Does your child's school have a wellness policy?

[Becky2005]

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!

Goodness!!!

Looking at that list nearly 100% of them would take up more time at our school than the birthday treats do!

My 4th grader gets snack time every day due to having the last lunch period. When we do birthday treats, it's done at the normal snacktime.

And really "making deliveries to the office" -- what if there are no deliveries that day? In the past, that has been an assigned job anyway.

I'm sure their classmates would just *LOVE* them if they are giving a spelling test to the class.

 

[Tinijocaro]

Our school banned them beauase they make a huge mess on the floors. We can bring in any other junk foods though.

 

[Starbrite]

Our school has been doing this for a few years now. They do not police lunches, you can eat whatever you want there. It's only restricted in the classrooms for parties & such.

Last year, DD's teacher told them they could send in whatever they wanted....but she would have to send the treat home with each child, they could not eat it in class. So all the kids would eat their cupcakes, cookies, etc on the bus on the way home. I'm sure the bus driver loved that!


Here's our list of suggested Healthy Alternatives...

Fresh fruit and vegetables w/ dip
Yogurt
Bagels with low fat cream cheese
Trail mix
Fig cookies
Animal crackers
Baked chips
Low fat popcorn
Granola bars
Soft pretzels and mustard
Pudding
100 calorie snack packs (ie/ cheese crackers, cookies, etc)
String cheese
Cereal bars
Single-serve low fat or fat free milk (regular or flavored)
100% fruit juice (small single-serves)
Bottled water (including flavored water)
Low fat ice cream novelties , frozen yogurt, sherbet


We also have the option of ordering treats from the school so you don't have to send them in. They have an order form you can pick from & they'll just deduct the $$$ from your child's lunch account if you wish. Makes it super easy for the parents to not have to shop & send in all that junk on the bus!!

 

[DizBelle]

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.

You have to be kidding. The school is going to dictate what I can put in my child's lunch for my child to eat? That is absolutely nuts.

 

[Imzadi]

I don't think kids are getting obese at school...so why should schools invest so much time in this?

The bigger problem is diabetes, not obesity. The research is that Adult onset diabetes, (diabetes type 2) is no longer called "adult onset diabetes" because it has become one of the fastest growing epidemics among children in the U.S., not everywhere in the world, so it's not genetic. It's due to lifestyle & what Americans are eating: refined white sugar/ simple carbohydrate products, both as meals and as "snacks."


This sounds more like a reaction for "Demand Resistance" to me. The concept of "Demand Resistance" is a resistance or rebellion to perceived demands, requests or when someone requires something from them, even if the "demand" is a positive one. They feel they are thwarting that demand by denying it, even if it is a reasonable, rational demand. Ultimately it's a power struggle. It is a subconcious reaction, a rebellion to a controlling parent or authority figure.

If the school said, "Please don't send your kids to school with a bottle of Drano, as we have been finding kids taking drinks from it," would you still have the same problem? People want our schools to watch out for our kids, then when they do something positive, they have a negative reaction to it. Demand Resistance.

 

[DizBelle]

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

I don't think that nachos an mozzarella sticks can be considered an entree. That's dumb too.

 

[DizBelle]

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 .

FUNNEL CAKES for BREAKFAST??!?!?!?! Do they really think that is a reasonable thing to do?

 

[sbell111]

FUNNEL CAKES for BREAKFAST??!?!?!?! Do they really think that is a reasonable thing to do?

I'm pretty sure that they were being served at home, not at school. While I would likely be very displeased if my school was serving my child funnel cakes for breakfast, I wouldn't have a problem doing the very same thing occasionally at my home.

I realize that this is a double standard, but it boils down to who gets to make decisions for my kid.

 

[Erin1700]

Our school says they want you to send healthy things for bdays, but at open house the teachers say they LOVE cupcakes! At holiday parties there are a mix of healthy options and usually one or 2 sweets.
BUT the lunch menu is terrible!!!!!!!!!!!! Breadsticks, cheese sticks, nachos. I am a firm believer that a lot of kids would eat a healthier lunch if it was provided. At thanksgiving, christmas, etc they serve a nice meal for lunch. Turkey, mashed potatoes, veggie. My DD said the kids love it and eat it!! I dont understand why they dont do it more often!

 

[Pigeon]

This sounds more like a reaction for "Demand Resistance" to me. The concept of "Demand Resistance" is a resistance or rebellion to perceived demands, requests or when someone requires something from them, even if the "demand" is a positive one. They feel they are thwarting that demand by denying it, even if it is a reasonable, rational demand. Ultimately it's a power struggle. It is a subconcious reaction, a rebellion to a controlling parent or authority figure.

If the school said, "Please don't send your kids to school with a bottle of Drano, as we have been finding kids taking drinks from it," would you still have the same problem? People want our schools to watch out for our kids, then when they do something positive, they have a negative reaction to it. Demand Resistance.

That's one term for it. Personally, I'd call it family autonomy or self-determination. The school should not be micromanaging things that are none of it's business. The schools have a hard enough time providing sound basic education, and imo, that's where they should be focusing their attention, not trying to usurp the primacy of parental autonomy.

 

[Imzadi]

That's one term for it. Personally, I'd call it family autonomy or self-determination. The school should not be micromanaging things that are none of it's business. The schools have a hard enough time providing sound basic education, and imo, that's where they should be focusing their attention, not trying to usurp the primacy of parental autonomy.

From what I read in the OP, they were regulating what happens at school, while they have the kids during their time. What you do with your kids during your own time IS your parental automomy.

Also, isn't sending treats for birthdays a privilege and not a right? So if the school is allowing it at all, then they should be able to decide what is allowable and what is not. Having a kid jacked up on sugar then having a low blood sugar dip, while trying to teach them a sound basic education just doesn't go together: --> --> -->

 

[PatsMom]

My daughter's elementary school (a private school) did not allow birthday celebrations due to the amount of instructional time it would take away. Made sense to me and I had no problem with the policy.

 

[dreamer17555]

Our school has a policy. No home made goods brought in for the class to share. You can send in a birthday "snack" to be given out at lunch time. My daughter also has a list of what foods she can\cannot have for afternoon snack oh and she may bring a bottle of water for snack time, nothing else. Today her snack was an apple and water but in her lunch box she has some cookies. So I feel that it evens out.

-Becca-

 

[HelenePA]

I'm pretty sure that they were being served at home, not at school. While I would likely be very displeased if my school was serving my child funnel cakes for breakfast, I wouldn't have a problem doing the very same thing occasionally at my home.

I realize that this is a double standard, but it boils down to who gets to make decisions for my kid.

As if I have time to make funnel cakes in the morning! HAHAH Nope nope nope its at school. Other breakfasts include a Honey Bun, lots of sausage sick donuts, now to be fair there is fruit everyday.. I wonder if its from a can.. that's even worse than funnel cakes!