Is this normal???

[thescrappyhomeschooler]

A friend said her kindergartener was bringing home most of her packed lunch uneaten. She investigated and found out her daughter has been buying ice cream, candy and slushies at lunch, instead of eating her packed food.

 

I really tried to maintain my composure, but I was like :eek::ack2::angry::banghead::sad::svengo: all at the same time. I cannot believe that those things are available to elementary school kids at lunch time. I'm really, truly appalled and upset about that. When my kids were in school, they could buy chocolate and strawberry milk, and the cafeteria lunches were not exactly healthy, but CANDY, ICE CREAM and SLUSHIES!!! I want to be sick.

[*********]

Um, I'd be more worried about how the mom didn't know that was going on than the fact that the school sells such things.

 

I mean, yeah, it's not great that the school offers those things. But just where is a kindergartener getting the money to buy junk for lunch on a regular basis? I would have to assume that at the very least, the mom knows the child has spending money; more likely, the money actually *came from mom and dad. How does someone not know that their 4 to 6 year old child has spending money, and is taking it to school and spending it?

[Guest]

How is she heading off with money for those things?

 

But no, it doesn't surprise me remotely that they are available.

[ChrisB]

But just where is a kindergartener getting the money to buy junk for lunch on a regular basis? I would have to assume that at the very least, the mom knows the child has spending money; more likely, the money actually *came from mom and dad. How does someone not know that their 4 to 6 year old child has spending money, and is taking it to school and spending it?

This was my thought too.

[thescrappyhomeschooler]

Um, I'd be more worried about how the mom didn't know that was going on than the fact that the school sells such things.

 

I mean, yeah, it's not great that the school offers those things. But just where is a kindergartener getting the money to buy junk for lunch on a regular basis? I would have to assume that at the very least, the mom knows the child has spending money; more likely, the money actually *came from mom and dad. How does someone not know that their 4 to 6 year old child has spending money, and is taking it to school and spending it?

 

Yes, the girl has been spending her allowance on this stuff. I don't know why it's taken the mom to December to find this out (possibly because she runs a home day care and never volunteers at the school), but now that she knows, she's putting a stop to it. It just seems criminal to me to offer those things for sale at an elementary school.

[BamaTanya]

Once a month the PTA sells snowcones as a fund raiser. These are eaten outside in the courtyard AFTER lunch.

The only time candy or ice cream is offered is during Spring Fling (game day).

Every day the children have a snack time and are allowed to bring a snack from home. The teachers send home notes over and over: "Cookies are not healthy snacks," "Chips are not healthy snacks," etc. With the warning that the dc will not be allowed to eat sugary foods at school; they will be required to put them back into their bookbags for after school. They are allowed to take bottled water to drink with their snacks.

Seems like there was some nonsense last year about no cookies or cake at the Christmas party. :confused: Not because of allergies, mind you. The whole school. No foods in which sugar (or other sweetener) is a main ingredient.

So, no, they are not all like your friend's child's school. They can swing in the other direction, too.

[Myeightkiddies]

Just seems to depend on the state (district) and the school. It varies. I've seen schools that keep their food offerings very strict. Drive a little further (to another district), and the cafeteria is full of sweetened, fruit-flavored drinks, milkshakes, slushies, candy, cookies, etc. Basically if the children have the money they can buy whatever they want. No one monitors them there to say they have to have the real lunch first then buy one of the extras.

[*********]

Yes, the girl has been spending her allowance on this stuff. I don't know why it's taken the mom to December to find this out (possibly because she runs a home day care and never volunteers at the school), but now that she knows, she's putting a stop to it. It just seems criminal to me to offer those things for sale at an elementary school.

 

Really? Criminal? Hunh.

 

I guess maybe I'm just not as surprise as you are. I already knew they offered those things for sale at schools. And while I don't think it's a good choice to eat those everyday for a meal, I don't see the harm in having them occasionally as a treat.

 

Which is why I think it's a bad idea to let a young child make those choices for themselves. The girl shouldn't have been able to decide to buy them regularly. Her mom should've been monitoring it better.

