to be shocked at pre-school handing out sweets?

[RidgewayLass]

DD did not know what "sweets" meant until she started pre-school. Since then she has been offered 1 or 2 fun-size Milky Ways twice, both times just before lunch ffs, and yesterday it was lollipops and chews. It looked like all the other children were having sweets, and there was no alternative treat for children who are not allowed sweets. At home we do have sweet biscuits, cakes, puddings, icecream, but we are very wary how much pure glucose or sugar DD gets in one go.

I told her the lollipop and the chew were very bad for her teeth, and she asked "well if they are so bad for my teeth, why did my teachers give them to me?" Why did they? I thought the schools were supposed to do healthy eating - where does this fit in?

At ds school, sweets are given out because of birthdays but they are given to them on the way out after school and not before lunch. I think that is the best way. As an aside I do feel sorry for the parents that are really hard up feeling compelled to bring in sweets for the whole year.

I trained as a dental nurse when I left school and worked in a specialist dental unit that perfomed general anaesthetics for dental ops. These sadly included small children having a lot of their teeth removed. This is almost 20 years ago and this is now a much rarer occurence. There is no need to never give sugar and fruit, fruit smoothies and milk all have natural sugars in them. Just give sweets in moderation. I should be a sugar hater, but I'm not. I have hot chocolate every night, I just make sure I clean my teeth well. But hidden sugars are sometimes worse than sweets because people are unaware.

Just read about the children that have diabetes, I didn't think of this and must be awful for them.

Bubbleymummy - I have 3 DS that can't partake of sweets at the school. I was presented today with a packet of stars, maltesers (both fun size) and a lollipop. There was no fuss from them. No doubt DH will scoff them at a later date.
I work like a dervish to make sure that the DCs have treats at home to make up for this. Me and my oven often feel like we're joined at the hip. My DC accept the situation, they don't have to like it, but they have all had violent consequences from weak moments and resist.
What a dull place it would be if we had to hide anything sweet so as not to upset anyone. My DS had to sit with all the children eating healthy school meals - with his healthy school meal considerably less appealing. He also couldn't partake in the milk and fruit healthy schools sessions. It doesn't mean everybody else has to pander to his sensitivities and hide away to eat at home.

LOL at this PFBfest thread. As others have said, everything in moderation, don't make something into Forbidden Fruit. (speaking of fruit I've actually heard that raisins are awful for teeth)

However one thing I do agree with is that when birthday sweets are given out, it should be done at the end of the day due to allergies etc. Both preschools my DD attends do this, and tell the kids not to eat them until mummy says so.

What I dislike are people who gasp about the sugar content of things and then give their children the same thing (cookies, etc), in the "sugar free" chemical laden version. Surely that's worse?

You sound great auntevil. Despite your children having problems with their diets you are bringing them up not to have issues over their food. Very commendable.

I am very glad our pre-school does not serve sweets. They do baking and bring it home, they also hand out birthday sweets to the parents to take home. My youngest is currently not allowed dairy so it makes it lots easier for him and us.

I second that- what a refreshing view auntevil. :)

Lol, that's really all I can say...

Another one with a DS who has allergies which means they sometime get left out. It's part of their life they have to learn to deal with it. DS is 15 so not little anymore, but he hardly ever complained about what he couldn't have.

I'm with Pixie - she speaks a lot of sense

You can ask the pre school not to give your child sweets if you don't want them to have it. They would probably offer an alternative ie breadstick (not much fun there, but no sugar )

I'm no food policelady, but DS3 (aged 5) doesn't actually like sweets! He loves chocolate, but if classmates bring in haribo or similar for birthday treats, he says no thankyou DS2 was the same until about a year ago! DS1 had a milk allergy until he was 5 so no chocolate for him either and with him being my PFB he didn't have sweets either.

Also I don't think you necessarily have to send in sweets to celebrate a childs birthday. We don't simply because my boys birthdays are a week before Christmas and they all seem to have so many sweets/treats from school around then anyway. No-one has ever complained to me about it!

I reckon it's all about PFBs. You wait until you have more children...all rules that applied to the first go right out of the window

And yep, I agree with Pixie, why should the whole class miss out just because one child can't have it or their mum won't let them have it!

Actually this is making me laugh as it is soooo PFB. I'm cringing as I type as we listed and counted all of DS1's words and he was a genius (well he was but hey)

He didn't have any kind of games console until he was 8 (DS 3 would be superglued to the wii if he had half the chance), he ate ALL of his vegetables, he was polite at ALL times and only had 2 tantrums ever

Not that I'd be without the younger two, they are fab!

"nd yep, I agree with Pixie, why should the whole class miss out just because one child can't have it or their mum won't let them have it!"

Would you really want a child who was that selfish, they wouldn't want to see others enjoying themseoves because they can't

Breaking news...small child in eating sweets shocker! I'm appalled, I really am.

bruffin, not sure if your comment was directed to me but I was saying I didn't think that the others should miss out because one person can't/isn't allowed to have sweets.

I'm confooosed

And I say that I wouldn't expect all of the children to miss out because I was in the same position once. Twas something DS1 accepted. He knew chocolate would make him ill! Much to his delight it doesn't now

Me again

But having said all of that, it is very hard for a small child to not feel a bit hard done by to see others enjoying what they can't have. They are only very small at preschool age, small children are really quite selfish but the majority learn not to be as they get older.

Sorry no I was agreeing with you all. I badly phrased it. It would be a very selfish child who would want to stop other children having sweets because they can't. I wouldn't want my allergic ds to have that attitude.

Now DD1 smokes cannabis I have learnt to turn a blind eye to Dc4 eating sweets.

Ok

However, I do think it is very hard for a small child not to feel left out. At my sons preschool they kept some non dairy biscuits for a child who couldn't have other treats. It made him feel a part of the celebrations.