Teacher dictating which parts of daughter's lunch she can eat in which order?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I would send only cookies the next day.

Childish. Maybe OP should be the one going to preschool, if she wants to act like a 3 year old...

Makes it easier for the teacher to inappropriately police.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It’s also setting an example to the other children at the table, the importance of eating healthy first & desert last. Children watch and learn from each other and the teacher is considering the whole classroom is her direction.

Except this is the exact opposite of what children should learn. It is teaching that the other food is less rewarding and delicious, and the cookie is the "reward" for getting through the bad stuff.

This is what happens when teachers don't stay in their lane. Tell her you've consulted with a dietician and you do not want her policing any amount or order in which your child eats her lunch. Less work for her, and less harmful to everyone.

Yes this is one reason why I would address it. Teaching desert should be last as some kind of reward is actually the exact opposite of what evidence based research shows is best for children to develop healthy eating habits.

I disagree that it adds to the burden of the teacher - less policing = less burden.

Exactly in bold.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Op here.

In a strange turn of events apparently several other parents addressed it so the teacher sent an email to all the parents regarding classroom policy for eating.

If I got a classroom policy for eating, I would pull my kid out. I am serious. I lived in 3 states and my kids had 6 preschools. I never had this happen. I would be irate. For picky eaters especially, do not police food. This is how eating disorders develop. I am a PP and I had one myself.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Op here.

In a strange turn of events apparently several other parents addressed it so the teacher sent an email to all the parents regarding classroom policy for eating.

If I got a classroom policy for eating, I would pull my kid out. I am serious. I lived in 3 states and my kids had 6 preschools. I never had this happen. I would be irate. For picky eaters especially, do not police food. This is how eating disorders develop. I am a PP and I had one myself.

Plenty of preschools in this area are up to date on how to appropriately feed children. I’m the PP whose child has an allergy and the schools I looked at all did a version of “you’re in charge of your own lunch, not your friend’s lunch” which is good both for not stigmatizing children whose lunches are different as well as for DOR and learning healthy habits around food.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:44 year old Preschool teacher here: I also teach that we eat our protein and veg/fruit first because that is filling. The dessert/sweet treats are always saved for last. When we talk about nutrition, we discuss foods we want to eat more of vs foods we want to eat in moderation.

Using sweet foods as a reward is a terrible idea.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’d be thanking that teacher! Why do parents feel the need to pick apart every freaking thing a teacher does? Did the teacher need to do that? No. But it was nice of the teacher.

No, you would not be thanking the teacher. Why does the teacher need to pick apart a child’s lunch that a parent packed? You’re right, the teacher didn’t need to do that and overstepped. Not nice, rather controlling.

I agree that this is extremely controlling.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:44 year old Preschool teacher here: I also teach that we eat our protein and veg/fruit first because that is filling. The dessert/sweet treats are always saved for last. When we talk about nutrition, we discuss foods we want to eat more of vs foods we want to eat in moderation.

Using sweet foods as a reward is a terrible idea.

Having cookies at the end of the meal isn't a "reward", it's eating food in order. Fwiw, metabolically, it's healthiest.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Op here.

In a strange turn of events apparently several other parents addressed it so the teacher sent an email to all the parents regarding classroom policy for eating.

If I got a classroom policy for eating, I would pull my kid out. I am serious. I lived in 3 states and my kids had 6 preschools. I never had this happen. I would be irate. For picky eaters especially, do not police food. This is how eating disorders develop. I am a PP and I had one myself.

Plenty of preschools in this area are up to date on how to appropriately feed children. I’m the PP whose child has an allergy and the schools I looked at all did a version of “you’re in charge of your own lunch, not your friend’s lunch” which is good both for not stigmatizing children whose lunches are different as well as for DOR and learning healthy habits around food.

Saying nut free or keep your food to yourself is fine. Telling a child what order to eat food in that is in their lunch is NOT.

[Anonymous]

Meanwhile my mom was so much happier than all of you. PBJ and an apple. She would have shrugged and said “do what your teacher says” and sent me off to watch Cartoons. Parenting isn’t harder now, you just choose to make it harder.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’d be thanking that teacher! Why do parents feel the need to pick apart every freaking thing a teacher does? Did the teacher need to do that? No. But it was nice of the teacher.

No, you would not be thanking the teacher. Why does the teacher need to pick apart a child’s lunch that a parent packed? You’re right, the teacher didn’t need to do that and overstepped. Not nice, rather controlling.

I agree that this is extremely controlling.

The teacher picks apart the lunch that the parent provides because preschoolers aren't capable of dong that on their own. So the teacher unpacks and sets out the meal, opens containers, etc.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:So you are all OK if the kid only eats his Lil`Debbie brownie and nothing else? Or fruit gummies and nothing else? Or the candy and nothing else? Everyone here should work as a pre school teacher for a week, it's eye opening what many parents pack for lunch and how little some kids eat.

Yes...at least they ate something. If I pack a cookie, it is because it is highly caloric and has protein and it means I doubt they will eat enough of other things.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Op here.

In a strange turn of events apparently several other parents addressed it so the teacher sent an email to all the parents regarding classroom policy for eating.

If I got a classroom policy for eating, I would pull my kid out. I am serious. I lived in 3 states and my kids had 6 preschools. I never had this happen. I would be irate. For picky eaters especially, do not police food. This is how eating disorders develop. I am a PP and I had one myself.

Plenty of preschools in this area are up to date on how to appropriately feed children. I’m the PP whose child has an allergy and the schools I looked at all did a version of “you’re in charge of your own lunch, not your friend’s lunch” which is good both for not stigmatizing children whose lunches are different as well as for DOR and learning healthy habits around food.

Saying nut free or keep your food to yourself is fine. Telling a child what order to eat food in that is in their lunch is NOT.

Yes, I agree with you. None of the schools policed the order of food, they left the responsibility on the student to eat as they wanted to and the responsibility on the parent to pack foods they wanted their child to eat.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’d be thanking that teacher! Why do parents feel the need to pick apart every freaking thing a teacher does? Did the teacher need to do that? No. But it was nice of the teacher.

No, you would not be thanking the teacher. Why does the teacher need to pick apart a child’s lunch that a parent packed? You’re right, the teacher didn’t need to do that and overstepped. Not nice, rather controlling.

I agree that this is extremely controlling.

The teacher picks apart the lunch that the parent provides because preschoolers aren't capable of dong that on their own. So the teacher unpacks and sets out the meal, opens containers, etc.

I only sent containers my kids could open.

[Anonymous]

Why is there a shortage on teachers? Because 27 pages over a “cookie”. SMH

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’d be thanking that teacher! Why do parents feel the need to pick apart every freaking thing a teacher does? Did the teacher need to do that? No. But it was nice of the teacher.

No, you would not be thanking the teacher. Why does the teacher need to pick apart a child’s lunch that a parent packed? You’re right, the teacher didn’t need to do that and overstepped. Not nice, rather controlling.

I agree that this is extremely controlling.

The teacher picks apart the lunch that the parent provides because preschoolers aren't capable of dong that on their own. So the teacher unpacks and sets out the meal, opens containers, etc.

That’s not permission to police the order of lunch being eaten.