Shocked at what parents send kids for lunch!

[GEM]

ITA!! How dare the OP be concerned about helpless children being fed nutritionless crap by their parents. The next thing you know she'll be calling CPS when she witnesses someone beating their kids. How dare she!!

Are you seriously comparing parents that sent pop or Lunchables on a field trip day with parents that beat their kids? Sorry, that's too mind boggling to even reply to.

 

[poohandwendy]

I understand your concern for health issues, but to compare child abuse to sending in Lunchable on a field trip day is sort of over the top.

 

[C.Darwin]

ITA!! How dare the OP be concerned about helpless children being fed nutritionless crap by their parents.
.

Yep. That sums it up. It's none of the OP's business. Drinking an occasional soda or eating a cookie isn't going to make your health care costs skyrocket. You are paranoid.

 

[Cindyluwho]

I didn't mean to compare the two other than to point out that the OP was concerned about what the kids where eating. Why is being concerned about someone elses child such a bad thing? Shouldn't we care about all children? I don't believe the OP was judging them just to have something fun to gossip about on the Dis, I think she was really troubled about the nutrional value of the food she saw.

 

[HayGan]

Your kids, your rules - you just pay their health care costs when they're older so my insurance rates don't skyrocket.

Wow, that really is a stretch. While obesity is a problem in this country, I think that the every growing elderly population (which will increase significantly over the next 2 decades) and smoking have a much greater impact on overal insurance costs as opposed to can of soda now or then.

I can't even being to comment on the child abuse analogy

 

[poohandwendy]

I didn't mean to compare the two other than to point out that the OP was concerned about what the kids where eating. Why is being concerned about someone elses child such a bad thing? Shouldn't we care about all children? I don't believe the OP was judging them just to have something fun to gossip about on the Dis, I think she was really troubled about the nutrional value of the food she saw.

I do not understand expressing concern over anyone else choice of ONE lunch when you have zero idea if that ONE lunch reflects a pattern. It just seems very judgemental and that is why the Op is getting that sort of response.

How can the choices of a packed lunch for a field tip day be of any concern to anyone? Why assume the parenting role for someone elses child, by being 'concerned' about their health because of one brown bag lunch?

Unless their lunch bag had weapons, illegal drugs or alcohol in it, I wouldn't give it another thought. None of my business.

Also, how would you react if someone came her and said, "you know...I saw this kid who opened his lunch on field trip day and the mother didn't give him any treats at all... I mean, what kind of mean mommmy would not try to make the day special with a special lunch? This poor kid had to sit there all sad and see all of the other kids with the special lunches their mother packed and this poor kid had just ordinary every day food. His mother obviously doesn't care that this is a special day for him"

IMO, it's the same thing. Judging the parents based on one small lunch and no other information, out of 'concern'

 

[summerrluvv]

ITA!! How dare the OP be concerned about helpless children being fed nutritionless crap by their parents. The next thing you know she'll be calling CPS when she witnesses someone beating their kids. How dare she!!
Yes, it could very well be that the kids were given fun snacks because of the field trip. And maybe they feed them just fine on other days. The OP didn't say she knew for a fact that the kids ate like that all the time she just stated that she thought it was outrageous what she saw them eating ON THAT DAY!! I know there's plenty of folks on here that think it's very OK to feed your kids soda pop, etc. I've been flamed plenty for saying I think it's absurd to set your kids up for health problems by feeding them a lame diet. Your kids, your rules - you just pay their health care costs when they're older so my insurance rates don't skyrocket.

We grew up on Kool Aid and tons of frozen food and other junky stuff. My two sisters and I have yet to have any type of health problem stemming from the poor food choices when we were younger. Of course we were all active while growing up and weren't plopped in front of a TV or computer all day. Exercise is key my friend. I think there is a bigger problem with the smokers and the complications stemming from that than there is with parents feeding their kids junky food.

 

[jacksonsmom]

My son only takes a cold lunch to school. we are vegetarians so it is hard for him to have a hot lunch with no meat in it.

Anyway, he always gets a peanut butter and jelly sandwich. He loves them and doens't mind having them in his lunch all the time.

As far as the other things. he hates raw veggies so I don't even bother putting them in there. No fruit either as he is not a fruit person

He ends up with wheat thins (he loves these), sometimes a fruit/cereal bar, cheeze-its, club crackers w/ a tub of PB so he can spread it, ganola bar, etc

On special occassions (holidays or just a "special" surprise day) I will throw in a hostess cupcake or maybe some Oreos.

Btw--he gets his own drink at school (milk) if I had to pack it in his lunch he will not be getting pop. He doesn't like it so he would get some kind of juice or water

 

[Cindyluwho]

We grew up on Kool Aid and tons of frozen food and other junky stuff. My two sisters and I have yet to have any type of health problem stemming from the poor food choices when we were younger. Of course we were all active while growing up and weren't plopped in front of a TV or computer all day. Exercise is key my friend. I think there is a bigger problem with the smokers and the complications stemming from that than there is with parents feeding their kids junky food.

It sounds like you don't approve of parents who let their kids sit in front of the computer & TV all day or of parents who smoke around their kids? I don't think junky food is as bad as smoking around your kids but why is it OK to judge one and not the other?

 

[summerrluvv]

It sounds like you don't approve of parents who let their kids sit in front of the computer & TV all day or of parents who smoke around their kids? I don't think junky food is as bad as smoking around your kids but why is it OK to judge one and not the other?

What? I'm not judging anyone. I could care less what other people do with their kids. My kid has been watching TV since he walked in the door 2 hours ago. You made a statement about rising healthcare costs attributed to junk food and I am pointing out that junky food isn't even comparable (in my book) to other health issues out there like smoking or lack of exercise which probably increase healthcare costs a lot more than someone feeding their kid soda and lunchables.

