|
|
|
THERESA: Texas schools will start the new year operating under a whole new set of tight regulations regarding what students can and can't eat during the schoolday. I'm amazed at these guidelines, which limit french fries at lunchtime, nix soda and go so far as to ban cupcakes from classroom birthday parties. The Dallas Morning News reports: "At Haggar Elementary School in Plano, birthday cupcakes and cookies are out. Donating a library book in the birthday boy or girl's name is in. Principal Vicki Halliday decided against having parents bring healthy snacks for the class to celebrate birthdays.
"We don't want to become the nutrition police," said Ms. Halliday. She said she's not disappointed about losing the cupcakes. But she could do without the new restrictions.
"I don't feel like I need Big Brother to tell us everything we need to do," she said. "I don't think we were too out of control to begin with. We were not passing out bags of candy."
What do you think of this, girlfriends? Should other states adopt similar restrictions on what kids can and can't eat?
YVONNE: At an elementary school, I can see this working because students are less able to wander off campus and go buy snacks. I remember when we were in high school we would go across the street to the pizza shop daily. But I participated in four sports in high school so it wasn't an issue. It's a tough balance. If you are overly restrictive, kids rebel. But giving kids boundaries at a young age works, I think. No cupcakes at birthday parties seems quite unfun. A great deal of our problem in this country is that people are so sedentary. A cupcake at a B-day party is fine if you run around like a normal kid.
LAURIE: I agree, Yvonne. Denial is not the answer - but such a standard tactic when government tries to legislate life choices (teen abstinence rather than sex education, and "Just Say No" to drugs are other examples).
Better, I think, to give kids healthy choices in the cafeteria - a menu that helps them learn to eat right, that's not loaded down with fries and such, the way most cafeteria menus are now.
Education begins in the home. I am uncomfortable with restrictions regarding healthy habits for kids having to come from an outside source. Parents need to be teaching good habits and practicing what they teach. However, a balanced diet offered in the schools should be commonplace. Why haven’t we been doing it all along?
Posted by: Diane Catrambone on August 26, 2004 10:49 AMAmericans are so funny -- first we let the feds load up the school lunch program with corn syrup and transfats and processed crap, then we put Coke machines in the schools, then we freak out and ban cupcakes. For heaven's sake, people, we are going to raise a generation that will binge on crap and then purge (at least metaphorically) -- because it's the cycle we've taught them! I am with Laurie -- let's teach them moderation, the importance of healthy food, and that cupcakes, every now and then, are good things.
Now, I really do feel for families that are struggling with food allergies so severe that peanut butter sandwiches nearby set them off. But that does not seem to be this issue.
Posted by: Wendy on August 26, 2004 11:13 AMI truly believe that if children eat all different types of foods at a young age, in moderation, they will be better off once they reach adulthood. For dinner last night, my daughter ate a plate of carrots, a hotdog, a slice of banana cake with icing, then took her vitamin. Give kids lots of different types of foods, including plenty of veggies and fruits, and they won't crave McDonalds. Give them only McDonalds, and good luck trying to get them to ingest a veggie. I believe it's all about how kids are taught to enjoy and eat good food that matters, not how many fries they eat one day at lunch. But good luck to that school. Take all those junk foods away, and watch how quickly they seek them out.
In theory, I believe it's parents responsibility to teach healthy nutritious habits to their children. Though seemingly harsh, I think Texas is making a courageous move. Many schools, particularly inner-city ones, are dependent on soda and fast food companies for funding. This is obviously not good. Someone needs to be the "nutrition police." The health and life of our children are at stake.
Heh. Krispy Kreme has offered to reward students with a doughnut for every A on their report card — up to six per grading period.
http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=541&ncid=541&e=9&u=/ap/20040826/ap_on_he_me/fit_doughnut_reward_1
As several of the ladies have said, it should be a parents responsibility to teach a child proper nutrition. The problem is that more times than not, parents these days are sending kids out of the house with quick fix foods that are loaded with fat, bad carbs and high fructose corn syryp. These are usually going to be the worst things nutritionally. The child obesity problem is at the epidemic level and these kids will most likely grow up to be obese adults. I think that this is a good idea in the right direction and more school districts should start taking a hard look at the foods that are being offered.
Posted by: David on August 26, 2004 08:03 PMHoney, I live in San Antonio. It's been one on Men's Health for Fattest City in America for years, but thankfully lower than Philadelphia. There is a disproportionate amount of diabetics here and an air of complacency about eating and exercise that is almost revolting.
I am moving to Philadelphia soon, and while apartment hunting there I noticed how indifferent the size (waist-size) of the population is to that of Texans. Even though Texans are known for being big on easy living, I'm sure the same carte blance depravity up north is the same as it is down here.
Is it parents' responsibility to force their kids what they will and won't eat? No. That's idiotic. I ate fairly well as a kid and I still wound up fat from decisions I made on my own, and I had the best parents anybody could ever want.
I wound up getting annoyed at weighing 235lbs and fixed the problem myself. I actually feel guilty now if I skip the gym or fail to go outside to run, even if it's just for a few days. I'm 160lbs now and a 30" waist; couldn't be happier.
What is lacking in society is willpower. If you don't like how you look and feel, you have the ability to change that. Only YOU can do that, nobody else can. The school system can't do it, your parents can't do it, your priest can't do it.
The schools' effort to control diets will be marginal at best. Even if the school controls what your child eats, they can only do it for a limited time period each day. Controlling what you eat has to be done for the full 12-18 hours that you're awake.
The only institution that will keep your kids thin is the military. Are you willing to go to those extremes? Maybe you should just get your kid to use the weight room at school. After all, you already paid for it.
Posted by: Christopher Sawyer on August 28, 2004 01:33 PM3601
h1 { margin-top: 0em; margin-bottom: 0em;font-weight : bold; }
h1 { font-size: 55%; }
h1 { font-family: Verdana, arial, sans-serif; }
For the best sportsbooks
sports betting
sports betting
basketball betting
NFL Betting
football betting
bet nba
bet nfl
horse racing betting
generic viagra
5260 http://www.texas-hold--em.com
texas hold em
Posted by: texas hold em on November 26, 2004 06:36 PM3093 Very well said chappy.
Posted by: debt consolidation on November 29, 2004 01:54 AM1956 http://www.e-video-poker.info
video poker
Online Casinos | Online Casino - Online Casino
Posted by: Online Casinos on August 4, 2006 12:41 PMOnline Casinos
Posted by: Online Casinos on August 4, 2006 01:43 PM