What are "we" doing to our children in America?

[Kendra17]

My DH is a public school teacher and he is not happy about the schools selling junk to the kids either. And no one will answer you challenge and come right out and defend this practice of the school selling this stuff to the kids will they? It's indefensible. They should not be selling unhealthy stuff to the kids. Public schools are not a profit-making industry, nor should they be.

My son's school changed their policy this year. They now do NOT fry foods. Period. They sell oven-baked fries and oven-baked chicken and they've FINALLY limited the amount of dessert/snack foods one can buy. They are permitted ONE dessert from the lunch line.

And, before this, his lunch cost 1.75 each day and this did not include dessert. If he wanted dessert, he'd have to bring in some extra money-- the account he had was for actual lunch only. I would give him the money whenever he asked, because he only wanted a mini ice cream sandwich.

I completely agree that schools should NOT be pushing airheads or anything that has absolutely NO nutritional value at all. I'm okay with an ice cream, but airheads? Slushies? Elementary school doesn't seem the place for this kind of stuff, and I would be complaining to the principal and school board if I were you.

At my son's school, they bring in a mid-morning snack for themselves. This year, they changed the rules for this, too. It HAS to be healthy. Or it has to have the facade of 'healthy'. Granola bars are okay, for instance as are some other treats that really aren't too healthy, but you are no longer allowed to send in Doritos or anything like that.

I wonder if some parents are upset at these new restrictions. I haven't asked but I'm going to find out Monday. I'm okay with these new restrictions, obviously, but I can see how some might be upset on principle.

 

[KirstenB]

You don't lose your ability to monitor you child's food, but we are putting small children in the position where they have to face this stuff every day. I am talking about the little kids. Like what Wishing on a Star said, can you really argue that the schools SHOULD be selling crap to small children?

There are 2 questions here: 1. Should schools be selling this? I'm not sure. My kiddo is pretty self-regulating, so I don't begrudge her the occasional treat. She looks forward to ice cream on Fridays. Should she have it everyday? No. Once in a while, absolutely.

2. Does my child understand and obey my rules, even when not at home? Well, yes at 8 yrs old she does. I'm not naive enough to believe this will always be the case. However, as the child of a very strict parent, I definitely obeyed my mom 90% of the time. The other 10%, I definitely took my chances. With this knowledge, that's why dd packs her lunch 4 days out of 5.

 

[chobie]

There are 2 questions here: 1. Should schools be selling this? I'm not sure. My kiddo is pretty self-regulating, so I don't begrudge her the occasional treat. She looks forward to ice cream on Fridays. Should she have it everyday? No. Once in a while, absolutely.

2. Does my child understand and obey my rules, even when not at home? Well, yes at 8 yrs old she does. I'm not naive enough to believe this will always be the case. However, as the child of a very strict parent, I definitely obeyed my mom 90% of the time. The other 10%, I definitely took my chances. With this knowledge, that's why dd packs her lunch 4 days out of 5.

No one can say that they should be selling this. As for the once a week treat, that's fine but let the PTO come on campus and sell treats once a week. The school should not be doing it. Again, the school does have to look for our kids best interest in all facets of life. If they suspect a kid is being abused they legally have to report it. The school also has many rules that are for the health and safety of all the kids, even though on an indiviudal basis, some parents would be okay with that rule and others would not. Schools can't please all the parents, but they can make the best decisions for all the kids as a whole. Not selling junk food on a daily basis is one such decision. There is no postive side to selling junk food to kids. Maybe some of the negatives can be mitigated by stricter parents, but that still does not make it okay for the schools to sell the crap every day.

 

[KirstenB]

Chobie, Wishing and U2, after thinking this through, maybe we're coming at this from different perspectives. I've said I pack dd's lunch 4 days a week. So her junk food options are limited. So it's hard for me to imagine this as being a problem. Maybe your children have to buy every day, I don't know. I do have to say, dd looks forward to chicken nuggets or pizza and ice cream once a week. She wouldn't die without them, but it's a treat to her.

By definition, kids have little choice in what they eat. We do the grocery shopping, not them. I like to give dd some latitude once a week. If they did away with all junk food, she wouldn't die. But you all do accept that we as parents control most or all of our kids food choices, correct? If you choose to let them buy lunch, then you have made the choice for them, and accept any of the possible choices they make?

 

[chobie]

Chobie, Wishing and U2, after thinking this through, maybe we're coming at this from different perspectives. I've said I pack dd's lunch 4 days a week. So her junk food options are limited. So it's hard for me to imagine this as being a problem. Maybe your children have to buy every day, I don't know. I do have to say, dd looks forward to chicken nuggets or pizza and ice cream once a week. She wouldn't die without them, but it's a treat to her.

