Joyofsixreboot Posted March 23, 2013 Share Posted March 23, 2013 My kyounger kids (11,9 and 5) attended a local church puppet show/carnival last night. When i arrived to pick them up they had four 2 liter pops, a small sack of baked goods and a paper sack FULL of candy. I looked around and that seemed the norm and I seemed to be the only one shocked by it. I realize they are reaching out to kids but doesn't that seem excessive? Am I a kill joy? We have spent quite a bit of time learning about nutrition and I have been slowly changing our eating habits over the last year. They come to the store and we read labels, etc. I thought they would have some cookies, pop and candy there. I didn't know they would bring so much home. Ack. We negotiated 3 pieces of candy and a glass of (iced) pop last night. Now do I let them eat the rest? I feel like that undermines what we've learned. Do we keep favorites and chuck the rest? Does it mysteriously become halved in the night? I'm leaning toward the pop going and some favorite candy being saved with the rest being thrown out. Am I overreacting and I should let them go crazy (SIL's advice). Thanks for letting me vent. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChristusG Posted March 23, 2013 Share Posted March 23, 2013 This is an issue EVERYWHERE. Last year, snack for my older DD in Sunday school was things like donuts, pieces of cake, etc. I know that the teachers mean well, but come on! Mine get candy after art class, junk food during special events at their troop meetings, parents bring junk for snack after soccer games....it's really just insane. I've had to become the "mean" mom and just say no. There's no way I'd let them eat a whole bag of candy they've brought home. And now since we're avoiding food dyes, that cuts out a lot of candy! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
amo_mea_filiis. Posted March 23, 2013 Share Posted March 23, 2013 I toss overloads of candy except for Halloween. I hate the focus on candy and carp at activities. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Starr Posted March 23, 2013 Share Posted March 23, 2013 I'd let them pick out a few and toss the rest. We saved soda for *specials*. This is going to happen here and there so try not to get worked up but just devise a plan. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hikin' Mama Posted March 23, 2013 Share Posted March 23, 2013 This ticks me off, too! Mine are older now and it's not as much of an issue, but when they were little, candy and crap were frequently handed out. I find it ironic that smoking and drinking too much are sinful, but we can overload the little darlins with sweet crap and feel all warm and fuzzy inside. :( Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GSOchristie Posted March 23, 2013 Share Posted March 23, 2013 No, i toss all candy that comes home. My kids can't have red dye, so that knocks out almost all lollipops and gummy esque items, I let the choose 4 pieces, 2 after dinner the night after and 2 the following night. No soda at home, only Asher likes it anyway, but the whole cavity issue freaks me out a little. a whole 2 liter...per kid?? That's a little crazy. I know that I feel like crap after I've been on a sugar binge, so I try to avoid that with my kids because it makes them grouchy and unreasonable and I don't want to deal with it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dmmetler Posted March 23, 2013 Share Posted March 23, 2013 Can you pass it off to a church group that's doing their Easter egg hunt next weekend? I'm serious about that-DD is going to a community egg hunt today, and will be doing one for Co-op on Tuesday-and in both cases, a majority of the items she gets will be dropped in the church that hosts our co-ops box for THEIR egg hunt next Sunday. Dd loves the "getting", but really doesn't like most of the non-chocolate candy, so she's more than willing to recycle. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ellie Posted March 23, 2013 Share Posted March 23, 2013 Y'all, I fought this when *my* dc were little, and they are as old as most of you. :cursing: I just don't understand why so many people don't.get.it. STILL. This is not a new issue. That artificial food colorings and sugar are bad for children on so many levels IS NOT NEW INFORMATION, for crying out loud. OP, I say hug your kidlets and tell them that because you love them biggie bunches you cannot allow them to have the candy, and that the people who gave them the candy meant well and you appreciate the kind thoughts. You can try fighting the battle to get them to quit handing out candy, but I don't hold out much hope for its cessation. :huh: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Harriet Vane Posted March 23, 2013 Share Posted March 23, 2013 At Halloween, I offer to buy my kids' candy or to let them trade in the candy for a meal out. We assign cash values to different types of pieces--most are just a quarter, but a large one like a full-sized Snickers bar would be $1. They figure out what they want to eat (pizza or whatever) and try to pool the candy to be able to buy it. I don't always buy the candy, though. My kids and I have had many a forthright discussion about the health issues with sugar and other junk food. I have also assigned them reading on this topic as part of their schooling. With coaching, they have been able to either give up candy or accept that it goes in a candy jar to be eaten in moderation over the course of time. We don't eat candy specifically just because it was given to us--we eat it occasionally when appropriate. Another option we have done is to give the candy away. It can be sent in care packages to soldiers or donated. There have been times that my kids have had joy in knowing that the recipient of the candy is happy to have a special treat. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SpecialClassical Posted March 23, 2013 Share Posted March 23, 2013 I think you would agree with this opinion piece from USA Today; I certainly did. http://news.yahoo.com/why-everyone-always-giving-kids-junk-food-143636906.html Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thescrappyhomeschooler Posted March 23, 2013 Share Posted March 23, 2013 I think you would agree with this opinion piece from USA Today; I certainly did. http://news.yahoo.co...-143636906.html Hear, Hear! This is a huge problem for me at our synagogue, too. Not only does every class on Sunday and Wednesday afternoon involve candy, chips, Little Debbie snacks, and juice, the rabbi encourages kids to come to Friday night services by giving out tickets for a free ice cream scoop at a local ice cream shop. He will also hand you an ice cream ticket if you come dressed in "fancy" clothes. (We have a slacker/laid back congregation and jeans and sweat pants are common. lol!). And, after those Friday night services, there are usually donuts, cake, or some other sweet treat. It's never ending. Oh, yeah, if you answer a question correctly during the services, or you come to help out on the bima with anything, the rabbi gives you a pack of M&Ms, too. ETA: I also seem to be the only one who has a problem with it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mytwomonkeys Posted March 23, 2013 Share Posted March 23, 2013 always communicate dietary restrictions wherever you go. our entire culture is saturated in fat (pun intended) and processed foods and refined sugars. they weren't giving those things last night to upset anyone, they just don't know better themselves. you could always talk to someone suggesting alternatives to what they served, but i wouldn't come across as angry when doing so. continue to educate your own children & as they learn, they won't want those things in bulk. also, as the food at home becomes more whole and plant based, their palates will change and the other stuff will upset their tummies. they will gravitate away from it more and more. at church or other places, send alternative snacks for your own children if necessary. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
J-rap Posted March 23, 2013 Share Posted March 23, 2013 This is certainly a problem everywhere. I couldn't believe it (when my kids were young) when I found out that the lure of parades nowadays, for children, is often candy. It's like another trick-or-treat event. Kids bring paper bags and collect all the candy they can get, barely even noticing the floats, marching bands, etc. When my kids came home with bags of candy from various events, we'd search for a few choice chocolate pieces and toss the rest. :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joyofsixreboot Posted March 23, 2013 Author Share Posted March 23, 2013 Thank you all. I thought I might just be an over zealous health nut. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dana Posted March 23, 2013 Share Posted March 23, 2013 It's also a pain for those of us who have kids with food allergies. There are activities we just can't participate in due to the presence of certain foods. You (your church) may be excluding a number of people you don't even know about. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dory Posted March 23, 2013 Share Posted March 23, 2013 I was complaining about the candy overload that the kids get at every activity just yesterday. We are not a candy free house, but I do try to limit it. My youngest ds acts insane when he's had much for sugar in his diet. This time of year with so many activities coming to an end, it's like he's on a sugar high all the time and it's getting annoying and tiring. I started things by just trying to sort through his candies and leave him one or two of his favorites, now I'm starting to consider chucking everything. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ondreeuh Posted March 23, 2013 Share Posted March 23, 2013 We honestly still have Halloween and Christmas candy. The boys each have a container, and they can have a couple pieces when they ask. They hardly ever ask, as candy is just not a regular thing to us. I think having it around but a little out of sight is a great way to teach healthy habits. It will still be there tomorrow, so there's no urge to binge. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Element Posted March 23, 2013 Share Posted March 23, 2013 Yeah, when they were babies & toddlers, most people would ask permission before giving my kids anything. It was always so crazy to see the offended and shocked looks on their faces when they heard us say "no" to "Oh! Cute baby! Would she like a sucker?" Once my kids hit school age, people just seemed to assume it's sugar-giving free-for-all. It's wild, but sadly expected at this point. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Parrothead Posted March 23, 2013 Share Posted March 23, 2013 If it isn't open donate it to the food pantry. