This morning I find myself a little upset. Maybe I am just a little over sensitive? You be the judge…
Yesterday I went to my son’s school in the afternoon to bring a treat for the kids in his class to celebrate his birthday. While there I was talking to the teacher sort of just shooting the breeze while the kids ate and ran around.
She told me that the principal of the school goes around to all the classrooms (it is a VERY small school) and makes sure that all the lunches are “healthy” because they don’t not want sugar/junk food in the lunches. I understand why they don’t want sugar in the lunches it makes sense to me, BUT if there is something in the lunch that SHE THINKS is not healthy enough she tells them they are not allowed to eat it. She does not do it every day but doing it at all kind of “ERKs” me.
This is what I normally pack in my son’s lunch:
There is a cheese sandwich, blueberries, dried blueberries (yeah my son has a serious addiction to bluberries), fruit roll up, string cheese, and a 100% fruit juice drink and a water.
The day in question I added cheetos as a special treat. Not just plain ol’ cheetos, they were “cheetos natural” all organic ingredients with no filler or artificial stuff in it. She told my son (who is 5) that since they are not “baked cheetos” they were not allowed at school and are not healthy.
To me that is a slap in the face. That tells me she thinks she know better than I, his mother, and that he should listen to her and not me. I get that people should eat healthy stuff but it is UP TO ME to feed my child what I think is appropriate for him. It’s not like he eats ding dongs and twinkies as his lunch.
The IRONIC part is now they school wants us to do a fundraiser using cookie dough. Doesn’t that seem a bit hypocritical? I am not against selling cookies in school but what they are telling me here is its OK to sell it to help the school out but you cannot eat it because they are not healthy?! HUH?
Tell me what you think. Am I overly sensitive or not.
Twitter: cristisreviews
says:
I think if they are going to have rules that like, it needs to be clear at the beginning of the year.
It would erk me too as far as the cookie dough and I would certainly say so…
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The only thing they said is not sugar/junk food. She said “for example NO cookies”. If they were baked she would not consider it junk food? REALLY?!
Twitter: MommieDaze
says:
That’s ridiculous! The school has no right to dictate what kids bring in their lunches from home. I’m so tired school thinking they always know better than the parents. Goodness! It’s not like it was a candy bar in his lunch.
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Totally agree. Even IF I had a candy bar in his lunch it is MY business what goes in his lunch. I get they want no sugar to keep them from being hyper but it is TOTALLY none of their business.
i feel the schools have no right going through the kids lunches, i under stand they want the kids to be healthy but most people do the best they can for their children,and for a school to tell them they are not doing a good enough job is wrong.
That is exactly how I feel! I felt like she was saying she knows better than I what I need to feed my child
It sounds like she is just nit-picking. Next time put the cheetos in a plastic bag so she cant say they are or are not baked.
And I would totally bring up the cookie fundraiser. IMO if a parent sends their kid to school with a certain type of food, the school has NO RIGHT to say it isn’t OK.
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They were in a sandwich bag so she really had no idea she just assumed! Yeah I want to bring up the cookie fund raiser I am just afraid if I make a stink my son will become her focus and he has a very tender heart I could not do that to him.
Woooooow. This would upset me too. You are definitely not over reacting!
Maureen
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Twitter: ivettemuller01
says:
I would be upset if this happened at my girls’ school too. It should be up to us what we feed our children. If the principal is that concerned with the food the kids are eating, then she should work it into her budget to give the kids free meals every day. Then she wouldn’t have to worry.
Why doesn’t she have better things to do than to go check everyone’s lunches? I wonder if the school district knows she does this…and approve.
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AMEN girl! I think the district does approve because of the whole schools need to have healthier meals kick. ( I get that but REALLY he has more fruit in his bag than anything else)
Twitter: kimberliah78
says:
Oh, WOW!!! She is WAY out of line, in my opinion. She would probably throw out my kid’s entire lunch, some days… lol.
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LOL! I so want to piss her off and pack him a REALLY sugary lunch but I won’t do that to my son.
Twitter: hardertobreathe
says:
That would irritate me too. I absolutely understand the need to make the lunches which the school itself sells/serves healthy, and if your son were bringing in something specifically to share with other kids, I can see how they’d have to take everybody’s dietary needs into account etc. But I think picking through the packed lunches which the children bring for their own personal consumption is silly – and yes, hypocritical too, since the school deems snacks “Not allowed” but cookie dough is totally cool to sell.
