There's no such thing as too much drink for a child?

[confuddledDOTcom]

My 7yo has packed lunches and a dinner lady told her yesterday that she takes too much to school to drink (two drinks, Capri type). I'm cross because children shouldn't be discouraged from drinking anyway, I was a terror and our GP told me that she wouldn't come out to see me next time I made myself ill when I was not much older - I don't think she meant it!

Besides that, which yes dinner lady wouldn't have known but then she wouldn't have known so she should keep her mouth shut because she doesn't know the personal details, my daughter has chronic constipation which has caused her bladder to be half the size it should be which has affected how much she drinks, makes the constipation worse because she's not drinking and we've been told she must drink more to get the fluids in and because her bladder needs the exercise to increase it's size. She is a terror for drinking so we do need to encourage her, it doesn't help that the list of things she's not allowed to drink has left her with little she will drink! Apparently she tried to speak up for herself and was told not to and the dinner lady walked off. She's feeling a little upset about it, she's very much a fair's fair type person.

Yes, we're going into school Monday, she didn't bring it up with us until it was too late. I just think this lady was out of order to tell a child they have too much drink! She's 7yo, she doesn't pack her own lunch so if they have a problem they should ask the class teacher to bring it up with the parents (where she'd have been told to leave her alone I hope) and no child should be discouraged from drinking!

[AlannaPartridge]

Well of of course there IS such a thing as too much drink (for a child as well as for an adult), but two Capri Sun's is not it. Or anything close.

[SPsTotallyMullerFuckingLicious]

Capri Suns are not drinks. They are shots in a pouch

[bearleftmonkeyright]

I think you should calm down. I am a.midday. we are not, contrary to popular opinion, power mad crazy ladies who are trying to disempower your children. I am sure there is an amicable solution that can be reached.

[ThePeppermintHippo]

YANBU. The dinner lady is out of order and being a busy body about nothing.

[FutTheShuckUp]

She probably meant too much sugary additive filled crap drinks. I'm inclined to agree.

[ThisIsMummyPig]

My DD has to choose between drinking her drink, and eating her lunch, as she doesn't have time to both before the juniors come in, so she went without a drink in the height of summer. She also doesn't drink from her water bottle in class (although there is nothing stopping her, she just doesn't ever drink water)

However, Capri shot drinks would be viewed dimly by the packed lunch police, so I can see why two of them would be frowned on.

[SummerRain]

What allanna said ^

And what sp said too.

In fact I'd go so far as to say 2 Capri suns is very little for a full day at school, our school would be asking me to send more than that volume wise, especially for a child who should be drinking a lot.

And Capri suns are horrible things, why not send orange squash and gradually decrease the amount of squash so she gets used to a less sweet drink. You could switch her to juice then.

[pinkdelight]

Heavens, can't anyone say anything any more? Was she really berating your dd or just making a reasonable comment about two Capri suns seeming a lot. And it is a lot, in that one is the normal portion. She's not a GP saying its scientifically too much. Why would you take it so seriously? Was your dd really upset? If so, wouldn't you just explain that it's not a big deal and the lady didn't know the context? Why would you get angry and make it all emotive? Laugh it off. I get that the medical situation makes you sensitive but really you can't go in there earnestly arguing that anyone has to drink two Capri Suns for the sake of their health.

[confuddledDOTcom]

We are quite restricted on what she can drink due to her health problems and "sugary addictive drinks" aren't included, even some fruit juice isn't allowed. Not all Capri Suns are "juice drink" they also do juice and I said Capri type as I couldn't think how to say she's not taking her own bottles in (not quite sure why because now I can think of several ways ) and not Fruit Shoot (which were banned before she saw the inco team because they cause constipation and are full of rubbish).

I am calm, bear, you might not be trying to disempower children but that doesn't mean my daughter wasn't told she'd brought too many drinks into school.

[GampyWabbit]

I also think it is the type of drink (sugary) that has been commented on here. I'm sure that if your dd took lots of water to school, then this would be absolutely fine.

