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When my kids went to Montessori, it was a requirement (state? federal? not sure) that the snacks we sent for the entire class followed strict guidelines. Anyone at anytime could walk in to inspect and they could potentially lose their license. Even though it was a pain at times to buy fresh fruit/veggies and healthy snacks only, I'm grateful. How easy would it be to grab junk food and call it a snack for the entire class. This was a private preschool, and semi pricey.

 

Anyway, as far as the original post, yep a pain to get a doctor's note and perhaps over reaching, but with obesity and type II diabetes rates increasing like crazy, it does not bother me. Also, the original blog never gave a reason for the requirement. 

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You may "live in a gray meadow," but you are clearly enraged by this and see it as "government interference" (your words).

This is a _voluntary_ program. You can simply not send your child (or, I guess, as you said you'd do in your original post, you could try to barge in and sit with your child every day and watch them eat a packaged lunch under your watchful eye--though I doubt that would be allowed. Is that more government interference?)

 

As a previous poster asked, is it "Waldorfian interference" if a family, who chooses to use that program, is not allowed to send pop to school with their children?

 

You don't have to send your children to any of these places, but if you do, "my house, my rules."

Haha, who is enraged? Seriously, I am not. Who says govt interference is something to be enraged about? One can choose to insert their emotions on my posts but I am not enraged. Humored mostly. Just because it isn't my cup of tea doesn't make me enraged. One can see things differently without feeling angry.

 

"My house, my rules." That's the same logic used against the natives or was it? ironic either way, isn't it? That one can be possessive over a building, land, child or an organization and therefore decide the rules. Is it right or wrong? This I do not know. I have my suspicions.

 

(To leave no one guessing of my current tone: it is ironic, dry, calm, apologetic, without judgement and reflective).

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Haha, who is enraged? Seriously, I am not. Who says govt interference is something to be enraged about? One can choose to insert their emotions on my posts but I am not enraged. Humored mostly. Just because it isn't my cup of tea doesn't make me enraged. One can see things differently without feeling angry.

 

"My house, my rules." That's the same logic used against the natives or was it? ironic either way, isn't it? That one can be possessive over a building, land, child or an organization and therefore decide the rules. Is it right or wrong? This I do not know. I have my suspicions.

 

(To leave no one guessing of my current tone: it is ironic, dry, calm, apologetic, without judgement and reflective).

 

Seriously, your posts are just getting weirder and weirder. Are you okay?

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Are you familiar with the myriad services Head Start, a completely voluntary program, provides?

 

Is a Waldorf preschool or school overstepping its bounds by telling a parent they cannot send a soda (or pretty much anything processed) along for their child's lunch or snack? Or in that the parents are often required to sign a contract agreeing to restrict electronic media use by their children?

 

I am well aware of what Head Start provides. I lived for 14 years in a high-crime, inner-city neighborhood in Chicago, and I have given much of my life towards social justice, easing the hardships of the poor, and attempting to break down the racial divide in this country. I fully appreciate what Head Start offers, especially because many of my neighbors benefited directly from that program. The government goes too far when it actually restricts a parent's right to provide food for their own child. It's not a fair comparison to the Waldorf school--parents who send their children to a private school have the money to choose another school if they don't like the parameters of the program. The poor, on the other hand, often have a choice between nothing or Head Start. It's fine to offer the food program as an option, but if becomes inappropriate when the program actively prevents a parent from providing food themselves unless they go to the additional expense of getting a doctor's note.

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t's fine to offer the food program as an option, but if becomes inappropriate when the program actively prevents a parent from providing food themselves unless they go to the additional expense of getting a doctor's note.

 

There should be no additional expense.  Period.  All kids should have health insurance, and there should never be co-pays for well- child checks.

 

Likely, a child in Head Start will have Medicaid.  However, I agree that it adds another level of frustration for a busy parent without transportation etc to get to a clinic for a health care/note.  So, imo, we need more government help, not less.  We are a mess, and refusing to help the working poor get a leg up is bassackwards.

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There should be no additional expense.  Period.  All kids should have health insurance, and there should never be co-pays for well- child checks.

 

Likely, a child in Head Start will have Medicaid.  However, I agree that it adds another level of frustration for a busy parent without transportation etc to get to a clinic for a health care/note.  So, imo, we need more government help, not less.  We are a mess, and refusing to help the working poor get a leg up is bassackwards.

