Does your child's school have a wellness policy?

[castleview]

We just got a note home saying that changes have been made to the school's wellness policy (which I didn't know existed) and kids can no longer have cupcakes for birthdays. While I'm thrilled to not have to send in cupcakes on the kid's birthday parties, I'm trying to locate this policy. I've got extreme libertarian views on this subject and while I'm all about health and wellness, I don't think kids are getting obese at school...so why should schools invest so much time in this?

 

[HelenePA]

Yep! No soda or drinks like Kool-aid type drinks are allowed to be sent in with packed lunches. For parties candy/sweets are kept to 2 per party (halloween, christmas, valentines day etc) Not sure about birthday's. how lame.

 

[pyrxtc]

maybe it's not to prevent obesity but allergies ?

 

[Shelton123]

A cupcake once in a while is fine, but they're banning them... yet they keep the extremely unhealthy food they feed the kids in their school lunches? Very hyprocritical.

 

[HelenePA]

maybe it's not to prevent obesity but allergies ?

Nope it says right on our paper its about weight... nothing to do with allergies.. makes NO mention of peanut butter or anything like that not allowed at lunch. They also use to have some type of statement about how much sugar could be in the drinks.. well there are 2 types of sugar (at least 2) fructose (from fruit) and sucrose (from sugar) they didn't care where the sugar came from it just wasn't supposed to have over a certain % its IMPOSSIBLE to find any type of juice with our some type of sugar in it.. basically it meant we could send water that's it. Teachers were supposed to confiscate "contraband" as well.. who has time to police what kids are eating at lunch time? this is what they are worried about?

 

[golfgal]

We just got a note home saying that changes have been made to the school's wellness policy (which I didn't know existed) and kids can no longer have cupcakes for birthdays. While I'm thrilled to not have to send in cupcakes on the kid's birthday parties, I'm trying to locate this policy. I've got extreme libertarian views on this subject and while I'm all about health and wellness, I don't think kids are getting obese at school...so why should schools invest so much time in this?

Why, because there is always one parent that objects and to maintain their politically correctness they have to ban things for every child. Our elementary schools banned ALL treats for birthdays starting this year. That is just SO SAD. I remember what a big deal it was in school to bring in treats on your birthday. Then you factor in the parents that don't want their child to have any candy or sweets and they complain that their kids get it in school and then they have to deal with saying no at home--too bad, your dumb rule, you deal with it. If you figure a class has maybe 20-25 kids or less and having a piece of candy for each of those birthdays isn't going to even add up to anything it won't make any difference what so ever in the obesity issue. I have been tempted to go the other route and complain long and hard about NOT being able to bring things in to see what they would do. It is just one more example of the minority opinion outweighing the majority.

As for cupcakes specifically-they make a HUGE mess so most teachers will be thrilled about not having cupcakes but I think most teachers enjoyed birthday treats in general.

 

[SpecialK]

I don't think Wellness policies come from parents. They come from Health Dept. guidelines. Our elementary district tried to push one and was inundated by parent complaints that they were overstepping, especially when trying to control what was brought for lunch. It disappeared.

 

[xoprincessmomxo]

They've banned homemade goods in a lot of schools in Iowa, not only because of the obesity epidemic, but because of the meth epidemic. I didn't realize that untill I saw a special on the news and it made sense. People who cook meth in their kitchen are using that same kitchen possibly to make cupcakes for the students.

As for it being for the weight thing: I think that school lunches should be as nutritious as possible (which they very rarely are) but a cupcake for a birthday! Seriously! What those kids are eating after school will make much more of a difference than a single cupcake on someone's special day.

 

[castleview]

A cupcake once in a while is fine, but they're banning them... yet they keep the extremely unhealthy food they feed the kids in their school lunches? Very hyprocritical.

So true. I just checked the monthly menu and nachos and mozzarella sticks are two of the entrees.

 

[agnes!]

So true. I just checked the monthly menu and nachos and mozzarella sticks are two of the entrees.

Mmmmmmm, nachos and mozzarella sticks...sounds like bar food.

agnes!

 

[Pigeon]

Thank goodness, no.

The closest thing is the world's most irratic peanut ban in the elementary school.

 

[ski_mom]

That's how it is in our elementary school too. We can still send in treats for a birthday, but they have to be from an approved list. For the 3 parties that they have each year - fall, winter and spring (instead of Halloween, Christmas and Easter) - the PTO provides the snacks and drinks. No parent is allowed to bring in food for those. The room mother gets to bring in some type of activity or game to entertain the kids for 30 mintues and they get to eat their snack.

Now, honestly, I've found it's nice for the treats to be provided for the parties, but they use the weight issue as the reason here too. OK fine, but then stop serving funnel cakes for breakfast. That is really one of the menu items for breakfast at the school. The 3 cupcakes that they would get at a party is going to make everyone have weight problems, but not the weekly funnel cake they are getting for breakfast .

