Juice in school

[Fubar01]

My DD’s teacher is being very combative about her taking juice to school (primary) in a clear drinking bottle. He says it’s against school healthy eating standards, but if she brings it in a non clear bottle it’s fine! She brings a very healthy lunch and has perfect teeth. She is also very sporty . She point blank refuses to drink water. Yet others in her class bring crisps and chocolate and nothing is said .
AIBU to stick with the (new) clear bottle?
i dislike petty rules that have no bearing on her education ! Especially when the rules are not enforced for others !

Because teachers are choosing to burden themselves with minor things like the colour of plastic of a bottle?

It is/ would be a choice to pursue this, much less get so het up about it you change your career.

But it's not petty. It's presumably so that, as PP have said, it stops other children from complaining about why they have to drink water and can't have juice too.... Causing a bigger headache both for the teacher and other parents (and then the teacher again when the other parents complain about it!).

My eldest will only drink water anyway, but my youngest (despite only having water at home), has got the taste of squash from eg parties. He does drink water, but I'm sure if he saw friends at school with squash, would definitely be feeling hard done by!

The teacher is trying to appease you. I'm sure he could quite easily say, right, no juice at all. At least he's giving you the option.

The issue is YOUR attitude.

@ClaudiaWankleman I'm not referring to this particular isolated incident (drinks bottle colour) , more the fact that parents are teaching their children that they don't have to compromise. Instead to argue to toss every small unimportant thing.

It's not minor though. There is a very sensible reason, in order to prevent other children complaining about it, both to the teacher and to their parents (who likely would then also complain to the teacher!)

However, it has had consequences - diabetes, heart disease, etc. I think it's great that we are trying to do better for out kids.

Schools aren’t trying to do better though. I’ve just looked at my eldest’s lunch menu, every single day is a ‘empty calories’ pudding choice (sponge, cookies, donuts, ice cream), bar one day that’s an ‘only fruit’ option. Most meal choices are carb heavy. Some beige days of dippers and wedges or cheese pizza. I’m not complaining, for some kids in my local area, this will be their main meal of the day. But if juice is the ultimate no no, a ‘can’t argue against it’ rule, then we can start questioning every other aspect of food and school. Do teachers only get to take water to their desks? Is there a ban on staff having anything but water to drink all day? Should we stop gifting teachers coffee mugs or wine in case we’re giving the kids wrong ideas about what to drink as an adult?

A classroom full of children spilling coloured sugary stuff everywhere- nightmare!

If kids water bottles are so flimsy they’re constantly leaking liquid everywhere, perhaps it’s the bottles themselves that’s the issue rather than a health one. Maybe the school should provide children with water bottles every day?

Good lord, the poor teacher can’t win! He tries to stick to the government's healthy food guidelines for schools, and when a stroppy parent won’t co-operate he intimates that he’ll turn a blind eye as long as the child isn’t encouraging other children to do the same, and then you blame him for that too.

When OP says "juice" they probably actually mean "squash", which has no nutritional value. One child may be sporty, have good teeth and usually eat healthily, but not all others will.

Saying a child "won’t drink water" is ridiculous. If they won’t drink it, they can’t really be thirsty. I once took on a residential trip a child whose parents told us she would drink nothing but Coke (including for breakfast) so we would have to provide it. We didn’t. She drank water, milk, juice, whatever the other children drank, without a murmur. I expect she went back to "I can only drink Coke!" when she got back home.

I just don't use a clear bottle and problem solved. Or those flavoured waters are used by some parents.

No, he's not.

He's telling you that the rules state that if he can see it's not water he'll have to take it away. He's telling you how to do what you think is right for your child.

Or you can get into a battle with the school over the type of bottle your kids juice is in. And she won't be allowed the juice regardless of which bottle it's in.

You want to keep the new clear bottle, water. You want juice, non-clear bottle.

No the teacher is not focused on the floor of a plastic bottle. They are trying to avoid the burden of having to explain to the 29 other kids and most definitely some of their parents why they have to drink water when OP's child is allowed juice.

They don't care about the bottle, or what is in the bottle they want to avoid daily discussions about juice.

This mind boggles me too! My husband and I both drink water, both my children do too. Squash/fruit juice is an occasional treat.
Think too many children don't drink water because parents don't, so no example set.
If the school rule is water only, that's what a parent should stick to.

You need to pick your battles. This is not a hill to die on. Buy an opaque bottle and parent as you wish.

If 29 kids have water bottles, a bunch of them are going to be disappointed that one child gets juice. They can’t all have juice. It’s healthier if a child’s main drink is water. Don’t make things harder for the teachers and other parents by trying to use a transparent bottle for juice when you’ve been asked/told not to.

Drinking any kind of liquid as opposed to not is healthier.

Such low standards. That is how we end up with a bunch of obese kids addicted to juice and soda. The teacher has already bent the rules for you and you are complaining?

Drinking any kind of liquid as opposed to not is healthier.

Such low standards. That is how we end up with a bunch of obese kids addicted to juice and soda. The teacher has already bent the rules for you and you are complaining?

