[Fanny McPhail]

Firstly, I am not a perfect parent and my kids eat plenty of "sometimes" foods.

but neither of them have ever eaten McDonalds, they are 4.5 and 2.5.

My friend thinks I should introduce the older one to McDonalds before it becomes a place of awe and wonder for him (and before he starts school so that he isn't the weirdo kid who has no idea what a happy meal is).

I'm not really sure if this started off as a conscious decision, maybe it started off as one of those declarations you make before you have children i.e. "my children will never eat lollies" but you slowly crumble as exhaustion sets in and well-meaning relatives sneak them multi-coloured snakes and buckets of icecream. But going to McDonalds has never really been an option.

At the moment I love the fact that we are not badgered everytime we go past the golden arches, he did ask me once what they were and I told him that if your car breaks down there is a man at the bottom who can fix it (see, not perfect!).

If we ask him where he would like to eat dinner he makes great suggestions that we actively consider and include him in the final decision. Where as, I know from my childhood, the conversation can do like this "what would you like for dinner?" "McDonalds!" "No!"

and finally i don't like the way McDonalds directly advertise to children (neither watch commercial TV due to this particular bug up my bum)

So what do you think, Should I introduce McDonalds to my son? Will I turn him into a McDonalds obsessed fiend if I don't?

Am I totally overthinking this?

This post has been edited by Fanny McPhail: 10/01/2013, 04:08 PM

[howdo]

I vote for overthinking. Your family, your choice. Just smile and nod to your friend.

[Natttmumm]

My kids age 3 and 5 have had McDonald's here and there. Maybe it ends up being once every 2 months so not heaps.
They don't have a real interest in it and would never think to ask to go. They often don't finish their meals and are more interested in the playground.
Mine eat a wide range of foods including sometiMes foods. I think it's weird your kids are asking to go if they have never been.

[Sassy Girl]

I'd say the longer you can keep your children away from there the better. The food is horrid (and it's one of the only places I can eat out at the moment due to a suspected nut allergy).

[BadCat]

My DS was offered a Maccas bravery voucher at hospital when he was 5. He had no idea what Maccas was.

7 years later he still isn't interested. So no, as long as you're not all "nothing but the purest food blessed by the Gods shall ever pass your lips" I don't think it's a problem.

[suziej]

Very much overthinking.

My oldest didn't get McDonalds until she was 4.5 - and that was because I was moving house and it was convenient for me. I have spent many years not eating McDonalds!

Unfortunately, my younger one has already been taught in the ways and there have been McMeltdowns...

[JBH]

I don't think there's any "should" about it. However, my son's first McDonald's experience (when he was old enough to "appreciate" it) was a birthday party. So he found this great place with burgers, chips, fizzy drinks, ice cream, toys and games. Instant love. We take him there from time to time, although we stick to burger, chips and water. In a way it would have been better to set expectations before he went the whole hog so to speak, but it hasn't been too hard to say no, either to going or if we do go to getting meals with sugary drinks. He does enjoy it, but he likes eating at other places I enjoy more too.

This post has been edited by JBH: 10/01/2013, 04:20 PM

[Fanny McPhail]

I think it's weird your kids are asking to go if they have never been.

Thankfully, my kids aren't asking to go.

My friend asked if we wanted to go there so the kids could play in the playpark and get some lunch. I suggested an alternative venue and that is when the conversation with my friend took place.

This post has been edited by Fanny McPhail: 10/01/2013, 04:21 PM

[Mozzie1]

I do think you are over thinking it, if you want to give them the occasional maccas I don't think it will hurt, but I really don't think it's necessary either.

However, we were never allowed maccas as kids. When I started getting pocket money, I spent it all in McDonalds (I'm not even joking). I ended up working there.

[KACMum]

It's not a right of passage - it's a crappy family restaurant! No need to introduce it if you don't want to. FTR we go occasionally, but more for the playground.