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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

to be annoyed that my dds school has been giving out certificates to children who bring in healthy packed lunches?

367 replies

spudmasher · 19/09/2007 21:26

Today she took in a ham roll, four cherry tomatoes, a few slices of cucumber, some fresh pineapple and a small apple pie.

She was not given a certificate because she had the apple pie in her lunch!

When I was making her lunch tonight she asked me not to put a little cake in because it was unhealthy and she would not get a certificate.

I thought it was unreasonable to reward a child, or deny a reward on the basis of decisions made by the parent.

I also feel that six is too young an age to bear the responsbility of deciding what they should eat. Surely the child should be carefree and just trust the parents to know what is healthy?

I also thought that a little fat and sugar occassionally, will not be harmful to a child.

I also felt that they are encouraging children to deny themselves small pleasures - could lead to eating disorders imo.

Thanks. Feel better now.

Am I over reacting?

Have sent snotty e mail to school........

OP posts:
3andnomore · 19/09/2007 22:05

Oh, and explanation to not putting "treats" (as cakes in rather then say fruit)into lunch box are very reasonable, too..as Kids tend to go for the treat first and spol their hunger for the more basic food

Original poster
spudmasher · 19/09/2007 22:05

LOL niceglasses! And pork scratchings....

OP posts:
EmsMum · 19/09/2007 22:05

whatever happened to Motherhood and Apple Pie as a symbol of wholesomeness

3andnomore · 19/09/2007 22:06

how would a child die from not having a effing applepie?

oops · 19/09/2007 22:06

Message withdrawn

3andnomore · 19/09/2007 22:07

Or how would it not have been a meal for a 6 year old...apple pie is white flour, , lots of sugar and whatever other stuff..

southeatsastras · 19/09/2007 22:07

they all don't my son loves a cheese sandwich

the amount of money that has been spent by the government on schools healthy eating campaigns, must be ridiculous.

morningpaper · 19/09/2007 22:07

oops NO that is STUUUPID

FFS!

Original poster
spudmasher · 19/09/2007 22:07

I think they've got that wrong oops.

OP posts:
morningpaper · 19/09/2007 22:08

whatever other stuff

like

apples

Piffle · 19/09/2007 22:10

send her in with aguava juice 3 grapes and spring water and have her tell them today is her holistic detox
FFs how ridiculous
My dd needs a carefully adjusted diet due to her Noonan Syndrome, she has to have some fats and one high dose of sugar with every meal.

professorplum · 19/09/2007 22:11

3andnomore

If your child was given spuds dd meal, only ate the pie and left everything else then you would know that you were giving her too much and could adjust the meal accordingly. If she always eats everything then why shouldn't she have a pie as well. Not everyone dives on the first sweet thing that they see.

skatergirl · 19/09/2007 22:11

I think your dd should have had a certificate for that lunch. I wonder if the children with the fruitshoots full of artifial sweetners and other rubbish got certificates instead for not having the sugar??

oops · 19/09/2007 22:12

Message withdrawn

maisym · 19/09/2007 22:12

say to the school that your child is not to be included in the lunch box policing. Tell your dd her food is fine so doesn't need checking.

3andnomore · 19/09/2007 22:13

hey, not saying my kids don't get mc donslds, etc..just saying I can understand the policy, because it is aimed at those that don't give healthy lunches, but they do need to point out all glitches...even if all in all it would be balanced...to many Kids to know really isn't it...so, if you give all healthy and wholegrain, etc...than if you give processed foods else, your Kids will have a good amount of good foods....and well, I live in a poor area, and this system does work a bit!

LittleBella · 19/09/2007 22:13

It would help if schools gave children enough time to eat their lunches in a civilised fashion. Then it wouldn't matter if they ate the sweet thing first. From what I gather, they are encouraged to gobble up everything at a breakneck speed to free up table space. Why they don't just put a whole load of steamed rice in a trough and be done with it, I don't know.

juuule · 19/09/2007 22:13

maisym - I did that for my dd and they've left her alone since.

Original poster
spudmasher · 19/09/2007 22:13

Oops is your p key stuck?

OP posts:
expatinscotland · 19/09/2007 22:13

WTF? What's wrong with apple pie?

There's no such thing as 'good' food and 'bad' food. There's just everything in moderation.

How stupid.

My homemade chocolate cake with buttercream frosting probably has less sugar in it than most jarred pasta sauces.

LittleBella · 19/09/2007 22:15

Oh the cheese thing - you could go one stage further and tell them they shouldn't be eating dairy products at all, as it's from another species and lots of humans are lactose intolerant. That would piss them off.

3andnomore · 19/09/2007 22:15

hmmm...but surely a apple pie is not a necessary food..what is wrong with giving it at home if the school objects....

professorplum · 19/09/2007 22:15

3andnomore

I don't think that spud thinks her dd is going to die from lack of pies, I think that her concern is she is getting the message that fat is bad which may have long term effects on her physical and psycological health. She also wants her to learn about balance rather than total exclusion. Of course I may have got the wrong end of the stick, not for the first time, so I'm prepared to be shot down in flames.

skatergirl · 19/09/2007 22:16

I'm with you littlebella

LittleBella · 19/09/2007 22:17

But 3andnomore, children shouldn't be being taught that they should only eat "necessary" foods.

That way lies Blackadder's turnip eating relatives.