to not let DS be weighed at school?

[QueenofKelsingra]

DS is in reception. just had the letter home saying the whole year will be weighed and measured for the NHS.

I don't really know why but I don't want him to have this done. DS is a healthy height and weight (75 and 50 centiles respectively) so I'm not 'scared' I will get some snotty letter stating that he is over/under weight. I just don't like the idea of someone else taking his measurements and making comments/statements about him when I haven't asked for it.

DH thinks I'm making a mountain out of a molehill and that it's no big deal. For some reason I just don't like the idea.

So WIBU to refuse to have him weighed and measured? Anyone else do this and why??

Haferflocke: you sound like a total pain in the arse. Well done. ??

They don't necessarily get their eyes tested. Where I live it's just height and weight. Which you can check just by weighing and measuring them yourself and putting the data into the NHS calculator online.

Mine were all weighed in reception. Ds1 was in year 6, but I opted out for Dd. She didn't want it done, and I don't need school to write to me and tell me she's overweight, I knew it already!

People do realise that it isn't the teachers doing the measuring? It happens on school premises because there is space and lots of children to measure. The NHS carry out sight tests as well as height and weight measurements.

Many people with obese children don't realise that they are obese. Therefore they aren't going to seek help and support for an issue they don't know about. Over time very overweight people cost the NHS more money and by consequence, we the general public. So therefore I think it is money well spent identifying children at risk. I think having nurses jumping out from behind bushes in playgrounds and putting stickers on the obese kids a bit time consuming and ineffective.

OP I really don't see the problem but if you don't want him to do it then just say so.

It is very reasonable to want to keep the responsibility for your child's health. You don't need to have a reason.

It's used to gather statistical data.

My friend was picked up as being blind in one eye at a school eye test. School nurses have always done health checks. They are there to support parents. Why do people take offence so much these days?

Too young to be a statistic? What rubbish. If everyone was so precious how would we have any data to compare children and lead the way for medical science?

Didn't you have him weighed at birth? If you did he will already be part of the statistics.

What's the issue with anonymisation?

(Genuine question, I really didn't know there was one. Is this something else that ran perfectly well for decades, then got a New Labour revamp and fell over spectacularly?)

yanbu. I opted out of all the health checks for my ds. He gets them all from his doctor/optician/dentist. He is happy not to have them even though he is in the minority.

wow, this took off while I put the kids to bed!!

Well I'm obviously not the only one who feels they don't want it done.

to address some of the points raised - DH doesn't see the problem with it but doesn't feel strongly either way so if I feel strongly he will support my decision.

I take my dc to the opticians and dentist regularly, if I was worried about their weight I would see my paeds gp - these are my responsibility as a parent.

and yes, my DS has packed lunches as I feel I am better positioned to decide what my child needs for lunch to make up part of the balanced diet I provide overall - again I feel his nutrition is my responsibility.

Aeroflot yes I feel its a bit 'big brother' ish too.

Thanks Rollergirl.

Yanbu. If you feel strongly about it you can opt out. No biggie.

school is for educating children. It's not for the uploading of statistical identifiable information into a government database
How on earth is your child's weight identifiable from a nationwide statistical analysis? . And if it was, would it really be of any surprise to anyone who knows him? Your basic size is fairly obvious for all to see, is it not?
The fact that your child is a pupil at the school in the first place is very likely on a database somewhere, with no adverse effects whatsoever.
Calm down, dear.

I do kind of see where you are coming from OP. My DC's are too old for this but I've never even had a set of scales in our house because I didn't want DD focussing on her weight (which is fine for her height I add).

My best friend has a DD who's 5, she's tall for her age. She was weighed and measured and a letter sent home saying she was 'overweight'. She's a perfectly normal little girl who plays lots of sports, eats healthily and enjoys life. She doesn't fall exactly into the NHS's little chart so BF gets a letter, which honestly upset her a little. I could understand in her shoes wanting to say 'enough, please don't weigh my child'.

Not all parents do take responsibility for their childrens health , unfortunately.

I am also thinking of withdrawing DD from this, when it crops up.

She was born on 75th centile for weight, 50th for height. After her 6 week growth/feeding spurt she shot up to 98th centile for weight but remained on 50th for height. She was exclusively BF for 6 months.

She has been seen regularly at the hospital for another medical condition (not related to growth) and is weighed and measured each time. At no point have they ever mentioned that she's overweight or that I need to do anything to help her lose weight. In fact, only ever commented that she's 'sturdy' lol.

She's now 4.5 and 90th for weight and 75th for height, so I know I'll get a letter home and TBH, I don't want to deal with the patronising letter and 'bad mum' feelings I'll get as a result. If her paediatrician wants to tell me those things, that's fine. Because he sees her, not just a bunch of numbers spat out of a calculator.

If they said she was overweight then she was.