 

It's about the expense, the hassle, and the patronizing message that the poor are too stupid to parent their own children. I am well aware that there are many people who ARE stupid parents in the world, but it's not necessarily because they are poor. My experience in the city was that the parents who sought out Head Start programs are often people who are actively trying hard to be good parents. They need to be cheered on, not undermined.

 

Edited to add--The expense can include time off of work for the parents, gas, or public transportation costs. And not all people qualify for Medicaid.

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I am well aware of what Head Start provides. I lived for 14 years in a high-crime, inner-city neighborhood in Chicago, and I have given much of my life towards social justice, easing the hardships of the poor, and attempting to break down the racial divide in this country. I fully appreciate what Head Start offers, especially because many of my neighbors benefited directly from that program. The government goes too far when it actually restricts a parent's right to provide food for their own child. It's not a fair comparison to the Waldorf school--parents who send their children to a private school have the money to choose another school if they don't like the parameters of the program. The poor, on the other hand, often have a choice between nothing or Head Start. It's fine to offer the food program as an option, but if becomes inappropriate when the program actively prevents a parent from providing food themselves unless they go to the additional expense of getting a doctor's note.

I agree.

 

I think a parent should be able to send her child to school with food without requiring a doctor's note. Tax money supports the vast majority of schools in this country but most of them don't require this.

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I agree.

 

I think a parent should be able to send her child to school with food without requiring a doctor's note. Tax money supports the vast majority of schools in this country but most of them don't require this.

 

But Head Start isn't a "school." It's a health, education, and nutrition program for disadvantaged 3 & 4 year olds — nutrition is part of it's mandate. If parents can send whatever food they want, and some parents send total crap, then that undermines one of the key reasons the program exists. Maybe the mother who posted the note on her blog planned to send good nutritious lunches with her kid, but what happens when the next mom sends poptarts and Hawaiian Punch? Many of these kids don't get nutritious food at home — that is the whole point of providing lunches, to ensure that they get at least one decent meal per day. The simplest and fairest way to implement that is to say "every kid in the program eats the provided lunch, unless there's a compelling reason not to."

 

Jackie

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But Head Start isn't a "school." It's a health, education, and nutrition program for disadvantaged 3 & 4 year olds — nutrition is part of it's mandate. If parents can send whatever food they want, and some parents send total crap, then that undermines one of the key reasons the program exists. Maybe the mother who posted the note on her blog planned to send good nutritious lunches with her kid, but what happens when the next mom sends poptarts and Hawaiian Punch? Many of these kids don't get nutritious food at home — that is the whole point of providing lunches, to ensure that they get at least one decent meal per day. The simplest and fairest way to implement that is to say "every kid in the program eats the provided lunch, unless there's a compelling reason not to."

 

Jackie

I am familiar with Head Start and I stand by what I say.

 

If it is necessary to counsel the individual families on nutrition, then do that.

 

Don't make everyone get a doctor's note who wants to provide their own food because some people aren't providing a nutritious lunch. Make the people who send "total crap" <your words, not mine> get a letter from the doctor!

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All of the government meal programs come with long, twisted strings attached.  The idea is to promote accountability so the funding isn't misused. 

 

I agree with other posters that this comes with the territory of a huge government program.

 

 

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But Head Start isn't a "school." It's a health, education, and nutrition program for disadvantaged 3 & 4 year olds — nutrition is part of it's mandate. If parents can send whatever food they want, and some parents send total crap, then that undermines one of the key reasons the program exists. 

Jackie

 

Well said.

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Seems to me that the whole situation is a case of poor communication on the part of the school.

 

Did anyone read what she wrote? Her child's teacher told her to pack a lunch because the child wasn't eating what was provided and then a month later they send the note telling her she can't send a packed lunch. I would say the school created the situation by not knowing the rules of whatever program they are enrolled in and then not fully explaining them to the parents.

 

Yvonne

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I am familiar with Head Start and I stand by what I say.

 

If it is necessary to counsel the individual families on nutrition, then do that.

 

Don't make everyone get a doctor's note who want to provide their own food because some people aren't providing a nutritious lunch. Make the people who send "total crap" <your words, not mine> get a letter from the doctor!

