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Primary education

Join our Primary Education forum to discuss starting school and helping your child get the most out of it.

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Original poster

what do you think, did i overreact?

30 replies

rosylizzie · 15/11/2006 07:19

i'm on a working party at my primary trying to improve school lunches. I was chatting to the school secretary about this b4 hometime yesterday when my 5 year old came out clutching a bag of crisps given to her by a teaching assistant who regularly rewards the children with food. I was hopping and immeadiately complined to the TA and the school, I do not think schools should hand out junk food to kids without parental permission or at all. Also why reward children with food? what do you think

OP posts:

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cadbury · 15/11/2006 08:05

I agree, it's inappropriate. I might not mind a small sweet once in a blue moon but if they start thinking of junk food (or any food) as a "treat" it could have the effect of turning it into a real issue in the childrens lives (that was my experience - difficult to explain but I ended up using food as my comfort and my reward for coping with other things, there follows years of obesity, therapy and battling with an eating disorder). It certainly isn't appropriate for the TA to be gving crisps out withuot parental permission.

anniebear · 15/11/2006 20:21

I totally agree, I would be very annoyed if My DD came out of school with crisps as a reward

I think thats awful

BudaBeast · 15/11/2006 20:24

Whatever happed to stickers?

At DS's school they get a little sticker on their top as a reward (for lots of things). They all love it.

Don't know about when they move up the school as DS is just 5.

morningpaper · 15/11/2006 20:27

what? terrible!

Olihan · 15/11/2006 20:27

I'm gobsmacked!! I can't believe the school allow the TA to do that, it's totally unacceptable. What's wrong with some sparkly stickers if she wasnts to reward the kids? Most kids, especially girls, love getting stickers, Food shouldn't be used as a reward in school. I think you were right to complain.

nearlythree · 15/11/2006 20:30

Very bad to start an association with food and behaviour/emotions. Very, very bad.

Dd1's school has stickers, and special awards called 'citizenships' and 'endeavours'. Citizenships are for helping and endeavours for trying. At the end of the week they are given out in assembly, and sometimes there is a 'guest of honour' to do it - once it was my dh who was there to have a thank-you presentation made to him for helping with football coaching!

cazzybabs · 15/11/2006 20:35

WEll it depends on what the award was - was it for a one off (then agree its inappropraite) or was it for getting a set of stickers over a fixed time frame and this was something that would really motivate the child. And all those who say inappropirate have you never rewared your child with food - I have (to get dd1 out of doing poos in her nappy I would bribe her with a chocolate button).

nearlythree · 15/11/2006 20:38

I used stickers when potty training, and for taking medicine. Just trying to think if I have ever used food as a bribe or reward...Sometimes we get in a special treat, like croissants or an iced bun, but it's not linked to any behaviour.

Original poster

rosylizzie · 16/11/2006 13:32

i got called into the heads office today to discuss this. Apparently i've really upset the TA by complaining.However having slept on it for a couple of nights I still feel really cross about it - I firmly believe one of the fundamental investments we can make for our children is to feed them properly and control their intake of junk. dont get me wrong - Im not an ogre, let them have occasional crisps myself, we have a sweet day once a week and I would never try to control what they had at parties etc. But I still object to a member of the teaching staff giving my dd that shite - a fairly offensive packet of tesco own brand cheesy puffs and told the Head. I also feel really cross that Im giving up lots of time to work with the school on improving meals and a member of staff does that .Grrrrrr!

OP posts:

ComeOVeneer · 16/11/2006 13:37

I to would be hopping. I give dd crisps and occassional sweets at home, but I don't think a packet of crisps is appropriate reward at all. DD gets stickers and they put marblees in a jar for good behaviour. Once they have a certain number of marbles they get a reward.

lulumama · 16/11/2006 13:37

absolutely agree rosy..makes a mockery, as you say , of you giving up time to help improve school meals!

DS's school give stickers, a soft toy to take home for a few nights as a reward, extra free choice play on a friday, sitting on a chair not the carpet at circle time, a special sign on their desk., their name on the whiteboard, ...

lots that can be done to reward kids without food...

Dior · 16/11/2006 13:39

Message withdrawn

peanutbutterkid · 16/11/2006 14:23

DD's school the children get chocolate from the head on their birthdays. I don't think anyone has a problem with it.

Crisps I'd be more bothered about because of the salt content, adds up if they have a bag of crisps in their lunchbox, too.

WriggleJiggle · 16/11/2006 14:30

A bag if crisps is a little unusual. To be honest I do think you are over reacting - unless of course it happens regularly, then I might have a quiet word. I think you should probably have spoken to the TA and explained your worries rather than creating a huge problem out of it.

I occasionally use treats such as a smartie or chocolate button, not a whole packet of crisps though.

Avalon · 16/11/2006 14:34

You're right, TA's wrong.

Rewards at my kids' primary are stickers - huge variety, house points and fruit.

Avalon · 16/11/2006 14:36

huge variety of stickers

Jimjams2 · 16/11/2006 14:47

if this shows twice it's because the computer is playing up.

Hmmm It depends what motivates a child. For certain things we want ds1 to do we have to use food becaiuse it's the strongest reinforcer we have.

Ds1 was allowed to eat crisps at mainstream because otherwise he didn't eat anything all day.

Sure instigate a different rewards system, but let it remain flexible for gods sake.

Jimjams2 · 16/11/2006 14:47

Hmmm It depends what motivates a child. For certain things we want ds1 to do we have to use food becaiuse it's the strongest reinforcer we have.

Ds1 was allowed to eat crisps at mainstream because otherwise he didn't eat anything all day.

Sure instigate a different rewards system, but let it remain flexible for gods sake.

cat64 · 16/11/2006 14:55

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn

madmarchhare · 16/11/2006 15:03

Agree that it is inappropriate for the school to hand out crisps but I have often used food as a reward because it works. DS has no interest in stickers, charts etc.. Dont think however, that I would say anything if it was a one off.

Elasticwoman · 16/11/2006 18:52

No you didn't overreact. You were brave enough to stand up and be counted. And don't worry, you aren't the first mother to object to schools handing out edible rewards. Of course, a mother who marches in and objects to something every week will soon start to be ignored by the teachers, so you have to pick your battles and this was a reasonable one imo.

Re stickers: my ds's school hands these out, usually for behaviour rather than academic achievement, and one day I asked ds "what's this for?" about the sticker on his sweatshirt and he answered "nothing - it's the sticker off my banana."

ratclare · 17/11/2006 18:12

my dd gets a stamp on her hand ,cue bathtime hysterionics !

Kidstrack · 17/11/2006 18:16

ds's school rewards with pencils,rubbers etc and stickers, although in primary1 they did give out cadbury freddo bars that i wasn't happy with but they have changed this

PanicPants · 17/11/2006 18:17

We're not allowed to give out sweets/biscuits/crisps anymore unless a child brings in some because they are having a birthday.

Today the children had a 'feast' as part of a topic we are doing and the lady that came in to do it brought biscuits in with her as 'spicy biscuits' as part of the feast (big input on how herbs and spices were part of improving salted and smoked meat in the winter months)

They ate them up, and I really hope I don't get a backlash on Monday

edam · 17/11/2006 18:25

I would have had a quiet word about it being a bad idea but I wouldn't have gone in all guns blazing. A small chocolate would actually have been better in terms of nutrition!

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