 

But, that's also one of the many reasons we homeschool. I feel it's MY responsibility to parent my children; not the school's. Which, to me, includes teaching them good eating habits.

 

YMMV.

[Guest]

Yes, the girl has been spending her allowance on this stuff. I don't know why it's taken the mom to December to find this out (possibly because she runs a home day care and never volunteers at the school), but now that she knows, she's putting a stop to it. It just seems criminal to me to offer those things for sale at an elementary school.

 

Obviously, there is a market for it.

 

If one doesn't want their children to eat those things for lunch, they send them to school with home-packed lunch and not allowance for candy. That doesn't seem like a difficult standard to uphold with a kindergartner. If they come home with the lunch they left with, it should take maybe two days of uneaten lunches to get to the answer.

[amo_mea_filiis.]

When my dd was in 3rd grade, she brought lunch every single day (like she had in K, 1, and 2). At the end of the year I got a bill from the school for all the lunch time snacks she charged!

[black_midori]

Too bad eventually they get clever & either dump the uneaten lunch or trade out "favorites" with other kids to get money for junk...

[MindyD]

I could get ice cream when I was in elementary school 25 years ago. I guess it's not a big deal to me as long as kids eat their lunch first.

[Guest]

When my dd was in 3rd grade, she brought lunch every single day (like she had in K, 1, and 2). At the end of the year I got a bill from the school for all the lunch time snacks she charged!

 

Now THAT actually would disturb me! GAH!

[Catwoman]

Yes, the girl has been spending her allowance on this stuff. I don't know why it's taken the mom to December to find this out (possibly because she runs a home day care and never volunteers at the school), but now that she knows, she's putting a stop to it. It just seems criminal to me to offer those things for sale at an elementary school.

 

I think it's ridiculous that this mom had no idea about what happened to her child's allowance, and that she didn't realize the kid was bringing it to school with her every day.

 

Sorry, but I'm not blaming the school for this one. The blame falls entirely on the head of the mom. This is a kindergartner, not an older child. The mom should have had a clue.

[ThisIsTheDay]

A friend said her kindergartener was bringing home most of her packed lunch uneaten. She investigated and found out her daughter has been buying ice cream, candy and slushies at lunch, instead of eating her packed food.

 

I really tried to maintain my composure, but I was like :eek::ack2::angry::banghead::sad::svengo: all at the same time. I cannot believe that those things are available to elementary school kids at lunch time. I'm really, truly appalled and upset about that. When my kids were in school, they could buy chocolate and strawberry milk, and the cafeteria lunches were not exactly healthy, but CANDY, ICE CREAM and SLUSHIES!!! I want to be sick.

 

My dd attended a charter school, the top scoring school in the top scoring district in a large metro area. They did not have a cafeteria. They served hot lunch three days a week: Chik-Fil-A, mini tacos from Chipotle (or was it Q-Doba?), and pizza (Dominos or similar).

 

They fed them candy all day long in the classroom. "Oh, you tried to read? Good job! Have a sucker!"

 

Seriously. Those were two reasons that made homeschooling seem like a great idea.

[WeeBeaks]

When my dd was in 3rd grade, she brought lunch every single day (like she had in K, 1, and 2). At the end of the year I got a bill from the school for all the lunch time snacks she charged!

 

:001_huh: Um. Did you sign something authorizing your child to use your debit/credit card? WOW. I would have been furious, both at the school and the child honestly.

[thescrappyhomeschooler]

Really? Criminal? Hunh.

 

I guess maybe I'm just not as surprise as you are. I already knew they offered those things for sale at schools. And while I don't think it's a good choice to eat those everyday for a meal, I don't see the harm in having them occasionally as a treat.

 

Which is why I think it's a bad idea to let a young child make those choices for themselves. The girl shouldn't have been able to decide to buy them regularly. Her mom should've been monitoring it better.

 

But, that's also one of the many reasons we homeschool. I feel it's MY responsibility to parent my children; not the school's. Which, to me, includes teaching them good eating habits.

 

YMMV.