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spryte Posted March 23, 2013 Share Posted March 23, 2013 Really? The kids came home with 2 liter bottles of soda??? Wow. I admit that we don't attend a church, nor do we do a lot of food-centered activities because of allergies, so I'm out of the loop. But sending kids home with 2 liter bottles of soda seems way over the top. It's also a pain for those of us who have kids with food allergies. There are activities we just can't participate in due to the presence of certain foods. You (your church) may be excluding a number of people you don't even know about. Yep. We don't do a lot of activities just because there will be allergens present. It's not worth anaphylactic shock to attend a function - how much fun that function might be. We don't attend library functions because of food allergens (in the library!), lots of other fun things... It's a bummer, but we do a lot of other great stuff. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stellalarella Posted March 23, 2013 Share Posted March 23, 2013 I hear you. It makes me sad when we put a happy sticker on gluttony. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SKL Posted March 23, 2013 Share Posted March 23, 2013 I hate this too, and even better is that after they sugar your kids up, they tell you how your kids acted all sugared up. Even if you warned the adults in advance that sugar is a problem for them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TechWife Posted March 23, 2013 Share Posted March 23, 2013 The soda is weird, but the candy isn't. I also wouldn't worry about it, no one is trying to undermine what you are teaching at home, they are simply making choices for their event. They can't please everyone and would go crazy trying. You make different choices at home and that's fine. If you don't want to have it at home, you can simply tell your children to offer it to other children instead of bringing it home or you can get rid of it at home. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Melissa in Australia Posted March 23, 2013 Share Posted March 23, 2013 The soda is weird, but the candy isn't. I also wouldn't worry about it, no one is trying to undermine what you are teaching at home, they are simply making choices for their event. They can't please everyone and would go crazy trying. You make different choices at home and that's fine. If you don't want to have it at home, you can simply tell your children to offer it to other children instead of bringing it home or you can get rid of it at home. I find the whole thing weird. Are they trying to bribe children to attend church with candies? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mytwomonkeys Posted March 23, 2013 Share Posted March 23, 2013 It was a fair though, not a sunday school class. So i dont think "bribing" was the point. Not that unusual to have candy at an event like that. I think letting the leaders know in advance that your kids have dietary restrictions would have been the way to go. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest inoubliable Posted March 23, 2013 Share Posted March 23, 2013 It was a fair though, not a sunday school class. So i dont think "bribing" was the point. Not that unusual to have candy at an event like that. I think letting the leaders know in advance that your kids have dietary restrictions would have been the way to go. I dunno... we had Fun Fairs held at the Catholic schools I went to, after school hours for anyone in the community that wanted to come. No one was giving candy or baked goods out. There were tables where you could buy the stuff, but no one was given a goody bag of crap to take home. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mytwomonkeys Posted March 23, 2013 Share Posted March 23, 2013 I dunno... we had Fun Fairs held at the Catholic schools I went to, after school hours for anyone in the community that wanted to come. No one was giving candy or baked goods out. There were tables where you could buy the stuff, but no one was given a goody bag of crap to take home. Oh i agree that it isnt necessary to give bags of candy and soda. I just am not surprised by it. Where I live, food connects people and is at every single function. And im not talking celery sticks. Processed stuff galore and even the homemade treats are loaded with empty calories. A fair for children would be loaded with free "goodies" here - whether it be at church, school, or the hospital. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KrissiK Posted March 23, 2013 Share Posted March 23, 2013 No, I agree with you. Easter is the worst since we have church EE hunt and then 2 family ones. Fortunately at one of the family ones sil informed us she was putting crackers in the eggs she was bringing, and I've decided to put nickels in the ones I'm bringing. So, that should cut down on candy there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RebeccaS Posted March 23, 2013 Share Posted March 23, 2013 I totally understand your frustration. My oldest dd was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes in May 2012. I always knew she came in contact with a lot of junk food, but really having to watch her food intake made it hit home. If that happened to my dd, the pop would be dumped and I'd let her pick a few pieces of her very favorite candies to enjoy once in a while. The same would hold for her siblings. Our situation is slightly different since all that sugar could send my dd to the hospital, but yeah, we'd dump most of it in the trash. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jhschool Posted March 23, 2013 Share Posted March 23, 2013 Keep the Toblerone if there is any and THROW EVERYTHING ELSE OUT!!!!! Including the soda. Throw away. Garbage can. Tie up the bag and take it to the dumpster outside. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Laurie4b Posted March 23, 2013 Share Posted March 23, 2013 It's very possible that they overplanned the event and had way too much left over and split it up and sent it home with the kids. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
