Teacher rewarding the children with sweets every day

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For the past few weeks my dd has been given sweets from the teacher for good behavior. This wasn't discussed with parents beforehand and personally it's not something I'm happy with. We try to limit sugary treats and only have them at mealtimes when we do.

Should i discuss this with the teacher or leave it so my dd isn't left out?

What would you do?

Even if it is out of their own pocket, I still don't have to accept it.

The children are 7/8 year olds.

Most of the children are coming out with sweets daily. They don't have to do anything particularly good to get them.

It would be better if they were giving out potatoes or turnips OR TOMATOES (they're difficult to find at the moment)

My mum limited sweet treats when I was a child. I always saw them as something I wasn’t allowed often and that made me want them more. When I hit my teens, I started spending my £1 dinner money on 4 x four-stick kitkats and gobbled them down in secret. I always ate in secret because I knew my mum wouldn’t be happy.

At around 15 I noticed I was gaining weight. It was because of how much crap I was eating behind her back. That’s when I started binging and then vomiting. This continued until I moved out at age 19 and could eat what I damn well pleased. I then gained about two stone in a short time much to her dismay.

These days, my son can have whatever he pleases. There are no limits. Sweets aren’t a treat because he can have them any time he wants. He’s 18, six foot 2 inches and very trim. He works out at the gym. He sometimes has junk and sometimes refuses it. He’s not bothered at all. He’s equally happy with a chocolate muffin as he is a banana.

It sounds to me like you are making sweets the treat personally.

I'd strongly object to that, and raise it with the school

When my dd was 5 she had to have a filling in a baby tooth! Dentist asked how often she had sugary stuff and when I explained she would occasionally have a chocolate bar or bag of sweets in the day he had a go at me.
Said she should only have very occasional treats and with a meal.
Better to have them all at once than bits every day.

I didn't want to have to tell the teacher this but suppose I will.

Jeez no wonder kids tooth decay is the worst it’s ever been goijg by some of these responses.
Sugary sweets often WILL lead to a cavity. One or a whole packet it doesn’t matter. Once that bio film is on the teeth from the sugar the bacteria will be causing decay.
If the sweet was given with lunch that’s a better option.
You are only blasé about this if you haven’t had lots of dental work as a child. I had almost every molar tooth filled and then the larger molars refilled by the age of 11. Week after week of injections and drills. Created a life long fear of dentists. I cleaned my teeth well twice a day but I was allowed as a younger kid to eat lots of sweets and would eat them often through the day.
It’s our job as parents to say no or not now. ‘Bet your fun at parties’ is the most crap immature response I’ve heard.

Omg really, i could not get worked up over this.
Is it a 100g bag of haribo? If so then yes id be annoyed.
But a 10p size fun pack or a flump or whatever then no.

I had a relative that restricted sweet stuff from their dcs. Once they went to seniors they spent all their pocket money from their df in the corner shop and became greedy and excessively overweight. If u ask them as an adult now they say its because their dm was so restrictive with treats and choc etc. Like once a week or less.

I don't restrict foods or treats but if they choose to eat the lot in one day they wait till the next shopping day.
They now know to spread it over the week

Fwiw my eldest hates sugary stuff like Jellies and chocolate.
He ate loads of fruit and that decayed his teeth. Dentist told me to restrict it as snacks.

My son's school has the usual merit points and star of the week awards. He gets these fairly often. Once his yeacher gave him a Freddo for doing good work. He was absolutely thrilled. That little piece of chocolate took pride of place on his bedside table for months. Sometimes children need concrete prrof of an adult's positive regard. Your DD's teacher sounds like she is trying her best, and is attempting to reward her pupils in a way they can see and fully appreciate.

@PurpleWisteria1 I completely agree with you.

My mum, well whole family really, thought all children should have abundance of sweets as a token of love. I was allowed to eat sugary stuff all day if I wanted to. It's cost me thousands in dentist bills as an adult. Also a fear of the dentist as there's always work to be done when I go.

School really should be giving a healthier message than that. It’s quite usual to not be allowed to put sweets in their lunchbox for example.
It’s pretty outdated of her to be doing this. Quick email to the school to mention it’s happening and while you understand the sentiment, perhaps points toward free play time would be better etc.

Got no issues with tomatoes where I am ATM

I would object strongly. That gives a very poor message. I’d be surprised if any school thinks this is OK. What’s wrong with stickers?

I wouldn't bother getting het up over this.

Totally inappropriate!!!!

Can't even believe it's being debated. This is a huge red flag for me. Either a v inexperienced teacher or a v stupid one. You don't use bribes of food, especially SUGAR to encourage children to manage well in school. Get it reported to your HT and in the first instance and if no joy go to your local authority. This is wrong on so many levels and in Edinburgh would be extremely harshly dealt with.

Let's face it, in Edinburgh the teacher would give them Whisky or Heroin 😂

Our school has a “healthy school quality mark” and the kids can only bring water and healthy lunchboxes with fruit and veggies in it… and birthday treats also must be healthy. So if any teacher would dare to hand out sweets there would be a problem.

Really?! Can you elaborate if you’re willing too? Were parents pissed at the letter or what?😂

Oh my. The world is crazy.

Wow

It's probably one sweet !

Why are people acting like the teacher is handing out a share bag of Haribo’s every day?? As the above comment says, it’s probably just one sweet

Mumsnet is weird like this.

Or maybe just speak to the teacher?ffs no wonder teachers are leaving in droves! Why can’t people just have simple conservations without involving the head and the DFe?

@ballsdeep it's because some parents love drama and get some sort of kick in running to the top dog at the school.

No wonder teachers are leaving, it's having to deal with dreadful parents too, day in day out!

2 biggest problems in teaching summed up in 1 post.

Behaviour. If parents bothered to parent their children then teachers wouldn't need to bribe children with treats.

And parents complaining over every tiny thing. 1 sweet a day is not a problem. For reference, 1 single haribo has 0.47g of sugar. 7.52g in a 10p haribo bag. 1 apple has 10g of sugar.