@Fubar01 why are you being deliberately obtuse?
OK, this is the situation. Kids are meant to drink water. That’s what governments want and schools try to encourage. But life isn’t always like that. Every year there will be kids who start school, seemingly incapable of drinking water. Parents will make a fuss, saying their kid needs squash. Teachers have a choice.

1. Insist child has water because that’s the rule.
2. Try and work with the parent to find a compromise, so that they can focus on what they wactually want to do ie teach.

Your child’s teacher is trying to reach a compromise, by saying OK if you insist, your water-phobic child can have juice, but please put it in an opaque bottle so the other kids don’t all start wanting juice too.

And yet you’re still not happy.
This is a classic case of damned if you do and damned if you don’t.
Are you really not able to see the problem of your kid having a clear bottle with nice bright shiny orange juice for all to see, while the others have water?

Teacher is out of order, you decide. But one thing though - if your dd is in primary school, there should be no such thing as 'refuses point blank'. If little shits refuse point blank anything at that age, there is something amiss in their upbringing.

What, and then wash them out and refill them every day? Sure, schools have nothing else to spend their time and money on.

They’re children - they spill things and accidentally drop them or knock them over or forget to put the lid back on. If children are thirsty during lesson time they'll drink water. If they won’t drink water they’re not really thirsty.

School lunches have to follow enormously detailed nutritional guidelines.

Right. You don't want her taught to be sneaky? Then teach her to follow the rules. And the rules are she has water in her drinks bottle for school. If that means trying flavoured waters, do that.

If you want her to be allowed juice, you need to let the teacher tell you how to bend the rules.

You can't have it both ways. He can't enforce the water only rule and your child gets to take juice in.

@EI12 oh the irony! On the one hand you’re saying OP gets to make the rules in school, with a “your child your rules” approach. And on the other hand you advocate teaching kids obedience. It’s actually the “little shits” who grown up to be the “I’m doing it my way” parents!

God - teaching is such a pain in the hole. It’s one small thing you are being asked to do. We have classes where half the kids have tooth decay because they are being given the sucky drinks bottles with juice in them at night.

The teacher isn’t just thinking about what’s best for your child but for others too. Drinking water between meals reduces risk of dental decay and encourages better health habits.

As much as we may wish for education policies that are entirely shaped around our own child, that’s not how policy is framed. Play your part in better outcomes for other children too. If your child is thirsty, they will drink water. If they really can’t, you have the option to be discreet with juice.

if you feel you must send your child in with juice in a clear bottle then the world will not end but it is just reflective of the day in day out irritations teachers have to endure

It would also be a choice to explain to all parents and children? These are the 'rules' that sensible teachers turn a blind eye to, because in reality they are inconsequential for the school setting. If a child refuses water and only drinks juice, what difference does it make to the class? Teachers are not parents and don't have the responsibility to care about small things, as long as the big picture of a child's wellbeing is assured.

Teachers don't agree with all the rules set by schools. If your child has a clear bottle with juice in it then SLT will ask him/her why they are not enforcing the school rule. The teacher is just giving you a way to get what you want, juice and they get what they want an easier life.

Never underestimate peer on peer jealousy of Smiggle water bottles, branded or cool lunch boxes, hair accessories and children whose parents insisting on water realising other children are bringing in juice because it is glaringly obvious.

You seem to be coming at this from a combative position. Just give her flavoured water or juice in a non-clear bottle and be grateful this is the only issue you have with your child's school or did you miss the my child and the whole class were in the corridor with their teacher with one child being dealt with in the classroom being encouraged to make good choices?

Better yet, volunteer in school jumping through the DBS checks and usually some kind of training and see the reality inside a primary school day to day with this sort of bullshit from parents.

Why are you making such an issue? If you want your child to follow the rules then send in water or flavoured water. If you don't want to follow the rules then send in juice in a non clear bottle.
Perhaps if another teacher or the head saw your child had juice your child and the teacher would get in trouble.
Can't you just follow a simple rule?

every single day is a ‘empty calories’ pudding choice (sponge, cookies, donuts, ice cream)

There are rules about what these are made with and be assured, they arent "empty calories". Children need carbohydrates, more so than adults, and these desserts often also provide necessary fats, vitamins (particularly the fat soluble vitamins) protein from milk & egg & calcium.

Those puddings are described the way they are to be palatable to children. You'll find they are made with nutritious ingredients including flours, eggs, dairy, fruit, veg like carrots, beetroot & courgette. If there's any sugar the quantity will be low as school dinners must meet specific guidelines in this respect.

People are so touchy about the term "pudding" or "dessert". Its a second course providing extra calories for growing children, its incredibly expensive to provide enough calories solely via things like meat/fish/fresh vegetables, wouldn't be a complete & healthy diet anyway.

These desserts can be prepared in advance with nutritious ingredients, are easy to transport, store & serve, and are palatable to children. They aren't an issue.

Hierarchy? Adults set the rules, little shits follow the rules, non? Juice is just juice, dietary preference, I would never condone parents' flouting the uniform rules, the appearance (no jewellery) rules, class behaviour rules.