So irritated by health nut who does PTA fundraising that is taking over food in our school

[Anonymous]

My daughter was in a class with her daughter. At first I thought she really cool, funny and an interesting person, then the subject of food came up..; she was very health food fanatical. Talk about controlling with her kid! The more I had her child around the more I saw how unhealthy this mother's psychological anxieties about food played out on her child. I eventually steered my daughter away from her daughter because the child was so weird and every time the mother was around she was on top of her child for every move her daughter made was so exaggerated that it was just embarrassing and unhealthy for my child.

Now she's gotten involved in the PTA, and I recently received an email on our school list serve about juice at class parties, how she buys an alternative product at CostCo and a whole lecture on sugar, like we are all idiots! This is an elementary school, the kids don't drink juice anymore, and if some parent brings juice for a twice a year party I think our children will survive.

I have a friend that is on the PTA with her and she tells me that she is leading a drive to ban the PITA chips and ice creams the kids can purchase ONE day a week in the lunchroom. She is also starting a crusade to eliminate all snacks during the MSA tests, because they are not healthy enough,

I know I am just complaining but I really dread what is going to come next and I hate to know one health nut can have so much power in a school. I've spoken to her in person she is fanatical, I have a job and can't spend my days fighting her... probably nothing to be done, just venting about how creepy and uncomfortable I am about her.

[Anonymous]

My daughter use to go to a school out of state where that type of mentality was school wide . No Halloween candy, no birthday treats, and def no Valentine's Day treats. It was really upsetting and annoying all at the same time. I don't care if parents don't want to feed their kids juice and cake but they have no right to decide that for my child. So yes, I do feel your frustration.

[Anonymous]

Make your voice heard with the other parents and administration.

I guarantee you are not alone in your sentiments.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My daughter use to go to a school out of state where that type of mentality was school wide . No Halloween candy, no birthday treats, and def no Valentine's Day treats. It was really upsetting and annoying all at the same time. I don't care if parents don't want to feed their kids juice and cake but they have no right to decide that for my child. So yes, I do feel your frustration.

PP here, after talking to my friend that is on the PTA board I don't know if it's schoolwide yet. She had a few mom's that agreed with her philosophy but the rest were cautionary and did not commit to her ideas.

I just don't want to go up against her.... I'm still steamed about her horrific email.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Make your voice heard with the other parents and administration.

I guarantee you are not alone in your sentiments.

No doubt people are afraid to speak up.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Make your voice heard with the other parents and administration.

I guarantee you are not alone in your sentiments.

No doubt people are afraid to speak up.

Because being on the PTA makes you so powerful?

At some point, you either have to speak up, or accept it.

[Anonymous]

At the end of the day she is not hurting anyone - if she's got the energy for it then good. Personally, I'd rather all that crap out of schools during the day so that I can give all that crap to them at home. I'm not a health nut, but it is really necessary for kids to get candy at a halloween party THEN go trick or treating??

[Anonymous]

In a country where 50 percent of the population is overweight, this sounds like a good idea.

[Anonymous]

Moderation is everything.
If children can eat healthy in the cafeteria every day (and hopefully at home), then a few treats during school parties is acceptable. You see what I mean? It makes more sense for everyone to spend energy on reforming school meals than to quibble over party food. I believe there is already a movement for that in MoCo.

I loathe the "treat" mentality myself. Most people eat really unhealthy all the while saying "but everyone does it!", thinking it makes it all right. This is why more people develop diabetes and heart disease. Despite this mother's disagreeable attitude, she's right.

But... change has to be gradual to become accepted. So I see your point, OP. You should ask around to plumb what other parents think, especially those on the PTA, and see if a middle ground can be reached so that changes are not too painful. The most important is to prioritize your push and for everyone to push in the same direction!!!

I would cut all unhealthy food from the cafeteria, even the chips and ice cream. But leave everyone freedom to bring whatever to parties.
As for snacks, they are very useful for children during long exams, but only if they are NOT rapid sugar - otherwise some children may crash before the end of the test. What about suggesting a healthier option for the MSAs?

