Anonymous wrote:Am surprised a bit by the responses. It seems very unprofessional for a teacher to snack during class. If she misses lunch and has to eat it discreetly at her desk as the teacher PP mentioned, that's okay. It's better if the teacher could ask the class to excuse her because she was unable to eat lunch on time. If the snacking is needed for a medical condition, she should tell the class that, again asking for their indulgence.

I attend plenty of bag lunch meetings at work. But they are all internal and the assumption is that those not eating lunch have already eaten. Snacking with external parties present would never happen unless coffee and cookies, say, were made available for all. I almost always have a mid-afternoon snack; I have people coming into my office all day long and if I really need my snack I ask permission of whomever is there. I usually have extras on hand that I offer them should they wish to join.

I once went to a meeting with one of the top people in our organization in his office. At one point in the meeting, he got up, grabbed a bag of Pepperidge Farm cookies from a closet and proceeded to eat about five of them without offering any to the four or so staff people present. Everyone thought it was inexcusably rude. We all decided he was odd and had no social graces. He did not last long.

That said, all I would have said to my child is that is very odd, I wonder if she has a medical condition that requires her to snack all day. Inwardly, I would wince at the poor example of manners the teacher was modeling. If I had a good relationship with the principal, I might something to her in a vague, nonjudgmental way.

The fact is it is rude to snack in front of people without offering them something.

What? No! No adult should be forced to explain themselves to a child, nor have to ask permission or "indulgence" from a child for anything that doesn't involve that child's safety and personal space. My child does not get to decide whether she will allow her teacher to eat something, or to do anything that doesn't involve teacher touching my child or having my child break a safety rule.

That part of your post seems so entitled on the children's part, I cannot believe you would find it reasonable. That would be an appropriate interaction between peers, or colleagues at the same professional level, not between an adult and a child or between a superior and a subordinate, as are both the case in a teacher-student relationship.

Anonymous wrote:It's something you can't control, OP. But, unless the kids are allowed to eat in class then it's rude and unprofessional. This would not fly in a lot of offices.

Having said that, maybe she has a medical condition that requires frequent snacks?

Adults have different privlages than children. Teachers often need a drink, it's hard to project your voice all day. I used to drink seltzer, which could have been mistaken for soda.

It's something you can't control, OP. But, unless the kids are allowed to eat in class then it's rude and unprofessional. This would not fly in a lot of offices.

Having said that, maybe she has a medical condition that requires frequent snacks?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I don't think there is anything odd about someone snacking at work.

Snacking at work and eating candy and drinking soda all day are different. Plus we are not talking about someone sitting at their desk all day. We are talking about someone who is leading a class and likely front and center, teaching all day.

Actually I think that eating candy and drinking soda all day at work exactly is snacking at work. What else would it be?

really, you don't see a difference, snacking on a granola bar, handful of nuts, trail mix, or even a candy bar is snacking. eating a bag of candy over the course of the day (which I think OP mentioned) is beyond snacking.

If it isn't snacking, what is it?

I would call that pigging out. What else do you call eating a bag of candy daily?

Am surprised a bit by the responses. It seems very unprofessional for a teacher to snack during class. If she misses lunch and has to eat it discreetly at her desk as the teacher PP mentioned, that's okay. It's better if the teacher could ask the class to excuse her because she was unable to eat lunch on time. If the snacking is needed for a medical condition, she should tell the class that, again asking for their indulgence.

I attend plenty of bag lunch meetings at work. But they are all internal and the assumption is that those not eating lunch have already eaten. Snacking with external parties present would never happen unless coffee and cookies, say, were made available for all. I almost always have a mid-afternoon snack; I have people coming into my office all day long and if I really need my snack I ask permission of whomever is there. I usually have extras on hand that I offer them should they wish to join.

I once went to a meeting with one of the top people in our organization in his office. At one point in the meeting, he got up, grabbed a bag of Pepperidge Farm cookies from a closet and proceeded to eat about five of them without offering any to the four or so staff people present. Everyone thought it was inexcusably rude. We all decided he was odd and had no social graces. He did not last long.

That said, all I would have said to my child is that is very odd, I wonder if she has a medical condition that requires her to snack all day. Inwardly, I would wince at the poor example of manners the teacher was modeling. If I had a good relationship with the principal, I might something to her in a vague, nonjudgmental way.