 

Yes. I really think that the processed food industry in this country is criminally responsible for many of the diet-related health problems of our nation. Therefore, I think it is criminal to offer these things to young, impressionable children at lunch time. Lunch should be a time or replenishing your body with nourishing foods so that you can continue on with your day, not loading up on sugary snacks to spike and crash your blood sugar. I realize that my views may be considered extreme, so I usually don't try to impose them on anyone else, but this just blew my mind.

 

Yes, she probably should have inquired about what her daughter was doing with her allowance. But, she never had any communication from the school that these items were for sale. Whatever. I'm getting over it now.

[Guest]

Yes. I really think that the processed food industry in this country is criminally responsible for many of the diet-related health problems of our nation. Therefore, I think it is criminal to offer these things to young, impressionable children at lunch time. Lunch should be a time or replenishing your body with nourishing foods so that you can continue on with your day, not loading up on sugary snacks to spike and crash your blood sugar. I realize that my views may be considered extreme, so I usually don't try to impose them on anyone else, but this just blew my mind.

 

Yes, she probably should have inquired about what her daughter was doing with her allowance. But, she never had any communication from the school that these items were for sale. Whatever. I'm getting over it now.

 

I don't. I see that as personal (or in the case of your friend) parental responsibility. If nobody ate it, there would be no products. Nobody is force-feeding sugar treats and slushies to children OR adults.

 

I am 100% on the same page with you WRT what constitutes a nourishing lunch. I don't place the blame on schools, though, although I would prefer there wasn't a slushie machine. I don't vilify processed food/fast food companies. They are providing a product that obviously has a market. If people didn't eat those things, there would be no market for it.

[thescrappyhomeschooler]

I don't. I see that as personal (or in the case of your friend) parental responsibility. If nobody ate it, there would be no products. Nobody is force-feeding sugar treats and slushies to children OR adults.

 

I am 100% on the same page with you WRT what constitutes a nourishing lunch. I don't place the blame on schools, though, although I would prefer there wasn't a slushie machine. I don't vilify processed food/fast food companies. They are providing a product that obviously has a market. If people didn't eat those things, there would be no market for it.

 

But, we vilify tobacco companies and alcohol companies. The "food" that is marketed these days is just as damaging to human health as these other substances. IMHO, that is. :D I'm about to take a :chillpill:, and stop reading this, because, in case you haven't noticed, this is a hot-button issue for me! :lol:

[ocelotmom]

I could get ice cream when I was in elementary school 25 years ago. I guess it's not a big deal to me as long as kids eat their lunch first.

 

That's kind of what I was thinking.

 

However, I'm not sure that, at an early elementary school level, we could have gotten away with eating buying treats in place of lunch, especially on an everyday basis. I don't know, maybe we could have and my mom just didn't give me enough money :tongue_smilie:. By the time we got to middle school (and possibly late elementary, I can't remember when we got access to the cafeteria snack bar) we definitely could.

 

:001_huh: Um. Did you sign something authorizing your child to use your debit/credit card? WOW. I would have been furious, both at the school and the child honestly.

I can't see how it could be legal, especially on an ongoing basis. I wonder if there was something like "If your child needs a lunch because you didn't send one, they'll be provided with one and you'll be charged" and kids are loopholing it.

Edited December 2, 2011 by ocelotmom

[wy_kid_wrangler04]

Unfortunately doesn't surprise me one bit. I live a mile down the road from the local elementary school and see Coke and Pepsi trucks weekly there, Schwann's trucks and Frito Lay's trucks there. WEEKLY. Pathetic. Who knows what other garbage they have. :glare:

[cindergretta]

IMO, there is blame to go around - a subsidized crap food industry, a school that sells crap food to little kids too young to make good choices, parents that aren't paying nearly enough attention to what their dc are doing...

 

But, also IMO, knowing that crap food is subsidized in this country, if I were a public school parent, I would make it my business to know what is available at my dc's school. I wouldn't allow my dc to take *any* money to school, and we would talk ad nauseum about which foods are allowed and which foods are not allowed. After all, I am responsible for my dc.

 

OP- :lol: ! I wish I could walk away from threads that wind me up!! :grouphug:

[sewingmama]

Most schools in Australia have a healthy lunch policy -they sell very limited amounts of those things - and they try to choose the healthier version of it if there is one - they don't sell slushies.

