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

[CEDmom]

I have been very clear and very adament that it is not the teacher's fault or responsiblity. I want the school board to mandate that the elementary schools will only sell as healthy a lunch as possible and refrain from selling candy, chips (the non-baked kind) and soda. That's it. I don't understand why the uproar on this simple solotuion.

Why are you so against teaching child to make good choices? And honestly, how many elementary schools are selling candy and soda? What I've seen in various districts is small bags of chips and pretzels, ice pops, small ice cream sandwiches and small packs of cookies. The only drinks are milk and juice.

If you really want to control what your child eats then pack their lunch. I need to do this for DD because while she eats pretty healthy she's quite choosey.

Finally, stopping the school from selling this stuff isn't going to stop parents from sending it in for their kids which could then be shared with yours.

One last thing, if you were on the school board for 4 years why wasn't change implemented then? Maybe you should run again.

 

[chobie]

Why are you so against teaching child to make good choices? And honestly, how many elementary schools are selling candy and soda? What I've seen in various districts is small bags of chips and pretzels, ice pops, small ice cream sandwiches and small packs of cookies. The only drinks are milk and juice.

If you really want to control what your child eats then pack their lunch. I need to do this for DD because while she eats pretty healthy she's quite choosey.

Finally, stopping the school from selling this stuff isn't going to stop parents from sending it in for their kids which could then be shared with yours.

Its not about my child. How many times do I have to say that? I'm against the school pushing junk food on kids. I'm against the school selling sugar filled treats to kids who may not be able to then sit still in class and learn. And I have said repeatidly I don't want the schools to tell parents not to let their kids bring junk. I just don't think the school should be in the business of selling unhealthy, not conducive to learning junk foods to kids. The schools can't mandate that parents instill good learning habits in kids but they can do whatever possible to help the process and offering (but not forcing the kids to eat it ) only healthy foods is one easy way to help the learning process. If you don't want the schools making parenting choices for your kids than why are you okay with them making the parenting choice of teaching them how to say no to junk food?

 

[chobie]

Why are you so against teaching child to make good choices? And honestly, how many elementary schools are selling candy and soda? What I've seen in various districts is small bags of chips and pretzels, ice pops, small ice cream sandwiches and small packs of cookies. The only drinks are milk and juice.

If you really want to control what your child eats then pack their lunch. I need to do this for DD because while she eats pretty healthy she's quite choosey.

Finally, stopping the school from selling this stuff isn't going to stop parents from sending it in for their kids which could then be shared with yours.

One last thing, if you were on the school board for 4 years why wasn't change implemented then? Maybe you should run again.

How very snarky of you. If you read my posts you would see that I moved and my kids are in a different school district then one I came from, where I was on the school board, that did not push junk food on small children.

However, if during any of those 4 years they admins would have come to the board and said "we have a great way to make money, we're going to sell junk food to 5 year olds!" I would have argued my best and been at least one of 5 to have voted against it.

 

[CEDmom]

How very snarky of you. If you read my posts you would see that I moved and my kids are in a different school district then one I came from, where I was on the school board, that did not push junk food on small children.

However, if during any of those 4 years they admins would have come to the board and said "we have a great way to make money, we're going to sell junk food to 5 year olds!" I would have argued my best and been at least one of 5 to have voted against it.

No snarkiness here. I missed the fact that you'd moved. It still doesn't negate you're getting involved on the school board level or even with the PTO and enacting change. Posting here isn't going to get the results you want.

You still didn't answer my question about why it's wrong to teach good food choices.

 

[chobie]

No snarkiness here. I missed the fact that you'd moved. It still doesn't negate you're getting involved on the school board level or even with the PTO and enacting change. Posting here isn't going to get the results you want.

You still didn't answer my question about why it's wrong to teach good food choices.

I am involved in RL and I post on this board. That's a specious argument anyway, (how are you helping your kid to make good choices if your so busy posting )and your comment was snarky.

The school is not teaching good food choices, they are not lecturing the kids on what they should or should not choose before the enter the lunch line everyday, nor should they. The goal of the school lunch is to feed the kids so they can learn. Offering junk food does not help in the learning process. If you want to teach your kid how to make good choices, send them with a packed lunch with junk food and good food, tell them to make a choice and bring home what they did not choose. There is nothing wrong with teaching kids to make good food choices, but that is not what they do in the school cafateria, nor is it the point of having school lunches.

 

[DVC Sadie]

Are you pruposely ignoring what I said about it NOT BEING THE TEACHER'S RESPONSIBLITY? I have said that every single time. I also repeated that it is not the schools fault that kids are obese but for God's sake they should not be aiding and abetting either. Just have the schools feed the kids healthy food and let the parents decide if they want to send crap with their kids or not, that is all I am saying.

Chobie, I agree with you! The schools should not be involved in the buying or selling of snacks. However many times I have seen the teachers called out and down for allowing a student to buy/eat this stuff, although the so called teacher only had 15 to 20 minutes with the student. Where the he!! was all the parental input of all of these decisons before the teacher or school system was sued?