treestarfae Posted March 23, 2013 Share Posted March 23, 2013 Sugar is an addiction plus it's cheap and easy to find. You can have withdrawal symptoms from stopping sugar. It's gross. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PachiSusan Posted March 23, 2013 Share Posted March 23, 2013 <shrugs shoulders>. I just don't have the energy to get upset about things like this. Throw it away if you don't want it and tell your kids not to bring it home if it's not what you do in your family. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Amy in NH Posted March 23, 2013 Share Posted March 23, 2013 I would have just had them leave it at the church when I went to pick them up. Perhaps you should have a discussion with your children about your expectation for them to politely say, "no, thank you," when they are faced with a situation like that next time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GoVanGogh Posted March 23, 2013 Share Posted March 23, 2013 <shrugs shoulders>. I just don't have the energy to get upset about things like this. Throw it away if you don't want it and tell your kids not to bring it home if it's not what you do in your family. To me, it isn't so much expending the energy to be upset, but it is the hypocritical aspect that bugs me. We tell kids all the time to eat more fruits and veggies, from the First Lady down to the family doctor. Then kids are given candy and treats every time they turn around. I greatly enjoyed the book "French kids eat everything." The author compares the food culture in the states vs France. Major difference. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PachiSusan Posted March 23, 2013 Share Posted March 23, 2013 To me, it isn't so much expending the energy to be upset, but it is the hypocritical aspect that bugs me. We tell kids all the time to eat more fruits and veggies, from the First Lady down to the family doctor. Then kids are given candy and treats every time they turn around. I greatly enjoyed the book "French kids eat everything." The author compares the food culture in the states vs France. Major difference. I guess I don't see it as hypocritical. I think people can and should make their own decisions regarding food and if what's presented isn't what one likes to eat...pass it up. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest inoubliable Posted March 23, 2013 Share Posted March 23, 2013 Oh i agree that it isnt necessary to give bags of candy and soda. I just am not surprised by it. Where I live, food connects people and is at every single function. And im not talking celery sticks. Processed stuff galore and even the homemade treats are loaded with empty calories. A fair for children would be loaded with free "goodies" here - whether it be at church, school, or the hospital. Ah. See, it would be odd here, I think. Mostly because so many people have food allergies. Kids aren't even allowed to bring snacks in from home anymore for school lunch. That's really kind of gross, too. Handing out a bunch of free goodies that are loaded with empty calories. Ugh. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest inoubliable Posted March 24, 2013 Share Posted March 24, 2013 I guess I don't see it as hypocritical. I think people can and should make their own decisions regarding food and if what's presented isn't what one likes to eat...pass it up. Except that the free crappy food and drink wasn't handed over to adults who can make good decisions (whether they do or no is another debate). The crap was given to kids. Kids who might've eaten it before handing it over to their parents or even telling their parents that they had it. And what if one of those kids had a food allergy - which is so common these days?? It WAS hypocritical. And stupid. If one part of society says "Eat good things." then another part of a kid's life says "Here you go! Have some free YumYums and Gooples!" what is an impressionable kid going to take away from that? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TechWife Posted March 24, 2013 Share Posted March 24, 2013 I find the whole thing weird. Are they trying to bribe children to attend church with candies? I doubt it. Offering some type of food at a gathering is a tradition in many faith cultures. Many people enjoy food (and candy). It was also a special event, not a normal event. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PachiSusan Posted March 24, 2013 Share Posted March 24, 2013 I think it's because we talk a good talk but we really DON'T value god eating as a whole... Except that the free crappy food and drink wasn't handed over to adults who can make good decisions (whether they do or no is another debate). The crap was given to kids. Kids who might've eaten it before handing it over to their parents or even telling their parents that they had it. And what if one of those kids had a food allergy - which is so common these days?? It WAS hypocritical. And stupid. If one part of society says "Eat good things." then another part of a kid's life says "Here you go! Have some free YumYums and Gooples!" what is an impressionable kid going to take away from that? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TechWife Posted March 24, 2013 Share Posted March 24, 2013 If one part of society says "Eat good things." then another part of a kid's life says "Here you go! Have some free YumYums and Gooples!" what is an impressionable kid going to take away from that? Life is full of contradictory instructions and situations. iThe best thing that parents can do is make sure that their kids know how to think critically about the choices they are presented with so that they can make decisions about how they are going to engage with the world. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest inoubliable Posted March 24, 2013 Share Posted March 24, 2013 *snort* There's not a whole lot of adults in this country making the right food choices. I don't think I'd be confident that their kids are going to end up with the skills to cook good food at home instead of eating at the local McDonalds. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest inoubliable Posted March 24, 2013 Share Posted March 24, 2013 I think it's because we talk a good talk but we really DON'T value god eating as a whole... Erm. Isn't that hypocritical? And you were saying that the situation wasn't hypocritical? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joyofsixreboot Posted March 24, 2013 Author Share Posted March 24, 2013 I wasn't angry so much as dumbfounded by the amount. Perhaps they did overplan. It was done with good intentions I'm sure. We live in a small Midwestern town where food is love. It's everywhere. I talked to the kids and explained it was excessive. We also talked about how treats are fun but if it's all the time they aren't treats anymore. They picked ou the yummiest few things and we pitched the rest. Next time I'll think to prepare them for how to deal with over the top excess. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PachiSusan Posted March 24, 2013 Share Posted March 24, 2013 Not at all :) Our behavior as a society say differently. ETA an explanation that really, I think we're saying some of the same things. In car and on phone. Let me try to explain. I do agree my statement was hypocritical...of society. If we just look around we have most of our experts telling us how we need to eat... Yet our practice of every day eating as a whole has barely changed. Our behavior doesn't match our beliefs. That is what I was talking about. Erm. Isn't that hypocritical? And you were saying that the situation wasn't hypocritical? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest inoubliable Posted March 24, 2013 Share Posted March 24, 2013 Not at all :) Our behavior as a society say differently. LOLwut?? If you say one thing, and do another, that's hypocrisy. I just... my brain hurts. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TechWife Posted March 24, 2013 Share Posted March 24, 2013 Erm. Isn't that hypocritical? And you were saying that the situation wasn't hypocritical? Nope, not unless the specific people who gave out the candy also told them that it was unhealthy and they shouldn't eat it. I don't think situations are hypocritical - people can be, though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PachiSusan Posted March 24, 2013 Share Posted March 24, 2013 In car and on phone. Let me try to explain. I do agree my statement was hypocritical...of society. If we just look around we have most of our experts telling us how we need to eat... Yet our practice of every day eating as a whole has barely changed. Our behavior doesn't match our beliefs. That is what I was talking about. LOLwut?? If you say one thing, and do another, that's hypocrisy. I just... my brain hurts. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mergath Posted March 24, 2013 Share Posted March 24, 2013 I'm pretty black and white on this kind of thing. Dd isn't allowed to have soda, no matter how kindly it is given. Candy is enjoyed in extreme moderation. If someone offers my dd pop, she says, "I can't have that." End of story. It is excessive, though. Very. And OP, please don't bring it to a food shelf. The food at most of them is so crappy to begin with, and dropping off a bunch of pop and a sack of candy isn't going to help. Way back when my dh was unemployed for a long time we had to utilize the food shelf several times, and it was almost impossible to find anything even remotely healthy. Canned tomatoes were like manna from heaven. Kids in a situation with no food stability don't need to be drinking pop and eating candy bars. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sewingmama Posted March 24, 2013 Share Posted March 24, 2013 My kids get a lot of candy at church too...because there are very few children at our church so they get spoiled by a lot of elderly people and their teachers.(not pop though that would send me nuts and I would be saying something about it). I let my kids eat some on the way home from church then collect it all from them and stick it in the back of the cupboard. They always forget about it and then I toss it ( or maybe eat it myself if its good candy...which it usually isn't ) I'm not looking forward to Easter...my kids came home with boatloads of chocolate last year. Most of the kids had gone away for the holiday and my kids where the only ones there.....so they were given ALL the eggs and other people had bought eggs to pass out as well and Again my kids were given ALL of those. Most were tossed when we got home. It really is ridiculous. I wish people would give them books instead LOL Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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