 

Kindergartners here don't have access to such things - they have to order their lunch from the classroom and it arrives in brown paper bags and those sorts of things are not allowed to be ordered. They are only for sale at the tuckshop after the kids have had time to eat thier other lunch.

 

I think that it is crazy she could acess that type of stuff so easily.

[Guest]

But, we vilify tobacco companies and alcohol companies. The "food" that is marketed these days is just as damaging to human health as these other substances. IMHO, that is. :D I'm about to take a :chillpill:, and stop reading this, because, in case you haven't noticed, this is a hot-button issue for me! :lol:

 

I don't vilify tobacco or alcohol companies, either. I don't vilify gambling outlets or pr*ngrphy sales (consenting adults, that is). There still has to be someone old enough to possess money to make their own personal choice to eat, drink, smoke, gamble or watch nekked people. It's not marketed to zombies; it's marketed to people with free choice.

 

We all have our hot-button issues (see my signature?). This isn't a hot-button issue to me, unless it's hot-button from the other end of the issue, where the government bans Happy Meals or taxes soda. I agree that I would prefer more availability of healthy choices and less availability of junk foods in school, but I do not support authorities stepping in and *banning* choices that are not healthy.

[thescrappyhomeschooler]

I don't vilify tobacco or alcohol companies, either. I don't vilify gambling outlets or pr*ngrphy sales (consenting adults, that is). There still has to be someone old enough to possess money to make their own personal choice to eat, drink, smoke, gamble or watch nekked people. It's not marketed to zombies; it's marketed to people with free choice.

 

 

Right. In this country, you have to be 18 to buy cigarettes and 21 to gamble and buy alcohol. To me, having these kinds of snacks available to kindergarteners is like letting them buy a pack of Marlboro Lights. They are not old enough to make that kind of choice, so it shouldn't be available to them.

 

Okay, so I did keep reading. :tongue_smilie: Now, I'm going to play a board game with my niece. I'm really going away this time.

[Guest]

Right. In this country, you have to be 18 to buy cigarettes and 21 to gamble and buy alcohol. To me, having these kinds of snacks available to kindergarteners is like letting them buy a pack of Marlboro Lights. They are not old enough to make that kind of choice, so it shouldn't be available to them.

 

Okay, so I did keep reading. :tongue_smilie: Now, I'm going to play a board game with my niece. I'm really going away this time.

 

Well, that's where money and understanding family values comes into play to me. But okay - I agree to a point. I can see where a parent could say, "What?! Why is it possible for my 5 yo to buy ice cream for lunch?!" But in the specific case you told of, my immediate instinct is, "What?! Why does a 5 yo have money for lunch and not understand what the family M.O. is on meals?!" Especially for it to go on for a while unnoticed; that just sounds like an unconscious parent to me.

 

*shrug* There were ice creams available for me to buy in middle school, but I very rarely ever bought one. In the first place, I didn't have the requisite quarter. In the second place, I would have been going against what I knew were my mother's wishes. And the money thing. I never had so much as a dime that my mom was not aware of. :D

[amo_mea_filiis.]

Now THAT actually would disturb me! GAH!

 

:001_huh: Um. Did you sign something authorizing your child to use your debit/credit card? WOW. I would have been furious, both at the school and the child honestly.

 

The kids were assigned "account numbers" at school and parents could prepay for lunches. I wrongly assumed that never putting money in my daughter's account would mean that she couldn't buy anything. Nope. Instead they let her "charge" it to her lunch account.

 

I did not pay the bill, and the policy was changed. My dd was one of a bunch of kids doing this.

 

I WAS fairly active at her school, but parents are not allowed to have lunch with the students and the lunch aides were paid, not volunteer.

 

My dd gained a lot of weight that year and her ped just kept saying that girls need to plump up for puberty and I listened to that. :glare:

[Guest]

The kids were assigned "account numbers" at school and parents could prepay for lunches. I wrongly assumed that never putting money in my daughter's account would mean that she couldn't buy anything. Nope. Instead they let her "charge" it to her lunch account.

 

I did not pay the bill, and the policy was changed. My dd was one of a bunch of kids doing this.

