To think the public have the society they deserve

[GoodnightAdeline]

Just read yet another post in our town mums’ Facebook group about the ‘lunchbox letter’. In essence a local primary has written to parents asking them to stop putting sweets and other garbage in their kids’ lunch boxes and all hell has broken loose. ‘How dare they tell my what to feed my child’ ‘tell them to fuck off’ ‘we’ll give the kids an eating disorder’ ‘my kid will only eat cheese strings and cola bottles, do they want her to starve’ etc

It was the same with the ‘your child is overweight’ letters, the ‘please send them in with water not Prime’ letters, the ‘please watch them as they cross the road after school because we had a near miss the other day and are getting complaints’ letters.

After a million such posts with defensive, vitriolic replies I’m beginning to think, why bother improving the NHS/dentistry etc? Why bother helping people who won’t help themselves.

YES I KNOW I’M BEING UNREASONABLE but the above mindset just seems so prevalent it depresses me to unreasonableness!

I think there should be plenty of support for people to help them know how to be healthy, free gyms, loads of healthy food in schools etc.
The processed food industry is taking over people's eating habits. It's a shame some don't want to be healthy but I think more support is a good thing.

Trust me these people don’t want it.

There is plenty support and info out there but .people don't want it. They want it to be handed and spoon fed to them.

It isn't the kids fault

Op, I couldn't agree more with you. What more support can be needed? how is this possible not to know what's good or bad for you? why still try to defend complete lack of responsibility?
Yes, it's not kids fault, but I truly don't believe that state can undo the damage done by parents.

I think if there was more stigma attached to appalling parenting overall it would be much better for society rather than softy-softy-understanding which is equal to enabling it

A big tax on ultra processed food and drink would soon sort out people with those attitudes.

Make school lunches healthy, free and mandatory. Cater to specific dietary requirements but no junk and no packed lunches allowed.

Try working in a school and you come up against this type of parent all day long. Always some excuse why little Johnny can’t do XYZ and why him hitting 3 kids at lunch time is because he has anger management issues the parents refuse to get help with.

The other thing we noticed was on the week school trips where the food was fresh and kids were out all day - their behaviour soon changed when they didn’t have access to fizzy drinks and fast food.

Thick, stroppy people seem to be taking over the country.

Actually I do think the school is overstepping.

my child’s lunchbox contains items approved by her doctor. It also often contains decoy items that we know she is not going to eat, but they are there to keep the school quiet . She just carries them back and forth every day until they get gross and I replace them with more decoy food.

I need my child, who has a diagnosed eating disorder, to get as many calories during the very stressful lunch period as possible. We worry about nutrition over the day and the week, not at an individual meal. School lunch is about having enough in her belly to let her learn. So it is things like cheese, a biscuit, and some juice. That is what she can manage at school in a chaotic space with a timer telling her she doesn’t eat fast enough.

I used to give my son treats for lunch sometimes and it was annoying that the school sent letters forbidding it. Junk food is ok here and there

Yes, people have lost the ability to think for themselves or take any responsibility anymore.

I don't think you are being unreasonable actually, there seems to be this subset of society who think the world owes them and they can't possibly be called out. It's extremely depressing.

You see them all gorging on sweets and chocolates at the school gates, as soon as the kids come waddling out they get a packet of chocolate buttons shoved at them. They probably aren't even hungry, but then again I guess they aren't spoiling a nutritious home cooked dinner, just another Mcdonalds drive thru trip or at a push chicken dippers and smiley face.
No exercise, all parked right up against the school gates causing mayhem because walking more than a couple of yards will make the kids' legs seize up and drop off.
No playing outside after school, just straight onto the couch to play Fortnite.
This UPF problem will catch up with the children of today and they will all have horrendous health problems and shorter lifespans becsuse of it.

You are the people, OP.

Let them eat cack.

I think the schools are on a hiding to none whatever they do.

It’s not just kids though.

iv had several conversations with friends and family in recent years about the fact there has been a general shift within society many (obviously not all) people are more rude less helpful quicker to annoyance or anger over small things which used to be mild irritations at best. More entitled and feeling like things are their right so much less compromise. Feeling like their opinions are facts so unwilling to debate or accept others opinions as just different from theirs rather than being they are right and you are wrong. And on and on. Not just on a personal level but companies that you have to deal with too

at first I thought I was just getting old and too tired to want to tolerate it but the conversations have shown me that others feel the same.

its hard, I just stay out of as much as I can and try my best not to bite and stay polite.

I mean I know technically this isn’t what you’re discussing but I think it’s indicative of why this is the reaction to these letters

I feel rather envious of people naive enough to think the NHS is in crisis because of lunchbox contents. How wonderful to be so very native about a very grim situation.

I don’t pack sweets in my kids’ lunchbox but I think anyone writing snarky letters trying to control the choices I make for my children can still fuck right off. I still like to think they’re entitled to NHS care, despite the fact I won’t let a load of busybodies control my choices

@GoodnightAdeline yeah, in that case I guess we have to just leave them to it. It's shame really but we can't force people to care.

I agree, so many people want, well no demand, loudly, the benefits of a cohesive and cooperative society but then don't see why they should contribute towards that cohesive and cooperative society - and so you've got far more takers than givers.
I have to check myself sometimes because I start thinking the same way because if you're not careful you can end up permanently the bottom of the pile.

I suppose though if you don't have the money you will buy crisps and cereal bar over cheese strings and melon

Tbf I think the billions spent on advertising and bribes probably have something to do with it ]

The government could literally have banned smoking a long time ago, could have banned sweeteners blah blah. Didn't have to provide mental nutrition information. I don't think the fact most of the world seems to have gotten fat at the same time is a coincidence.

It is a choice, people need to make better choices and stop blaming everyone and everything

I think yours is exactly the attitude the OP is talking about.

"Snarky", "fuck right off", "busybodys"

Why not just think "yeah, that sounds sensible. It's not aimed at me though" and chuck it in the bin? Unless you feel it is aimed at you?

And I really can't see where anyone has said "they're not entitled to NHS care".

Why so defensive?

I'm not sure, on the one hand, what the school is saying is obviously correct. Kids should have a reasonably healthy lunch, maybe with a small 'treat' now and again. Most parents understand this and provide said lunch without thinking about it.
Unfortunately the kind of parents that stuff their kids lunchboxes full of crap on a daily basis before calling at Macdonalds drive thru for their tea are not going to change because of a letter from school. Deep down they know they are feeding their kids a crap diet but they either lack the capacity or the finances etc to make the changes required.
It's similar to when there is an outbreak of nits in the class, teachers are no longer allowed to 'single out' children or parents to tell them they need treatment, they have to send a letter out to the entire class. Most kids have already been treated by the time the letter makes it home, the ones that haven't been are likely not to bother on receipt of a letter from school as they don't make the connection that it applies to them.
I have no idea what the solution is, perhaps bringing back school nurses would help some of those kids that are falling through the cracks due to inadequate parenting?