An "important" letter from school today

[happygirl]

Its really none of the schools business, if they recieve their required forms then anything I do with my child as far as doctor visits is not their concern.

People are always saying that today kids are bigger then ever. So I'm guessing the schools are trying to help. I'm not going to fault a school for tyring to help a student that they see as at risk. There are so many parents that don't care about there kids and have no idea what is consider overweight.

 

[luvmy3]

One reason kids are overweight is there is no recess anymore. I remember in the 70s we got 30 minutes in the morning and 30 minutes in the afternoon. And we had PE for an hour.

I have to disagree. The reason kids are overweight is because they are allowed to eat nothing but junk food, they are not forced to go out and play, instead they sit in front of the TV/video games/computer all day. They are overweight because American portion sizes have tripled in the last few decades. Recess is great to let off some mental steam, but it has nothing to do with kids being overweight, kids have become unmotivated and parents are allowing it.

ETA, I am not referring to kids who have a genetic predisposition to being overweight, or who are on medication. I am talking about the poor diet and activity habits of our youth.

 

[happygirl]

I have to disagree. The reason kids are overweight is because they are allowed to eat nothing but junk food, they are not forced to go out and play, instead they sit in front of the TV/video games/computer all day. They are overweight because American portion sizes have tripled in the last few decades. Recess is great to let off some mental steam, but it has nothing to do with kids being overweight, kids have become unmotivated and parents are allowing it.

ETA, I am not referring to kids who have a genetic predisposition to being overweight, or who are on medication. I am talking about the poor diet and activity habits of our youth.

If the parents are allowing it shouldn't the schools step up and saying something? or should they just allow the parents to keep letting the kids get bigger and bigger

 

[SpecialK]

I think it's good that schools are trying to help students that might be a little over weight. Everyone keeps saying well that bewteen my and my child Dr. How is teh school supposed to know if the child see a Dr. on a regular basis

Trust me when I tell you the schools are only doing this because of a government mandate. And it's going to get worse. Most schools and teachers hate these programs that take time and money away from actual education, but they have to conform if they want to keep federal or state aid.

And do you really think that parents who don't regularly take their kids for check-ups are suddenly going to become more responsible because the school sends a letter home? I think not.

 

[happygirl]

Trust me when I tell you the schools are only doing this because of a government mandate. And it's going to get worse. Most schools and teachers hate these programs that take time and money away from actual education, but they have to conform if they want to keep federal or state aid.

And do you really think that parents who don't regularly take their kids for check-ups are suddenly going to become more responsible because the school sends a letter home? I think not.

Yes, I do

 

[Anjelica]

Yep, we got one too. My dd, at 5'9" and 138 lbs is considered 'heavy'!!! We pretty much just tossed that letter out. Way to encourage eating disorders!!!

WOW - that is NUTS!!!!

I think the BMI is absolutely an incorrect determinate. I am close to 5'8" and in high school I weighed around 160 but my body fat was around 12% (oh I miss those days...) - I was on the swim team and swam 10+ hours a week. If the BMI was around back then I would be considered heavy/overweight. Ridiculous!!!

 

[Darsa]

Last year I had an "urgent" conference with my daughter's 3rd grade teacher because my daughter (try not to scream or freak out) jumped in a puddle at recess, got all wet and when questioned why she did such a thing replied "I knew I'd be wet all day, but it was too fun not to do." I don't think the teacher appreciated my laughter at such a grave and serious matter that "did not conform to normal third grade behavior."

Didn't comform to third grade behavior??? Uh... I would call it perfectly accurate. DD and I have always loved to go out after a storm in the warm seasons, and jump in the puddles. Muddy ones were a bonus!

 

[luvmy3]

If the parents are allowing it shouldn't the schools step up and saying something? or should they just allow the parents to keep letting the kids get bigger and bigger

So what you are really asking is should the schools have the power to start regulating what we feed our children at home, and what and how much exercise they should be doing at home, all to keep them at a weight deemed safe by the school (i.e the gov't). I won't even answer because its such a ridiculous notion that anyone would support that.

ETA If there are true concerns, like abuse and neglect there are protocols put in place for the school to step in, regualting the diet and exercise of its students is not one of those concerns.

 

[scrapquitler]

I think it's good that schools are trying to help students that might be a little over weight. Everyone keeps saying well that bewteen my and my child Dr. How is teh school supposed to know if the child see a Dr. on a regular basis

Honestly, how often my child sees the doctor is NONE OF THE SCHOOL'S BUSINESS. As long as my child is healthy and she doesn't have a condition that interferes with her learning, his/her medical history is irrelevant to the school.

The school system is NOT the parent. I am. I will worry about my child's health, they just need to teach her.

 

[happygirl]

Are you all saying it's okay for a child to be overweight if they parents are okay with

 

[Darsa]

Are you serious???