 

I WAS fairly active at her school, but parents are not allowed to have lunch with the students and the lunch aides were paid, not volunteer.

 

My dd gained a lot of weight that year and her ped just kept saying that girls need to plump up for puberty and I listened to that. :glare:

 

Now THAT - yes, that would gall me. My dd's school does not have lunch accounts; it is cash only. I am very glad, because I can see this potential problem, although, like you, I would never think they could "charge" lunch without any money there to debit.

[snickelfritz]

Well, that's where money and understanding family values comes into play to me. But okay - I agree to a point. I can see where a parent could say, "What?! Why is it possible for my 5 yo to buy ice cream for lunch?!" But in the specific case you told of, my immediate instinct is, "What?! Why does a 5 yo have money for lunch and not understand what the family M.O. is on meals?!" Especially for it to go on for a while unnoticed; that just sounds like an unconscious parent to me.

 

:iagree:

 

My 3rd grader goes to school and I often pack her lunch. Then, I unpack leftovers. When there is food left, I find out why. I don't keep sending things that she's not eating and letting it go to waste. I would think some basic questioning of a kindergartener would have led them to reveal what they were eating.

 

NOW....

I also don't see why a school would sell that stuff. But, again, that's something that would gave been explained to anyone who asked about cafeteria policies. I'm aware that my dd's school sells snacks after school. I'm also aware of what the choices are. I will say that our school has healthy (healthier than slushies and ice cream) choices. Milk cartons, 100% juice, Pirates Booty, Jamba Juice smoothies. No soda or chips. But, even with my third grader, I know how her allowance is being spent. So, I guess I think the school should offer better choices, but the parent "seems" clueless.

[amo_mea_filiis.]

So, I guess I think the school should offer better choices, but the parent "seems" clueless.

 

Having been involved in what my kids were doing at school, and still being able to miss something, I have to disagree.

 

Ds, 1st grade PS- Came home every day with an empty lunch box. Said he ate everything, but was losing weight and barely eating at home. Again, not allowed to have lunch with the kids, I had to go by what the school said and that was that he's eating.

 

It wasn't until MARCH that I found out I was lied to by the school, and a lunch aide helped kids clean out their lunch boxes so nothing spilled!

 

From March until June I got nasty looks daily when I showed up to eat lunch with ds in the parking lot (couldn't go in the school to eat, so I'd sign him out).

[snickelfritz]

Having been involved in what my kids were doing at school, and still being able to miss something, I have to disagree.

 

Ds, 1st grade PS- Came home every day with an empty lunch box. Said he ate everything, but was losing weight and barely eating at home. Again, not allowed to have lunch with the kids, I had to go by what the school said and that was that he's eating.

 

It wasn't until MARCH that I found out I was lied to by the school, and a lunch aide helped kids clean out their lunch boxes so nothing spilled!

 

From March until June I got nasty looks daily when I showed up to eat lunch with ds in the parking lot (couldn't go in the school to eat, so I'd sign him out).

 

It's hard to imagine that culture, though it doesn't surprise me. Our school encourages parents to come eat lunch with the kids. Though, in 3rd grade, the teachers wouldn't know what the kids are eating. They dump their own trays.

 

And I will say that in the OP's case, there were differences. 1. Child used allowance. 2. Parent knew they weren't eating lunch. 3. Once they investigated, they discovered.... Doesn't imply the school tried to hide anything.

 

If I knew the cafeteria sold treats (should be common knowledge????), that would be the first thing I suspected.

[kitten18]

The kids were assigned "account numbers" at school and parents could prepay for lunches. I wrongly assumed that never putting money in my daughter's account would mean that she couldn't buy anything. Nope. Instead they let her "charge" it to her lunch account.

 

I did not pay the bill, and the policy was changed. My dd was one of a bunch of kids doing this.

 

I WAS fairly active at her school, but parents are not allowed to have lunch with the students and the lunch aides were paid, not volunteer.

 

My dd gained a lot of weight that year and her ped just kept saying that girls need to plump up for puberty and I listened to that. :glare:

:svengo::willy_nilly::svengo:

 

 

 

When I was in elementary school, my mom gave me an extra quarter every week so I could get 2 milks every day. That was the only *extra* we could buy.

