School/Parent provided snack

[PixiesPlayhouse]

Trianna's school sent home a "Snack Calendar" . It looks like each child brings in a snack for the class, on a rotating schedule.

This upset me. Trianna is very sugar/carb sensitive. I just don't trust other parents to bring in a snack that is up to my standards. We try to eat as much organic as possible. What should I do? I don't want those pre-packaged gummy crap on her teeth! (Not trying to start a debate.....no offense intended to parents who do this)

I feel like I have no control over what she is eating, and this really bothers me. We live in a very backwoods town. I am not ready to give up my rights to feed my daughter healthy food!

[Marisa]

Hmm. Not sure what I would do. With Brianna's school the parents also sign up to bring snack but there are guidelines. Did they send anything like that to you? Maybe tell them she's allergic to xyz and see if they'll let the other parents know. Just because it's a choice doesn't mean it should be treated any differently IMO. Would they accept nuts knowing there is someone in the class with a nut allergy? I think not!

[lizirroja]

I just hate it when parents have to worry about snack. I hope the price is good...I figure that is what I pay for...for them to deal with feeding my kids. LOL

[PixiesPlayhouse]

I just hate it when parents have to worry about snack. I hope the price is good...I figure that is what I pay for...for them to deal with feeding my kids. LOL

Thats the weird things.....this is 1st grade...public school. Why is the Teacher/School feeding my child a snack to begin with?

[Brookepanda]

Thats the weird things.....this is 1st grade...public school. Why is the Teacher/School feeding my child a snack to begin with?

yeah...that's weird IMO

sucks that now you freaking have to even worry about this....

[Kellie_MO5]

That *is* odd... we never had a snack time in elementary school.. there was school, recess (where you could eat your own snack, if you wanted, I guess), class, lunch, class, home.. no snack time... Just odd, if you ask me

[Kellie_MO5]

Also... public school.. they can't require you to bring a class snack, can they?

[Colleen&Kail]

are there any guidlines? is this a classroom thing or a school thing? (the snacks)

[PixiesPlayhouse]

are there any guidlines? is this a classroom thing or a school thing? (the snacks)

There were no guidelines sent home, so I am assuming none were sent out. She has a sub today, so I can't ask.

I am not sure if this is school wide or just her class.

The school also does not allow them to dress up for Halloween. WTH? It's too distracting, they say. Yet they have a carnival that day........I am in the process of writing a letter to the Principal and Superintendent.

[Colleen&Kail]

when the teacher gets back i would ask her, if she made it up for just her class then i would suggest tellig her to make some guidlines. you dont want every parnt bringing in Ho-Ho's for snack.lol

[wyattsmama]

that's REALLY weird they're doing that in a public elementary school.

i can say that i worked at a preschool that did this, and they had guidelines, and there were always very healthy snacks. it was also up to the teachers to make sure that the students with allergies to certain things weren't given them if they were included in the snack.
you could tell the teacher that trianna will not be participating in it, and you will send her with her own snack everyday. that is totally your right as her parent.

[Theresa]

I don't see 1st grade being offered a snack by parents; that's strange. On the Halloween thing though--Alexis' school didn't participate in costumes last year. I was pissed for a minute, but with so many different views on the holiday, out of respect I can see not doing it. There was a fall festival instead.

[TaivensMama]

we are also not allowed to wear costumes and have a fall festival instead ditto on the different beliefs and such....

But with the food Tay's school has a strict food policy and there are guidlines when snacks are brought in, even for bdays you have to send a healthy snack...I would approach it that way, saying she is sensetive to xyz and you don't want her just eating any ol' thing...and you need to know that other parents know they can't just brings cupcakes and cookies for snacks either....maybe suggest she sends out a flyer with some high protien all natural suggestions as it will fuel the kids for a good day and not hype them up...

[Lorah]

There were no guidelines sent home, so I am assuming none were sent out. She has a sub today, so I can't ask.

I am not sure if this is school wide or just her class.

The school also does not allow them to dress up for Halloween. WTH? It's too distracting, they say. Yet they have a carnival that day........I am in the process of writing a letter to the Principal and Superintendent.

VERY odd about the snack....they cannot require you to bring one just fyi. Sounds like the teacher is new to the profession?!?!

Halloween, ya, that's becoming more common to not allow it.