 

[CEDmom]

I am involved in RL and I post on this board. That's a specious argument anyway, (how are you helping your kid to make good choices if your so busy posting )and your comment was snarky.

The school is not teaching good food choices, they are not lecturing the kids on what they should or should not choose before the enter the lunch line everyday, nor should they. The goal of the school lunch is to feed the kids so they can learn. Offering junk food does not help in the learning process. If you want to teach your kid how to make good choices, send them with a packed lunch with junk food and good food, tell them to make a choice and bring home what they did not choose. There is nothing wrong with teaching kids to make good food choices, but that is not what they do in the school cafateria, nor is it the point of having school lunches.

I guess your definition of snarky and mine are different, but whatever.

I'm not asking the school to teach my child good food choices. That's something DH and I have been doing since she was very little. I don't need the school to do that. Let them worry about math, science, history etc. At almost 7 I could send my DD with junk and good food and I know what would get eaten. Most of the good stuff and perhaps some of the junk. Everyday she takes a little treat in her lunch box (a cookie, some fruit snacks etc) and very often they come home uneaten. She knows what too much junk can do and has lived it 1st hand a few times when she's gone overboard at parties.

Frankly, I'm not going to profess to care more about what every child eats at school lunch over what my own child has.

 

[chobie]

I guess your definition of snarky and mine are different, but whatever.

I'm not asking the school to teach my child good food choices. That's something DH and I have been doing since she was very little. I don't need the school to do that. Let them worry about math, science, history etc. At almost 7 I could send my DD with junk and good food and I know what would get eaten. Most of the good stuff and perhaps some of the junk. Everyday she takes a little treat in her lunch box (a cookie, some fruit snacks etc) and very often they come home uneaten. She knows what too much junk can do and has lived it 1st hand a few times when she's gone overboard at parties.

Frankly, I'm not going to profess to care more about what every child eats at school lunch over what my own child has.

I don't care more about other people's kids than my own. But I do care about them somewhat and I think the school should care about all of them in a way that best benefits them as a whole. By the school making decisions in the best interest of all kids and not just the ones with vocal/influential parents, then indirectly they are benefitting my kids. The school should not be making money by selling junk food to small children and that is why they do it, not so they can teach kids about good food choice.

I get the feeling you keep trying to turn this into a "well if you were a better parent you would not care about this issue" and that is not the case. My argument is simply that public schools should not in the business of selling junk foods to small children. That's it.

 

[Wishing on a star]

Hey Chobie,

I cannot even believe what this thread has degenerated to.

Just because you want the schools to refrain from pushing utter JUNK on small children, all the sudden you are accused of being a parent who doesn't want to instill good eating habits in your own children????

The argument that schools should offer complete **** in the interest of teaching good eating habits is completely offensive and unbelievable!!!!! Yeah right, what a way to teach good eating habits... offer the kids **** every single day.


As I had warned you in my one post last night.... These teachers will go down with the ship with any inane argument that they can come up with on any issue where a parent is critical of school policy.

According to them, it is okay for the schools to be responsible for every single aspect of your childs life... We must meet requirement after requirement. They issue policy regarding everything from having to drag our kids out of bed before dawn, to homework at night, what they can/cannot wear, or do, or say... etc... Yet, they should have NO policy and bear NO responsibility regarding offering this kind of **** to small children, to line the schools pockets.

Ummmm, Yeah right.

EDITED TO ADD:
Let me clue you in as to why... Here is the one big difference. The policies that they enforce are the ones that just simply happen to be in the schools best interests. Making money selling **** to young children also just happens to be in the schools best interest. It is very clear that the schools feel no obligation to do anything that is actually in the childs best interest.

Chobie, really, if I were you, I would let these posters go down with the sinking ship, cause, as mentioned, already our school district has had to change their policies and get rid of the crap because of Gov't policy..... Really, your time and energy are way more valuable than to waste on anyone who could actually argue that pushing this kind of **** to small children in school every day is a GOOD thing.

Really, it is funny, the schools will fight tooth and nail for their rights to control our lives, discipline our children, etc.. This has been demonstrated on thread after thread here on the DIS. But, here is one area where the school should actually have responsibility in their own actions, and suddenly if we ask them to excercise some common sense control, they will find every excuse and argument that they can to fight it.

Just goes to show you, there are a lot of educated fools, even in public education.

 

[Planogirl]

Just goes to show you, there are a lot of educated fools, even in public education.

And some not in public education.

I doubt that anyone meant to get into an argument with teachers! I see one teacher perhaps misunderstanding chobie's point so let's not turn this into a "let's beat up the teacher" thread again. JMO.

Chobie, I think that not selling the candy and other sweets is fine. I wonder if maybe some fruit or other more healthy little treats might be a good idea though. These tend to keep that craving for junk at bay and even head off some of the junk food sharing that goes on so much.

