Mcheer

Come on Erika....Really?????

I think it is one thing to teach our kids right from wrong but we still have to give them room to LIVE....Could you imagine not having the memory of Cotton Candy at the fall fair...alll because it has artificial colours in it? Or not having a candy apple at a Halloween party because the crunchy covering is not organic...

We all want the *BEST* for our children but we also want them not to stick out like a sore thumb and be ridiculed for that...Flame me all you want I am call this one BULLSH!t!!!!!!!

bugginsmom

First of all, yes, really! We don't do food dyes in our house, period. It's not about being organic or not, it's about unnecessary chemicals, that research has shown is harmful to children, being added to food products. How is it any different than a child with food allergies who can't eat certain things that most kids do? Does it make that child stick and get ridiculed? Alden is allergic to strawberries and has a high sensitivity to peanuts. What about the kid who is allergic to eggs and can't eat cake? How about the child with Celiac's disease? The list goes on and on.

Oh, and I can't be that out of the norm on food dyes/organic candy since there is a new organic candy shop opening up next month just a few miles from my house. (Not to mention the HUGE new WF they just built and is booming with business...plus the other WF just 8 miles away that is also always really busy.) There must be some kind of demand for it.

As for his memories....I never had cotton candy until I was an adult and I find it repulsive. I've never had a candied apple. Alden may not have those memories, but trust me he will have PLENTY of wonderful childhood memories, some of them of delicious natural foods.

I honestly don't understand why my family lifestyle choices bother you so much and make you feel like you have the right to cuss at me and assume that what I am doing is not what is best for MY child and that I am trying to make him stick out!

Bensmom

Grrrr...my whole response just got wiped out. I'll try again.

I wouldn't say anything, but those are not things that are particularly bothersome to me. (If the lollipops went on all semester, I would say something, but like Finn- that seems unlikely to me). But since they are things that are bothersome to you, then I think you should definitely say something (I would bring a bag of something your comfortable with for your kiddos). For me, something like this would continue to fester for me and I would start to look at the teacher differently, and probably the whole experience. Better to nip it in the bud. Afterall, they are your kids and you're paying for the program. Plus, you're not asking for something that needs to change the experience that the other parents want for their children, just trying to make it the best if can be for your family.

KBtotheBB

As far as the suckers ... Honestly, Keri, I think you *have* to let it go. This is not your school and, unfortunately, that means your policies are not in place. You can't expect them to change policy for KA and A. Weren't you the one who got up in arms about peanut-free schools for kids with peanut allergies? I don't see how this is any different. If it's something you REALLY don't want them to have, explain that to KA and A. Let them decide for themselves if they want Dums Dums or not. If you are uncomfortable with that, then providing all-natural lollipops - as you suggested - would be a great alternate. (And that would not make you a dork!) Maybe you could suggest other "treats," such as Veggie Booty?

As far as the Germ-X, you could just instruct KA and A to wash their hands at the sink. I don't think anyone will find that weird. Maybe even provide some hand soap for the class? I think this is the lesser issue for BOTH sides.

Mcheer

How can you compare a choice to limit what you child is "allowed" to eat to a child who CAN NOT EAT something for life or death reasons???? That makes no sense to me AT.ALL!

I am not saying that you are out of the norm for choosing to limit what you give your child... I am sure 99% of us do... I am not attacking your personal family choices... they are your choices to be made does it matter to you, does it make your day better if I agree with you??? I think you are nuts but we established those boundaries 4 years ago!

My opinion and how I try to raise my girls day in and day out... is to limit what they have but also give them the chance to taste and enjoy things that kids should have... in moderation! Sorry that you were deprived of Cotton Candy and candy apples...some of my best memories are summer days enjoying one big-a$$ ice cream cone (Bubble gum flavour I might add full of lots of blue dye and artificial flavours!!!!!!!!) With my grandpa at the lake!

Erika let me say this to you again... Your lifestyle choices do not bug me they are *YOUR* choices... but since you put it out there I have to say that I think you are over the top, and what are you going to do the day that Alden comes home with a Massive bag of Jelly Belly's or a 2L of Coke ...Come on let that little boy loose...

Give that boy enough rope to hang himself that is my point...

DONE!

KeriKadi

I appreciate everyone's responses. What I have realized is I have to think about how important this is to me. I bounced this off a irl friend and she has the same concerns. I guess what bothers me most about the suckers is nobody asked me if they were alergic, nobody asked if it was ok she just gave them to the girls. This teacher doesn't know if my girls are alergic to dyes.
I filled out a form at the school but I accidentally had the forms with me so they didn't have them on file. she had no idea how I answered the allergy questions.

