Would you be uncomfortable about this - sweets being offered to children to attend an extra curricular club?

[MsFogi]

A while back (pre-lockdowns etc) one of my dcs mentionned that lots of pupils (including her) attend the "Rainbow Club" because the teacher gives out sweets to everyone at the meetings, I must admit that I didn't think much about it at the time. However, whilst chatting to another mother the other day she mentioned that her daughter had told her that loads of children attend the club for the sweets and she thought it a bit odd to be offering sweets at a club. So this has now got me thinking that it does feel a bit odd! I'd be interested to hear MNers' views given that all the clubs will be starting up again.

What does the Rainbiw Club do?

I'm surprised sweets are much is a draw at a secondary tbh

It’s a while (over a decade!) since I was at school, but there were plenty of clubs that had sweets or biscuits as an after school snack. Some days I would get sweets at a club, other days I’d use my left over dinner money to buy myself some from the corner shop on the way home!

I suppose nowadays it might go against a school’s “healthy eating” ethos but I don’t understand what’s particulary

Pressed enter too soon!

what’s particularly odd about it, that should say

I used to give out chocolate biscuits to year 11 students who came yo my after-school catch up sessions. I thought that was ok - if that was the reason they came I'd be surprised tbh.

I dunno. If it means that lots of kids get interested in [whatever rainbow club means] for the financial and health cost of a small packet of haribo, I don’t see much harm. But there isn’t enough info in your OP.

What is the rainbow club exactly? The main way to guarantee my Y11’s coming to revision sessions pre exams was to do it before school with the promise of pain au chocolats and croissants. You’d be amazed at how motivated kids are by treats especially if money is tight at home or parents limit “junk” by not buying it or giving kids money to go to the shop.

Rainbow club is the LGBTQ+++ club. It seems to be the only one that offers sweets.

My dc get pizza delivered to do extra classes.
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Pre-covid, that was the main way I used to get people to turn up to meetings at work.

That’s what I thought it would be. Unless your dc is lgbtq+ and in need of support, I wouldn’t be encouraging it at all to be honest. I know what they’re like at my school.

Yeah this would get my hackles right up.

I wouldn't have thought that with secondary school aged pupils that sweets could be a lure. Surely by that age children have access to money and the option to buy sweets if they want them?
In primary I can see it would be a way to encourage attendance and indeed in Primary any children who attended booster classes were offered sweets or chocolate for attending

@MsFogi

Rainbow club is the LGBTQ+++ club. It seems to be the only one that offers sweets.

Why didn’t you know giving teenagers sweets is all part of the gay agenda

Why not offer your DC some nice heterosexual, ‘gender critical’ sweets at home if you’re worried about them catching the rainbow or something

I doubt the sweets are being offered with the intention of luring poor unsuspecting children in (more that there happen to be sweets available). If secondary age kids are that dedicated to some free sweets that they’ll turn up to a club regardless of what it is, let them crack on.

Maybe some are using it as an ‘excuse’ for why they want to go, maybe some genuinely have such a sugar addiction that they’re just there for the freebies, maybe some find it a relaxed and friendly environment and the sweets are a bonus.

It's the only one that offers sweets at our secondary too. Dd went for a while to get the free lollipop. I said they were given it to keep them quiet.

Would you have a problem with it if sweets were given out at a chess club for example? Or maths catch up lessons? We had a film club after schools and kids were given popcorn and squash would that be a problem for you?

Or maybe because it's LGBTQ+ they should have grey walls, block the windows, make it as dreary as possible as to discourage pupils to go...

Personally I wouldn't have a problem with this at all.

I went to Bible Club at secondary school as you got in early for lunch.

I am not religious in any way and still like my food

My Maths teacher offered coffee and biscuits for attending after school revision.

DD and DS got McDonald's breakfast for before school drama practice when they were in productions. The school offered all GCSE students breakfast sandwiches if they turned up at 8:30.
I seem to remember turning up on time got them a fast food voucher if they did it enough days in a row.

@MaintainingPositivity So did I!!

Do secondary aged children go to the club just because sweets being offered? I assume not.

I'm not sure exactly what the issue is from the op? Is your DD LGBTQ+ or is she literally just going to a club to get sweets, which seems quite odd for secondary school age?

They must be skittles

When I was in book club at secondary, we used to have tea and biscuits at our meetings.

Seems a bit babyish for the kids to go just for a few sweets? It's a decent chunk of time to give up. Or is it being made an issue because it's an LGBT+ club?

I run a home work club at secondary, hope the 2 finger kit kat and bottle of water are not the only reason people come.
Sweets are still a massive thing, it's amazing the amount of hands that go up when a sweet is offered for a correct answer.

I don't think secondary schools should be bribing children with sweets to do anything. Childhood obesity is a big enough problem as it is.