 

[Wishing on a star]

NOTE:

I have not argued with these teachers, and I have advised Chobie to NOT argue with these teachers.

All kinds of insinuatians and accusations have been hurled at Chobie... But, anything that might even be construed as disagreeing with a teacher is some kind of cardinal sin?????

 

[chobie]

And some not in public education.

I doubt that anyone meant to get into an argument with teachers! I see one teacher perhaps misunderstanding chobie's point so let's not turn this into a "let's beat up the teacher" thread again. JMO.

Chobie, I think that not selling the candy and other sweets is fine. I wonder if maybe some fruit or other more healthy little treats might be a good idea though. These tend to keep that craving for junk at bay and even head off some of the junk food sharing that goes on so much.

That's all I'm saying, the schools should not sell pure junk to little kids. They don't need it, or the temptation. My Dh is a teacher, the last thing I would do is bash them or suggest they need to take on more responsilbity.

But, I do resent some posters insinuating that I'm against selling junk to little kids because I can't or won't do my job as a parent. Yes, I did take this thread off its original track, but such is the way of threads on a public board.

 

[DVC Sadie]

NOTE:

I have not argued with these teachers, and I have advised Chobie to NOT argue with these teachers.

All kinds of insinuatians and accusations have been hurled at Chobie... But, anything that might even be construed as disagreeing with a teacher is some kind of cardinal sin?????

Why does any thread that has to do with anything always appear to be diverted in some way to teachers?


If a child or parent is obese then the child/parent needs to correct this behavior. It has nothing to do with teachers!

 

[Saffron]

I'm a teacher and I'd rather be insulted for "parenting" or "not parenting" or any such things, then I would be judged because I'm a fat person whose assumed to want to ride around in a scooter all over WDW rather than walk, if I had the ability to walk.

 

[Planogirl]

That's all I'm saying, the schools should not sell pure junk to little kids. They don't need it, or the temptation. My Dh is a teacher, the last thing I would do is bash them or suggest they need to take on more responsilbity.

But, I do resent some posters insinuating that I'm against selling junk to little kids because I can't or won't do my job as a parent. Yes, I did take this thread off its original track, but such is the way of threads on a public board.

I think that it's a good idea the more I think about it. I remember as a kid being given an apple or raisins or even jello (that's why I brought it up) when I wanted a treat. Teeny yogurts might be good too. Or sherbet instead of ice cream. There's still plenty of stuff that the school could sell if parents think that treats are important.

 

[chobie]

I'm a teacher and I'd rather be insulted for "parenting" or "not parenting" or any such things, then I would be judged because I'm a fat person whose assumed to want to ride around in a scooter all over WDW rather than walk, if I had the ability to walk.

Yes, thanks for bringing us back to the intent of this thread: to make judgments and assumptions about people we don't know, throw in a good does of parent bashing and "I'm a better parent than thou" proclimations and you got yourself some good ole disboard fun!

 

[Missy Mouse]

I don't mean to be a Debbie Downer here, but we just returned from a fabulous trip to WDW. I was very saddened, however, to see how many obese families driving around in those ECVs. By no means am I a beanpole, but there's now way in heck I would ever be so lazy as to drive around in one of those things. And before anyone can flame me, I am aware that some of these people may have been legitimately handicapped. I do believe, however, by the sheer number of overweight people (kids, too) in these things that they are just too darn lazy to walk.

And what are we as parents doing to our children by allowing them to be so out of shape at such a young age? Sorry if anyone takes offense to this, but I was truly saddened to see this. Get off the couch, stop playing video games and watching tv, eating junk food and go outside and PLAY. I truly think this is becoming an epidemic.

I agree 100% and as a matter of fact my boyfriend and I were discussing this at Foxwoods when we saw two incredibly obese people driving around on rented ECV's...There's no tactful way to tell them to get off the scooter and onto a treadmill.

 

[Saffron]

Bwhahahah! Case in point!

I find the post above this one much more insulting than any teacher discussions!

 

[dsanner106]

I do agree about the problem we face in this country, but don 't know that the ecv use is all that big an indicator. People who have limited mobility naturally get less excercise and gain more weight than fully capable folks. Over time, they naturally increase their body weight. This does not in any way lessen the problem. We have closed our playgrounds and taken out the most active stations in the ones that remain open because we are afraid of being sued. We took the diving boards from pools, and eliminated dozens of sports from the high schools and colleges for financial and legal reasons. Can you find a wrestling team or mens volleyball team in your area colleges? Now, unless my son can make the football team or basketball team, he is just about out of options for college sports. With that in mind, high schools needing to trim budgets have cut those same sports from their programs since there are no scholarships available. Of course, all these sports can be played in video game form though.....

Drew

 

[Planogirl]

I agree 100% and as a matter of fact my boyfriend and I were discussing this at Foxwoods when we saw two incredibly obese people driving around on rented ECV's...There's no tactful way to tell them to get off the scooter and onto a treadmill.

Why do you think that telling them should even be a consideration?