Kim, as you can see I never said anything about forcing my preferences on other children. I only talked about providing alternatives or what I should do for MY children. The peanut discussion was YEARS ago. You are right I was annoyed my boys couldn't take candy to school in their own lunchboxes. The school was not peanut free, this was only a lunch rule which is where part of my confusion came from. However, if you remembed that discussion you would also remember that it ended with me admitting that I had learned some things after being educated by some of the members and understood why it was important.
My girls being given candy without my permission is not important.
I'm not asking for something against policy. Giving suckers and using hand gel are not listed in the policies, I read the handbook. I think it is more these teachers habits/preferences.

There are 8 children in the K class where the suckers are given. There are 6 children in the Drama class where the anti bacterial gel is given. It's not like either of these teachers are dealing with DOZENS of kids. So the fact that 1/4 of the class doesn't want suckers and 1/3 of the class doesn't want hand gel shouldn't be a big deal.

I realize what it comes down to is I wasn't given the opportunity to say no and that is probably what bugs me the most.

Cynthia

Regarding Keri's original question. I think you should just let it go. Maybe I misunderstood, but I thought one of the purposes of putting the girls in these classes was so that they would have a little exposure to something outside of your own classroom. Let them experience it. It's just a teensy dum-dum sucker, just twice a week. Even if they have one at each class for the rest of the year, I don't think it's a huge deal. They are so tiny. Really, just a fraction of the sugar and calories in one small cookie. And the Germ-x stuff. I don't personally use it at home, but if the teacher made my kids use it at school before class, I wouldn't have stroke about it.

I'm as opposed to using food as reward, kids having too much sugar, too much artificial additive as anybody. But the reality is that I only have control over what *I* buy/use in my own home. I can't control the outside world and I can't control my kids. They have their own likes, dislikes, their own personalities, they can make their own choices. A lot of your kids are just starting to leave the house and start taking steps away from you towards their own life. Do you guys dictate what they can and can't eat when they go on a playdate? (Kids with allergies, excluded of course.) If someone did that to me, I'd tell them to stay home next time. If you guys think you can change the world one sucker at a time, go for it. I wish you well, because I don't have the energy for that, I have different things on my priority list.

Cynthia

Teachers definitely should not be passing out candy to the class before they have the allergy forms for all the kids and have looked at them. Agreed.

I'm really not sure what you feel the alternative should be? Have the teacher not pass out candy to any of the kids just because you don't want your kids to have it? Have the teacher pass out the dum-dum's to the other 6 kids and something else that you approve of to your kids? Supply the teacher with approved treats for all the kids for the remainder of the school year? (Because I don't think you can ask her to purchase something just for you.) I'm really not seeing what you point is.

KeriKadi

Cyn - I do see your point

Until now I have provided snacks at every playdate and group I have ever gone to so this hasn't been an issue. Sometimes there are snacks available but for the most part we stick with what we bring.
Yes, I want them to learn and have school friends I just don't see why it has to be coated in sugar. Like I said one day they are there for 90 MINUTES and I sent them with two snacks so I really see the candy as necessary. I got through 15ish years of school without my teachers giving me candy daily and somehow survived.

Let me say that if it was a birthday and one of the kids brought cupcakes or cookies I would be ok with that because it is a celebration/special occasion.

My girls now equate school = candy and when the boys got home from school the girls asked how many pieces of candy their teachers gave them.

I don't want to alienate myself at the school or with the teachers. I will tread lightly and may wait to see if the candy drops off. I'd be happy to provide my own suckers and would be happy to share those with everyone but it still doesn't solve the whole school = candy thing for me.

I'll think on this some more before I do/say anything.

KeriKadi

If you read my other posts you'd see that one of my thoughts was to provide something either just for my gilrs or for all the kids. I would never consider asking the teacher to purchase something special for my kids nor did I ever mention that.

My thought is to maybe talk with the other parents and see how they feel. If everyone is gung ho on the suckers and don't feel it is an issue then I will talk with the girls, I will let them know tomorrow I'd like for them to wait until we get home to eat their suckers. I may just see if once we are home I can offer them a trade like someone else (sorry I forget who) mentioned. Maybe some of the other parents are annoyed as well and together we can come up with something better everyone is ok with. I actually like the stamp on the hand idea or even a sticker both of which I would be happy to provide.

As you can see I am still sorting this all out which is why I asked for opinions. If I already knew exactly what I was going to do why would I ask what others thought?