[Thia]

I think it comes down to the mother here. She should have investigated sooner, why her child was bringing lunch home. Just because she isn't monitoring her child doesn't mean another child can't buy an ice cream as a treat once a week.

I'm shocked at these schools telling parents what they can/cannot pack in their kids' lunches! If I want to send a couple cookies in my kids lunch, along with a sandwich and piece of fruit and milk, what business is it of theirs? I'd appreciate the government staying out of my kitchen, thank you.

[dirty ethel rackham]

I think it's ridiculous that this mom had no idea about what happened to her child's allowance, and that she didn't realize the kid was bringing it to school with her every day.

 

Sorry, but I'm not blaming the school for this one. The blame falls entirely on the head of the mom. This is a kindergartner, not an older child. The mom should have had a clue.

Do you check your kids' allowance money regularly? Do you check their pockets every day before they leave? Or do you hang on to their allowance money and make them take it out of your bank?

 

I can totally see a parent missing this for a couple months. Once I give my kids their allowance and we work out the saving and charity portions, I don't look at it. I can totally see a kindergartener - even one who usually is obedient and eager to please, doing something like this. "That ice cream looks so good." "And it is for sale every day." "And I have my own money." "And they let me buy it, no questions asked."

 

I, for one, am appalled that this crap is available at school for kids to purchase (unfortunately, not at all surprised given the food policy of our federal government.) First, schools want to blame everything on the parents. But, if a parent tries to be involved with their child at school, then they cry foul at parental interference. They can't have it both ways.

[snickelfritz]

The kids were assigned "account numbers" at school and parents could prepay for lunches. I wrongly assumed that never putting money in my daughter's account would mean that she couldn't buy anything. Nope. Instead they let her "charge" it to her lunch account.

:

 

This IS crazy. There is more wrong at that school than just selling junk.

 

I didn't, however, see a post where the OP complained about that level of deception at the school, just that they sold junk.

[Unicorn.]

I think it's ridiculous that this mom had no idea about what happened to her child's allowance, and that she didn't realize the kid was bringing it to school with her every day.

 

Sorry, but I'm not blaming the school for this one. The blame falls entirely on the head of the mom. This is a kindergartner, not an older child. The mom should have had a clue.

 

Question about the bolded. Really? I don't keep track of what my kids do w/ their spending money. While I think it's ridiculous for a K'er to get an allowance, unless the mom kept the money and handed it out when asked, I wouldn't know how she would know that her dd was spending it.

 

When my kids were in ps for early elementary, they did sell ice cream, but the teachers and volunteers on duty made sure that the kids ate their lunch first. I think the school is doing a poor job of monitoring, but then again, they are overcrowded and understaffed.

 

I don't think this is something to go crazy about. Healthy, no, but not fatal either. I think the mom might have learned a valuable lesson here. :001_smile:

[snickelfritz]

Do you check your kids' allowance money regularly? Do you check their pockets every day before they leave? Or do you hang on to their allowance money and make them take it out of your bank?

.

 

No. But at 6 and 8, I know what's up with it. They aren't great at saving and I'm their only transportation.

 

And how much allowance did this kid get? Enough to buy treats most/every day? So, mom thinks she's been saving her allowance since August?

Edited December 3, 2011 by snickelfritz

[tex-mex]

I think it's ridiculous that this mom had no idea about what happened to her child's allowance, and that she didn't realize the kid was bringing it to school with her every day.

 

Sorry, but I'm not blaming the school for this one. The blame falls entirely on the head of the mom. This is a kindergartner, not an older child. The mom should have had a clue.

:iagree::iagree::iagree:

 

I find it a bit absurd it took this long for the mom to find this out, too.

 

Even moms or single parents who toil at full-time jobs get a clue if lunch is being eaten daily. It sounds like the child is not being closely monitored at home? That seems off. :confused:

[AimeeM]

I think it comes down to the mother here. She should have investigated sooner, why her child was bringing lunch home. Just because she isn't monitoring her child doesn't mean another child can't buy an ice cream as a treat once a week.

