Okay, so schools and other 'authorities' are whining about the obesity epidemic that now plagues our children. Today was my son's first day of 1st grade, and he brings home this....
Please help your child earn a piece of candy by filling out all of these important cards/forms and returning them to school by Friday, August the 18th.
Notice the word earn.
~slapping my forehead~
So does this mean if I don't want my son to be given candy at school that I shouldn't fill out the papers?
Sheesh! Why can't they "earn" an apple? Or even a big red star on their next paper?
Incidentally, last year in Kindergarten, Friday was "candy day". Every Friday the teachers would pass out candy to the kids. Luckily my son is smart enough to know I don't want him eating it, so it would still be stashed down in his bookbag when he came home. I'm not saying he NEVER gets candy. But when he does, *I* want to be the one to give it to him.
I remember when I was in grade school most of the rewards for good behavior and classroom chores etc. were candy. When we'd have parties you would not believe the food that was brought! Cupcakes, candy, kool-aid, cookies, brownies I would have a stomach ache and a toothache by the end of it. My mom always rewarded us with food as well (hmmm wonder why I now weigh 280lbs?) so I was never really taught at home or at school to eat properly. School lunches were just as bad really! We'd have pizza and tacos and meatloaf smothered in what they called gravy. It was always served with white bread and fruit in heavy syrup and then you got juice drink (with like 10% juice) and most kids opted for chocolate milk. And they wonder why so many kids are obese! Granted this was 15 years ago but I'm guessing it hasn't changed that much.
My kids get candy all the time too! The schools are just now taking the soda machines out, even though they've known for years that kids are becoming more and more obese. We vary rarely have candy at home, special occasions usually, so I don't feel so bad about them eating it at school. I just hate that they use it as a reward system. Special occasions only should be the rule.
And they wonder why so many kids are obese! Granted this was 15 years ago but I'm guessing it hasn't changed that much.
No, it really hasn't. They still reward kids with candy. At least at my son's school, they do. And what's funny is they preach 'good nutrition' in some of the literature he brought home, but here's a quick example of his school menu......
(okay, the veggies and the orange are good, but unfortunately my son won't eat either)
Friday: corn dogs, green beans, pears
(again, fruit and veggie good, but my son won't eat them)
Next week consists of a variety of deep-fried chicken patties on a bun, hot dogs, pepperoni pizza, cookies, ice cream, and chicken strips.
I'm not saying all of these foods are bad (okay, well, yes they are, but I mean as long as they're not eaten on a regular basis). And I realize schools have to invest their money in foods they know kids will eat. But when my son packs his lunch, he gets a much better meal. And yes, I pack his lunch most of the time, except for allowing him the occasional meal he really loves and wants to buy. Like if I send him to school with a packed lunch on the day they're having corn dogs and he's eating a peanut butter sandwich while his friends are chowing down on the corn dogs, he's gonna be bummed out about it. So once in a while I let him buy a school lunch.
Again, they have to serve what they know the kids will eat. But if they offer 'healthier' meals that most parents know their kids won't eat anyway, then fine, they're better off with a PACKED lunch.
The school meals are horrible here too. Today was the third day of the new school year. So far, they have had Burgers and Fries, Corn Dogs, and Fried cheese sticks as the entree's. My DD is in 9th grade and is conscious of what she eats. She has been taking her lunch. She eats a healthy breakfast at home and a healthy dinner. If she forgets her lunch or just doesn't take one, she will skip lunch, which I don't like for her to do either. The concession stand is loaded with soda and junk foods. They are constantly having bake sales every Friday and do reward the kids with candy, STILL.
The school meals are horrible here too. Today was the third day of the new school year. So far, they have had Burgers and Fries, Corn Dogs, and Fried cheese sticks as the entree's. My DD is in 9th grade and is conscious of what she eats. She has been taking her lunch. She eats a healthy breakfast at home and a healthy dinner. If she forgets her lunch or just doesn't take one, she will skip lunch, which I don't like for her to do either.
If it's only once in a while, it won't hurt anything. At least she's conscious of what she eats. Just keep an eye on that, hon. Girls that young can take 'conscious eating' either way. Some of them become obsessed and end up not eating at all.