 

So who decides what's "nutritious enough" and what isn't? IMHO it doesn't make sense to force staff to make that decision on a case by case basis for every kid's lunch every day. And then what? Oh, Johnnie brought a good lunch yesterday, but today he has a donut and a bottle of Mountain Dew, so he needs to eat the free lunch instead — except that we didn't know he'd be bringing junk food today, so we only have enough free lunches for the other kids. That's unworkable.

 

And if parents can simply opt out of the nutrition component, why can't they also opt out of the education component? Should it be a parent's right to say "I'm dropping my kid off for the day, but he doesn't like the "schooly" stuff, so he's going to sit over in the corner and play his DSLite all day, ok?"

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And if parents can simply opt out of the nutrition component, why can't they also opt out of the education component? Should it be a parent's right to say "I'm dropping my kid off for the day, but he doesn't like the "schooly" stuff, so he's going to sit over in the corner and play his DSLite all day, ok?"

I'm pretty sure my ds would have been all in favor of attending public school if that was an option. ;)

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So who decides what's "nutritious enough" and what isn't? IMHO it doesn't make sense to force staff to make that decision on a case by case basis for every kid's lunch every day. And then what? Oh, Johnnie brought a good lunch yesterday, but today he has a donut and a bottle of Mountain Dew, so he needs to eat the free lunch instead — except that we didn't know he'd be bringing junk food today, so we only have enough free lunches for the other kids. That's unworkable.

 

And if parents can simply opt out of the nutrition component, why can't they also opt out of the education component? Should it be a parent's right to say "I'm dropping my kid off for the day, but he doesn't like the "schooly" stuff, so he's going to sit over in the corner and play his DSLite all day, ok?"

And how will a letter from the doc stop your proposed scenario above with Johnny and his Mt. Dew? It would seem to me, once a family got a letter, they could bring whatever they want!

 

As for your second paragraph...of course they could "opt out." It's an optional program, right?

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So who decides what's "nutritious enough" and what isn't? IMHO it doesn't make sense to force staff to make that decision on a case by case basis for every kid's lunch every day. And then what? Oh, Johnnie brought a good lunch yesterday, but today he has a donut and a bottle of Mountain Dew, so he needs to eat the free lunch instead — except that we didn't know he'd be bringing junk food today, so we only have enough free lunches for the other kids. That's unworkable.

 

there have already been cases of staff throwing away a child's lunch - claiming it wasn't nutritious (turkey and cheese sandwich) -  and giving that something the child wouldn't eat.  (chicken nuggets - aka: ultra processed mystery meat)

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As for your second paragraph...of course they could "opt out." It's an optional program, right?

 

By "opt out" do you mean that people can just send their kids for free babysitting and have them be exempt from participating in any educational activities?   :confused1:  That was my question.

 

If you mean they can "opt out" by not using the program, of course they can — and people who don't want their kid eating the provided lunches can also opt out by not using the program. That's exactly what several of us have been saying; participation is entirely voluntary. And in the case of lunches, they can even opt out by providing a doctor's note, which seems eminently reasonable to me. 

 

Jackie

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But Head Start isn't a "school." It's a health, education, and nutrition program for disadvantaged 3 & 4 year olds — nutrition is part of it's mandate. If parents can send whatever food they want, and some parents send total crap, then that undermines one of the key reasons the program exists. Maybe the mother who posted the note on her blog planned to send good nutritious lunches with her kid, but what happens when the next mom sends poptarts and Hawaiian Punch? Many of these kids don't get nutritious food at home — that is the whole point of providing lunches, to ensure that they get at least one decent meal per day. The simplest and fairest way to implement that is to say "every kid in the program eats the provided lunch, unless there's a compelling reason not to."

 

Jackie

 

Just how many people do you think actually want to opt out of the meal part of the program? Most are grateful for the food for their little ones. If someone wants to opt out of that aspect of the program, they may actually have a reason for that preference. Personally, my approach would be to try to work with the concerned parent rather than undermining them. Working with the parent would involve an actual conversation, not a hastily-jotted dictate on a flier for home. Working with the parent could involve nutrition counseling, strategies for helping the picky eater, and yes, even allowing the parent to send a lunch.

 

A friend of mine chose to send her daughter to a charter school in Chicago (Noble Schools) that is for underprivileged kids from rough sections of the city. Charter schools in Chicago are public schools. The school also offers both hot breakfast and hot lunch, but participation in the food program is entirely voluntary. It's a model that works.