By definition, kids have little choice in what they eat. We do the grocery shopping, not them. I like to give dd some latitude once a week. If they did away with all junk food, she wouldn't die. But you all do accept that we as parents control most or all of our kids food choices, correct? If you choose to let them buy lunch, then you have made the choice for them, and accept any of the possible choices they make?

No, I don't accept that. I pay taxes to the schools and trust them to do what they are legally responsible to do, which is to act as a parent for my child while they are under the school's care. I will make the choice by voting for school board members and voicing my opinion about food choices. So, if the school does something to endanger your child, you are just supposed to accept it because you "chose" to send you kids to school? That's absurd. Where does this attitude end? Are you just supposed to accept whatever choices the school district makes because after all, you "chose" to put your kid in public school? If the school adopts crappy curriculum that is not teaching your child right, are your only choices to send your kid to school with her own books or just "accept" what the school has done?

 

[KirstenB]

I have to be honest, and add one more thing: based on dd's choices, there's no way in H#!! I'd let her buy lunch 5 days a week. She's too young to make good choices. On the days they served BBQ or whatever, I would have paid $2.00 for milk, and maybe the side dish. Our cafeteria doesn't let kids substitute ice cream/chips/candy for lunch. The pay system allows them to prepay for school lunch entrees, only. Any junk foods require extra money, which I only provide once a week.

It sounds like some schools don't have the same safeguards in place. Or maybe you all have older children. I know as a high schooler, when I played field hockey, I'd buy 4 ice cream sandwiches, the one day a week my mom let me buy. Okay, so I wasn't so bright....at least mom taught me to only let your kids buy once a week, lol!

 

[KirstenB]

No, I don't accept that. I pay taxes to the schools and trust them to do what they are legally responsible to do, which is to act as a parent for my child while they are under the school's care. I will make the choice by voting for school board members and voicing my opinion about food choices. So, if the school does something to endanger your child, you are just supposed to accept it because you "chose" to send you kids to school? That's absurd. Where does this attitude end? Are you just supposed to accept whatever choices the school district makes because after all, you "chose" to put your kid in public school? If the school adopts crappy curriculum that is not teaching your child right, are your only choices to send your kid to school with her own books or just "accept" what the school has done?

Okay, so if your school has complete and utter junk for lunch, do you send lunch money, or pack a lunch while you're advocating for better choices?

 

[PixieDust32]

My DD's elementary school sales ice cream to the kids during their lunch time, i don't like it, because they get their food and 15 minutes later the ice cream lady goes around the lunch room with the ice crem cart, some kids are half way on their food and of course they go for the ice cream

 

[chobie]

I have to be honest, and add one more thing: based on dd's choices, there's no way in H#!! I'd let her buy lunch 5 days a week. She's too young to make good choices. On the days they served BBQ or whatever, I would have paid $2.00 for milk, and maybe the side dish. Our cafeteria doesn't let kids substitute ice cream/chips/candy for lunch. The pay system allows them to prepay for school lunch entrees, only. Any junk foods require extra money, which I only provide once a week.

It sounds like some schools don't have the same safeguards in place. Or maybe you all have older children. I know as a high schooler, when I played field hockey, I'd buy 4 ice cream sandwiches, the one day a week my mom let me buy. Okay, so I wasn't so bright....at least mom taught me to only let your kids buy once a week, lol!

We have no such choice. We pay in money and whatever the kids put on their trays comes out of their accounts. My kids know now not to buy those things, but it took me a couple of months to figure out where my son's lunch money was going to when we switched schools. It never even crossed my mind they would sell this stuff to little kids who don't always make the best decisions. But the point is, there is no need to sell this stuff, school kids have enough challenges these days without making going through the lunch line an excercise in self-discipline.

 

[chobie]

Okay, so if your school has complete and utter junk for lunch, do you send lunch money, or pack a lunch while you're advocating for better choices?

They don't have just complete and utter junk. My kids buy and they know they can only have a treat once a week and I can check their accounts to see what they have bought. This is not just about my kid, this is about all the kids and the schools in general. I'm not blaming the schools for my own kids eating habits or the obesity problem of kids in the US, but I am saying that it is wrong for the schools to do this. Rather then getting into yet another "better parent than thou" pissing match, lets just either agree that the schools should not be selling crap or come up with a justification/defense for this priactice.

But since everything just comes down the parents, then maybe we should do away with laws against minors drinking or smoking cigarettes. Children of good, strict, vigiliant parents would not buy cigarettes or alcohol and why should society care about what they children of bad parents do?

 

[KirstenB]

Chobie, there has to be a middle ground. Children need to be taught to make good choices. But part of the teaching is for the choices to be in front of them. If we totally wipe out ALL junk food (which I'm not sure is what you're advocating) then how do they learn choices? Again, my child only buys once a week, because I'd hate to have her eat what the school chooses every day. For instance, at dinner, would it be okay for me to have the school come in and cook dinner for us? Of course not, they don't know what veggies my picky eater will and won't eat. Lest you think I'm perfect, they are very few.

