Children not allowed squash in school !

Syph · 2 Jul 2013 at 10:21

Dis86 said:
I don't get the problem here.

The school has issued a ruling.

This ruling does not harm your child, it does not cause moral, religious or ethical problems.

Stop being difficult and just go with it?

I don't think it's being difficult. Many, many children just do not like plain water. I know I didn't when I was a child, nor does my daughter. My son drinks water, we give him water, but he also asks for squash. I see no problem with that.

It is much better that the child has a drink of dilute squash than no drink at all. No amount of forcing will make a child like drinking water. That's how kids are. Fruit Shoots etc are a complete other argument...

However - if the rules state nothing but water in the class room, I can well understand that one.

dekez · 2 Jul 2013 at 10:23

Syph said:
It's a bit OTT to ban squash with a child's lunch. My daughter's primary school will only allow water in the classroom, but with lunch as long as it isn't fizzy, squash is fine. They've also set a recommended lunch box policy, but it's a set of recommendations.

This sounds like a sensible policy. I know of very few people who drink only water and don't see why kids should be forced to either. The idea of a balanced diet is that it is balanced, not completely free of anything that's remotely unhealthy.

antijoke · 2 Jul 2013 at 10:26

Same at the school my boys go to, is it really that big of a deal though?

Schizo · 2 Jul 2013 at 10:30

anticonscience said:
Same at the school my boys go to, is it really that big of a deal though?

Same here with my 6 year old daughter,she always finishes her water she takes in to school.

Just tell them they need to drink water....end off.

Freakbro · 2 Jul 2013 at 10:35

Dis86 said:
I don't get the problem here.

The school has issued a ruling.

This ruling does not harm your child, it does not cause moral, religious or ethical problems.

Stop being difficult and just go with it?

Oh and to those saying 'omg the school will not tell me what to do!!!'
Whilst the child is at school it is in their care and their rules apply. Don't like it? Move schools.

That's pretty much what I thought.

bobbyspangles · 2 Jul 2013 at 10:35

Panda Pops were the drink of choice in my school. The cola flavour was so wrong yet so good

a1ex2001 · 2 Jul 2013 at 10:41

lunchtime would make it a pointless rule that is there just for the sake of it, water only in the classroom makes sense it's much easier to clean up when it inevitably gets spilled from time to time and doesn't leave books and other resources a sticky mess.

As for the child not liking water, what do you do when they say they don't like veg give them chips instead?

Syph · 2 Jul 2013 at 10:52

a1ex2001 said:
lunchtime would make it a pointless rule that is there just for the sake of it, water only in the classroom makes sense it's much easier to clean up when it inevitably gets spilled from time to time and doesn't leave books and other resources a sticky mess.

As for the child not liking water, what do you do when they say they don't like veg give them chips instead?

No, what you do is get the vegetables in some other way. So when my daughter tells me she doesn't like x vegetable, I'll make sure it's cut up in the dinner another way. A bit like I get her to drink water by putting a bit of squash in it...

Anecdotal I know, but I don't know of a single child that has ever ate anything just because they're told they have to. That's how children are, tastes change and so on. You simply have to keep trying.

Dis86 · 2 Jul 2013 at 11:01

Syph said:
No, what you do is get the vegetables in some other way. So when my daughter tells me she doesn't like x vegetable, I'll make sure it's cut up in the dinner another way. A bit like I get her to drink water by putting a bit of squash in it...

Anecdotal I know, but I don't know of a single child that has ever ate anything just because they're told they have to. That's how children are, tastes change and so on. You simply have to keep trying.

I ate things I didn't like as a child...here's why...my parents told me to.
It's called discipline and respect.
I did things I didn't want to when asked to by my parents. You know why? They were my parents. Hell, I'm a grown man and still do things I don't want to for them sometimes, but if they ask i'll do it because I respect them.

Think you should go read the thread about the guy who's gone home crying from work every night after his 1st week there from uni, bet his parents cut up and disguised his vegetables for him!