 

The bottom line is that the parent's role in the child's life should be respected. That idiotic note from the school is demeaning.

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I thought the blog comments were ridiculous. My favorite one?  Call Fox news! People need to untwist their underpants and see if there is any explanation before coming unglued. As others have said, if her kids are in a federally funded daycare, then there are often nutrition guidelines that must be followed if they want to remain a provider. There are reasons for that, and there are exceptions to the rule, as the provider politely explained.

 And really, sending a box of poptarts and a soda, just because you're p!ssed? How motherly. Just one more reason to homeschool? Do you live in a state with homeschool regulations? If so, do you follow them or not?

 

This is exactly what I was thinking, Dot.  I don't understand her reasoning here.

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By "opt out" do you mean that people can just send their kids for free babysitting and have them be exempt from participating in any educational activities? :confused1: That was my question.

 

If you mean they can "opt out" by not using the program, of course they can — and people who don't want their kid eating the provided lunches can also opt out by not using the program. That's exactly what several of us have been saying; participation is entirely voluntary. And in the case of lunches, they can even opt out by providing a doctor's note, which seems eminently reasonable to me.

 

Jackie

By opt out I mean how can they force a child to learn? The child is dropped off...and then what? What if she doesn't want to color or sing or jump? That child is opting out, right?

 

And you didn't answer my question: how will a letter from a doc stop your proposed scenario about Johnny and the Mt. Dew? Once a parent gets a letter, what's to stop the parent from sending whatever she wants?

 

Head Start says that parents are the child's first and most important teacher. It would seem to me that in that role a parent should decide how to feed her child without needing a letter from a doc.

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I was a Head Start Teacher. I can promise you the food is not healthy. We were required to eat it, and I gained 10 pounds. We weren't allowed to send the left over fruit home with the kids. It had to be thrown away. I'm going to stop here, so I won't blow a gasket.

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Just how many people do you think actually want to opt out of the meal part of the program? Most are grateful for the food for their little ones. If someone wants to opt out of that aspect of the program, they may actually have a reason for that preference. Personally, my approach would be to try to work with the concerned parent rather than undermining them. Working with the parent would involve an actual conversation, not a hastily-jotted dictate on a flier for home. Working with the parent could involve nutrition counseling, strategies for helping the picky eater, and yes, even allowing the parent to send a lunch.

 

A friend of mine chose to send her daughter to a charter school in Chicago (Noble Schools) that is for underprivileged kids from rough sections of the city. Charter schools in Chicago are public schools. The school also offers both hot breakfast and hot lunch, but participation in the food program is entirely voluntary. It's a model that works.

 

The bottom line is that the parent's role in the child's life should be respected. That idiotic note from the school is demeaning.

 

I agree that the program did not handle it in the best way, since the teacher seemed unaware of the rule, but I don't think that asking a parent to follow the rules that are in place for that program "undermines" or "demeans" her as a parent, and I think her reaction, and the reactions of the commenters on her blog, are irrationally histrionic.

 

The over-the-top "Call Fox News! Start a petition! The government doesn't own our children!" is ridiculous. If you don't want the government to have any say whatsoever in what your kid eats, then don't enroll him in a government-subsidized nutrition program. If you want to enroll him in that program, and you want to send a packed lunch, then get the doctor's note as requested. It's not a violation of her constitutional rights as a parent to ask that she abide by the rules of a program she voluntarily signed up for.

 

Jackie

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This is a weird and depressing thread.

 

How hard can it possibly be (unless you have no health insurance, because dear god, why would a government want all children to have preventative health care?) to get a Dr.'s note so you can pack your kid a lunch if you want?

Actually, harder than one might think. To tell my story here- when DH was laid off we put the kids on Medicaid. After spending literally an entire workday finding a dr to take us as new patients, we drove two hours to the appointment. When we got there and saw the doc, he laughed in my face (actually laughed!) when I told him my daughter had Celiacs. Then he told me that it was impossible at her age, and if she really had it, why didn't I have a formal diagnosis? We were there to get a specialist referral, which we did not get. Then, three months later when I applied for WIC, I needed a note to get the dairy free package. A totally difference drs practice gave me a 15 minute lecture about healthy nutrition and a referral to a nutritionist, who then finally gave me the note at a separate appointment. So really, it can be a problem.