I'm shocked at these schools telling parents what they can/cannot pack in their kids' lunches! If I want to send a couple cookies in my kids lunch, along with a sandwich and piece of fruit and milk, what business is it of theirs? I'd appreciate the government staying out of my kitchen, thank you.

:iagree:

[Forget-Me-Not]

The kids were assigned "account numbers" at school and parents could prepay for lunches. I wrongly assumed that never putting money in my daughter's account would mean that she couldn't buy anything. Nope. Instead they let her "charge" it to her lunch account.

 

The PS where my son went to K and 1st had a similar set-up, where you could pre-pay into a lunch 'account'. The policy was that they would only be allowed to charge 2 lunches against that account, but I lost track one time of how much I paid, thought there was more in there, and got a bill for several lunches he'd charged (mostly we packed his lunch, but it was nice to have the option to buy lunch if we were running late, they were serving something special, etc.). HOWEVER, the worst thing they could pick in that cafeteria was chocolate milk, and I'm not sure that was even an option every day. There was no candy or ice cream for sale.

 

I'm amazed at how many schools don't let the parents come in and eat with the kids for lunch. My son's school openly encouraged it. I'd go in and volunteer in the mornings and then go sit in the cafeteria with him (at his request) during lunch.

[Mama2Many4]

Yes, the girl has been spending her allowance on this stuff. I don't know why it's taken the mom to December to find this out (possibly because she runs a home day care and never volunteers at the school), but now that she knows, she's putting a stop to it. It just seems criminal to me to offer those things for sale at an elementary school.

 

 

Seriously? :001_huh:

 

They aren't offering prescription pills or drugs. It's ICE CREAM, candy and slushies! Yes, it's unfortunate that she's been living primarily on those things for lunch but it's hardly criminal. They had those things at my high school. I ate it and I'm still alive. I just can't agree with those who equate junkfood to poison or drugs.

[thescrappyhomeschooler]

:iagree::iagree::iagree:

 

I find it a bit absurd it took this long for the mom to find this out, too.

 

Even moms or single parents who toil at full-time jobs get a clue if lunch is being eaten daily. It sounds like the child is not being closely monitored at home? That seems off. :confused:

 

I can totally see this happening at their house. She has 2 other kids, one of which is a toddler and one a 2nd grader, and is pregnant with the 4th. She also babysits 3 other small kids every day. She assumed her daughter was not eating all her lunch because she was busy talking and fooling around with the other girls. The kid is not starving, so I don't think it made it on to the radar of things to check into urgently.

[funschooler5]

Do you check your kids' allowance money regularly? Do you check their pockets every day before they leave? Or do you hang on to their allowance money and make them take it out of your bank?

 

I can totally see a parent missing this for a couple months. Once I give my kids their allowance and we work out the saving and charity portions, I don't look at it. I can totally see a kindergartener - even one who usually is obedient and eager to please, doing something like this. "That ice cream looks so good." "And it is for sale every day." "And I have my own money." "And they let me buy it, no questions asked."

 

I, for one, am appalled that this crap is available at school for kids to purchase (unfortunately, not at all surprised given the food policy of our federal government.) First, schools want to blame everything on the parents. But, if a parent tries to be involved with their child at school, then they cry foul at parental interference. They can't have it both ways.

 

:iagree:

 

If I was sending my child to school with a packed lunch, I would expect the teacher (or lunch monitor) to make sure my child was eating the lunch he/she brought. When I was in grade school, we were required to eat our own lunches only. If we were caught trading food we were in major trouble. A few years ago, when my kids were in the same grade school temporarily, this was still the policy.

 

IMO, elementary schools should have different standard as far as controlling food goes (though personally, I'd love to see all that crap food be taken out of jr high and high schools too). How can a grade-schooler (and a kindergartner, no less) be expected to have the self-control to not buy and eat treats every day and not his/her lunch? That is crazy. There should be adults at the school monitoring that sort of thing. My kids don't even get an allowance, but if there was candy or ice cream available without adult supervision, I can guarantee that they would be able to scrape up some change regularly from our car, the laundry room, or the couch cushions. :tongue_smilie:

 

When my kids were in grade school, their teachers did the whole candy reward thing which used to bug me to no end. My already ADHD kid is very sensitive to sugar and food dyes, and I imagine there were several other kids with that problem. I can't imagine wanting to do give that stuff to a classroom full of kids. Do teachers not see the correlation between diet and behavior? I don't have a problem with treats at holiday parties, when kids are already wound up, but every single day seems excessive, especially when a reward could just as easily be a sticker or a fancy pencil or something.

