My sister just tried to stage a parenting intervention with me, basically

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I didn’t read the whole thread but to me it’s BS to say you made your kids eat in the car bcs you knew her kids don’t eat fast food but “I guess” your kid wandered around with a bag of French fries.

I don’t know exactly what the answer is her but own your ish

This. If you were really trying to avoid conflict, you would have just eaten in the restaurant.

It's not OP's job to police what her sister's kids eat or see other people eating. It's not OP's job to make sure her sister's kids don't get jealous. Why do you people not understand this?

Go ahead and continue to deprive your children, it's not everyone else's job to make sure they don't get jealous. It's YOUR job as a parent to make sure your kids don't cry about the fact that they don't get the same thing as other kids. It's YOUR job as a parent to help your kids understand that everyone has different rules and while Mary's kids may be allowed to eat fast food and have screen time, Joanna's kids don't because different families have different rules. Repeat that, it's something you'll have to say a lot as you learn when your kids are older and you have to explain to them why they don't get the same things as their friends.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I didn’t read the whole thread but to me it’s BS to say you made your kids eat in the car bcs you knew her kids don’t eat fast food but “I guess” your kid wandered around with a bag of French fries.

I don’t know exactly what the answer is her but own your ish

It’s called lazy and don’t care. Same reason she doesn’t have actual meals at mealtime or snacks in her bag for her 5 yo when out.

SHE'S ON VACATION YOU PSYCHO. I cannot believe how rigid the moms on here are.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP’s sister’s head would probably explode at the amount of screen time my kids have had since 2020.

+1. People losing their minds over the 30min a day her kids get and I’m over here like…whoops!

I sincerely doubt that kids who have their own individual iPads get only 30 min a day. That’s a total lie.

I’m a big more lax on food treats but I find it pathetic that kids can’t entertain themselves without zoning out on iPads. Watching a show or movie together, sure. Reading a book or doing a puzzle to recharge alone, sure. When my kids are older I fully intend to let them watch a movie with ice cream every night (assuming we’ve had active days).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I didn’t read the whole thread but to me it’s BS to say you made your kids eat in the car bcs you knew her kids don’t eat fast food but “I guess” your kid wandered around with a bag of French fries.

I don’t know exactly what the answer is her but own your ish

It’s called lazy and don’t care. Same reason she doesn’t have actual meals at mealtime or snacks in her bag for her 5 yo when out.

SHE'S ON VACATION YOU PSYCHO. I cannot believe how rigid the moms on here are.

Classy DCUM. Fast food, iPads and name calling

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP’s sister’s head would probably explode at the amount of screen time my kids have had since 2020.

+1. People losing their minds over the 30min a day her kids get and I’m over here like…whoops!

I sincerely doubt that kids who have their own individual iPads get only 30 min a day. That’s a total lie.

I’m a big more lax on food treats but I find it pathetic that kids can’t entertain themselves without zoning out on iPads. Watching a show or movie together, sure. Reading a book or doing a puzzle to recharge alone, sure. When my kids are older I fully intend to let them watch a movie with ice cream every night (assuming we’ve had active days).

My kids regularly watch shows and movies ... on their iPads.

[Anonymous]

JFC. Your sister and post agreeing with her clearly need help. So glad I don't vacation with people like this.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP’s sister’s head would probably explode at the amount of screen time my kids have had since 2020.

+1. People losing their minds over the 30min a day her kids get and I’m over here like…whoops!

I sincerely doubt that kids who have their own individual iPads get only 30 min a day. That’s a total lie.

I’m a big more lax on food treats but I find it pathetic that kids can’t entertain themselves without zoning out on iPads. Watching a show or movie together, sure. Reading a book or doing a puzzle to recharge alone, sure. When my kids are older I fully intend to let them watch a movie with ice cream every night (assuming we’ve had active days).

Omg, you're already planning the future years of their lives??
Well, guess what?
Life may throw you a curveball, and the "normal" of the future may not resemble anything close to what our normal is now.
What ever will you do then?

You really should get a hobby... or maybe get that untreated anxiety dealt with.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I didn’t read the whole thread but to me it’s BS to say you made your kids eat in the car bcs you knew her kids don’t eat fast food but “I guess” your kid wandered around with a bag of French fries.

I don’t know exactly what the answer is her but own your ish

This. If you were really trying to avoid conflict, you would have just eaten in the restaurant.

+1

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP’s sister’s head would probably explode at the amount of screen time my kids have had since 2020.

+1. People losing their minds over the 30min a day her kids get and I’m over here like…whoops!

I sincerely doubt that kids who have their own individual iPads get only 30 min a day. That’s a total lie.

I’m a big more lax on food treats but I find it pathetic that kids can’t entertain themselves without zoning out on iPads. Watching a show or movie together, sure. Reading a book or doing a puzzle to recharge alone, sure. When my kids are older I fully intend to let them watch a movie with ice cream every night (assuming we’ve had active days).

