HomeschoolMamaOfTwo Posted October 3, 2012 Share Posted October 3, 2012 (edited) I'm curious, does your co-op have a non-food policy (like the kids being given food that the parents don't know about)? We are in a rather large co-op. It is new and only been going for 5 weeks. Three separate times my kids have been given foods or candy in class without asking parents at all (twice TODAY they were given candy, so in two separate classes, and once on week 1 they were given a cheese bagel). These are kids from age 2 on up to 18, without parents with them. So, while an older child might know what they can and cannot have, a younger child may not. Their parents are not asked, consulted, or notified that there will be food or treats in the class. They are being used for different projects, and then consumed. Now, my kids don't have any food allergies or real sensitivities, just preferences that we follow. So, I am not upset about the things they ate. I wouldn't willingly give them candy, but it didn't hurt them or anything. I am concerned that food is being given out in the first place, though, no matter what it is. I mean it could be something healthy like an apple and I'd still be having this thought (I do know kids with apple allergies!). I am not upset, I am just wondering, is it normal, with all the food allergies people have, for the kids to be given food products IN class without consulting parents about possible allergies or sensitivities? I'm less concerned for my kids and more concerned for kids with issues or parents that don't know the kids are being given these things and wonder why their kids are having behavioral issues or allergy reactions. We have A LOT of families that have special diets in our co-op. I am new to the whole co-op thing, so I have no idea what the norm is. Since this is a new co-op as of this year, I'm not sure if I should be "that person" to bring this up for the sake of those kids or just to let it go since it doesn't actually concern my own kids? I don't want to be up in anyone's business, I'm just not sure if some people that this would effect know that it is going on. I'd just hate for one of them to have a reaction, since there is really no need for food to be there in the first place. Other things could easily be used . These are not snack times, we have those built in with food the parents provide for their own kids. This is food being used like candy for engineering with catapults, gummy worms for measuring. Bagels for science (that didn't work, and the kids were told to just eat them), etc. What do you feel? What would you do or not do regarding this? Edited October 3, 2012 by HomeschoolMamaOfTwo Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rebecca Posted October 3, 2012 Share Posted October 3, 2012 This is a big issue. :( I think if you want to be a part of this co op and it is not a concern for your family- I would just be on watch and ride it out. However, if there is someone who needs to address it for medical/health reasons- you could be a strong support for that family. No one wants to be "that person" and honestly, unless the leadership comes on board to structure it differently- it will not go well. I will not say more- other than- this stuff hurts families with food allergies in a huge way. Since the kids with problems- were there and consumed the food- it sounds like nothing happened?? HTH, Rebecca Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hsbaby Posted October 3, 2012 Share Posted October 3, 2012 I run a tutorial and always let the parents know if we will be eating anything in class. I send out an email a few days before class. Then again, I have a child with severe nut allergies, so I am very cautious about it. I think it's the smart thing to do with SO many food allergies out there! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
QueenCat Posted October 3, 2012 Share Posted October 3, 2012 A little different... but I teach at a homeschool tutorial. We are given a list of all students with food allergies. Parents are also informed if a class will have food in it on a regular basis. One of my classes has food almost every week. If your child were allergic to a common food, like wheat, you wouldn't sign them up for my class. You do have alternatives at each hour. We are nut free, so that is never an issue. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cera Posted October 3, 2012 Share Posted October 3, 2012 The coop we participated in had a health form that had to be filled out for each child. It included allergies and any special information parents wanted the teachers to know (asthma, etc). Each teacher was provided a class list with notes next to each child's name listing any health issues. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Soror Posted October 3, 2012 Share Posted October 3, 2012 Wow, that is incredibly inconsiderate. Around here food issues are known and I'd be shocked if anyone handed out food without asking. I would definitely speak up. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Harriet Vane Posted October 3, 2012 Share Posted October 3, 2012 Our co-op does not have any specific food policy, and we do have multiple children with food allergies (including my ds). I have always assumed as the parent of a lactose intolerant child that it is MY responsibility to inform the teachers. My ds was 9yo when we started with this co-op, so he was old enough and trained to read ingredients and evaluate and take charge as well. With every new teacher, I make sure they know of ds' sensitivity. Ds' teachers have been great about it, even going so far as to bake dairy-free cupcakes for him for a class party. