poor eating habits

[LKS]

my daughter has poor eating habits and a limited range of what she is willing to eat. I try not to focus on this to much as I know it can become a huge issue. She likes to take the same things to lunch at school everyday, chocolate mini roll, low fat plain crisps, and ham sandwich. She drinks only water. Any fruit or veg I might get her to eat I do so at home. Next week is a healthy lunch day at school. I have tried to explain to my daughter, but she wants the lunch she always has. Quite frankly she has enough problems at school anyway without having to change her eating habits. She was very upset yesterday as the teacher told the class she doesn't want to see any crisps or chocolate cakes in the lunch boxes. (considering the size of some of the teachers they obviously don't follow this advice themselves )The dinner lady is always putting notes in daughters lunch box saying things like, could mummy put some salad in my sandwich, could I have some fruit today please mummy. (I know she writes these notes as daughter can't write properly yet)I have explained that I do not wish them to waste their time trying to change daughter's eating habits. I am not stupid and I do realise what makes a healthy diet and my daughter's falls short of this. I can see a huge problem next week. They have also chosen the day that they want my daughter's year to dress up as Romans which she doesn't want to do as she hates dressing up!

[phasmid]

Themed days at school used to be a real problem for Phas jr. He hated them. Pants for Poverty was the worst one (pants 'outside' trousers?). We would get the mood for a day or so and then get given the letter. We could not get him in on those days - we stopped trying to be honest. In the end the school marked them as an authorised abscence. They were happy, we were happy and, so was he!

 

Tell them to back off with the notes as they are upsetting for the both of you and she doesn't need the added pressure of her diet being 'fiddled with' thank you!

 

A few weeks back whan thet were doing the 'pink' thing for breast cancer he went in and took part!

[Viper]

If it was my child I would give her the day off. My NT DD hates sports day and quite honestly so do I, sitting around for hours just to watch your child in a few races. Last year she had the day off, I am all for fitness and sport but my DD is one of the fittest people I know, she never stops running skipping etc so one day is not going to change her life.

 

I would also put a polite note in her lunch box saying I am aware and concerned my daughter has an unhealthy diet, I am working to change this at home, I don't need reminding. Thank you for your concern.

 

Viper.

[MrsR]

I rememner reading an article in the paper last year about a boy (who is now a man) that would literally eat ONLY jam sandwiches. He grew up fine and healthy and had no adverse effects on his weight or overall health, so I say don't let "them" tell you what to do. She's your daughter and you know her best. Good luck. xx

[board]

my daughter has poor eating habits and a limited range of what she is willing to eat. I try not to focus on this to much as I know it can become a huge issue. She likes to take the same things to lunch at school everyday, chocolate mini roll, low fat plain crisps, and ham sandwich. She drinks only water. Any fruit or veg I might get her to eat I do so at home. Next week is a healthy lunch day at school. I have tried to explain to my daughter, but she wants the lunch she always has. Quite frankly she has enough problems at school anyway without having to change her eating habits. She was very upset yesterday as the teacher told the class she doesn't want to see any crisps or chocolate cakes in the lunch boxes. (considering the size of some of the teachers they obviously don't follow this advice themselves )The dinner lady is always putting notes in daughters lunch box saying things like, could mummy put some salad in my sandwich, could I have some fruit today please mummy. (I know she writes these notes as daughter can't write properly yet)I have explained that I do not wish them to waste their time trying to change daughter's eating habits. I am not stupid and I do realise what makes a healthy diet and my daughter's falls short of this. I can see a huge problem next week. They have also chosen the day that they want my daughter's year to dress up as Romans which she doesn't want to do as she hates dressing up!

hello i have a 5 year old daugther 6 tomorrow she is the same evey day she has 4 red sauce sandwichs pkt crisps drink baby food and banna witch she brings home we tryed her on school dinners went mad so she just has the same thing evey day she is allso the same in the house its very hard i got 5 children and they all eat anything so i know want you are going through all the best jill

[mum22boys]

M has the same lunch everyday and it has to be made exactly right so i know in your position I would ignore the schools healthy eating day and send the lunch in exactly the same as usual.

M's teacher when he started this class asked me one day if he ate apples (he eats no fruit) so i told her he eats only a limited number of foods and no fruit. She said last year she managed to get her whole class eating fruit by the end of the year. I told her no way would she achieve that this year - he won't change for anyone!

I also pay no attention to these theme days or if he can't cope with it non uniform. He will go in uniform if he feels more comfortable.

It's about time others realised how difficult it is for our kids just going to school.

[Brook]

I would find those dinnerladies little notes VERY patronising, I'm in agreement with the others, if possible I would let her have the day off, these special days may be fun for some kids, but certainly not for others, let her do something at home that she actually finds fun as well.

 

Brook

[LKS]

Thanks everyone it seems to be another case of trying to make a child conform to what they think is normal. I am interested to hear that you have kept your children off for these themed days. I don't think my daughter has a clue who the Romans are and probably doesn't care either. The fact that they are all supposed to dress up in togas and sandals in the middle of November is bizarre anyway I think I will speak to the CT again to explain about the eating issue and to ask her to explain to the dinner lady as well. I can just see their faces in the staff room

[kirstie]

I agree, i would let her have the day off. My boy hated sports day and couldn't understand why on earth he had to run around with a potato on a spoon (instead of an egg!) why he wasn't first in the races and hated the three legged one! it would end in a horrible screaming meltdown from hell.

