KATin NJ

That's kind of what I was thinking. I understand it's totally against what you would do as a parent, but at some point, they will be exposed to those things, and luckily it's not every day.

I might offer to provide the teacher with the Frontier treats, if she would take them, and explain you are trying to limit their sugar intake. Any decent teacher should not be offended by this.

lapoissonne

I'd let it go too. I don't like the sucker thing but the antibacterial thing at a school I can understand. The stuff FRIES Hannah's poor eczema hands but I can see how it is so much easier for the teachers to use when they have a group of kids so for a couple days once a day I would let it go.


Sure, drop off a bag of organic suckers as a "gift" and hope that they get used!

i_used_to_be_cool

Ooh... both of those things would totally irritate me! That being said, I wouldn't say anything because it is minor and i'd be afraid of her treating my children any differently. At Jack's park district classes they always handed out suckers (to 1 & 2 year olds!!!!) *without* asking the parents first. I would just remind Jack that candy is for special occasions, take the sucker away, and give him something at home he liked as a "trade", like a bowl of blueberries or raisins. He never complains about it because it's always been that way & he likes the trade. As for the hand sanitizer.... I make my own with natural ingredients (tea tree oil, aloe vera gel). It won't dry out the hands, is natural, and easy/cheap to make. You can give a bottle to the teacher & ask her to use it on your girls' hands, or even better have the girls carry little bottles themselves & use it in front of the teacher, so she knows they are using some.

morgan

Both of those things would irk me a little, but I would probably only say something about the Germ-X. I don't use the stuff and wouldn't want my kids to either.

bugginsmom

Of course I am the odd one out, but I would say something about the suckers for sure. Artificial everything PLUS food dyes? No way. Alden wouldn't eat it anyhow. He has refused them before (at the library) and says "I don't eat food dyes. They hurt your brain." I find it inappropriate for teachers to use food as an incentive or reward. Just sends the wrong message, IMO. Food dyes are not a small deal in our family. Then again, I would not want him getting organic candy every week either.

The Germ-X would irk me, and I would probably just mention that they just washed their hands. Sure it kills germs, but her comment about them being dirty....it won't remove dirt so hand washing would be in order anyhow.

BigNutbrownHare

I would be more inclied to let the hand sanitizer thing go than the sucker thing.

mcbean

I would let them both go. I can imagine it's hard, but I would let it go.

Finn

Maybe the sucker thing is just for now??? I can't imagine that carrying on all year long so I'd probably wait it out a bit and see if it tapers off.
Surprisingly, I don't understand the use of germ gel when coming in from playing. I would much rather have my children actually wash their hands. I think if you just mentioned that to the teacher, then she might be okay with the girls just slipping off to quickly wash up instead of slathering on the gel.

from nc

Just a thought, but could you pack one of your suckers in the girls' lunches (or bag, or whatever) and ask that they pull them out when the teacher hands out the dum dums? That way you aren't making a big deal about it and the girls aren't left out, but they still get what you'd rather them eat?

Carol in Maryland

I would at least take the opportunity to educate. You are not the only person in the world who feels this way, and many children are actually allergic to the dye in the suckers and/or get eczema from the gel. Washing hands with soap and water is both gentler and more effective, and it can't hurt to say so.