Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We had a group of these moms at our school. We quietly went along with the planning since they were so vocal...but then we simply showed up at the class party with Halloween cupcakes and other normal Halloween junk food treats. Guess what the kids chose?

We were the older, more veteran moms BTW.

Yes, this the way to do it. The domineering mom wants to bring in oranges and another healthful item, let her. Someone else should bring in cupcakes or cookies or brownies without announcing it ahead of time. Done.

We don't eat many sweets at our house, and no one at work has a candy bowl or brings cake in. I think the idea of bringing junk food (or any food, really) as a snack after a kids' sports game is bizarre. But people need to have some perspective. Halloween is all about letting loose and having treats. It shouldn't be a battleground.

+1. The focus on healthy food should be the norm - day-to-day, school lunches, snacks at home etc. - with the Halloween party the exception where treats are allowed. But something tells me the domineering mom wants all treats banned at any event her precious children are a part of.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We had a group of these moms at our school. We quietly went along with the planning since they were so vocal...but then we simply showed up at the class party with Halloween cupcakes and other normal Halloween junk food treats. Guess what the kids chose?

We were the older, more veteran moms BTW.

Yes, this the way to do it. The domineering mom wants to bring in oranges and another healthful item, let her. Someone else should bring in cupcakes or cookies or brownies without announcing it ahead of time. Done.

We don't eat many sweets at our house, and no one at work has a candy bowl or brings cake in. I think the idea of bringing junk food (or any food, really) as a snack after a kids' sports game is bizarre. But people need to have some perspective. Halloween is all about letting loose and having treats. It shouldn't be a battleground.

Anonymous wrote:I’d be grateful to her. All this junk is poisonous for goodness sake.

Anonymous wrote:We had a group of these moms at our school. We quietly went along with the planning since they were so vocal...but then we simply showed up at the class party with Halloween cupcakes and other normal Halloween junk food treats. Guess what the kids chose?

We were the older, more veteran moms BTW.

Anonymous wrote:Reading this thread as a non-American, I think it's no wonder why this country has an obesity crisis.

Anonymous wrote:Reading this thread as a non-American, I think it's no wonder why this country has an obesity crisis.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My kid would've died of embarrassment if I was still meeting about class parties in 5th grade. Maybe it's time to take up a hobby or something.

OP here. I am a full time working mom. No one stepped up to room parent 5th grade so the teachers asked again. So not there are just a few of us are running the snacks and games for the entire 5th grade (4 classes of 25-27 kids each.) The teachers don't run the parties at all. If a few moms don't step up, your kids don't get a party. So sorry, this was my hobby after a long week of work.

I don't care about healthy snack options, but these kids have had a sweet option at every single party their entire elementary school and it is their last one. Not huge donuts or cupcakes, but simple items. Last year it was two Oreos, a cheese stick, and pretzels. So no one else is coming in with treats. Someone is buying bulk oranges and popcorn for the whole grade. Picking the games was an issue too. I just don't care, but I envision handing out these oranges and these 5th graders are going to be like "are you serious!??" If you want to start the health only kick, do it in K when they don't know any better.

Anyway, it is the dominating mom issue. Shutting other moms down like they are her children. I wasn't the one who suggested the cookie. I tried to say, that seems to be fine and the dominating mom ignored us and just moved on with her game ideas. Not sure if I can handle her all year as a room parent. Maybe that is why no one ever steps forward?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
I mean, everything in moderation, right? I can see how this happens occasionally, but they also need to learn to regulate and refuse by saying, "Oh, I already had a treat earlier today." That's not an easy lesson to learn, but it's an important one that they will need to carry into adulthood. Otherwise, just look at all the posts in the "Diet and Exercise" forums that are about not being able to pass up the birthday cakes and candy in their office.

Maybe we can shape that culture young, by not needing to have treats at every hourly (sorry, exaggeration) event of the day. Not hourly, but you can see what I mean when it’s offered at school, by the neighbor, at the grocery store, at the TOT event where they get loads of candy.

We can shape it by saying, you know what, oranges and popcorn can be party food too! And maybe one cookie at the end. Or not. Sugar isn’t required to celebrate.

Then these guys and girls will have an easier time saying they don’t need the office birthday cake.

Just a different approach I guess. You’re aging, have it around and practice saying no ocassionally. Im saying practice moments where we don’t offer cookies and cupcakes, and change the mentality and expectation.

We can agree to disagree. However, I also disagree....and strongly feel we should defer to the side of health....if you have to pick and choose.

Anonymous wrote:Serious question OP, why is this so important to you? If you're so hell bent on giving your kid a load of junk, why can't you just wait until after school hours to do it?

Do you not have anything else to do with your time? Do you secretly want to sabotage everyone else's kid? Do you want to make sure that everyone else's kid is eating junk too so you don't need to feel bad about it? I'm honestly trying to understand your reasoning and none of the things I can think of make any sense to me.

Your kid is in 5th grade you said? You don't think they can survive without junk for a few hours while they're at school? You think they'll die without a halloween party with junk food because just dressing up isn't enough?

I'm saying this in the nicest possible way, but I really think it's time for you to step back a bit from your kid's life. They will survive a day without junk food. Really. And they'll also survive a halloween without you planning out their class snack. I promise.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I get the healthy moms. Because every various adult they interact with from oct 21-oct 31 feels like giving them a seer or candy.

For two of my boys, it really derails their overall nutrition to add too many sweets in. It’s not like they will eat healthy things PLUS the sweets. They will refuse healthy things on those kinds of days. Their moods are awful and completely different on the days that (I will admit that I am responsible) they have a cookie from the grocery store, the doctor gives them two lollipops, the neighbor says she has some Halloween chocolates for them, and preschool offered a cupcake because someone brought them in; and we were out of fruit so I gave them chips ahoy for a morning snack. Etc. I’ve had those days, and the moods and meltdowns are not pretty. Miserable for everyone.
My other child can handle it. She acts a tiny bit crazier but still eats a healthy dinner. My boys will forgo it because it’s not sweet too.

So, we need to all step back and limit at least 50% of the seeets we offer. We all think ‘a little is just ok,’but they’re getting it from so many sources.

I mean, everything in moderation, right? I can see how this happens occasionally, but they also need to learn to regulate and refuse by saying, "Oh, I already had a treat earlier today." That's not an easy lesson to learn, but it's an important one that they will need to carry into adulthood. Otherwise, just look at all the posts in the "Diet and Exercise" forums that are about not being able to pass up the birthday cakes and candy in their office.