Lewis is exaxtly the same regarding his packed lunch, the ham roll the crisps!! He will eat it and thats as good as it gets. He has started to lick an apple or a pear and has even dipped his finger into Richards home made soup (legendary!) for a taste so we are making slow steps forward. We always make a really big deal and fuss around him if he does this and he loves it, but i don't push it either. Tell the teacher to stop with the notes they do sound very condescending.

Good luck and let us know what you decide to do,

Take care,

Kirstie.

[Jeni]

speaking as a dinner lady myself, there is no way at all i would ever put a note into a childs lunch box saying anything along those lines. the only notes we r ever likely to put in is if a child has not liked their dinner or if there was a problem and that is only if we cant tell the class teacher about it 1st.

with some of the things the children at school bring in for their dinners tho i would probably run out of paper if we did those notes lol

[lil_me]

I agree I would either let her have the day, bring her home for lunch or send her with the usual. Little of what you enjoy never hurt anyone, not as if it is packed full of junk is it. I see no reason to force children to have what they dislike as its ****** day. In part I see no reason why you should be forced to take your daughter out of school for this day due to the ignorance of these teachers.

 

Also I'd send the dinner lady a note back saying an the dinner ladies please stop telling me how to feed my child. I don't comment on what they give their children , so why should they comment on what I give mine.

 

Also I would complain about these notes officially. They have no right to make comment on what you give your child to eat when you are providing it.

 

We had a nightmare morning on Friday as it was none uniform day, I did try the explaining of but you give them money and wear your favourite clothes, he said 'Mikey have the money and wear uniform then' bless him

Edited November 21, 2005 by lil_me

[LKS]

Spoke to the class teacher today about the healthy eating day. She said O.K. just send in what she normally eats but maybe add some pieces of carrot, cucumber, or tomato I had to explain if this food was in her lunch box and maybe touching her other food she would not eat any of it. I showed her some of the notes and she told me she had already spoken to the dinner lady because I had mentioned them to the L.S.A. Dinner lady said my daughter wanted her to ask me these things. (I don't think so) As for the b****y Roman day it is the only thing that all of the other children are talking about, and will be the focus of a lot of their work the next day. My daughter says she will go but she will not dress up. I think I'm going to have to see how she is on the day.

[lil_me]

Well done for sticking up for your daughter on this one.

 

My sons school were doing a free school dinner for all pupils if they wish to try to get them to try the new foods. My son (who I don't swear in front of) said 'If it smells sh*t it will taste sh*t No thankyou ' Don't know where he picked that up from but at least he was honest.

[LKS]

Lil me. They tell it like it is. My problems with this school which both of my AS children have attended is that they really think they can 'cure' them. I'm sure of it now Whenever I go into explain or ask something of the Senco she gets this look on her face that I could glady wipe off Our relationship is now so bad that most of my contact is with the L.S.As, sometimes the teacher.I pray that she will leave soon

[annie]

they really think they can 'cure' them

 

That's exactly what we've always found as well.

 

It goes to show that it's down to a lack of understanding, either that, or the staff have an even more rigid way of thinking than our children, in which case they shouldn't be teaching them.

 

And we keep being told that inclusion works, it wont as long as there are teachers/school staff acting like that.

 

Annie

<'>

[krystaltps]

Hi, I would let her have the day off too. That's what I do for my son. The school has taken to having it's parties (Halloween, Christmas, etc) during school-time instead of the evenings.... Callum doesn't "do parties" or sports day - I used to try to make him go, but he'd be sick with worry or if he did go he's cause havoc. It's better to let him miss a day.... almost no work gets done on these kinds of days anyway. As for the eating - I can relate to that. At the moment Callum is eating only cereal.... at least it's an improvement on crisps

[LKS]

The day didn't go too badly. I gave her exactly what she always has for lunch and no sweet little notes for me from the dinner lady after I must admit all the kids looked absolutely brilliant dressed up as Romans and there was a bit of me that felt sad that daughter wasn't involved if you know what I mean. But she coped and even put a bracelet on which was her contribution to dressing up There was a mock Roman fight on the fields which she watched but she went in after a while because it was too noisy. Very proud of her <'>

[lorryw]

Im so pleased that your daughter coped so brilliantly.

I work in a school as an LSA and I hate themed days. So many children forget or their parents dont have the resources to provide a suitable costume.

Im quite shocked at how controlling so many schools mentioned on this forum are over lunch time issues. So many children have huge issues over food and whilst the current healthy eating push is great for those who can cope many cant.

A group of our ASD children went on a residential trip. I clearly remember the staff going on the trip absolutely determined that they would be able to change the childrens eating habits once away from parents. We had a spirited discussion (argument) and I pointed out that the children would simply go hungry, which indeed they did.

Love Loraine

[annie]

<'> For you and your daughter, <'>

 

It sounds like the dinner lady has finally got the message

 

I always hated it when there were 'special days' in school. Alex never wanted to get involved in any of them.

 

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