General Chat

Its not very often I get on my soap box, but I feel as it's my birthday I'm entitled too......... it has been decided that if children of primary school age take snacks that are deemed unhealthy to school, they will be confiscated. Who the h*ll do they think they are, dictating what we should and shouldn't feed our children? My girls take a packed lunch to school, they have pasta, fruit, yoghurt and a SMALL bar of chocolate or biscuit, which I feel is balanced, if anyone so much as dares to take anything off them, god will I be angry....... thank you for listening Teri x

we will soon be told at what rate we are allowed to breathe,its getting ridiculous now

Sounds like sandwich boxes at dawn, but you are right you are the Mammy X

We have had this argument with our daughters school and apparently it is to bring all the UK schools into the same policy of healthy eating.....and the other point stated was certain foods that cause allergies were not allowed to be taken into school....!!!!!!!!! X

i remeber when i used to get packed lunches! the first time my stepdad made me one he put a choccie bar in there and the dinnerlady took it off me!!! my ma went MAD!!! xx

I had a row with the girls head teacher at the end of term about it, its all down to money, if a school gains a 'healthy eating' creditation, then it gets more funding, once again at the expense of the pupils, they havealso been asked not to send sweets on your childs birthday, butto buy a book for the class instead..... I'm sending a bag of carrots......LOL

HAPPY BIRTHDAY Teri!!! Sorry to hear you're having hassles! Keep smiling (and cracking me up!!) love becx

Cheers Bec, drop by the welcome in later for a slice of cake and a ride on the tractor x x

Your children seem to have a very balanced diet, this is not the case with some parents unfortunatley, I think its good idea, obesity is a huge problem these days and if it teaches healthy eating its a good idea, only my opinion. roxanne

Teri, 1st of all Happy Birthday, and 2nd I'm with you on this one, if we want our kids to eat healthy, then a small treat for eating the pasta, fruit, and othe things is what I call a compromise, and isn't that the grown up way, it is bretter than tan-trums.... Bev

I agree totally Roxanne, but I just think its a shame. When they get to senior school, they mostly operate a canteen system and the 'snack confiscation' won't be done, so its undo-ing all the hard work...... chips with everything I don't want my children growing up thinking that certain foods are 'bad', this will just make them want them all the more (bit like me and chocolate) I have terrible relation with food because of this and hence I have a weight problem, thats not the way I want my girls to go, everything in moderation, surely is better than NO! they need more food education in schools........ starting with the parents

Our school does not permit anyone to bring nuts to school as we have a child who has a severe allergy. Our headteacher has also recently banned the bringing in of sweets to school when a child has a birthday to celebrate. This has caused a bit of a hoohaa, but on the other hand, sweets aren't a necessary part of a child's diet and it is hard to say that a school promotes healthy eating and then allows lots of sugary snacks. last year we took part in a scheme which gave all the infants a piece of fruit or veg each day - apples, carrots, bananas and satsumas. The junior children are allowed to bring in their own piece of fruit and this has been a successful scheme so far. nell

Teri, Happy Birthday! And I agree with you. It's not for the school to say what children can and can't eat. My son took snack lunches to school which always included a selection of crisps, chocolate, biscuits, cake and fruit. I lost count of the number of battered apples, half-eaten satsumas, etc he brought home, as they weren't allowed to put food rubbish in the school bins, but the other stuff was always eaten. I let him have what he liked for lunch because he had a good, old-fashioned, home-cooked dinner every evening with us, when his Dad came home from work. Dinner in our house always includes plenty of veg or salad and fruit afterwards. He's never put on much weight - 10st 7lb at 5ft 10in tall, he has very good skin, healthy hair and has never had a tooth filled in his 26 years. He eats fruit and vegetables every day now of his own accord. If it was me, I'd tell the school where to get off. Damned cheek! They're there to teach, not to preach. CB >|<

My old school did! 46 years ago there used to be petticoat inspections in case we were trying to puff out our regulation skirts with frilly net petticoats, and if you were noticed during the inspection, wearing anything other than the regulation grey bloomers, you were straight to the headmistresses' room!!

teri hope you had a good birthday! You sound like you give your kids a balanced lunch but trust me not all parents are like you.... I know mine weren't!! I think limiting the amount of junk food kids eat is a sensible thing..... and if they do it right it won't be depriving the child just showing them that there is a time and a place for certain foods!! And we too had to wear a ceratin colour of underwear with our uniform..... especially for sports.... BOTTLE GREEN of all colours!! :O) Pink xx

Sorry - i am with the school. It isn't making an issue about food, its only you doing that! Why does a child need chocolate in their lunchbox? If you are using the chocolate as a reward for eating everything else then you , agian , are making an issue out of food. What they are tring to do is HELP you as parents to encourage your children to eat healthily- if school dinner were an option now would you have a problem with them giving your child chips everyday? I guess ''probably''. If no-one has chocolate then they aren't going to miss it - if you feel that your child needs that chocolate then meet her at the school gates at the end of the day and eat it going home. They are on your side here, not fighting you! Please dont put your child in the position, that food that you know to be forbidden ,is taken away from her.that isn't fair. She could see that as Punishment for something she hasn't done. Jess

Hope you had a great birthday Teri. Our school gives fruit for free everyday to key stage one children but soon as they are in key stage 2 they stop, why? As to healthy food only, thats ok to a point but i have a child who is extremely fussy, born premature, has dyspraxia so in early days of learning to eat had a few problems i would be really stuck with him. Ok he will eat sandwiches and fruit but i would be stuck after that and too much brown bread gives him the diahorrea so it would have to be white. Also my concern is storing the the sandwich boxes in a hot cupboard in a hot classroom its bad enough have warm sandwiches but warm salad etc would not entice kids to eat healthy. Star

I think schools should get on with teaching and let parents do the parenting, as someone has already said, they will be telling us which colour pants to wear next. June xx

I am all for healthy eating (says her who is don't practice what she preach) but i object to being dictated to. I think the school should not take these items away from the children at school, but could contact the parent and ask if they would mind not putting choc bars in the childs lunch box. Also to take these off a child in front of other children would embarrass the child. I have to say i would react as you did. Shirley Ann.

If you're feeding a child a balanced diet, there is nothing wrong with a lunchbox containing a sandwich containing cheese, ham, chicken or peanut butter, plus a chocolate biscuit or bag of crisps and an apple, banana or satsuma. Carbohydrate is a necessary part of a child's diet to give them energy and help see them through the day. Once again, the majority of sensible people are being penalised because of a minority of 'can't be bothereds'. Why should everyone else be dictated to because of inadequate parents? Schools should be encouraging more physical activity to promote a healthy lifestyle, and parents should take more care over what children are given to eat at home when they're toddlers. If you get them used to eating vegetables and fruit when they're small, they may of course develop individual tastes later on, but the chances are there is something they will like. I used to hate being forced to drink school milk when I was little. I've never liked milk, and I used to give my bottle to other children who wanted too, but if the teacher caught me, I was told off. I got milk in milkshakes, batter dishes, puddings, etc, at home - I didn't need it. Now, I don't see why everybody has to be forbidden things and be treated the same because some children are overweight. Some people are naturally a heavier build and 'one size does NOT fit all'. Has Communism really taken such a hold in this country? CB >|<