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

Are you seriously comparing parents that sent pop or Lunchables on a field trip day with parents that beat their kids? Sorry, that's too mind boggling to even reply to.

'

Funny you mention that--but for some it is a very good comparison.

Watched a maury povitch show (I think) and they had overweight kids. The excuses these parents gave in some cases was point blank rediculous. But all he'll eat is a big mac for B, L, & D. Well hello----a he doens't have to eat that all day everyday.

The worst case---which I point as my example of how this can be abuse when done in excess...a TEN-MONTH OLD child. Yes a BABY. I forget how big she was.....but she looked about 2-3x her age b/c of her size and we aren't talking big boned. What did her parents feed her. I kid you not--fast food and soda pop on a regular basis. They said it was all the baby would eat. C'mon--she's 10 months old with no issues presenting to even make that a valid excuse. For little babes and teeny tots--it can take up to 10 times presenting a food before you can trust that they don't like it. (This is from the Super Baby Food Cook Book). So when my child was a babe--everything got presented at least that many times. So I suspect that any time baby did a yucky face--they quite trying. It was a travesty. That child without a change in diet---is basically been given a gift of obesity and poor health from her parents. It is one thing to be genetically predisposed but allowing your childs diet to make that happen. Yes---it can be considered abusive.



(And from the sounds of these posts--most are a "in moderation" and special type of treat posts and I am just defending that yes--it is possible for something so seemingly innocent--in some households to be downright dangerous for the child).

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

I do not understand expressing concern over anyone else choice of ONE lunch when you have zero idea if that ONE lunch reflects a pattern. It just seems very judgemental and that is why the Op is getting that sort of response.

While true of the OP--others have commented that they have a very good idea and that it is a regular occurance and just not treats for a field trip in schools they volunteer/work in.

ETA: A friend is taking a nutrition class at a local gym and was informed that this generation will have their life expectancy go down and that obesity and poor diet was the issue. I will have to search around to see if I can find anything on that. I do not attend the class--she just happened to bring it up yesterday when we were chatting.

http://www.nih.gov/news/pr/mar2005/nia-16.htm

The notion is UNLESS something is done about it. And while 5 years is not a big deal...considering that our life expectancy has been going up for a while now and for it to decline is nothing to ignore.

 

[Cindyluwho]

I could care less what other people do with their kids. .

I sincerely hope you don't mean that.
It's OK to care about other people, and it's OK to care about other people's kids.

 

[summerrluvv]

I sincerely hope you don't mean that.
It's OK to care about other people, and it's OK to care about other people's kids.

Who said I don't care about other people or their kids? I don't care how other people parent their kids unless they are doing something illegal. I'm not going to judge someone because they feed their child junk food. If everyone would worry about themselves the world would be a happier place. I mean geez, doesn't it get exhausting worrying about what other people do with their lives?

 

[Michie]

I do not understand expressing concern over anyone else choice of ONE lunch when you have zero idea if that ONE lunch reflects a pattern. It just seems very judgemental and that is why the Op is getting that sort of response.

How can the choices of a packed lunch for a field tip day be of any concern to anyone? Why assume the parenting role for someone elses child, by being 'concerned' about their health because of one brown bag lunch?

Unless their lunch bag had weapons, illegal drugs or alcohol in it, I wouldn't give it another thought. None of my business.

Also, how would you react if someone came her and said, "you know...I saw this kid who opened his lunch on field trip day and the mother didn't give him any treats at all... I mean, what kind of mean mommmy would not try to make the day special with a special lunch? This poor kid had to sit there all sad and see all of the other kids with the special lunches their mother packed and this poor kid had just ordinary every day food. His mother obviously doesn't care that this is a special day for him"

IMO, it's the same thing. Judging the parents based on one small lunch and no other information, out of 'concern'

I agree with this! People really need to learn to mind their own bees wax!!

One of my boys was always underweight in school. Nothing wrong with him just underweight, very active. People were always asking me, if I did not let him eat Like if I was abusing him and not letting him eat, did they really think I would tell them?

 

[Talking Hands]

We reccommend that packed lunches for field trips not contain things that spoil easily.
The school will provide juice, PBJ sandwich, and cookies or a piece of fruit. We do not take milk on field trips. It is hot a good portion of the year and we don't have coolers for perishables unless the teacher provides it.

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

I sincerely hope you don't mean that.
It's OK to care about other people, and it's OK to care about other people's kids.

I think some are sensitive that some of us are being high and mighty about what they do with their kids.

But we all must remember--there are LOTS of kids whose parents just do not care. Be it they eat right, do their homework, get to school on time, get to school at all, are clean when they do show up, et cetera.

There was a teacher rant on parents a while back---some insight from their perspective.

It is not meant to judge.

 

[Michie]

Who said I don't care about other people or their kids? I don't care how other people parent their kids unless they are doing something illegal. I'm not going to judge someone because they feed their child junk food. If everyone would worry about themselves the world would be a happier place. I mean geez, doesn't it get exhausting worrying about what other people do with their lives?

There is a difference between being concerned and being a busybody.

 

[summerrluvv]

There is a difference between being concerned and being a busybody.

Yes, and I believe most are being busybodies.

 

[Christine]

Yes, and I believe most are being busybodies.

Coming to a message board and venting about kids and their junk food does not make a person a busybody. It makes them astounded, confused, disgusted, concerned, curious. That's it. A busybody would be if Fresh Tressa made remarks to the other parents or teachers about it.