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I was a Head Start Teacher. I can promise you the food is not healthy. We were required to eat it, and I gained 10 pounds. We weren't allowed to send the left over fruit home with the kids. It had to be thrown away. I'm going to stop here, so I won't blow a gasket.

This. I volunteered at Head Start during part of my nutrition degree, the foods were horrendous! Johnnie with donut and Mountain Dew was not much worse than the provided mac and cheese and chocolate milk. So no one should kid themselves into thinking HS is a model for good nutrition.

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School food varies, and that includes Head Start programs. Nobody claims  that Big Agra doesn't have school food programs by the marbles, but some schools try harder than others. I'm living in a 'try harder' district.  I consider the food to be pretty good, and of the quality many people can't afford. I do think  mac & cheese is better than Mountain Dew and PopTart.  School food is progressing. Slowly...but it is progressing. And folks who don't want government money used to feed poor children are not helping this progress any faster.

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Maybe she believes the hype that all publicity is good publicity? Maybe the goal here is to attract blog traffic?

 

 

An interesting theory.  If I cared about blog traffic, I am smart enough to woo you, but I don't care. I am not everyone's cup of tea, and prefer interesting conversation.  I happen to think it was interesting situation.  I don't mind anyone's opposing views. Of course, it is typical to deflect from conversation by proposing such questions.  It might make others arguments stronger or not depending on the individual.  Hey, if it works for you, I say go for it.  Question away. ;)

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When you open a daycare, you can choose to accept payments from the Gov't to pay for the cost of foods for children.  But, everyone must eat those foods unless they have dietary restrictions which must be recognized by a health care provider.  If you want to send food with your kids, then you need to choose a child care that does not accept those gov't payments.  

 

Correct. My dd went to HeadStart. We were not allowed to supply a packed lunch, because they were required to provide "healthy" nutrition to the children. HeadStarts aren't all owned by the same entity. Our HS was privately owned, but received federal funds. All of their meals were catered by a local grocery store. No salt or butter or anything of that sort. They had to report (federally) how many meals were served each day, etc.

 

HOWEVER, if I chose to pick up my child for lunch and feed them whatever I chose to then that was my business. They weren't trying to control what my child ate at other times or anything like that. They were actually trying to teach the children to eat nutritious foods. My daughter expanded her tastes greatly while at HS. She eats veggies like a champ!

 

What HS did for my family and for many other families whose children may not even be eating every day was phenominal. The children brushed their teeth twice a day while there, too, because many of the children didn't know how to brush their teeth, wash their hands, etc. In addition, many children had severe allergies in which bringing in outside food could have been quite dangerous.

 

My children also go to a low income elementary school. Pop and fast food are not allowed on the school grounds. Each child is required to eat certain food groups. Veggies, fruits, milk, etc. They also receive federal funds for this. I go back and forth on this one. I understand the no pop issue. And I can comply with the no fast food request. However, my dd doesn't have a diagnosed milk allergy but gets a really bad rash on her arms when she drinks milk. She still has to take the milk. The nurse told her to just open it and not drink it. The teachers can't make the kids EAT anything particular. Frustrating, but not worth a fit. She takes the milk and opens it, but doesn't drink it. She also gets juice and I have given her a water bottle that she keeps filled for when she's thirsty. Perfect? No. But what is?

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This. I volunteered at Head Start during part of my nutrition degree, the foods were horrendous! Johnnie with donut and Mountain Dew was not much worse than the provided mac and cheese and chocolate milk. So no one should kid themselves into thinking HS is a model for good nutrition.

 

Remember, though, that not all HSs are owned by the same entity. Ours had excellent foods. Healthy.

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An interesting theory.  If I cared about blog traffic, I am smart enough to woo you, but I don't care. I am not everyone's cup of tea, and prefer interesting conversation.  I happen to think it was interesting situation.  I don't mind anyone's opposing views. Of course, it is typical to deflect from conversation by proposing such questions.  It might make others arguments stronger or not depending on the individual.  Hey, if it works for you, I say go for it.  Question away. ;)

 

Most of us here enjoy "interesting conversation." I don't find smug sarcasm all that interesting, though. 

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absolutely absurd.  I'd be raising holy heck. does that district get money according to the number of students who receive the lunches? 

 

Yes, as far as I know. Our HS received funds based on how many lunches/breakfasts served each DAY. The info was recorded and submitted to their funding partners. I know this because I served on policy council for HS.

