Juice at school - yes or no?

[JohnnyMcGrathSaysFuckOff]

DD has just started reception. We do not normally allow her to have juice except at parties. Her eczema flares if she has too much sugary stuff and this is a fairly easy one to control.

School give each child a water bottle and make a big thing about filling it with water each morning, not juice, encouraging them to drink. Great, I thought!

Only, it now emerges they are giving them cartons of juice with lunch. I really really don't want to be a PITA parent. Is it too annoying to ask them not to give her the juice? For context, they are a class of 24 children with a teacher, 1 FT TA, and 1 TA who seems to be there quite a lot of the time. Would you leave it, or...........?

Do they have an option of milk or water instead?

Ask them. It's an easy thing to fix and no reasonable person will resent getting your Dd a cup of water instead.

I'm really surprised about this - as well as the sugar issue, juice cartons are expensive and most schools are short of money. I think YANBU to request this.

I honestly don’t think you would be a pita for asking - just explain about the eczema - I bet u wont be the only parent anyway as so many parents are strict about sugary stuff nowadays anyway. I send weak sugar free orange squash in my daughters lunchbox every day as she hates water on its own but all her friends just have water!

God no, I wouldn't want my dcs having juice every lunchtime. They are full of sugar.

Teachers and TAs are irrelevant

It’s the dinner staff who sort out lunch drinks

I don't think that would be a problem at all, at our school we cater to lots of different dietary requirements so not giving one child juice would be easy enough.
Incidentally I am pleased that you weren't suggesting sending juice in the water bottle, at our school it is written into the policy that bottles will be checked and if anything other than water is in there it will be tipped away and replaced with plain water, I hate doing it.

Thanks all. Think I will raise it.

GreenTulips TAs help out at lunch at this school and from what I can see, the teacher does too. Maybe this won't last when they move to full days the week after next but right now the teaching staff are definitely supervising lunch.

Not unreasonable at all.
Write a note to their class teacher and they'll ensure the relevant person gets the information.

Yeah I'd raise it. I wouldn't be happy. My two are milk and water with juice as a treat at grans, parties or if we're out. I dont give them juice as we dont do sugar or sweeteners if I can help it. Wouldn't be happy with them getting it daily

No juice at school I work at. They have to remember to fill Bottles at break or lunch or it is tough.

We had a similar issue when DD started reception last year and because she wasn’t used to juice it upset her tummy.
I had a word with her teacher and she passed it on to the lunch staff to make sure she got water instead

YANBU. I wouldn't be happy with this. I only let DS have juice at parties, or if we're out for a meal/cinema or something.