What a shock, I live in Alabama(of course I do live in a large suburan area with their own school district). Who says that the south is the last to progress?
GONZATI 3/9/08 2:56 P
I want to live where you live. Here in Indiana they have just caught up to locking out the soda mschines during the day. School lunches are still a wash here at this point so I have to pack a nice lunch for the boys.
Tiffini
KANDI117 3/9/08 12:27 P
I don't know what your school systems are like but where I am from the health department have put restrictions on the school lunches. In my kid's schools they aren't even given the choice of chocolate milk anymore. Everything is baked not fried. And the junk food offered in the lunch room is baked chips, pretzels, and frozen juice pops. The only choices for the elementary kids are the hot lunch provided or a deli sandwich that comes with fruit. Yes the teachers will throw holiday parties in their classroom that will have candy, cookies, brownies but this is trully a treat since a normal school day none of that is allowed. However, even the parties aren't a total sugar overload. Most of the time fruit juice boxes are the drinks offered. And pretzels, fruit, and crackers are also offered for those who don't or can't indulge in the sugary stuff.
GONZATI 3/8/08 1:32 P
I know what you mean. My kids take a lunch every day and I make sure it is "balanced". I found out that they let the kids switch foods at lunch, which really bent me the wrong way. THe 4th grade had a pizza party and so (since my son has difficulty processing dairy, but can have an occasional slice) I brought in about 10 pounds of grapes for the kids. THey were actually going to give the kids just pizza, not even one iwht a veg on it, as their lunch for that day. THey even gave the kids hawaiin punch as the drink. Instead of wigging out on the school I just offered to bring in the fruits for everyone to share. My other son;s class wanted to know if I brought them for their class...
For now on, I offer to bring in something healthy for the kids when they have a reward party. My kids will fillup mostly on the fruits, but still want the junk. My oldest son, 11, has about 8 kids in his class that do not behave and he is following. I think that their behavior has to do with their eating habits. There are only two kids in his class that bring a lunch to school and he is one of them.
I told the fourth grade teacher that they need to change their practices and that it's no wonder that Indiana is always one of the fattest states in this country. I weigh 169 pounds and I am considered thin be Indiana standards... SAD, SAD, SAD. (I guess when I finish losing weight I will look like a supermodel, huh?)
Tiffini
ZENCANDY 3/8/08 10:34 A
That is somewhat the attitude I have been forced to take. "If you feed him sugar, don't come crying to me." Because I have warned them. They seem to think that they are smarter and "know" my son better than I do - they insist that something is "wrong with him." But, I insist that something is "Wrong with them," that they would NOT expect kids to have trouble in school after eating so much sugar. Even as an adult, if I eat sugary stuff I find it hard to concentrate and get pretty hypered up. LOL
MIMI_SDF 3/8/08 9:28 A
I too have voiced my concernes over the years my children have been in school about the amount of sugary snacks or rewards my children have been given. I do not have an autistic child, but still worry about their sugar intake for health and teeth reasons. I am very involved in classroom celebrations and have taught other parents over the years that sugar free, caffeine free sodas are just as big a treat as those filled with sugar and caffeine. I am also more likely to bring up order the children a pizza then a cake (a bit healthier I suppose). The teachers haven't changed their behaviors of offering lollipops and other candy as rewards, but I have taught the majority of my children to choose healthier, long lasting rewards (stickers, pencils, etc . . . ). My SS is aspbergers and will get the candy everytime. I have warned the teachers what will happen if they give him sugar, and they choose to anyhow, so I do not feel sorry for them if he begins to become hyperactive in the classroom. If they call, I ask if they gave him sugar, they say yes, I say deal with him then.
JIBBIE49 3/8/08 6:29 A
I understand why some people "HomeSchool" a child like yours. He's in a difficult situation for him.
ZENCANDY 3/7/08 4:22 P
My son is a 5 yr old Kindergartner. I have to say I have been more than a little disappointed with the school's/teachers' choices of rewards and celebratory sugar feasts for the kids.
I first asserted my concern after being informed that my child was autistic, because he couldn't focus and become hyped up and violent. He continued the behavior at home and when it hit me, I asked him what he ate for lunch at school. His only answers were "Brownies and Cinnamon Rolls." I also have no doubt that the drink he chose was one of the sugared up flavored milks offered.
I quit paying for school lunch and opted for sending his lunch. Very healthy choices, mostly organic and virtually no processed sugary foods.
Much to my dismay, this did not help curb his sometimes wildly uncontrollable behavior at times - even though I had informed the school that he was not autistic or ADD, he just can't handle the amount of sugar he was being fed.. because we've never been heavy sugar-eaters.
They completely ignored me. They don't see anything wrong with rewarding good behavior with trips to the "Candy Treasure Box." Thankfully, I let my son choose small toys to put in the box and he will choose those rather than the candy. But, they often send him home with lollipops, sweettarts, and various other candy.. though, I have repeatedly told them that we do not eat that stuff and that it makes him hypercrazy.
I was asked to bring sugary sweet soda (which we don't drink in our home) to the Thanksgiving Feast, well.. I showed up with soda - but I opted for the sugar free caffiene free variety.. which was quickly hidden away and the kids cups filled with the norm.. straight COKE.
After seeing the choices made available to children at school, I no longer allow my child to eat a school lunch. It is no surprise to me that they have so much trouble with concentration, focus, behavior in school when they feed the kids a lunch that includes atleast one "dessert," the choice of whatever sugared up flavored milk they want.. and then reward them with lollipops and what have you.
I cringe whenever they are having a special "event" because I know it will include tons of sweets with virtually no nutritional value at all..
I have made my voice heard at the principal level, but I don't see any support.. most of the other parents seem to feed the unhealthy love of sugar rather than providing these kids with a healthy foundation of nutritional value.
We had to bring in a special GREEN colored snack for the entire class.. My son wanted to take pickles? No, the other children won't eat those. Cucumbers? No. He suggested brocolli with dip? No. They finally agreed to let him bring grapes after shooting down all his other healthy choices. Other parents had no problems bringing in cupcakes and cookies frosted in their "color of the day."
Just a friendly warning about your local public schools and the lack of nutrition your children receive if you don't pack a well balanced lunch (and snack) for them.