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I don't see it that way at all. I see it as a government program that ensure children get nutritionally sound meals. 

 

 

Are you familiar with the myriad services Head Start, a completely voluntary program, provides?

 

Is a Waldorf preschool or school overstepping its bounds by telling a parent they cannot send a soda (or pretty much anything processed) along for their child's lunch or snack? Or in that the parents are often required to sign a contract agreeing to restrict electronic media use by their children?

 

 

I don't see it as an intrusion when it's a federally funded program that is completely voluntary.t.  If an official came over to my house to require I not give my kids a Happy Meal or put a list of nutrition guidelines I was told I had to follow on my fridge-that would be an intrusion.  Enrolling my kid in a program that is in no way required and having to comply with their rules just wouldn't phase me in the least.

 

I picked these three quotes to reply to mostly because it's RARE that I disagree with KK or nmoira, but primarily because they are representative of many of the opinions stated in this thread.

 

I absolutely say yes, it is overstepping for the government to decide that I cannot pack a lunch for my children.  I do not care that the Head Start program is voluntary.  I understand that there are specific nutrition guidelines for publicly funded education programs, but there is no guarantee that a) the child will eat the food provided (because schools don't FORCE them to eat, of course); b) overall nutrition is balanced throughout the day, and so one meal does not a full diet make; c) many of the items that my kids have to choose from certainly are not particularly healthy; and d) the kids can take an entire meal, as required, but only eat the dessert or tater tots.  This would apply even at Head Start level where they may not have a choice about what is served.

 

I do understand the intent, but just like the "Zero Tolerance" rules that have had, in many cases, completely ridiculous results, this policy also violates common sense in that there is no guarantee that the child will be better nourished from school food than from what a parent sends.  

 

And no, I would not pay a co-pay to get a doctor's note to send to school so i could send what I want.  In fact, parents' reasons for sending in their own food are likely not medical in most cases at all, so in fact it would be yet another hoop that the parents have to go through to participate, and in most cases would be a bogus excuse anyway.  

 

Yes, it's voluntary, but to me it's very much along the same lines of the people who complain that EBT users don't buy the food that "they" think should be bought.  The government does not say that those families can't buy white bread or Cheetos (and I don't think they should), so why should they be able to tell me, as a parent, that I can't pack my own child's lunch?  I'm not into it at all. 

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An interesting theory. If I cared about blog traffic, I am smart enough to woo you, but I don't care. I am not everyone's cup of tea, and prefer interesting conversation. I happen to think it was interesting situation. I don't mind anyone's opposing views. Of course, it is typical to deflect from conversation by proposing such questions. It might make others arguments stronger or not depending on the individual. Hey, if it works for you, I say go for it. Question away. ;)

If you joined this forum looking for interesting conversation, it will serve you no purpose to immediately respond with sarcastic and defensive comments to those who disagree with your point of view. If you need everyone to agree with everything you post, perhaps this forum isn't the best fit for you. Honestly, if your goal is to prove to us that you're "not everyone's cup of tea," you seem to be on the right track so far, and I think that's unfortunate.

 

We welcome new members here and most fit in pretty quickly, so I'm hoping you will do the same. My best advice to you is to lighten up a little and lose the attitude. You seem very nice in other threads, but perhaps it's because no one disagreed with you. Whatever the case, I really wish you'd drop the sarcasm and get to know some of us before you start alienating people. We're nicer than you seem to think we are. :)

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These guidelines are really much less about making sure the kids eat a nutritious lunch and much, much more about keeping the centers accountable for the money they get. My friend was the director of a daycare center that got federal money and they had to run a very tight ship accountabilitywise. She had to be able to back up every single meal served and absence etc. It was an extraordinary amount of paperwork.

 

That center served fantastic food. It was largely vegan (beans and rice are cheap and go far) and always very nutritious. My friend and the cook used to have a running joke about counting every grain of rice and black bean, because they all had to be accounted for.

 

I am curious if those who are the most suspicious of the intentions of the 'government daycare center' wouldn't also be the first to wave the flag of 'government waste' if half the kids brought lunch so half of what was prepared was unnecessary. Do I think a doctor's note is over the top? yes, I do. I am very aware of the practical almost impossibility of dealing with the medicaide system. I also know that publicly funded schools demand the same accountability for absences etc for the same reason. However, given our current 'funding environment' I know that every daycare is desperate for every single dollar they can get. And as we all know, desperate times makes for desperate measures. If any reason can be used to take away funding dollars from a daycare center, then we end up with some pretty silly results. The problem isn't the results but the requirements that make such things happen to begin with.