[confuddledDOTcom]

Squash is on the restricted list, she mostly has juice or water. She has drinks in class too, she has to have two flasks a day at school with her laxatives and that's not counted with the ones they all have access too so it's not all she has in a day.

I would be annoyed without her health because I know how hard it can be to get children drinking. I don't think it's a dinner lady's place to tell a child she doesn't like what's in her lunch box.

[bearleftmonkeyright]

Middays,would not know your dd s requiremwnts unless told by a teacher. A middays job is to make sure all.the children are fed and been outside to play. Very often there are two sittings so a child with many bits of lunch can be very slow. Really, its a pressured job. If the midday walked off you can bet your last 20p she was seeing to another child. Give the poor woman a break.

[bearleftmonkeyright]

We also do not police lunches. That is not our job.

[ThisIsMummyPig]

Of course a dinner lady can comment on what's in a packed lunch. If it was five mars bars, you would expect a comment.

In my opinion dinner ladies are greatly undervalued in what they do.

[ThisIsMummyPig]

Sorry, cross posted with Bear Left, who clearly knows what she is talking about.

[bearleftmonkeyright]

Thanks mummypig. The childrens welfare is really important to me and my colleagues. You wouldnt do the job otherwise. I would say to the teacher if a child had a very unhealthy lunch, eg leftover McDonald's or just chocolate etc

[BrokenSunglasses]

Two Capri suns in a lunch box isn't too much to drink, but it is too much Capri sun.

If you don't give her anything else, she will never drink anything else.

If the person on lunch duty feels this way, then put some water in your dds lunch box as well as a Capri sun. Then she will encourage your dd and there will be one of two outcomes. Your dd will either drink it, which would be great, or she won't, and the dinner lady will realise she's onto a losing battle.

I agree the dinner lady probably walked away because she had another child that needed attention.

[bearleftmonkeyright]

In our school water bottles are taken onto the playground. Does that happen at your dd s. Maybe a suggestion for the head?

[DoubleLifeIsALifeHalved]

Agree with all the 'be nice to dinner ladies' posts above, but it doesn't stop someone's job role clashing with medical advice if they don't know about it.

I'd suggest bringing it to the teachers attention and asking if they can refresh all lunch time staff on her health needs and ask them to refrain from making comments about the drink as it will put off the child doing something critical for her long term health.

There can be a need to intervention without demonization of one side or both... I wish people would remember that. Sigh.

[PresidentServalan]

Here - have a - and a grip

[FutTheShuckUp]

Well I'm a medical professional and have never heard Capri sun being recommended for health problems. Ah well you live, you learn.

[neunundneunzigluftballons]

I am surprised that Capri sun or their ilk were the answer to your daughters medical concerns but I am not a doctor. I would get advice from your GP to back up your argument with the school. All juice is banned in my children's schools which given how seriously bad sugary drinks are for children is no bad thing but I would imagine even they would make an exception where medical experts deemed it necessary.

[frogspoon]

Were these Capri Suns the juice drinks or 100% juice?

Regardless, I think the general thinking is that both juice drinks and pure fruit juice are high in sugar.

Capri sun Orange Juice Drink contains 20g of sugar per 200ml pouch. Capri Sun 100% Orange Juice contains 18.4g of sugar per 200ml pouch, which isn't really much better.

So two of those would be too much sugary drinks in one meal.

If she can, and will, drink plain water it would be better to send her with one Capri Sun and one bottle of water. If she is allowed it, you could add no sugar squash to the bottle if she doesn't like plain water.

[Retropear]

It's too much sugar.

I think juice is frowned on in large quantities.

Mine have a carton of juice water(literally juice and water) as a compromise and a huge bottle of water.

[Retropear]

We have the Sainsbury slurps which are on checking are 7.8g of sugar per 100ml.Even though it's not added sugar and the carton only contains juice and water I wouldn't want them having more.

You could make your own weaker juice/water.

I think the dinner lady was right to question that much sugar in a meal,it's no better than said lunch box containing a packet of sweets.