KeriKadi

The classes the girls are taking are great so far! The girls are really enjoying themselves and they have access to things we don't have at home like a microscope to look at bugs with

There are a few things that kind of irk me.

They are there for a short time 1.5 hours Tuesday and 2.5 hours Thursday.
I pack a snack for them and their water bottle.
Every day each of the girls has been given a sucker (dum dum) from their teacher. I'm not fond of this idea at all. If she really wants to give them a treat I'd rather it not be 100% sugar and artificial crap. Do I say something or let it go?

The other thing is on Thursday they have Drama first so they have only had one class. We went from the car straight to class and their teacher promptly put Germ-X in each of their hands. The girls were a bit confused at first and looked at me because we don't use this stuff. I asked the teacher what it was and she said "Oh, it's just Germ-X, they are so dirty when they come in from the playground". She has a HUGE bottle of the stuff.
Now, if she is concerned about their hands being clean I would be perfectly happy if she had them wash their hands but this anti-bacterial gel crap bothers me. Do I say something or let it go?

JenR

I would probably let both go. For the very short amount of time they are there, it's not worth it in my opinion. On the suckers, it's such a small thing, and it would probably be weird for the girls if everyone else got them except them, you know?

KeriKadi

I wouldn't not let the girls have one - I agree it would make them feel weird and they would be sad
My thought on the suckers would be to provide Yummy suckers that are all natural & organic because I'm a dork

brandanaleighana

A lady at our church gives our kids suckers every time we see her and I have the kids give them to me. Then I throw them away. I know the lady is just being sweet and caring to the kids, so they thank her. But, I don't want them to have the suckers so I just toss them. The kids have never been upset about this. I would probably let that go and tell her the girls can't have the suckers there. No hurt feelings.
I would say something about the germ x. Probably I would just tell her that the girls will wash their hands instead. Maybe you could even get there 5 minutes early so that you don't disturb the class.

brandanaleighana

Could you take your own bag of suckers and ask the teachers to please give those to your girls instead? Then they aren't left out and they get the suckers you are more comfortable with.

KeriKadi

Unfortunately, by the time I pick up the girls the suckers are long gone. I would intercept if I could and swap them out but they tell me about them when I pick them up. The first day they were just finishing.

I hate to be the weird Mom that causes problems. I might poll the other parents to see if anyone else has an issue with this too.

I think I am going to do that with the hand washing. I'll make sure we get there a few minutes early, wash their hands and let the teacher know. Hopefully she'll be ok with it.

KeriKadi

Yes, that is my thought. I can get the Yummy suckers in bulk through Frontier and actually have some here at the house.

Mcheer

You have to let it go....Really these are small things and the girls are having fun. That is all that really counts...

Lynni

I would let it go. I don't buy antibacterial hand soap for home and I encourage handwashing over Germ-X/Purell, but I know that in school and else where it is going to be used.
Your kids may wash their hands before entering the class, but 90%+ will not. Which is why the teacher uses Germ-X. I know they are still young, but sooner or later, they will start to feel "different" because they don't use it when everyone else does. Plus, it is being given by the teacher, a trusted adult. I'd let it go.

As for the lollies, I'd be so over that. I understand you feel strongly about it. (Says the mother who was the soda/juice natzi with the grandparents). Really, the 1/2 tsp of sugar they are going to get from one lollie once a week isn't worth the battle. Providing an alternative is fine, but put yourself in the teacher's shoes. What if you were teaching the class and giving the kids an organic healthy snack and a parent brought in cookies to give instead one day. What would you do? Would you give the cookies plus the snack you usually give? Would you only give the cookies? Would you refuse the cookies? How would it make you feel? This is her turf, in a manner of speaking. As long as no one is allergic or getting sick, I'd let it go and let the girls know that this a treat and how things are done at class and not at home.

It is great to hear they are loving the classes!

jaarr

The suckers would bug me! To me candy is a special occasion thing like vacations, halloween, and rare emergency bribes In her 2.5 years DD has had 3 suckers? (Now cookies on the other hand those easily number in the millions) If a teacher were giving them to them everyday I'd be annoyed, and I'd say something. It just seems so unneccesary. Maybe the other parents feel the same way? I'd inquire, and maybe say something like "oh dd's aren't used to sugar candies and when I get them home they're so wired, would it be too much to switch treats??" or something? At dd's preschool they all got a goodbye stamp on their hands, it drove me crazy bc they were so hard to wash off and I hate the look of faded stamps, but whatever I didn't say anything bc I know she loved them. Candy is another story.
If I had to pick between candy and germ-x I'd pick my fight against the candy, and while we don't use germ-x either, once in awhile at school isn't the worst thing that they can be exposed too.