[Anonymous]

My mom raised me on whole, organic foods and no sugar and that's how I'm raising my kids. It's just how we eat. I've never known anything else. But, there is a line and at a certain point what we're talking about is a compulsion. The proselytizing, the obsession with food, the attempting to control every morsel that passes through anyone's lips... that's not just a healthy regard for healthy food. That's an eating disorder. It's called orthorexia nervosa (see http://www.nationaleatingdisorders.org/orthorexia-nervosa).

I would quietly but firmly approach the school administration and let them know that you think this person has an unhealthy obsession with food and that you object to her attempts to control everything the kids eat. Let them know that you expect them to reflect a balanced approach to eating and that you will support them if they put limits on her attempts to micromanage what's happening at school.

And definitely keep your kids away!

[Anonymous]

bottom line is this, OP

YOUR kid, YOUR decision

I don't feel the need to parent other people's children. So if Little Missy So and So brings juice boxes and M&Ms for lunch, it's not my place to talk to the mother.

So do I worry about my own kids? no

If they're eating healthy foods most of the time, candy on V-Day and Halloween will not kill them.

Again - I am not parenting other kids. And if these kids are eating crap much of the time, removing candy from parties and substituting it with fruits and vegetables will not change their eating habits.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My mom raised me on whole, organic foods and no sugar and that's how I'm raising my kids. It's just how we eat. I've never known anything else. But, there is a line and at a certain point what we're talking about is a compulsion. The proselytizing, the obsession with food, the attempting to control every morsel that passes through anyone's lips... that's not just a healthy regard for healthy food. That's an eating disorder. It's called orthorexia nervosa (see http://www.nationaleatingdisorders.org/orthorexia-nervosa).

I would quietly but firmly approach the school administration and let them know that you think this person has an unhealthy obsession with food and that you object to her attempts to control everything the kids eat. Let them know that you expect them to reflect a balanced approach to eating and that you will support them if they put limits on her attempts to micromanage what's happening at school.

And definitely keep your kids away!

Great post!

Stop the crazy obsession with food. It is not healthy.

And stop trying to parent everyone else's kids. That is just too much.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:In a country where 50 percent of the population is overweight, this sounds like a good idea.

not w/o educating parents

Change in one situation doesn't necessarily transfer easily into another.

You have to UNlearn unhealthy habits, and that takes time and a desire to change.

Forcing your views on another does not facilitate change.

[Anonymous]

What school is this?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Moderation is everything.
If children can eat healthy in the cafeteria every day (and hopefully at home), then a few treats during school parties is acceptable. You see what I mean? It makes more sense for everyone to spend energy on reforming school meals than to quibble over party food. I believe there is already a movement for that in MoCo.

I loathe the "treat" mentality myself. Most people eat really unhealthy all the while saying "but everyone does it!", thinking it makes it all right. This is why more people develop diabetes and heart disease. Despite this mother's disagreeable attitude, she's right.

But... change has to be gradual to become accepted. So I see your point, OP. You should ask around to plumb what other parents think, especially those on the PTA, and see if a middle ground can be reached so that changes are not too painful. The most important is to prioritize your push and for everyone to push in the same direction!!!

I would cut all unhealthy food from the cafeteria, even the chips and ice cream. But leave everyone freedom to bring whatever to parties.
As for snacks, they are very useful for children during long exams, but only if they are NOT rapid sugar - otherwise some children may crash before the end of the test. What about suggesting a healthier option for the MSAs?

I agree with this. Nothing wrong with a treat every now and hten, and a much biger problem is the junk food and processed crap served in the cafeterias EVERY DAY. I'm not a healthy food fanatic but industrial chicken nuggets and pizza every day is just unconscionable. I know there are new food standards but they are just pushing MCPS to find new sources of processed food that contains whole grain or low fat cheese. That's not addressing the issue, and I know lots of kids in MD and HS who end up buying cookies and chips in the a la carte line and calling that a lunch. I'm SO fed up with it.