On the Halloween thing though--Alexis' school didn't participate in costumes last year. I was pissed for a minute, but with so many different views on the holiday, out of respect I can see not doing it. There was a fall festival instead.


we are also not allowed to wear costumes and have a fall festival instead ditto on the different beliefs and such....


:yeah to Theresa and Seasyn...
That's how I am starting to look at it too..I do appreciate the respect for the beliefs and religions and such...its easier to just not do something than to try to please everyone with all their beliefs...kwim?..I mean, take Christmas time for example....DANG that would be a lot of different holidays needed to be celebrated and such! I do like it when they provide the alternate festival though...I think that's great!

School is for education, not for celebrating holidays....unfortunately...

[lizirroja]

Oh now that is just weird....snacks in 1st grade? Aw, the things I get to look forward to.

[lmfike]

Jules class has a snack wishlist that includes crackers like cheez its, ritz and I forget what other kinds were mentioned. The parents are asked to donate to that and its handed out for snack every day. Then on Tues the parents are to supply a healthy snack like applesace, cut up apples, (forgot the other suggestions). The Tues thing I think is because school gets out at noon therefore the kids don't take a lunch to school.

[PixiesPlayhouse]

I completely understand religious beliefs......that is fine. Since I have starnge ones myself (I am far from Christian/Catholic/Methodist/Jewish in any way) However to say it is because it distracts, and then have a carnival? I should mention that they let the kinders dress up.......

[My3sonsplus1]

I completely understand religious beliefs......that is fine. Since I have starnge ones myself (I am far from Christian/Catholic/Methodist/Jewish in any way) However to say it is because it distracts, and then have a carnival? I should mention that they let the kinders dress up.......


FWIW I absolutely found halloween/dressing up to be "distracting". The kids are forever yacking about their costumes and fiddling with the accessories, and not being able to sit still because their cool costume is hot/itchy/uncomfortable to sit in, and staring at everyone elses. No academia can happen on that day really. Not that I don't think kids can use an "off" day every once in a while, but can't miss a day or learning in PS...

[PixiesPlayhouse]

My feeling is that they should use it as a learning experience. I understand the distraction of the costume, but the kids are excited anyway (considering it's Halloween). They are having a carnival, which is exciting/distracting.Why not let them dress up and do something different? Outside? Count how many people are ghosts, princess, pirates? How do you spell pumpkin? Lets count the seeds in the pumpkin, after opening?

[Lynette]

Alaina's pre-school sends home a snack calendar but you should see the guidelines, it is like two pages long :giggle I don't remember ever doing that for Salina's class in first grade though, how strange. It might be rough with peer pressure and all, but maybe it is a good lesson for her to make good food choices for herself? :dunno

[FTM2Hannah]

As I recall, your DD is going to school in a district I used to teach in. My "take" on the snack is this: I remember many students who did not come to school with a snack. It directly affected their learning and the students around them as they often acted out behavior wise. Maybe the teacher is trying to make sure everyone has a snack?

IMHO, a "Halloween" parade is more than sufficient. I do NOT celebrate it as it conflicts drastically with my religious beliefs and I dislike it when Halloween is shoved in my face. I'm so glad that Hannah's preschool doesn't celebrate Halloween or let the kids wear costumes. :)

[Kellie_MO5]

you could tell the teacher that trianna will not be participating in it, and you will send her with her own snack everyday. that is totally your right as her parent.
:yeah

and as far as Holloween, I totally understand not allowing costumes.. not everyone celebrates it (at all), some kids would come in with inapropriate costumes (too scary, gory, sluty) and I would just see it as a teachers nightmare

[PixiesPlayhouse]

The issue with costumes is not religious/belief related, and that is my problem. If it was I would understand it. For it to be belief related you shouldn't celebrate the holiday at all.

[TaivensMama]

I guess when they say it would be distracting they mean that during time they are trying to teach they dont want everyone pointing at joey because he is a clown and cracking up during her lesson, or everyone wanting to try on graces fairy wings and the difference of wearing constumes and having a carnival is the children would be able to do the carnival during the permitted carnival time and not during lesson time...

[becky]

wow i have missed a ton on this thread and it seems most bases are already covered. I can totally understand where you are coming from about the snacks. Maybe the school just forgot to include the whole guidelines handout or at least i hope that is the case.