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MomatHWTK Posted October 3, 2012 Share Posted October 3, 2012 Even absent allergies (my kids have them) many parents are avoiding dyes, artificial coloring, you name it. It's hard for the child to say no when tempting tasties are being passed out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lily_Grace Posted October 3, 2012 Share Posted October 3, 2012 I asked each of my parents this year about food sensitivities. There's a cooking class at our co-op as well as everything else and I wanted to make sure no kid would be left out. While we don't have it plastered loud across each form, all the teachers know about food no-nos: animal products, dyes, corn syrup...it's just taken care of quietly. As for my classes, the parents were made aware I'd teach history however I could reach the kids. If that means bringing apples for the class on the first day so we could discuss John Chapman/Johnny Appleseed and have it hit home, so be it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ellie Posted October 3, 2012 Share Posted October 3, 2012 Our co-op does not have any specific food policy, and we do have multiple children with food allergies (including my ds). I have always assumed as the parent of a lactose intolerant child that it is MY responsibility to inform the teachers. This. It would not have occurred to me to notify parents that we're having munchies in class. :001_huh: It would not have bothered me if my dc had had munchies in class. But I would expect the teachers to be considerate of any food issues I had informed them about. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SonshineLearner Posted October 3, 2012 Share Posted October 3, 2012 We asked about allergies. Good to mark name tags and a mark on the sign for the door or something... And how you handle it partially depends on allergy or preference... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
happypamama Posted October 3, 2012 Share Posted October 3, 2012 We don't have a specific policy. Most classes are "bring your own kid's snack." The preschool class gives out a snack. We have a few kids here and there with sensitivities/allergies, but the parents have made that known -- so when I worked the nursery, I knew to keep certain kids away from other kids' snacks, and the cooking class has a couple of kids who get a gluten-free option, etc. Food is sometimes used during other classes without specifically notifying the parents first, but afaik, it hasn't been an issue. I currently have 7-12 yo's, but if I planned to bring a food item, I would send an email around asking about any food issues. I do think this is a subject worth discussing, though, so I think I will mention it to our co-op leader and see if she has any considerations. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VA6336 Posted October 3, 2012 Share Posted October 3, 2012 In our co-op, the forms parents fill out before the year starts include a few lines for each child labeled "Allergies and/or Special Notes." I made an announcement at the beginning of the year during Opening Assembly (when everyone is together) that food treats needed parental approval before distribution because we did have a few allergies, namely X and Y. Each class leader knew if they had a child with allergies and if so, which child and what allergy. For the group as a whole, however, the general announcement was enough. I'm surprised that the information forms that must have been filled out didn't have a place for that kind of information. Maybe there was, and your kids are just in the classes that don't have food restrictions. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mom2att Posted October 3, 2012 Share Posted October 3, 2012 Our co-op is large. We do not have a policy on food. It is the responsibility of the parent to inform the child's teachers where there is a food allergy/sensitivity/etc. Leadership keeping track of that info for 200 kids and then making sure the correct teachers get the correct information would be a lot more time consuming and error-worthy than the parent just going to the teacher directly. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mirth Posted October 3, 2012 Share Posted October 3, 2012 The process of teaching humans should not always involve food, or instant gratification and tangible rewards. If it does, that's just weird and unwise. Resiliency, and all that .... My guess is that parents of kids with life-threatening food allergies have already looked past this co-op as it sounds like food is not only an afterthought, but a free-for-all. That said, there is nothing positive about giving food at every available opportunity but if that's their culture jsut go for it. Funny, all coops are constrained by time and available space. It would be cool if they could be constrained by calories too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mimm Posted October 3, 2012 Share Posted October 3, 2012 Last year my co-op was very small and we did not have such a policy. We've grown this year and now we do. Just seems like common sense to me. I would much rather have a blanket policy that you check with the parents than try to remember who is allergic to what. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Soror Posted October 3, 2012 Share Posted October 3, 2012 The process of teaching humans should not always involve food, or instant gratification and tangible rewards. If it does, that's just weird and unwise. Resiliency, and all that .... My guess is that parents of kids with life-threatening food allergies have already looked past this co-op as it sounds like food is not only an afterthought, but a free-for-all. That said, there is nothing positive about giving food at every available opportunity but if that's their culture jsut go for it. Funny, all coops are constrained by time and available space. It would be cool if they could be constrained by calories too. :iagree: I've always informed anyone who is with my children without me not to feed them, as do other moms I know who have kids with food issues. I think it is however a common courtesy to not feed kids that are your own unless you've approved it with their parents. I don't get why people always have to give candy and food at every event, like kids have to have some little treat for everything or cannot make it an hour without eating. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AimeeM Posted October 3, 2012 Share Posted October 3, 2012 Everyone brings their own lunch to co-op, but the kiddos are given snacks by teachers (grapes, crackers, etc). Other than the teachers' children, there are never younger children without their parents - in the nursery "class" the parents stay with children and all help with the children who have a parent teaching an older class. I wouldn't allow my 2 year old to go to class without me, on any level, so I can't see the snack issue being an issue by itself being given behind a parent's back to a super young child. If it's an issue, don't send a child too young to say "no" away for class ;). With that said, perhaps there was simply no communication regarding snack time between your teachers. I know that *here* the teachers would be the LAST ones to give sugary snacks... because they have to deal with the children and their sugar high/crash :D. Our co-op day (latin class, mass, then co-op class/es) is too long to go all day without snacks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AimeeM Posted October 3, 2012 Share Posted October 3, 2012 :iagree: I've always informed anyone who is with my children without me not to feed them, as do other moms I know who have kids with food issues. I think it is however a common courtesy to not feed kids that are your own unless you've approved it with their parents. I don't get why people always have to give candy and food at every event, like kids have to have some little treat for everything or cannot make it an hour without eating. Both of our co-ops are several hours long - the younger children playing in nursery and the older kids participating in geography or speech/debate or their random classes. I assumed this was normal for co-ops and I would never expect children (younger AND older crowd) to go from 10 am until after 3 pm with no food. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mschickie Posted October 3, 2012 Share Posted October 3, 2012 Our co-op runs between 50-65 families a session. Normally if the teachers do not know some of the kids in their class they will ask the parents if there are any food allergies. It is quite common to have the occasional candy or treat handed out if it goes along with a project, especially with the older kids. Most of the kids in the group also will say something if they have an allergy or Mom does not want them to have something. If I was a Mom who did not want my child given a snack I would make sure to tell the teachers and let my child know to save anything and bring it to me (so I could judge whether they could eat it). That being said I do not worry about the little treats at co-op and if there was a problem I would contact all dd's teachers to let them know. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HomeschoolMamaOfTwo Posted October 3, 2012 Author Share Posted October 3, 2012 OP here. These classes do not always have the same teachers, the parents switch off, and we have a lot of guests coming in as well to lead the classes. So, the parent of the child with an allergy or sensitivities would have to talk to the teacher every single time for every class (5 classes a day) for each child they have to ensure this wouldn't be an issue. I suppose that is what is being expected of them now, since this hasn't ever been brought up, as far as I am aware. I guess it seems I probably should not bring this up since it isn't an issue for us. I really would prefer, though, that my children not be given these things since there is no need for it, but it isn't the end of the world. I just worry about this becoming a larger issue or someone having a reaction because of something, but I guess most of you feel that is for those parents to worry about and it is better just to leave it alone? I suppose it just isn't my place to speak up here and rock the boat. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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