 

Then again, the government shutdown means that many headstart kids aren't going to their pre-school and aren't getting their lunch, so that should make lots of you happy.

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Guest inoubliable

An interesting theory.  If I cared about blog traffic, I am smart enough to woo you, but I don't care. I am not everyone's cup of tea, and prefer interesting conversation.  I happen to think it was interesting situation.  I don't mind anyone's opposing views. Of course, it is typical to deflect from conversation by proposing such questions.  It might make others arguments stronger or not depending on the individual.  Hey, if it works for you, I say go for it.  Question away. ;)

 

o.0

 

1 - I doubt it. You seem overly sarcastic and defensive with low self esteem, not witty. And you've hardly participated in this interesting conversation. 

2 - There are some people here who have made this an interesting conversation. You're not one of them. I hope you're getting something out of this.

3 - No one is trying to deflect from any conversation with you. You are. With your sarcasm and shitty attitude. But hey, if it works for you, go for it. 

4 - No one has questioned you on the topic you started either, except to wonder if you're suffering from a chemical imbalance or a need for blog traffic. 

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It gives me the sadz, and while he is furloughed DH decided to volunteer with a local charity that is trying to fill that void as best it can.

 

Kudos to your DH! There are a lot of FEMA people here who are sitting at home, twiddling their thumbs. Most don't know where they can help out, others live too far outside of town to do much (the cost to drive into town would quickly eat up their savings). 

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I ran a licensed daycare that used the same "food program" involved with the preschool in the OP's link. The supplement/reimbusement allowed me to keep prices relatively low.

 

They regularly inspected my home, kitchen, meals. They audited my menu plans, receipts, and documents.

 

Outside food would have made me non compliant, removed me from the system, and increased my daycare prices.

 

The truth is that you DO give up some say and control when you choose (or have to) use other care. But please don't be ignorant about the rules and regulations and reasons behind it if you are going to be critical.

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I googled "Federal Programs Preschool" and this was the first hit:

 

http://www.henrico.k12.va.us/instruction/Elementary/Preschool.html

 

 

It would seem that it IS a Head Start.

You can click through and see the menus offered at the various elementary schools that host the preschools. Pictures, ingredient lists, nutrition breakdown.

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I picked these three quotes to reply to mostly because it's RARE that I disagree with KK or nmoira, but primarily because they are representative of many of the opinions stated in this thread.

 

I absolutely say yes, it is overstepping for the government to decide that I cannot pack a lunch for my children.  I do not care that the Head Start program is voluntary.  I understand that there are specific nutrition guidelines for publicly funded education programs, but there is no guarantee that a) the child will eat the food provided (because schools don't FORCE them to eat, of course); B) overall nutrition is balanced throughout the day, and so one meal does not a full diet make; c) many of the items that my kids have to choose from certainly are not particularly healthy; and d) the kids can take an entire meal, as required, but only eat the dessert or tater tots.  This would apply even at Head Start level where they may not have a choice about what is served.

 

I do understand the intent, but just like the "Zero Tolerance" rules that have had, in many cases, completely ridiculous results, this policy also violates common sense in that there is no guarantee that the child will be better nourished from school food than from what a parent sends.  

 

And no, I would not pay a co-pay to get a doctor's note to send to school so i could send what I want.  In fact, parents' reasons for sending in their own food are likely not medical in most cases at all, so in fact it would be yet another hoop that the parents have to go through to participate, and in most cases would be a bogus excuse anyway.  

 

Yes, it's voluntary, but to me it's very much along the same lines of the people who complain that EBT users don't buy the food that "they" think should be bought.  The government does not say that those families can't buy white bread or Cheetos (and I don't think they should), so why should they be able to tell me, as a parent, that I can't pack my own child's lunch?  I'm not into it at all. 

 

 

As a daycare/preschool owner, I chose to forbid outside food and lunches in order to comply with the food program and be reimbursed (which kept costs lower).

The food program administration is not going to reimburse without oversight and accountability. If institutions do not get the reimbursement, costs will go up. (because none of us do this simply because we love kids).

 

If you don't want to comply, don't use that daycare or preschool.

 

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