Your kid is fat!

[Ðanisty]

I think it's a terrible idea. First of all, nobody needs a BMI report to know their kids are fat. Trust me, they know. They just don't care and a BMI report isn't going to make them care. That or they're already doing something about it and they don't need the school's interference.

Second, as a former fat kid, I promise that any activity that focuses on weight makes the teasing worse. At least when the teachers and administration aren't talking about it, you can hide in the corner and ignore everyone. When it becomes a topic for discussion, children think they've been given the priveledge to torment others.

What I find interesting (and disgusting) is that if this topic were about some way of drawing attention to a child's sexual preference, etc. you guys would be up in arms about it claiming that anything that draws attention to those subjects makes the ridicule worse, hence causing deep trauma, etc. It's hypocritical.

 

[UnTheist]

My kids always brought their own lunch. They wouldn't eat the cafeteria food, because it's nothing but worthless carbs and dead canned salty "vegetables."

I'm sorry, but fruit cocktail in heavy syrup is not a serving of "fruit." It's a serving of "candy."

I agree. My school had no healthy food except maybe for a bowl of salad, but the kids always drenched it in dressing.

 

[Booko]

I think it's a terrible idea. First of all, nobody needs a BMI report to know their kids are fat. Trust me, they know. They just don't care and a BMI report isn't going to make them care. That or they're already doing something about it and they don't need the school's interference.

Second, as a former fat kid, I promise that any activity that focuses on weight makes the teasing worse. At least when the teachers and administration aren't talking about it, you can hide in the corner and ignore everyone. When it becomes a topic for discussion, children think they've been given the priveledge to torment others.

:clap

What I find interesting (and disgusting) is that if this topic were about some way of drawing attention to a child's sexual preference, etc. you guys would be up in arms about it claiming that anything that draws attention to those subjects makes the ridicule worse, hence causing deep trauma, etc. It's hypocritical.

Hm...I hadn't thought of that.

 

[Booko]

I agree. My school had no healthy food except maybe for a bowl of salad, but the kids always drenched it in dressing.

No, the salad wasn't healthy either because it was iceberg lettuce. It has all the nutritional value of wet cardboard.

Feed iceberg lettuce to a guinea pig and you know what you got? A guinea pig dead from starvation. No kiddin'.

 

[nutshell]

No, the salad wasn't healthy either because it was iceberg lettuce. It has all the nutritional value of wet cardboard.

Feed iceberg lettuce to a guinea pig and you know what you got? A guinea pig dead from starvation. No kiddin'.

I've been following this thread and I agree with you, Booko. In fact, my kids take lunch from home as well.

However, I think you're making some broad generalizations. There are a few progressive schools out there. Lets hope the salad bars at some schools include leafy greens and an assortment of fresh vegetables.

 

[Quiddity]

I think it's a terrible idea. First of all, nobody needs a BMI report to know their kids are fat. Trust me, they know. They just don't care and a BMI report isn't going to make them care. That or they're already doing something about it and they don't need the school's interference.

Second, as a former fat kid, I promise that any activity that focuses on weight makes the teasing worse. At least when the teachers and administration aren't talking about it, you can hide in the corner and ignore everyone. When it becomes a topic for discussion, children think they've been given the priveledge to torment others.

What I find interesting (and disgusting) is that if this topic were about some way of drawing attention to a child's sexual preference, etc. you guys would be up in arms about it claiming that anything that draws attention to those subjects makes the ridicule worse, hence causing deep trauma, etc. It's hypocritical.

Frubal worthy!

 

[Tigress]

I agree, Ðanisty. If the schools are interested in helping children maintain a healthy lifestyle, they should do so by promoting and providing healthier lunches, exercise, etc.

Booko, while I share your concern, Victor is absolutely correct when he states that not all mothers are like yourself--not all parents care, or have the time, or even knowledge to provide for their children in that manner, so it does fall to the schools in that respect, as sad as it may be.

 

[Green Gaia]

Maybe ya'll are right. Maybe we should just ignore the problem and it will go away?

Kids today aren't just a little chubby like they were when we were growing up. The number of morbidly obese children are frighteningly climbing. Kids with [FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]ty[/FONT]pe 2 diabetes, heart attacks, etc., are growing. Heart attacks!! I agree that schools should do more than just report to the parents on the kids size. The schools need to be promoting lifestyles by offering nutrious food and getting rid of the junk. (BTW, my son takes his lunch to school as well because I can make a better lunch than the school can.) The schools need to promote phyiscal education as well instead of taking it away or making it optional. But I do not see the harm in a private consultation with a child and their parents about better eating and excerise habits. Who knows, it might just save their life. [FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]
[/FONT]

 

[Ðanisty]

Maybe ya'll are right. Maybe we should just ignore the problem and it will go away?

