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A MOTHER has faced criticism for treating her child's nursery like "a supermarket."
The unnamed parent was reprimanded after expressing her dissatisfaction that the nursery only provides "fancy" food that her 17-month-old son refuses to eat.
The mother was "a bit annoyed" that the staff do not provide alternatives if her son refuses the meal offered. The woman, who pays over £400 for two half-days, initially felt "impressed by the menu and its variety of foods."
While the meals have a "home-cooked vibe," she found items like lamb instead of beef to be "quite fancy."
However, her child, as she noted in her post , doesn't seem to enjoy the nursery food.
She stated: "We've adjusted his diet at home to include what my partner and I eat, and he does really well."
"He can be picky about textures, but he has made significant progress and does great at home."
"He hardly eats at nursery. Throughout September, he consumed only 2-3 portions of breakfast and perhaps the mashed potatoes or plain pasta from lunch."
"Today, I checked the nursery app to see if he had eaten breakfast. No."
The mother was also "a little annoyed" that the staff do not offer her child anything else if he refuses the menu items.
"He is given just one option of 'beans on toast,' and if he doesn't eat that, he's not offered cereal (which I know he would eat at least some of) or anything else."
According to the frustrated mother, the nursery also restricts parents from bringing their own food due to allergy concerns.
"I'm becoming increasingly frustrated that we're paying all this money, yet he isn't even offered an alternative and is just not eating, and they seem fine with that."
"I'm unsure whether I should address this with them about providing him with something else."
"For example, today he was served beans on toast. He ate none."
"However, I know he enjoys toast with butter and has had beans before, just mashed into potatoes."
The Mumsnet user, who mentioned that her family does not receive any funded hours, believes "all children, regardless of financial status, should have access to healthy and nutritious food."
"It just feels unfair that we're paying for the food (which is compulsory) and he isn't eating anything."
How Can I Help My Fussy Eater?
Whether your child is in a "no" phase or insists on eating only beige foods, a mother has shared her tips for managing fussy eaters.
A Senior Digital Writer and mother of two shares her experiences with fussy eaters, along with tips and tricks she has tried...
It can be frustrating and concerning when you have a picky child. Trust me, I know; I have two! However, there are some tips from the NHS that I've found helpful.
The first is not to stress about what your child eats in a single day. Instead, evaluate their intake over a week to ensure it's balanced and healthy.
"If your child is active, gaining weight, and appears well, then they're getting enough to eat," the NHS states on their website.
Try to include foods from the four main food groups for your child – fruits and vegetables, starchy carbohydrates, dairy, and protein.
If they don't seem to like a food the first time you offer it, don't give up. Research suggests it may take between eight and 15 exposures to a food before they accept it.
Eat with your child and share the same foods. If they see you enjoying a meal, they're more likely to try it themselves.
Avoid overloading their plate – you can always add more if they finish what's there, but a heaping plate can be overwhelming.
It's also important not to give kids too many snacks; two healthy snacks per day is "plenty," according to NHS guidelines.
Another helpful tip is to involve your kids in cooking. My daughter is much more willing to try new foods if she has helped prepare them.
'It's Your Responsibility to Encourage Your Child to Try New Things'
The post, shared under the topic "Am I Being Unreasonable?", has garnered significant attention on the forum, attracting criticism for the mother.
Many commenters felt that the mother was treating the nursery like "a supermarket," with one person stating: "They can't just keep offering different foods to all the kids until someone eats something!"
Another added: "I understand your frustration, but if he eats what you and his dad eat at home and you don't provide alternatives, I'm not sure why you expect the nursery to do the opposite."
"It is your responsibility to help your child try new things, not theirs; they don't have a supermarket in the back for every child's individual preferences," another user criticized the mother.
Social media users suggested that she might be better off hiring "a nanny" instead of sending her son to nursery, pointing out that it was unfair to the teaching staff.
"If they offer an alternative for your child, they must do the same for every child, and soon enough, they would have 30 kids eating 30 different breakfasts," a Mumsnet reader remarked.
"It's simply not feasible in