I can remember growing up and not being able to celebrate halloween and dress up but it wasn't because it wasn't allowed but more like it was against my religion at the time. As a kid it was difficult but now that its not allowed in schools i feel like my kids are missing out :(

[Theresa]

so kindergarten gets to dress up? that's weird too. the kids at alexis' school were also distracted with the goings on outside during the festival time too. will you post when you get a response? i'd be interested in finding out what their reasoning is. i just thought it was way better to just do a fall celebration rather than please everyone.

as far as snacks, i can see the point that some kids might not have snacks, but at the same time---how would those family be able to contribute to purchasing snacks for the entire class? is there a free/reduced food program? i'd be interested in hearing their rationale for this too.

[hlebakos]

i did a monthly HEALTHY snack calendar for my kindergarten kids and it worked out really well. if a parent sent a sugary/crappy snack it was sent back and i pulled something from our reserve stash. then the parent was given a note requesting that they replenish the healthy snack from our reserves. it did ensure that everyone had something to nibble on to get them through the morning. ahhhh... i miss my sweet little class of kinders.....

btw, being brought up as a jehovah witness, i dreaded the holidays like halloween. i wasn't allowed to participate in the festivities and it sucked!!!! thank god for creative teachers who "changed" the theme to accommodate me, ie: family heritage day, (on halloween we were encouraged to wear "clothing" from our ancestors. i dressed up as a girl from thailand where my mom was from.) i always found ways to make things "inclusive" for my students, exclusion sucked.

[Kellie_MO5]

if a parent sent a sugary/crappy snack it was sent back and i pulled something from our reserve stash. then the parent was given a note requesting that they replenish the healthy snack from our reserves.
eh, I dunno, I figure if a parent wants to feed their kid junk food, let em... they *are* the parent.. (as long as it wasn't physically threatening another child, due to allergies or something) ... also assuming it's a public school

[hlebakos]

eh, I dunno, I figure if a parent wants to feed their kid junk food, let em... they *are* the parent.. (as long as it wasn't physically threatening another child, due to allergies or something) ... also assuming it's a public school

I hear ya Kelly, but the snack calendar worked out that once a month each family would provide a HEALTHY snack for the class of 14 kids. Every student got the chance to be the "snack helper of the day" and set up their HEALTHY snack with napkins, cups, etc... for the class. It was quite a treat they looked forward to providing.

If parents felt the need to give their kids something like *junk food* they could pack it for the kids lunch or feed it to them b4 school started. I am all for the whole "Public School freedoms" but I had a hard time watching kinder or even my 6th graders bring in a whole bag of potato chips, soda, pie, donuts, candy, etc... It would cause quite a stir in the class b/c everyone would watch the kids eat it. My school was very low income w/ limited knowledge on nutrition. Maybe I am just a freak, but I hated candy in the class (ants!!!!) and felt they could have that stuff on their own time or at lunch, but in the classroom... no thank you.

[TaivensMama]

I totally agree Jenny...I would be super pissed if My kid was offered crap on a daily basis as a snack from other parents...it's one thing if it's in the other kids lunch (but I would rather it be like my sons school so there are no jealousy issues) but to send crap for everyone to partake on needs to be controlled for sure....

And you are yet another that was brought up JW, who knew there were so many of us!?!

[hlebakos]

.

And you are yet another that was brought up JW, who knew there were so many of us!?!

YOU TOO? NO FREAKIN WAY. No wonder I like you so much! Btw, I was booted out (disfellowshiped at 17) for being a naughty girl. I went to a party (at Erin's house), had a beer and kissed a boy. My mother hasn't really spoken to me since.

[Kellie_MO5]

Oh, no, I'm fine with class snacks being healthy, and not junk food, I was just talking about individual snacks (I thought you were, which is why I said I don't really care if they brought them in) but a snack provided for the whole class *should* be a healthy one, since there *are* so many alergies and sensitivities... Makes carrot sticks and apple slices much easier when there's little to no chance of having a reation, versus nuts or wheat

[TaivensMama]

YOU TOO? NO FREAKIN WAY. No wonder I like you so much! Btw, I was booted out (disfellowshiped at 17) for being a naughty girl. I went to a party (at Erin's house), had a beer and kissed a boy. My mother hasn't really spoken to me since.

