to think ds's school should take a harder line over these issues?

[lecce]

Although we are reasonably happy with what seems to be going on in the classroom of ds1's school (he is in YR) there are a couple of issues that are really starting to grate - especially on dh, who does the school runs. He wants to raise them at a forthcoming parent forum so AWBU?

1. Smoking directly outside the school. Our local council recently introduced a voluntary ban on smoking outside schools (on the pavement) and in play areas. Posters were sent to all schools bt ours has not displayed any. There are always countless parents smoking right outside the door and it seems to us it is not setting a good example to the children. Dh is particularly depressed by the handful of women who turn up in the mornings smoking in their pyjamas. Dh is a typical ex-smoker I suppose but he is angry more with the school for not publicising the issue, than the parents themselves. Of course the head cannot stop the parents outright but displaying the posters would be a start.

1. At least once a week ds comes out with some rubbishy snack given because of someone's birthday. Today it was a bag of total crap - lollies, those candy stick things, rock hard sweets I would never give him. Monday it was a bag of Walkers. We really don't want him to have all this stuff - yes dh can (and does) take it off him but he could do without the 5 minutes of whinging that ensues and it does seem unfair to ds when others from his class are walking alongside him eating theirs. I read about schools on here policing lunch boxes and ours seems to the complete opposite.

The school is in a pretty deprived area and it just seems that there is a fatalistic and patronising attitude from the head - "Oh, these parents are working class, they can't be expected not to stand right next to the entrance smoking..." etc Shouldn't the school take more of an active role in promoting a healthy lifestyle?

I agree with you OP, on both issues.

I HATE smoking, and HATE it when I have to walk through it, but what I HATE most is when my children have to walk through it, and breathe in the filthy fumes. NOT acceptable outside a School, ever. YANBU.

As for the crap sweets the children bring home from School, totally unecessary. Sends out the wrong message to our children.....that their School think it's ok. On one hand they say they are promoting healthy eating, then they allow parents to distribute junk whenever they want.

My sons teacher kindly gave them all a pencil with a rubber on top for Easter, much more appropriate than a creme egg.

So YANBU (again!)

Oh and btw, Mums wearing pjs to School?????

Of course parents can choose what treats to give their child but the school should not be inolved.

They could suggest other treats like a balloon or a badge or sticker for kids instead.

Not sure what KS1 is (up in Scotland )

Have you asked someone at the school about why they haven't put up the posters OP? If you have an issue at least raise it with the head or parent governors. As to sweeties for birthdays my DD's school adopted a fruit only policy for snacks and stopped the teachers from giving out sweets sent in by parents for birthdays. Now the kids give out the birthday sweets as their classmates come out at the end of school which is more personal than a bag handed out by a teacher.
Have to say no one smokes while waiting for DCs but we wait in the playground - which everyone knows is no smoking, no dogs.

Balloons are bad for the environment, a danger to animals and can harm children either with breathing in particles of rubber or by frightening other children who are scared of balloons.
Say no to the evil of balloons.

KS1 is infants, children from 5-7 years old.

Fluffy - are you aware how proper nuts it sounds to say that giving your child a pencil with a rubber on top is 'much more appropriate' than a Creme Egg.

For EASTER ?!? REALLY???

what about stickers?

Yabu.if it's a deprived area, then the school probably have more important things to worry about.

If parents were smoking in the school grounds, then the school should do something. But they aren't, they are smoking on the pavement which is a public place. Children are going to see people smoking when they're out and about. I'm sure the school will cover the dangers of smoking at some point.

About 99% of parents would allow their children to have the odd treat brought in for a birthday. Seems really mean to have eaten the Creme egg his teacher gave him. However it's your choice, but everyone has to say no to their children at times. If you do give him treats once a week, then could you not let him have whatever he brings out of school but not give him anything else yourself?

I think the pencil idea is lovely. Laurie You do actually know that Easter was not invented by Cadbury's, do you?

A pencil hunt just wouldn't be the same...

Well, Laurie, it was a pencil with a bunny rubber on top! very cute, and a well thought out gift I thought, as it gives a good example to the children. It's something they can keep, and doesn't encourage unhealthy eating...............why is that nuts ?

Skin allergies, inappropriate placement of stickers on noses or mouths, squabbles over which sticker they are to have, ensure that they come from an ethical source and have appropriate messages and colours that are not gender-based.
Next?

...pencils with rubbers on top?

OMG pencils?
Are you insane?

Yes hambo, have you not heard of the concept? google it.

Are you alright, Fallen, you seem to be getting quite worked up about this...

It IS ok to eat sweets in moderation. Schools can promote healthy eating without making children completely neurotic about food. How on earth did we all survive years ago? When I started primary school, they sold packets of crisps for 10p at break time? Nowadays many schools treat them as a contraband substance.

"Sharing food with your friends is a very ancient human tradition, it makes people feel good and strengthens ties."

Or, as a friend told me when I tried to pay for a takeaway when visiting him, "My mum always said that the kindest thing you can do for another person is to give them food."

This is more fun than writing out the next set of 124 success criteria for tomorrow's lessons.

Do you really want to walk to school (no driving, there is a walk to school, don't drive poster up ) with thirty balloons to give out? Stickers saying what? 'It was my friends birthday today'.

We have lots of those bloody lovely novelty pencils lying around, at least the cream eggs disappear quickly

The balloons wouldn't be already blown up would they...?

I only get these out for special occassions so you are privileged OP have a [bisciut] 10 bennies and cheweeeeeey drumstick

On the smoking YANBU at all!

On the sweets for birthdays? Seriously, seriously? I think you need to chill out a bit, it's a sweetie, it's not going to kill them!

"ds was found to be very slightly overweight when they measured him(had a thread on here about it) - he has shot up since so I hope that when I get him measured in the summer he will back in the normal range."

Doesn't that kind of prove my point OP? You don't give your DS sugary stuff and yet still he was a little overweight. It isn't the stuff given out at school which is the problem for the vast majority.

'tis one of the funny things about MN - on my thread about ds's weight I was lambasted for putting a little butter on his potatoes and - shock horror- Greek yoghurt on his fruit for pudding - and now I am being lambasted for not letting him have sugary crap ."

Where are you being lambasted for not giving "sugary crap"? Only one person has said let your DS have it, and I think they are taking the pee, the rest of us are maintaining that it's parental choice, and should remain so.