My mom is like this. She was like this when we were kids. I grew up in an affluent neighborhood, my parents had plenty of money, but I was always hungry. I can remember going to people's houses and finding out that they had things like left overs and family style meals where you could choose how much you ate, and being amazed. In my family, my mother would buy exactly what she thought we should eat for the week. So, if we were having chicken on Tuesday she'd buy 5 chicken drumsticks, one for each family member, and 5 small rolls, and measure out exactly 5 1/2 cups of frozen vegetables. She'd boast about how her kids always cleaned their plates, but that was because we were hungry!!

My parents do this. We visited with our 3-month old that I was breastfeeding. Sent my husband to Panera to get me lunch. Parents acted like I was crazy. I had *just* had a yogurt cup for breakfast and we had dinner plans at 7!

We now have two kids. They’ve tried to say “the kids can sleep in the living room! But they won’t vacate until their shows are over. They have a TV in their bedroom, but it’s more comfortable in the living room.

I put up with their crap. Husband has taught me that we are adults, and we just aren’t going to visit often since we now need 4 plane tickets, a rental car, a hotel room, and a week’s worth of meals out.

Their house, their rules.

This is one of the reasons we haven’t been back to visit.

I have never done this but see the merit of it with immediate family (my own kids).

This would be considered unspeakably rude in either my family or DH’s. I would never do this with any houseguests!? Super weird.

Anonymous wrote:My in-laws do his. My toddlers rebelled. They just love lunch. It’s their favorite and biggest meal of the day. They can’t eat breakfast at 8 and then not eat again until 6pm. It’s cruel. If they only want to serve two meals we’d prefer lunch and dinner. We’d all prefer a simple breakfast of toast and jam with fruit.

Also, I just wanted to say that we don’t snack. My kids don’t have snacks constantly. But 3 meals a day is pretty standard.

My in-laws do his. My toddlers rebelled. They just love lunch. It’s their favorite and biggest meal of the day. They can’t eat breakfast at 8 and then not eat again until 6pm. It’s cruel. If they only want to serve two meals we’d prefer lunch and dinner. We’d all prefer a simple breakfast of toast and jam with fruit.

My MIL tried the "kitchen is closed" thing once. DH and his sibling promptly declared that everyone was moving to a hotel. She hasn't tried that ever again.

Anonymous wrote:According to that other thread, no food or drink whatsoever. Because you might make crumbs or spills. That lady has issues.

The kitchen is closed is a foreign concept to my family. It would be like saying the bathroom is closed. No, like the bathroom, the kitchen is for use when you need it. Just clean up after yourself.

+1

Anonymous wrote:I remember the crazy “kitchen is closed” lady from the holiday thread. I assumed this was just a thing among extremely OCD people. Not so? It’s a horrifying way to behave toward guests.

Agree. Like the PP that would be like saying the bathroom is closed

I don’t ever close my kitchen, but.....my FIL makes me wish I did. I will chop up ingredients for dinner, the turn to the other counter to chop more, he will come in and start eating what I chopped up. And then,poof, my dinner ingredients are gone,


Dude. I have so much food in my house. Please stop eating my ingredients.

I remember the crazy “kitchen is closed” lady from the holiday thread. I assumed this was just a thing among extremely OCD people. Not so? It’s a horrifying way to behave toward guests.

According to that other thread, no food or drink whatsoever. Because you might make crumbs or spills. That lady has issues.

The kitchen is closed is a foreign concept to my family. It would be like saying the bathroom is closed. No, like the bathroom, the kitchen is for use when you need it. Just clean up after yourself.

My ILs close the kitchen and monitor any activity near the kitchen--"What are you doing in there?" if you dare to get a glass of water without asking.

No fruit, no snacks, no nothing. My family picks up after ourselves and are generally clean and organized. This behavior pre-dates me (according to DH and various BILs and SILs who have married in), so I don't take it personally.

It's damn annoying, and we feel very free to go off on outings or bring our own food and eat it on the back porch.

Kitchen is closed = no more food/drink avaliable at this time. Water is always available. This is the meaning in our family, others may vary.

Oh this doesn't apply to guests thoughn

I admit using kitchen is closed in my house but with my kids, not when I have guests.
Reason being that they will only pick at their dinner and come back for snacks later after I have already cleaned up the kitchen and make a new mess. I hate sitting at the table the next morning with crumbs everywhere. So closing the kitchen is supposed to get them to fill up at dinner, it does not always work

sorry from the other thread but just want to understand.. kitchen is closed meaning no cooking/heating.. but snacks or fruit ok? do people think no food or drink whatsoever? that would not go well with kids or even adults who would get hangry and need snack between breakfast and dinner. Would you deny your family and guests any and all food until the appointed time?