It irks me that both schools my kids attend are bossy about what to pack for lunch

[Anonymous]

We do not discuss our stupid food policies until the parents sign the contract. Then they start and see the unhealthy processed food we serve in our "healthy" lunches. Fruit juice is not allowed on campus, birthday snacks not allowed on campus, except in middle school, but we still sell ice cream as a fundraiser. Wish we could go back to actually teaching children about nutrition instead of a committee of parents with their strange ideas making up these policies.

[Anonymous]

I've had such a problem with lunches too... I got A Beary Balanced Belly (www.bearybalanced.com) and it's helped me figure out what to pack for them in order to give them a balanced meal each day. The kids love it too... best investment I've made so far this school year!

[Anonymous]

Spam spam spam and eggs.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:No junk food but here comes the birthday cupcakes.

Good one. Score!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Well, then why isn't the solution to say "we've had lots of problems with accidents caused by wheeled backpacks; please assess whether your child actually needs one. If not, don't bring it. If so, please teach your kid how to use the pack in crowded halls or on stairways so that s/he won't put others at risk.

Not need to sacrifice the individual to the group. Or to waste a teachable moment (good for your kid to think about what s/he is schlepping to/from/around school and whether it's necessary; good for your kid to think about how the space you take up changes depending on what you're carting and how and that it's important to watch out for others).

In a perfect world, that works. Everyone would be reasonable and weigh the individual needs against the community's need. But if this thread is an example, everyone would look at what is best for them personally and decide accordingly.

In a school, it is better to have hard and fast rules - especially when it comes to safety. Honestly, I would expect and prefer that that principal would make decisive rules about child safety issues and not leave it up to individual parents.

Thank you. I wouldn't be able to understand your mandate if you explained the reason behind it. I am so dumb it would confuse me. Thank you, enlightened one!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Well, then why isn't the solution to say "we've had lots of problems with accidents caused by wheeled backpacks; please assess whether your child actually needs one. If not, don't bring it. If so, please teach your kid how to use the pack in crowded halls or on stairways so that s/he won't put others at risk.

Not need to sacrifice the individual to the group. Or to waste a teachable moment (good for your kid to think about what s/he is schlepping to/from/around school and whether it's necessary; good for your kid to think about how the space you take up changes depending on what you're carting and how and that it's important to watch out for others).

In a perfect world, that works. Everyone would be reasonable and weigh the individual needs against the community's need. But if this thread is an example, everyone would look at what is best for them personally and decide accordingly.

In a school, it is better to have hard and fast rules - especially when it comes to safety. Honestly, I would expect and prefer that that principal would make decisive rules about child safety issues and not leave it up to individual parents.

Thank you. I wouldn't be able to understand your mandate if you explained the reason behind it. I am so dumb it would confuse me. Thank you, enlightened one!

PP here. Well, in your effort to be a smartazz, you clearly missed my earlier post where I asked the principal the reason for the no wheeled backpack rule and was given a resonable explanation regarding child safety. The exchange above that you are sarcastically referring to is about whether schools should make the rules or allow the indivudual family to decide the issues for themselves.