[chepyl]

In Missouri, they passed a law that schools could not sell junk. Soda machines became juice and water machines. Parents could not take cookies or cup cakes for life birthdays. I think it is that way around here too. They don't go through the packed lunches, so you can send what you want, but they can't buy soda and candy.

[WIS0320]

How is she heading off with money for those things?

 

 

Our county has a card system in which a parent loads the card with money and the kid uses it to purchase lunch with. Most parents I know keep about $10 on the card just in case there is an emergency or something that would negate the packed lunch or if the child decides to get something "extra" or to purchase milk with instead of packing a drink. So the kid can purchase whatever they want, tell their mom they got milk and really have bought a slushie or ice cream. The card reloads automatically when it hits a low threshold of funds (pre-approved by the parents) and I can see how little purchases here and there could fly under the radar for awhile.

Edited December 3, 2011 by drexel
spelling

[WIS0320]

Also, when my daughter was in K last year I would go eat lunch with her pretty often. The lunch assistants are in the room but they never told the kids to eat or encouraged them to try healthier options. I was always the mom at the table telling the child to at least eat the chicken on their bun instead of eating just the fries and jello.

 

It made me NUTS! How can decent adults stand by and let tiny children with no impulse control have free choice over their lunches? And knowing that our brains work better with protein and healthy foods, no wonder the afternoon is a lost cause in most public school classrooms - the kids are comatose from carb over-load and sugar crashing.

[thescrappyhomeschooler]

Seriously? :001_huh:

 

They aren't offering prescription pills or drugs. It's ICE CREAM, candy and slushies! Yes, it's unfortunate that she's been living primarily on those things for lunch but it's hardly criminal. They had those things at my high school. I ate it and I'm still alive. I just can't agree with those who equate junkfood to poison or drugs.

 

 

Leading causes of death

[Mommy22alyns]

I can totally see this happening at their house. She has 2 other kids, one of which is a toddler and one a 2nd grader, and is pregnant with the 4th. She also babysits 3 other small kids every day. She assumed her daughter was not eating all her lunch because she was busy talking and fooling around with the other girls. The kid is not starving, so I don't think it made it on to the radar of things to check into urgently.

 

 

I just... I mean, why was the kid taking her allowance to school anyway? :confused:

[Ester Maria]

Right. In this country, you have to be 18 to buy cigarettes and 21 to gamble and buy alcohol. To me, having these kinds of snacks available to kindergarteners is like letting them buy a pack of Marlboro Lights. They are not old enough to make that kind of choice, so it shouldn't be available to them.

You sound like my husband. :lol:

 

My husband believes junk and some sugary foods whose nutritional value is so low and health risks of regular consumption so high should be properly labeled, like cigarettes, with warning messages about nutritional lack of those foods and potential health side effects. And, if the world were up to him, it would be impossible for kids to buy the worst of those products even outside school buildings (of course, schools would not offer those in the first place), it would have to be literally a conscious decision of each parent to buy that food to their children and they would have a full control of their portions (in theory). Like you, he puts junk and sugary foods into the same category as tobacco, alcohol, gambling, and pornography. He believes they are something bad that an adult person should be able to choose, but that children should not be impressed into destroying their health this way nor that schools should provide - especially not daily - opportunities to consume something which harms you if you consume it regularly.

[5kidsforME]

:iagree:

 

If I was sending my child to school with a packed lunch, I would expect the teacher (or lunch monitor) to make sure my child was eating the lunch he/she brought..

 

YES, let's give teachers ANOTHER thing to worry about/monitor!! Seriously, we complain about schools and teachers but we want them to have so many other jobs than actual teaching. It's like they are running a babysitting service. Where does it end? How about the mom taking some responsibility here?