I hope you don't think I'm saying I'm perfect, far from it. I know my shortcomings and dd's and adjust for them, by packing her lunch. That way, if she eats junk, I have only myself to blame.

 

[chobie]

Chobie, there has to be a middle ground. Children need to be taught to make good choices. But part of the teaching is for the choices to be in front of them. If we totally wipe out ALL junk food (which I'm not sure is what you're advocating) then how do they learn choices? Again, my child only buys once a week, because I'd hate to have her eat what the school chooses every day. For instance, at dinner, would it be okay for me to have the school come in and cook dinner for us? Of course not, they don't know what veggies my picky eater will and won't eat. Lest you think I'm perfect, they are very few.

I hope you don't think I'm saying I'm perfect, far from it. I know my shortcomings and dd's and adjust for them, by packing her lunch. That way, if she eats junk, I have only myself to blame.

There is a time and a place for everything. Elementary school is not the place for children to learn about not choosing junk food for lunch. They have enough to deal with, lunch should be a no-brainer, they go in and eat what is being offered by the cafeteria or by what was packed. And what should be offered by the tax-payers money is healthy food to help them learn. How can you have a problem with that.

If you are so concerned about the elementary schools being a place for kids to learn to make choices then why not let the kids choose whether they want to do the classwork, or go out and play instead? Let them choose whether they want to go to school or stay home? Let them choose which class they want to be in, which kids they want to sit with, which subject they want to work on? Why not just have schools be big empty buildings where each parent comes in and selects every aspect of their kids educations, teaches their own child themself, goes to the cafeteria and makes their own kid lunch, why even have schools if it every decision should be left up to the indiviudal kid and their parent.

There is no need for the schools to sell little kids junk food.

Again this is not about my kid. I am concerend about the other kids as well. It is our responsibility as a society to make the best and most healthy choices for all the children while they are under our collective care in public schools.

 

[KirstenB]

Chobie, you know what, you're right. I woke up this morning and thought, "I'm arguing over school lunches for kids!" I thought about it, and I truly don't care if they take all the junk food out of schools. We have a certain amount of junk food at our house, so dd can have a junky snack when she gets home if she wants.

I do think school lunches are just the tip of the iceberg in terms of childhood obesity. Obviously kids depend on us as their parents to do the grocery shopping/cooking etc.

 

[DVC Sadie]

Grow UP !!!!!! I t has nothing to do with what is allowed or not! It all has to do with the parents not only will aloow but wantt to allow!!!

 

[chobie]

Grow UP !!!!!! I t has nothing to do with what is allowed or not! It all has to do with the parents not only will aloow but wantt to allow!!!

 

[MushyMushy]

Again this is not about my kid. I am concerend about the other kids as well. It is our responsibility as a society to make the best and most healthy choices for all the children while they are under our collective care in public schools.

When you pay my bills and raise my kids, only then will it be your responsibility to make choices for my children.

 

[chobie]

Then lets get rid of all the rules in schools. Why should my child have to do classwork when he would rather play? The teacher can just cater to his needs when he's ready to work. Why should the school tell my kid what he can or can't wear? You can send you kid to school with whatever unhealthy crap you want to. Tax payer subsidized school lunches should only be offering healthy foods. I'm not telling you what choices you can make for your kid, but I am telling the school districts what they should be offering.

If you don't want other people making choices about what goes on during the school day, then you had better home school the, because guess what --choices are being made for you kid every day that you don't have an individual say in . Why should lunch be any different than any other school rules?

 

[chobie]

When you pay my bills and raise my kids, only then will it be your responsibility to make choices for my children.

I spent 4 years on a school board. I made hundreds of choices for other people's kids. That's how the system works.

 

[MushyMushy]

Then lets get rid of all the rules in schools. Why should my child have to do classwork when he would rather play? The teacher can just cater to his needs when he's ready to work. Why should the school tell my kid what he can or can't wear? You can send you kid to school with whatever unhealthy crap you want to. Tax payer subsidized school lunches should only be offering healthy foods. I'm not telling you what choices you can make for your kid, but I am telling the school districts what they should be offering.

If you don't want other people making choices about what goes on during the school day, then you had better home school the, because guess what --choices are being made for you kid every day that you don't have an individual say in . Why should lunch be any different than any other school rules?

If you want to talk academics, then fine, let's start another thread and talk academics. Right now the subject is childhood obesity and food choices in the cafeteria. How you come up with that comparison is beyond me.

If you don't want YOUR child buying a Twinkie, then don't let her. I happen to like the fact that my DD can buy ice cream or Twinkies at school because I don't keep that stuff at home.

 

[MushyMushy]

I spent 4 years on a school board. I made hundreds of choices for other people's kids. That's how the system works.

Good for you. Would you like a medal for that?