Should we ignore the problem of homosexuality Maize? Or is it different when gays get picked on? :sarcastic

Kids today aren't just a little chubby like they were when we were growing up. The number of morbidly obese children are frighteningly climbing. Kids with [FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]ty[/FONT]pe 2 diabetes, heart attacks, etc., are growing. Heart attacks!! I agree that schools should do more than just report to the parents on the kids size. The schools need to be promoting lifestyles by offering nutrious food and getting rid of the junk. (BTW, my son takes his lunch to school as well because I can make a better lunch than the school can.) The schools need to promote phyiscal education as well instead of taking it away or making it optional. But I do not see the harm in a private consultation with a child and their parents about better eating and excerise habits. Who knows, it might just save their life.

And how exactly do you think these reports are going to benefit anyone? They're just going to the parents and if these children are morbidly obese (and I agree that some of them are), sending a report to their parents isn't going to solve the problem. Kids don't get like that by themselves...they get like that because their parents won't do anything about it and in many cases even contribute to it. From what I can see, doing a BMI and sending the results to the parents isn't going to change anything, but it will make life harder for that kid.

 

[nutshell]

OMG ---- what do we do if the kid is FAT and GAY!!!

 

[Green Gaia]

Should we ignore the problem of homosexuality Maize? Or is it different when gays get picked on? :sarcastic

What problem of homosexuality? Are you saying we should do nothing for these children because if we bring it up, they may be teased?

And how exactly do you think these reports are going to benefit anyone? They're just going to the parents and if these children are morbidly obese (and I agree that some of them are), sending a report to their parents isn't going to solve the problem. Kids don't get like that by themselves...they get like that because their parents won't do anything about it and in many cases even contribute to it. From what I can see, doing a BMI and sending the results to the parents isn't going to change anything, but it will make life harder for that kid.

Fine, let's do nothing and watch the kids die.

 

[Feathers in Hair]

Something that was a factor for me while I was growing up was that the county/ state/ educational system was the one who paid for my school lunches/ breakfasts. I was limited to what was on the cafeteria menu. Some of the kids that have no choice but to eat school lunches were (at least back then) limited to the options of eating something unhealthy or going hungry. Sometimes kids don't have parents that are willing or able to pack lunches for them, either from lack of funds or from lack of caring.

Unfortunately, when when one gets home, some of these kids encounter the same thing. Unless one has access to fresh fruits and other goods, the easily accessible and unhealthy food usually winds up being cheaper. (At least in my area.) In the long run, the kids are the ones that have to pay more for it. I think a priority would be to help educate parents on finding affordable, healthy meals that they can provide for the children.

 

[nutshell]

So much of it does come down to lousy parents. There's some kids I've seen eating worse lunches from home than whatever the school had. For example, one day a kid ate five fruit roll-ups because that's all he had with him that day.

 

[Green Gaia]

Ðanisty, I want to HELP these kids and I think doing nothing is the worse thing we can do. I want to see them live happy, healthy lives without being teased. Do you really think if we ignore their weight and unhealthy habits they will be teased less and be happier?

 

[UnTheist]

Fine, let's do nothing and watch the kids die.

I see nothing wrong with that.

 

[Green Gaia]

So much of it does come down to lousy parents. There's some kids I've seen eating worse lunches from home than whatever the school had. For example, one day a kid ate five fruit roll-ups because that's all he had with him that day.

Yep, I'd believe it. So what happens to that kid? His parents don't care, shouldn't we as a society care and try to help him? Or is he doomed to be unhealthy because he had the bad fortune to be born to lousy parents?

 

[Green Gaia]

I see nothing wrong with that.

Well, I do.

 

[nutshell]

Yep, I'd believe it. So what happens to that kid? His parents don't care, shouldn't we as a society care and try to help him? Or is he doomed to be unhealthy because he had the bad fortune to be born to lousy parents?

How does sending a report to parents who don't care help the kid? Or having a meeting with parents who don't care?

 

[Ðanisty]

What problem of homosexuality?

Are you going to deny that people see homosexuality as a problem? Do you trust the public school system to decide whether or not homosexuality is a problem? If they did decided it was a problem and they sent reports home to parents when they notice possible homosexual behavior, are you okay with that? Are you okay with the possibility of drawing attention to it and singling out homosexual students in the hostile environment of middle school and high school?

Are you saying we should do nothing for these children because if we bring it up, they may be teased?

I'm suggesting you don't make it worse. Of course, we could have it your way and cause more problems. The kids will get teased, they'll lose what little self-esteem they might have left. They'll probably go straight to food for comfort and compound their problem. They'll grow up feeling like they're worth less than thin kids. Or, you know, they might go the other direction and turn to anorexia or bulemia in some attempt to feel worthy enough of at least being left alone.

 

[UnTheist]

Well, I do.

If the kids don't want to be healthy, or decide not to, they pay the price.