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YUP! *SIGH* I did tell another parent and they were pissed too!
Twitter: frostedfingers
says:
On top of that crap, you can’t bring peanut butter and jelly sandwiches or anything with peanuts in it because of allergies. Then they give your kids a yogurt lunch which consists of yogurt and string cheese. Ugh, freakin politics! Makes me want to homeschool
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LOL I actually thought about homeschooling but I just don’t have what I need to do it. LOL Politics can really take the fun out of everything!
Twitter: bigfoottribe
says:
I would be upset too as a parent. What if you weren’t there that particular day, would the school have replaced his snack with a healthier alternative?
I was a teacher, preschool, and children would bring all kinds of crazy food and snacks to school. I had no right to tell them what they can and cannot eat from their own lunchbox. It is the parents choice what their children eat, not the school.
Good luck with that. I found you through the Friday hop and am following you on Google+. Sure would like for you to stop by my blog and join my first ever blog hop, Friday Connection. See you there!
I will be finding you and following back! (A little behind this weekend! LOL) The teacher thinks it is wrong but there is nothing she can do about it. This principal “runs a tight ship”. I am sure she is fine but my personality and hers seems to be clashing a lot.
My issue would be that for some children the only meals they get to eat is their lunch, so why deprive a child of the one full meal they may get to eatthat day because the Principal doesn’t “think it’s healthy enough”. I agree with instilling healthy eating habits in children, but its something that should be monitored over time. For example if a kid brings an unhealthy lunch every day, then bring it up to the parents first before you start telling the kid they will have to be hungry the rest of the day because “you” didn’t agree with the healthiness of the lunch. Don’t punishthe kid who got a special treat once for a special occasion.
That is a REALLY good point. I actually had not thought of that one before. How awful if that was true. There are SO many that get so little food as it is.
Twitter: reelmama
says:
You are definitely in the right. Wanting to give your son the occasional treat in his lunch shouldn’t be a problem. The school needs better communication. If they want to make rules about the school lunches, they should announce them in a handout at the beginning of the year, not make them up as they go along.
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Yeah! They need a list! Really it is just plain dumb I think! *sigh!*
Twitter: RandomCoolChick
says:
I can understand why the school’s have specific rules about treats being sent in for the class (like this is the first year Princess Nagger’s school does not allow cupcakes for birthday celebrations as they have in years past) but to go through and police the kids’ lunches? That seems way out of line to me – you are definitely not being over sensitive.
The Smart Plan
I am glad that I am not alone here. I get it too I just think anyone has the right to tell my son that he can’t eat it because it is unhealthy.
And, the crap the schools are feeding them is healthy? People are struggling, and they are buying what they can afford. If my child isn’t allergic to peanuts, then he/she should be able to eat peanut butter. If they are scared your child will share the sandwich with another child who is allergic, then those parents should teach their child about their allergy. Maybe all you mothers need to go to the school everyday and critique what they are serving for lunch and this nonsense will stop when you start reporting that pizza is not healthy.
I KNOW I think it is totally hypocritical!
Twitter: Camilleta
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That is ridiculous! I can’t believe they are going that far. They need to take a step back and realize that a healthy lunch with a bag of chips is not anything like a kid being sent to school every day with just junk food and/or sweets.
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Can you talk to the principal and explain that to her please! LOL
Twitter: momdot
says:
OMG. I would be piiiiiiiisssssssssssssed.
Did i say pissed? I would be FURIOUS.
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Yup! I was/am. I talked to someone else who is in the same class. They were not aware of what she is doing but when they asked their child he said the exact same thing as what my son said. That he could not eat his chips because they were unhealthy.
Twitter: lilaccitymomma
says:
Are you kidding me?? Since when is it up to the teachers or principle dictating what our kids can and can not eat? I would be very upset, and I think you diffidently have a right to say something!!
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My hubby is going to at the next PTO meeting
Twitter: TheMandalyn
says:
I think this is ridiculous! I understand the school recommending healthy lunches, but this goes against the rights of parents. To me it seems completely invasive.
As a parent I definitely think you have a case, and a right to take this issue up with the principal, and maybe even the school board. If the school wants to regulate what your children eat then, make it a policy that the school and parents cowrite.