Our classroom (I'm the aide, not the decision maker) didn't have candy as a reward system. They earned respect dollars and used it to buy stuff at a store (mixed feelings, works, and no candy). We do make stuff (recipes) that are sometimes sugar treats (although other times we make things that are cultural entrees..not sweets). We used candy in math occasionally. Candy/Sugar treats was not an every week thing by any means. I'm not asking or making judgements, just saying what our "less tolerant of sweets" school does in an individual classroom.
in my state there was a law passed preventing candy (or any other type of food) to be given to students with the exception of lunch. each school is allowed to have 5 or so scheduled "events" each year when food can be given....val. party, christmas party, state testing days, etc.
our district also screens each child every spring and a report is sent to the parents letting them know if their child is over weight or at risk. i have mixed feelings about screening the kids, i know one person who's teenage daughter (skinny as a rail...cheerleader) opened her report and it said that she was at risk. unknown to her parents she began forcing herself to throw-up after every meal. she finally confessed and they took her to the dr.
and about the meals they serve....wow, talk about swimming in fat and cals. i am trying to get my kids to take their lunches this year.
Oh man, the food they serve in my school cafeteria? YUCK. And i ate it all every day last year. No wonder i gained weight. That stuff is horrible. At the grade school, if it was someones birthday or the holidays, some of the mothers would bring in cake, cookies, candy, kool-aid, etc. They dont let us get anything out of the vending machines during lunch, but eating that stuff is probably better for you than what they actually serve.
Thanks LLV, it's very tricky with a 14 yr. old and self-esteem that is so tied to their body image. On the days that she skips lunch, she comes home very hungry and eats a fresh sandwich on whole wheat bread with some fat-free pringles. Then later she has dinner with the rest of us. She has posted here before. She isn't over-weight, but not rail thin either. She is beautiful. I absolutely hate it that she worries about her weight. She is 5'4 and about 130 lbs. which I think is just perfect. I am down to 140's and maintaining. The other night she said "mom, please don't get in the 130's, then you will be the same size as me". I explained that I am just trying to maintain my weight and not lose more. She smiled and said "OK, I just don't want us to weigh the same". Kids definitely watch and see everything we do and learn from us.
Kids definitely watch and see everything we do and learn from us.
Yes they do. My 7 year-old-SON will tell his grandma, when he's visiting there, that he can't have a soda or a cookie because he's "had enough sugar for the day."
Then the other day we were out shopping. I asked him if he wanted me to stop somewhere and pick him up lunch. And I am NOT kidding you when I tell you what he said............
"Mommy, let's do Wendy's, they fry their stuff in better oil. Not as much bad fat as McDonald's."
7 years old.
I'm not sure if this is good or bad, to be honest. Because I've heard that even boys these days have eating disorders.
Not saying it's a bad thing that he's conscious of 'bad' foods at such a young age. But I'm concerned it will develop into something - well, for lack of a better word, obsessive - when he gets a little older
That reminds me of my kids and money. They are so well trained that they look for a better deal then when they ask if they can have it, they sell me on the deal or at least tell me about the price. LMBO! Other times I catch them comparing sales gimmicks.
It is such a Catch 22. I want her to make the healthier choices and not just eat junk, but I don't want her to be obsessed. I try to emphathize (sp?) the health aspect and not the scale number. But I know she has watched me watching that stupid scale for the past year.
The school lunches here are nothing but junk and she knows that isn't the food we have at home. I just wish she'd go ahead and take a lunch and not go all day hungry and come home starving. I have packed her lunches before and may have to do it daily to get her to eat during the day.
Are we talking elementary schools? high school? or both?
I don't understand why there are even "meals" sold at elementary school. We don't have that here in canada, kids bring their OWN lunch and snacks.
as for High school, I can see how the food in the Caf would lead to obesity...my highschool was terrible, fries, burgers etc EVERYDAY...they did have salads but they had high fat dressings to go along with them...
I bet if Cafiterias served ONLY healthy versions of these food the kids would adjust...
Schools crack me up, lol