 

[golfgal]

So true. I just checked the monthly menu and nachos and mozzarella sticks are two of the entrees.

The hard part with school lunches is that so many kids are such picky eaters. Our school offers nachos and mozzarella sticks about once every couple months. The rest of the time the food is fairly healthy. They also have the option of a soup and salad bar (for the middle school). In the high school they have 4 menu choices-a soup/salad bar, pasta bar, regular lunch line and ala carte. It gives a very healthy option every day. Sometimes the nachos and mozzarella sticks are the regular lunch line-and being teenagers one of the more popular lunches. Having these on occasion, just like having a treat for a birthday, isn't going to hurt anyone.

 

[traviesojmt]

This wouldn't fly at our school. Our school sells ice cream every Friday for dessert. Our kids are encouraged to bring something in to celebrate birthdays. When the 6th graders were raising money for the DC trip, we had bake sales once a week in the cafeteria. Now, our kids do have PE every day through 8th grade so they do promote exercise.

 

[HelenePA]

So true. I just checked the monthly menu and nachos and mozzarella sticks are two of the entrees.

We have funnel cakes for breakfast almost every monday this month... not very healthy but OOOOOH SOOO YUMMY!

 

[castleview]

We have funnel cakes for breakfast almost every monday this month... not very healthy but OOOOOH SOOO YUMMY!

I'm for yummy foods. As someone whose had "food issues" most of her life (former gymnast with parents who obsessed about weight), I honestly think not making an issue of food is the best thing to do for my kids. No forbidden fruit mentality, eat when your hungry, make sure what you eat is healthy but don't kill yourself for eating junk once in a while.

 

[Eeyore'sthebest]

We can only send in pre-packaged foods (with a list of ingrediants) for birthdays. This was specifically geared towards allergies. It was actually a win for me as all I have to do is hit up the grocery store! But we can still do cupcakes.

Sorry your school is moving to this. Sounds stupid considering the lunch menu items you posted.

 

[Becky2005]

Thankfully...no. Now they do have some sort of policy about what they sell & when the pop machines can be turned on, etc... BUT...your kid can bring whatever they want to eat at lunchtime.

Good thing too since this is the first week of school & haven't gone grocery shopping. My DS is not big on eating sandwiches at school anyway -- he usually takes a baggie full of cereal with him for lunch and a juice. Considering he's in the 10% for his weight & they have actually given him a pass to go finish his hot lunch in the guidance office last year (I thought odd but I'm convinced the lunch workers think I must starve him). IF he's eating anything at all at lunch, they best not take it away because they think it's unhealthy.

Heck, they started measuring BMI's last year in gym class and my kid fell in the "TOO LOW" category.

Now -- my Kindergartener has a no food at all allowed policy which is new this year but that's because of several allergies in his class. The older grade school kids can still bring in birthday treats, etc...

 

[castleview]

ok, here's a list of ideas we've been given to do instead of cupcakes. Mind you, they also said cupcake distribution and consumption take away instructional time. However, some of these ideas seem like they'll cut into instruction time even more.

HEALTHY CLASSROOM CELEBRATIONS IDEAS
Promoting a Healthy School Environment
No-Cost Ideas to Acknowledge the Birthday Child:
Make deliveries to the office
Teach class for a short period of time
Sit by friends
Eat lunch with the teacher or principal
Eat lunch outdoors with class
Private lunch in classroom with a friend
Be a helper in another classroom
Play a favorite game or do puzzles
Extra recess time instead of a party
Walk with the principal or teacher
Fun physical activity break for entire class with birthday child leading the activity
Dance to favorite music in the classroom
Read a special book to the class
Teacher performs special skill (sings, plays an instrument)
Birthday child performs a special skill for the class
Have art time in class
Have “free choice” time at end of the day or end of class lesson
Watch a short video
Read to a younger class
Listen with a headset to a book on audiotape
Give a spelling test to the class
Homework pass
Work on a special craft


My older kids won't go for it, but I'm thinking of them having lunch with the principal just to waste an administrator's time!

 

[golfgal]

I'm for yummy foods. As someone whose had "food issues" most of her life (former gymnast with parents who obsessed about weight), I honestly think not making an issue of food is the best thing to do for my kids. No forbidden fruit mentality, eat when your hungry, make sure what you eat is healthy but don't kill yourself for eating junk once in a while.

I agree. We have never made food an issue. We never told our kids to eat 5 more bites of anything, never made an issue out of them eating candy, etc. They are all VERY healthy eaters, great weights, active kids who are for the most part willing to try everything once. DS14 has some texture issues with food so he is a little pickier but not overly so. It drives me bonkers to go out to eat with my sister-they obsess over their kids' food. She refuses to give them 'snacks' and only wants them to eat 3 times/day-which isn't good for kids--then will make them eat however many more bites of everything before they can be excused. She doesn't want them hungry again in 2 hours-which is normal for kids but whatever. I am just waiting for the eating disorder to kick in.