By Tina Traster
We are a child-safety obsessed nation. Water wings for the pool. Helmets for skiing and cycling. Mandated ages for booster seats in cars. Anti-Bullying programs. We don’t let our kids wander alone or stray out of our sight. A recent sexual molestation in a movie bathroom at the Palisades Mall in Rockland County, where I live, has triggered a conversation about whether it is okay to let children go to the bathroom by themselves.
Then why is no one paying attention to foods disseminated at birthday parties or on special occasions in classrooms at public elementary schools?
My seven-year-old daughter, who attends Nyack’s public schools, came home on Halloween with a “goody” bag containing a 40-gram rainbow lollipop made in China, Double Bubble jaw breakers, unlabeled peanut butter chocolate candies, artificially flavored BlowPops and Sweet Tarts made with processed sugar and artificial colors.
In what common-sense world is it safe to feed young children these so-called “treats?”
Food safety (maybe with the exception of peanut allergies) has not garnered the same attention as scrapes, concussions or molestations. Call me crazy but I think it should given dire statistics on child obesity, diabetes and other food-related illnesses and chronic conditions.
My daughter knows there is nothing in a goody bag like the one she brought home that is worth eating. For better or worse we’ve trained her to eat beautifully and she’s drinking the (metaphorical) high fructose corn syrup-FREE “Kool-Aid.” I think she’s proud of our lifestyle choices and I’m proud of her for thinking about where food comes from.
Unfortunately, she witnesses bad practices at her elementary school constantly.
Every time one of her 20 classmates has a birthday, a parent brings in Dunkin’ Donuts. I remember an autumn “feast” day in her kindergarten class. Teachers piled children’s plates with pumpkin pie, ice cream, whipped cream, cookies and potato chips – all in one sitting. That’s not a feast – it’s an orgy. Her first grade class went on a maple sugaring trip. I was there. After the children learned to extract sap from a tree, teachers fed them, what else? Dunkin’ Donuts. I brought an apple for my daughter.
After the Halloween goody bag came home I contacted the school principal and urged her to set a healthy food policy. On the phone, she was generous with her time and said she agreed the contents of the goody bag were unacceptable. Said she would put a stop to such practices.
The day before Christmas break, my daughter arrived with another “goody” bag filled with junk. The soft efforts the principal had undertaken to prohibit teachers and students from disseminating crap were ineffective.
During the six week span from Halloween through Christmas, I’d spoken to the principal several times about crafting a healthy food policy. The school even has a Health and Wellness Committee but after meeting with it, it became clear nobody has the appetite to tackle this issue.
A big part of the problem is the teachers’ lack of knowledge about food, food labeling, and the consequences, both physically and educationally, of exposing children to crap. My husband, who knows a lot about food, offered to conduct a free seminar for educators at the school. He had no takers.
As a show of good will the principal sent home a letter in children’s backpacks in late fall urging parents to send healthy snacks. Nobody pays attention to “suggestions.” What our school needs is a clear, unequivocal policy.
Members from the Health and Wellness Committee explained many parents think it is okay for their kids to eat Dunkin’ Donuts and BlowPops at school and for parents to hand out these snacks indiscriminantly.
Educators are afraid to challenge popular opinion even though there is more than ample research to support how important it is to get children on the right track at an early age. When it comes to food safety, it is easier to deflect responsibility and leave it up to parents.
School administrators who deny children a safe, healthy food culture during their elementary school years are guilty of either ignorance or neglect. I know our principal understands the issue. Apparently she has no appetite for a food fight.
Tina Traster writes the New York Post’s “Burb Appeal” column and the “The Great Divide” at HuffingtonPost.com.
Kate
I find it so sad that parents are only able to envision a world where children can only have “fun” if classic unhealthy chemical-laden toxic snacks are included. Imagine, if you can, a shift in that mentality. A shift that starts with those so-called smart teachers who set a new standard. Perhaps if schools (and some do) set the right standards, parents like you would feel aided in your efforts to teach your children about healthy eating. Oh, and check out today’s NYTimes story about obesity. It isn’t pretty. Especially as it pertains to boys 6 to 19.
First of all, to equate a horrific child molestation incident to your displeasure at the food being served at birthday parties in school is not only ludicrous, but completely insensitive to the real tragedies happening around us every day.
Second, I am growing quite tired of the elitist attitudes and people trying to force their opinions (unequivocally) down my throat or that of my children. Literally.
When do kids just get to be kids? Policies on goodie bags, are you kidding me? Since when did the occasional cupcake or “blow pop” lead to the downfall of children everywhere?
Do I admire a child who would rather have spinach or broccoli or an apple over a piece of chocolate? Sure. Do I wish my child would do that? Of course. Congratulations to those parents who were able to instill such behavior in their children. But for the rest of us? I truly appreciate the fact that our teachers (who I think are QUITE knowledgeable, thank you very much) still throw parties and let the kids have fun. If they can’t enjoy themselves on the occasional party or function in elementary school, then when?
Of course, I believe that moderation is the key, but for goodness sake, why do we suddenly feel the need to take away all the fun of being a kid. First it was no costume parties at Halloween, then no chocolate milk, now goodie bags — what’s next? No recess? I’m sure there’s research somewhere that points out how detrimental this can be.
Enough already. Please.
Two things Donna:
Birthday celebrations don’t boil down to the occasional “cupcake”. They more likely occur nearly 20 times during the school year and involve Dunkin’ Donuts. Add to that all those other special feast days when kids are loaded up with sugars and god knows what. Why can’t you get your head around the idea that a treat can be healthy?
There is a difference between food safety and complete OCD behavior with allowing children the satisfaction and “being a kid” fun of having sweets and treats. While I agree with the inherent dangers of allowing unknown foods to be distributed to kids, due to allergies, there needs to be some way to allow kids to enjoy a birthday celebration with classmates, that yes, includes the occasional cupcake. Permission slips could be one way to address this. However, we must remember that our kids still need to be allowed to have a fun childhood – and yes, that includes having treats!
Too much of anything is a bad idea – including a ban on cupcakes. The goal is to teach our children moderation, self-control and delayed gratification. These skills will take them much further in life than authoritarian rule.
I was annoyed when my son brought home a goody bag just after Halloween as well. We had a lot of candy from the kids going trick-or-treating (which we put on a high shelf and let them have just one piece a day as a treat after they eat healthier stuff) when this bag of junk came home with him. We also have the parties with massive amounts of food.
I’m not helping since I’ve been having him buy a school lunch since having my 3rd baby recently, but we plan to stop that soon and send him with a better sack lunch.
Parents and teachers take a a look here:
http://www.healthyschoolfood.org/