To withdraw DD from being weighed at school?

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DH thinks I am making a big fuss about nothing.

I refused consent for DD to be weighed at school as I don't think its neccesary. I didn't make a fuss, just ticked the box saying that I did not give consent.

I don't see the problem with it, the results are discussed with the children but if it highlights a potential problem then surely thats a good thing as it means as parents we can think about things and monitor to ensure a problem doesn't develop?

YANBU! You will surely know yourself whether your child is over or under weight.

If this was the case then surely there would be no (or very few) overweight children? I think sadly many many parents can't tell. I had all mine weight (all normal) I thought it was useful.

But, I still think YANBU, if you don't want to have them weighed you don't have to.

I don't understand WHY people refuse? What is the point? Do you imagine your child will feel something unpleasant by being weighed?

kendodd I definately wasn't overweight, photos of the time just show a normal kid. My mum was obsessed with weight, you'll get fat like your gran, you take after her. By diet I mean I wasn't allowed cake, full fat milk, sweets etc and this was drummed into me home and school. I can only assume it was a collaboration of some weird 70s random school health thing and my mum.
All I know is it was deeply humiliating going into the school office every month and getting weighed in front of the secretary's desk.

What Ken said...my sister's DD is overweight and my sister didn't realise. She's an intelligent woman too...she got used to seeing her and seemed to get a blind spot. The GP pointed it out in the end and then it was as though my sister woke up.

Do you think your DD is overweight or underweight OP?

Neither really. She is small for her age but I think she is fine for the size that she is if you see what I mean.

I dont weigh myself, we dont have scales in our house.

Bryony I was 6lbs overweight at the age of 9. My mum literally starved me. I had a miniscule breakfast, no lunch and a teeny dinner. Some days I was so hungry I'd steal food from friends houses or lunchboxes at school. It started because of this scheme at school. My children have a balanced diet, get lots of exercise (keen bike riders), and I'm perfectly able to book GP/dental/eye examinations as and when needed. I understand that some parents may need help with this aspect of child care. I'm not one of them. Thank god we can decide whether we want this help or not. Dd would die of embarrassment if this happened to her.

Yabnu I lost count of the number of times they sent me that bloody form as if I was suddenly going to change my mind.

bryony that sounds terrible but it cannot be compared to the situation today where ALL the class is taken and weighed.

Sea then why don't you want her weighed?

YANBU - interference of the highest order, and God knows what we are paying for it. I'm afraid "Government Statistics" is not a good enough argument.

Calling it interference is fine but when children are neglected and starved and it all comes out in the news, parents always point the finger and say "WHY DIDN'T THE SCHOOL NOTICE?!

School is not only education....it's a community and one which has a duty to care in all ways for the children who spend 6 hours a day under one roof.

YANBU. As someone who suffered from anorexia and bulimia for 15 years and several hospitalisations, I wouldn't consent for my children either. I don't weigh them, and want to focus on healthy lifestyle choices instead.

I think the government initiatives to address childhood obesity are well meaning but misinformed. They haven't taken on board the recommendations of the latest research into childhood obesity and Eating Disorders.

I'm aware that not all parents will realise if their child is overweight / underweight - but weight is one measure of health, not the only measure of health. I know my childrens diet is healthy because I know what they eat, and I know how active they are. I expect that if they were weighed they'd be at the light end of the range for their height. But I don't ever want to make an issue of it.

My Ds has just had this done at school (reception) He was weighed, measured, had his hearing and sight checked, he came home with a page to put in his red child health record, and a recommendation that he needs a further eye test.
Surely its no different to any other time they are checked by health visitors etc at certain ages?
I do think some parents are blind to their childs weight sometimes.

Government statistics is a terrible argument.

Orwell was right, just 30 years to early on the name of the book.

We haven't been sent a form, I am in NI and not sure if they do it here, but I will opt out if asked.

I wonder if Daniel Pelka was weighed at school? Although somebody upthread said that even if your child is overweight or underweight nothing is done to help anyway.

My ds2 is healthy and happy. He loves all food and if he was to be weighed at school he would be flagged up as being underweight for his height/age. I don't see why he should be put through that for something he, or I for that matter, can't do anything about. He is an energetic child who never stops moving so burns off what he eats quickly, how he gets through the school day is beyond me as he never stops eating at night or the weekend!
Dd is exactly like ds1 who can look a bit podgy at certain times of the year then all of a sudden take a sprout and look normal again. Should I allow the school to flag her up as overweight thus starting a possible lifelong issue with food? I don't think so as I am 35 and have only got over the years of bad diets pushed on me starting when I was a teen.

My problem is that I dont want my DD thinking that being weighed is normal, or that thinking about how much you weigh is important.

I agree with that Jitney. Schools are the ideal place to catch these things and hopefully improve the circumstances. My friend admits to struggling and not very clued up on nutrition. Its been ideal for her as she gets a lot of literature where its pretty much spelled out for her and she tries to follow the meal plans. Her child seems ti have become more active but not slimmer.

As I said, I consented, but then I wish they'd bring the nit nurse back as well I'm all for schools/Gov keeping a eye on children's health.

McPie What on earth do you mean?? . I don't see why he should be put through that

What? being asked to step onto a scale?

Extraordinarily precious attitude.

Sea being weighed when you see a GP is somtimes normal...my DD was weighed everytime she saw a specialist for an unrelated problem...you are giving being weighed an unbalanced view.

And what's more Sea what you weigh DOES matter. Don't get me wrong...we have no scales here at home...but you can't avoid them forever!

I think that this assessment of reception children is important as many parents do not know when their own child is overweight and gentle intervention at home at an early age can make all the difference

As adults, our nation is getting fatter and fatter and fatter and it is unsusstainable. We already have a generation who will die at a younger age than their parents and an intervention is needed ASAP.

Might it be more of an issue though if everyone else is being weighed and she isn't it might make her more curious about her weight. I don't think that being weighed once or twice by medical personnel would be a problem, obviously being repeatedly weighed in school might be an issue.