The fact is it is rude to snack in front of people without offering them something.

OP, what a terrible example you are setting for your child.

The only proper response to your child's comments on her teacher's eating habits is something like, "Sidney, a grown up has every right to eat what she wants whenever she wants, and it is none of our business what she eats."

If something else comes up about what she is eating, you could say something like, "I hope you would choose not to eat so many sweets, but it is none of our business what Mrs. Miller chooses to eat."

It is NONE of your business. You have no place auditing a teacher's diet. You are way out of line.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Your conclusion of me being a helicopter mom is totally wrong. I raised high schoolers and never have to deal with teachers before. All this happening in elementary school, and I really didn't know if I should address this or let it go.

You should let it go. After all, what would you say? "My child tells me that you eat candy and drink pop all day during class, and I think that's unprofessional."? There are important issues that a parent really has to bring up with a teacher. This is not one of them.

OP here: I agree, doesn't worth a fight. Reading all this gave me another perspective. Thanks everyone for sharing their feelings.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Your conclusion of me being a helicopter mom is totally wrong. I raised high schoolers and never have to deal with teachers before. All this happening in elementary school, and I really didn't know if I should address this or let it go.

You should let it go. After all, what would you say? "My child tells me that you eat candy and drink pop all day during class, and I think that's unprofessional."? There are important issues that a parent really has to bring up with a teacher. This is not one of them.

Exactly. As a teacher, I would be wondering, "So what?" Does it negatively impact your child's education? No. Move on to real problems and stop making them up.

And then what? Next thing you will be doing your pedicure in front of the class? So what? Does it negatively impact the child?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I don't think there is anything odd about someone snacking at work.

Snacking at work and eating candy and drinking soda all day are different. Plus we are not talking about someone sitting at their desk all day. We are talking about someone who is leading a class and likely front and center, teaching all day.

Actually I think that eating candy and drinking soda all day at work exactly is snacking at work. What else would it be?

really, you don't see a difference, snacking on a granola bar, handful of nuts, trail mix, or even a candy bar is snacking. eating a bag of candy over the course of the day (which I think OP mentioned) is beyond snacking.

If it isn't snacking, what is it?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I don't think there is anything odd about someone snacking at work.

Snacking at work and eating candy and drinking soda all day are different. Plus we are not talking about someone sitting at their desk all day. We are talking about someone who is leading a class and likely front and center, teaching all day.

Actually I think that eating candy and drinking soda all day at work exactly is snacking at work. What else would it be?

really, you don't see a difference, snacking on a granola bar, handful of nuts, trail mix, or even a candy bar is snacking. eating a bag of candy over the course of the day (which I think OP mentioned) is beyond snacking.

Anonymous wrote:I might ask other parents and see if there kids have said the same thing. Kids sometimes exaggerate, maybe she's just had a snack here and there.

Even if your kid is not exaggerating I don't know that I'd do/say anything about it.

Kindergarteners tend to exaggerate.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Your conclusion of me being a helicopter mom is totally wrong. I raised high schoolers and never have to deal with teachers before. All this happening in elementary school, and I really didn't know if I should address this or let it go.

You should let it go. After all, what would you say? "My child tells me that you eat candy and drink pop all day during class, and I think that's unprofessional."? There are important issues that a parent really has to bring up with a teacher. This is not one of them.

Exactly. As a teacher, I would be wondering, "So what?" Does it negatively impact your child's education? No. Move on to real problems and stop making them up.

Anonymous wrote:

Your conclusion of me being a helicopter mom is totally wrong. I raised high schoolers and never have to deal with teachers before. All this happening in elementary school, and I really didn't know if I should address this or let it go.

You should let it go. After all, what would you say? "My child tells me that you eat candy and drink pop all day during class, and I think that's unprofessional."? There are important issues that a parent really has to bring up with a teacher. This is not one of them.

I realize this is difficult for some to grasp, but what and when your child's teacher eats is, in no way, under your control. Yes, this is about you wanting control.

She should wait until her breaks to eat junk food. Sipping on a drink isn't so bad, if it's in a cup. Kinda gross, IMHO.