“When my kids are older.” Lol, come back when they are. In the meantime, know that we know you don’t get it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP’s sister’s head would probably explode at the amount of screen time my kids have had since 2020.

+1. People losing their minds over the 30min a day her kids get and I’m over here like…whoops!

I sincerely doubt that kids who have their own individual iPads get only 30 min a day. That’s a total lie.

I’m a big more lax on food treats but I find it pathetic that kids can’t entertain themselves without zoning out on iPads. Watching a show or movie together, sure. Reading a book or doing a puzzle to recharge alone, sure. When my kids are older I fully intend to let them watch a movie with ice cream every night (assuming we’ve had active days).

My kids regularly watch shows and movies ... on their iPads.

I'm with you all the way OP, you're on vacation... have fun!

Kids shouldn't live their lives with such rigidity, it's more harmful than helpful.
They need to know that if you work hard in school, help out around the house & generally be responsible & amiable, that they'll also receive fun little rewards along the way for being so helpful. Life is filled with reciprocity.

My kids also watch shows & movies on their iPad, they love doing inquisitive puzzles, as well as reading their "chapter" books on it too.

Puzzle boxes are a huge hit in our home, so we started buying them intricate puzzle boxes from Asia when they were 4 or 5 years old (similar to the ones Lara Croft deciphers in Tomb Raider).
Well, they now also have puzzle boxes for the iPad, hallelujah!

There are also games that aren't mind numbing -- my son plays a cool atmospheric game about opening up the world's most complicated puzzle box.
The ASMR on the touchscreen is SO satisfying because you're cracking the clues, deciphering hidden codes, turning clicking switches, swiveling & latching keys, clacking & fidgeting with levers, bolting & disengaging locks, etc.
As you progress you uncover an intriguing, almost Lovecraftian narrative that's very cool.

Another favorite of theirs is one that they explore seemingly impossible architectural spaces inspired by the genius & mind curving artist MC Escher. To effectively circumvent this type of conundrum, you need to modify the way your brain ruminates, as you'll have to use various methods of thought to complete it with success.

Reading books on the iPad saves us a hell of a lot of space without having to buy 10 Percy Jackson " adventure type" books each year.
I'm eternally thankful that I'll never have to buy another hard or soft covered physical book again (oh, and when we go on vacation, ALL the books come with us... every single one in their virtual bookshelf).

I think you need to do some research and maybe broaden your horizons a bit, because if you think kids are just "zoning out" on iPads... wait... what exactly do you think kids are "zoning out" watching in their iPads anyway? 🤔

Lastly, to all of the judgmental mom's on here -- please don't confuse your need for control with being a better parent than the OP is.
Your condescending tone isn't fooling anyone.

Life shouldn't be all one way or the other... it shouldn't be too rigid, nor too compliant with every whim and wish. Life shouldn't be lived with deprivation, moderation should be practiced in every facet.

My mother was very similar, however I saw first hand how living life with such rigidity, inflexibility & stringency can lead to anxiety in children.
I saw it first in my older sister, then in my younger sister -- they both developed debilitating anxiety, as they felt the need to live up to some baseless level of perfectionism (that they neither wanted NOR hoped to achieve) however, neither wanted to risk upseting our mother and triggering her anxiety and anger.

Imposing severe restrictions in your kids does NOT provide the level of stability that you think it does, because it makes your kids feel like freaks from everyone else around them.

Different families, different rules is an awesome philosophy, I love it! However, that philosophy definitively changes & becomes toxic when you begin to realize that it's pretty much ALL other families that are similar and then there's... yours.

All of those descriptors are interchangeable, because they all require total & dedicated focus on a destructive anxiety... a demanding compulsion to control (which is never a healthy combination as kids enter their formidable teenage rebellious years, fyi).

Control is an illusion that cannot ever be achieved by anyone -- the tighter you grasp for control, the looser your grip on it will become.

[Anonymous]

You parent your way and I will parent my way. And every family has their own rules.

No drama. No guilt.

[Anonymous]

Also mocking fast food is so rude and elitist.

[Anonymous]

I probably would have brought some BK for my sister's kids, honestly. She would still freak, but at least it wouldn't be as insane as her freaking out that you inadvertently allowed your kids to eat their own lunch in the vicinity of her organic, screen-free children.

[Anonymous]

I feel sorry for your sisters family. If they are like that on vacation, imagine how rigid a typical day is at home.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP’s sister’s head would probably explode at the amount of screen time my kids have had since 2020.

+1. People losing their minds over the 30min a day her kids get and I’m over here like…whoops!

I sincerely doubt that kids who have their own individual iPads get only 30 min a day. That’s a total lie.

I’m a big more lax on food treats but I find it pathetic that kids can’t entertain themselves without zoning out on iPads. Watching a show or movie together, sure. Reading a book or doing a puzzle to recharge alone, sure. When my kids are older I fully intend to let them watch a movie with ice cream every night (assuming we’ve had active days).

“When my kids are older.” Lol, come back when they are. In the meantime, know that we know you don’t get it.

That made me giggle.