was leaving to go to school so I said we'd go out for lunch as a special treat, he asked to go to Mcdonalds which I was happy with, so I asked the parents of others I had that day, 1 lot were fine but the other totally freaked out :eek: they were against Mcdonalds for ethical reasons.
I did explain that this was a special request and that I'd said it was the childs choice and I wasn't going to change my plans. I offered to drop him off early and refund money for hours not used but in the end she agreed although made it quite clear it wasn't to happen again. He loved it and obviously at the age of 2 had no idea about ethics :)

As a parent, I would not have benn happy with that. I would have felt excluded.

[chez]

As a parent, I would not have benn happy with that. I would have felt excluded.

Surely the exclusion would have been done by the parents by not allowing the child to attend the trip?

Im a Rainbow leader and if I run a trip and only 7 of my 10 girls wants to attend then as long as Ive invited them all then surley its not excluding?

If parent had said on joining the setting that they felt strongly about XYZ and then this trip had been planned then maybe it would be a little unfair.

Personally I feel we should be talking about inclusion rahter then exclusion and celebrating every child in the settings culture. For this 4 yr old it sounds like it was in his culture to have treats to mc d why should he miss out?

[Trpta108]

For religious/ethical reasons, I would not go myself and would not be happy if my child's school or pre-school planned a trip. If I was planning a trip, that I knew there could be mixed feelings about, I would check with parents first.

[Gracie's mamma]

I have an 8 nearly 9 year old and i would not take her to MD.
The only time i walk in there is to use the loo.
The staff are outside the one near us smoking in full view of the public, the food is cheap ( how can you serve a meal for uner £1.00??
Nope i would refuse big time if somebody asked totake my daughter for ??? a treat there.
Go to the park , wrap up warm , go to the beach , take a flask of hot chocolate whatever . . . but NO NOT JUNK CHEAP FOOD !!

[LOOPYLISA]

As a treat now and again probably :thumbsup:

[mindingmummy08]

I am going to mcdonalds for tea as a treat and as my mindee will be staying for tea I've asked permission for her to have one too and mom says yes.

Roll on tea time