HAHAHA Yah and I read the other day that Becky was too...our parents were disfellowshipped when they got divorced, my dad stuck with it longer than my mom but my mom threw me a birthday party when i was 7...it was really confusing that one parent let us do the things we were not supposed to while the other was still in the religion...and I lived with my dad after the divoce...but he soon after stopped going as well...I do have some family members who are still in the religion though...and I also dabbled in it again as a teen but once I found out I would not be allowed to associate with my family I knew it was not right for me so I never got baptised...very interesting we have that in common hehehe, That darn Erin she is such a bad influence hehehehe

[Lorah]

I guess when they say it would be distracting they mean that during time they are trying to teach they dont want everyone pointing at joey because he is a clown and cracking up during her lesson, or everyone wanting to try on graces fairy wings and the difference of wearing constumes and having a carnival is the children would be able to do the carnival during the permitted carnival time and not during lesson time...

:yeah

from a teacher's perspective, this is exactly it! I have taught preschool (as young as 2) through college freshmen. It didn't matter how old or young, if they came dressed up, it was a distraction for one reason or another...either the younger ones wanted to share costumes, or the older ones were gawking at each other scantly clad. If the carnaval is aside from school hours it not only gives the kids a chance to "celebrate" and dress up with their school friends, but those who cannot and don't care to participate don't have to. And then the teacher is happier because there are fewer (and ya I say fewer because there are always distractions in the classroom on any given day) issues to dissrupt the lesson.

Just my honest opinion.

[Lynette]

:yeah

from a teacher's perspective, this is exactly it! I have taught preschool (as young as 2) through college freshmen. It didn't matter how old or young, if they came dressed up, it was a distraction for one reason or another...either the younger ones wanted to share costumes, or the older ones were gawking at each other scantly clad. If the carnaval is aside from school hours it not only gives the kids a chance to "celebrate" and dress up with their school friends, but those who cannot and don't care to participate don't have to. And then the teacher is happier because there are fewer (and ya I say fewer because there are always distractions in the classroom on any given day) issues to dissrupt the lesson.

Just my honest opinion.

Yeah, but.....how many schools do spirit days? They even had them in Salina's elementary school: Crazy Hat Day, Crazy Hair Day, Pajama Day, etc. and then there are the actual educational days where some schools dress like settlers, or Egyptians, etc. and you know the daily "costumes" some of the high schoolers come to school in :giggle If the distraction argument is what is being used, what is one more day? How distracting are walk-a-thon fundraiser days, Christmas parties, Valentine's Day and so on?

Salina's elementary school never did dressing up or carnivals because of religious reasons (although they sure did roll out Santa at Christmas time or sing songs about "God Bless America" in chorus :rolleyes) although it does kind of suck to have to miss out on fun because of a minority, at least I get that. I dunno why her middle school didn't do it and she was upset last year when no one told her the high school kids dress up so she is very excited to dress up for school for the very first time in 10th grade this year :)

[KaisaG]

My dh was raised in "the faith" too but never was baptized. A ton of his family members are though.
Lynette it is so weird to me to think that YOU have a kid that is as old as Salina. You just don't seem old enough :D

[Lynette]

Lynette it is so weird to me to think that YOU have a kid that is as old as Salina. You just don't seem old enough :D

:lol Alright, what's your angle Kaisa?! :lol Oh no, I am plenty old but I blame it on Alaina :D

[ladybish]

I have to say, good thread! I was so interested reading it for some reason - I am a bit tired and easily amused right now.

I totally agree about the snack thing - I don't want other people deciding that its ok to give my kid (what I consider) unhealthy food. Its hard enough to get kids to eat well as it is! I feel for the kids who don't have the money or parental concern to provide snacks for them, though. I liked Jenny's solution. I think snacks are an important part of mental function and help kids learn better throughout the day (and what can I say, I like eating!).

We always had a fall carnival during the afternoon or evening and were able to dress up then.

And my suspicions were totally confirmed about Erin Anne. :giggle

[Kellie_MO5]

Yeah, but.....how many schools do spirit days?
We only had them in High school... but in jr high were allowed to dress up on Halloween...

[juliansmom]

on a non-religious reasoning for no Halloween, perhaps some families can't afford costumes for their kids. I remember that there was always a few kids who didn't have costumes. But that doesn't mean that they didn't enjoy the autumn carnival or whatever they turned the school day into.

[erin anne]

And my suspicions were totally confirmed about Erin Anne. :giggle


HHAHA, yes, I corrupt young minds and I take it very seriously ;)

[Leigh]

Erin, have you earned your toaster yet?

[lmfike]

Re:Halloween and elementary schools. Two Rock School has their annual Halloween parade. All the costumes are made from paperbags that the kids paint, decorate, cut what not. I'll have to find some of the pictures from there and post them on the picture forum sometime.