I'm sorry, but sending a letter home with your child saying that he/she is fat just smacks of bullying at the highest level. Did the child KNOW that he/she was bringing a letter home saying that he/she's fat? Did the rest of the class know??? I'm sorry, but that's just wrong; letting your child become obese by sitting on the couch eating chips and pop-tarts while playing video games and watching TV is a problem, but I do NOT believe that it's up to the school to assume that's what is happening. And what medical degree does the school have that allows them to determine the health of your child, who presumably has their own doctor who actually WENT to med school?

 

[luvmy3]

Are you all saying it's okay for a child to be overweight if they parents are okay with

I am saying that its not mine, or yours, or the schools (or the governements) job to parent children who are not their own.

 

[goodeats]

I do think there are quite a few kids who are heading towards being overweight and the parents just don't see it. I think people have been conditioned that being slightly overweight is normal and healthy, and being a healthy weight looks like they're anorexic. Look at pictures from the 50's - hardly anyone was overweight. Of course our perceptions have become skewed.

And I'd like to see a picture of the 5'7'' person who weighs 155 and was told to eat a cheeseburger. Unless this person is a bodybuilder or an olympic athlete, I find it hard to believe they look too thin. Sure it could be a healthy weight for them, but I highly doubt they look emaciated.

 

[SpecialK]

Are you all saying it's okay for a child to be overweight if they parents are okay with

Not at all. What I'm saying is that it's not a school's responsibility to teach parenting.

There has been a trend over the last twenty years for our schools to take over what has typically been the job of the parent. I taught during this time and saw the shift. It doesn't work.

Parents who are already doing a good job become resentful of the interference, and parents who have been neglectful stay that way. It takes time away from instruction, wastes a lot of money, and doesn't do anyone any good.

 

[Pigeon]

Honestly, how often my child sees the doctor is NONE OF THE SCHOOL'S BUSINESS. As long as my child is healthy and she doesn't have a condition that interferes with her learning, his/her medical history is irrelevant to the school.

The school system is NOT the parent. I am. I will worry about my child's health, they just need to teach her.

While I completely agree with this, in my state, parents are required by law to submit a form from the child's pediatrician every other year or so.

There is absolutely no need for the school to do medical screening as you are required to submit proof that your kid has been seen by the doctor of your choosing. Yet still we have school screening for everything under the sun. It is wasteful and intrusive. It isn't the school's fault though, it is the fault of the legislature, which wants to look like they are doing something.

 

[laracroft]

So glad I am not the oly parent who is going through this. I also got a letter sent home that my DS was overweight.

 

[MariDisney]

We get the letter every year. We call it jokingly the "Caroline is on the verge of keeling over at any moment" letter. Now, my DD is 10, she's 5'2" and she weighs right about 130. She is incredibly athletic and dances 4 classes per week including a seriously demanding acrobatics class. There is not an ounce of fat on her body. She is one long, lean muscle. Somehow the muscle weighs more than fat idea hasn't gotten to the schools (don't get me started on the question of WHY the schools are tracking kids' BMI to begin with). Anyway, we usually celebrate the arrival of the letter with a trip to McDonalds or out for pizza. Then, we ceremoniously chuck it while she does a back walk over into a split in the kitchen. (seriously!)

 

[jrmasm]

Are you serious???

I'm sorry, but sending a letter home with your child saying that he/she is fat just smacks of bullying at the highest level. Did the child KNOW that he/she was bringing a letter home saying that he/she's fat? Did the rest of the class know??? I'm sorry, but that's just wrong; letting your child become obese by sitting on the couch eating chips and pop-tarts while playing video games and watching TV is a problem, but I do NOT believe that it's up to the school to assume that's what is happening. And what medical degree does the school have that allows them to determine the health of your child, who presumably has their own doctor who actually WENT to med school?

Sorry but you're wrong. This is not bullying. A waste of time and and money but not bullying.

 

[MariDisney]

I think it's good that schools are trying to help students that might be a little over weight. Everyone keeps saying well that bewteen my and my child Dr. How is teh school supposed to know if the child see a Dr. on a regular basis

Well, I personally think it's none of the school's business who sees a doctor or when. But, in our state we have a form that needs to be filled out periodically by a pediatrician (I think every 2 years). For those students that don't have a regular pediatrian, the school can perform the physical.

 

[MariDisney]

One reason kids are overweight is there is no recess anymore. I remember in the 70s we got 30 minutes in the morning and 30 minutes in the afternoon. And we had PE for an hour.

Interesting. I graduated from HS in 1987. I never had one recess period ever from Kdg through HS. Now, I did attend private school so there were no mandates. We had no school yard to speak of, so I guess that's why. I'd say the ratio of kids who grew up to be slim and kids who grew up to be fat is about the same as our local public school peers who did have recess.

Now, I will say that when school was over we ran around the neighborhood like crazy people. Maybe THAT'S what's missing more so than recess at school.

For the record, my DD is in 5th grade and gets 30 min of recess every day. The teacher also often sends them out for a second 15 min. or so during the day if the weather is nice. I have no objections to that.