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I like that idea. Sugar I can understand but I think OCCASIONALLY it is OK
Twitter: WhatsThatBuzz
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You don’t want to get me started on that principal. Some people think healthy is only fruit and veggies. Some don’t feel that way and a cookie, cupcake or Twinkie is OK. It’s up to the parents to decide what to feed their kids and as long as it’s not illegal they need to butt out.
I agree a lunch should be balanced but if a cookie, candy or fried chips is part of that lunch it’s OK. If it’s the entire lunch then there’s a problem.
Too many people try to force their beliefs and opinions on others and they need to butt out of people’s lives and realize what works for them doesn’t work for all.
Now as far as the fundraiser, if the principal won’t allow the kids in the school to eat that then it shouldn’t be sold as a fund raiser. There are other things to sell that aren’t food related. I’d speak up and point out their hypocrisy.
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You hit the mail right on the head! AMEN! As long as it is not hurtful or illegal just let the parent raise their child.
I have a HUGE issue with schools these days. One of the biggies on the list is them telling me what I can and can not give my kid for snack/lunch. Last year we weren’t even allowed to send juice boxes. Only water. I changed schools this year and we are allowed juice at this school. I am so annoyed with schools controlling and overriding parents decisions these days that if I had the patience to homeschool I would.
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I am pretty sure that we are going to move schools next year. The teacher is very sweet and my son loves her so I don’t want to punish him for another person’s stupid act (as long as it is not hurting my son)
That would NOT be ok with me… I work in my girls school every day as a room mom, I’m there all the time, but you bet your butt that if someone at the school questioned what I purchased with my money to give my child for lunch, all hell would raise… You purchase their food, you decide what they eat. If they want to decide what your kid eats then they need to purchase their food plain and simple!
And yes, cookie dough is allowed to sell and raise money for the school, yet if you purchase the cookie dough, you’re not allowed to bake it and give it to your kids for a snack? I think not… I’d be talking to someone, get involved with the PTO about it if you have to, the other parents ect.
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My Hubby is going to go to the next PTO meeting and bring this up. I really makes me angry (obviously since it is almost a week later and my blood is still boiling)
Twitter: fantasticnic
says:
My son’s school was very clear that we can’t even send his lunch with him, they have family style healthy meals (it is a state sponsored program) and they want all the kids to have the same thing to avoid one kid eating the given lunch and another bringing candy making the first kid not want to eat his food out of jealousy.
I thing if they allow kids to bring their lunch then there should be nothing said about what is in there unless it was all junk.
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Yup! exactly!
Twitter: TheBookWormMama
says:
I think it’s inappropriate and borderline cowardice to approach the kids directly. If the admin is concerned about what’s in student lunches, they should talk with the parents.
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Twitter: DGoddess
says:
This is it right. I have no problem with the s hook saying no glass containers or no pop…but to go through their lunch and say what they can or cannot eat is ridiculous. Are they supplying the kids with alternatives if there are several items removed because they ate deemed unacceptable??
They are over stepping their bounds majorly.
I was thinking the same thing. Like some else said in my comments what if this was his only meal of the day (Its not but it makes you think).
Twitter: babesandkids
says:
I understand the school being an ambassador for healthy foods and encouraging kids to make good choices, but to screen lunches and take food away seems over the top. I would not be happy with this. My child and I make decisions on what we think is good for them. We all have choices for a reason. I would be so irritated.
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Twitter: texastypeamom
says:
Wow. That’s bold of a teacher to take things about that they don’t deem healthy. It’s not their place to decide. I’m speechless.
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Twitter: lyssaandrew
says:
OUr schools hear are trying to lean healthy and do fruits and veggies that are local to the season but i think they still suck lol
This would destroy mom son if his principal did that to him. He is also very tender hearted and criticism hurts his feelings. He is also extremely picky so w I pack his lunch so I know he is eating something. There are days when pain bread is all he will eat. If someone made the decision that he count eat something, he would eat nothing that day. There are more reasons every day to homeschool.
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Twitter: DanaPsalm139
says:
This is going way too far. I’m glad my youngest son is now a senior in high school and not bullied by all these elementary school helicopter principals!
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Yeah! We have already decided we are not going to send him back to that school next year!