Syph · 2 Jul 2013 at 11:05

Dis86 said:
I ate things I didn't like as a child...here's why...my parents told me to.
It's called discipline and respect.
I did things I didn't want to when asked to by my parents. You know why? They were my parents. Hell, I'm a grown man and still do things I don't want to for them sometimes, but if they ask i'll do it because I respect them.

Think you should go read the thread about the guy who's gone home crying from work every night after his 1st week there from uni, bet his parents cut up and disguised his vegetables for him!

What an obvious response. My daughter does what I tell her to do. She's 7 - it's not like I can hide peppers from her anymore. She'd pick them out and leave them. The difference is, as I appreciate not all tastes are the same, I can make it into a meal whereby she is happy to eat them, not forced.

I find the 'I had respect' line completely hilarious, as you've absolutely zero idea about how respectful or disciplined my children are.

Dis86 · 2 Jul 2013 at 11:11

Syph said:
What an obvious response. My daughter does what I tell her to do. She's 7 - it's not like I can hide peppers from her anymore. She'd pick them out and leave them. The difference is, as I appreciate not all tastes are the same, I can make it into a meal whereby she is happy to eat them, not forced.

I find the 'I had respect' line completely hilarious, as you've absolutely zero idea about how respectful or disciplined my children are.

you're the one that has to trick her into doing what you want...

Syph · 2 Jul 2013 at 11:15

Dis86 said:
you're the one that has to trick her into doing what you want...

It's not a trick. She's 7, and not an idiot, as I've already explained for you once. Besides, my daughter isn't particularly fussy in any case. I wonder if that's got something to do with persevering with the foods we expect her to eat...

If you're telling me you're happy to eat absolutely everything, good for you. I know very few people that are like that.

Dis86 · 2 Jul 2013 at 11:22

Syph said:
It's not a trick. She's 7, and not an idiot, as I've already explained for you once. Besides, my daughter isn't particularly fussy in any case. I wonder if that's got something to do with persevering with the foods we expect her to eat...

If you're telling me you're happy to eat absolutely everything, good for you. I know very few people that are like that.

Having already explained for you once...no, i'm not happy to eat everything (or rather wasn't happy as we're talking about me when I was a child). I explained this in my first post. I however did eat things I wasn't happy with, because, as I said, my parents told me to. I didn't refuse to eat them, they didn't have to prepare them in a different way to either trick me in to eating them or cater to me. I ate what they put in front of me, which, for time/cost/convenience was normally what they were eating.

Syph · 2 Jul 2013 at 11:37

Dis86 said:
Having already explained for you once...no, i'm not happy to eat everything (or rather wasn't happy as we're talking about me when I was a child). I explained this in my first post. I however did eat things I wasn't happy with, because, as I said, my parents told me to. I didn't refuse to eat them, they didn't have to prepare them in a different way to either trick me in to eating them or cater to me. I ate what they put in front of me, which, for time/cost/convenience was normally what they were eating.

Our kids eat what we eat. It's that simple. It might mean some of the meal is slightly different (eg: their chilli doesn't have chillis in... though should I make them eat those too?

) and I think that's perfectly acceptable. You do what you want with yours, I'll keep on doing what I do with mine. As I say, my kids aren't particularly fussy anyway.

Back on topic though - Skywalker, you're only going to get any joy by speaking to the head via email, phone or in person (which I know isn't simple for you at present).

In the mean time, work on trying to get your child to drink water. Maybe even speak to the class teacher about the situation until there's a proper resolution. I completely agree that with a meal, a drink of squash is totally reasonable. I imagine the school is perhaps trying to do away with the myriad of more unhealthy drinks some kids my be bringing in by enforcing a blanket ban.

Unluckyalf · 2 Jul 2013 at 11:40

To be honest, its not really right to expect a 10 year old to remember a message like that. Too many details can get lost in between assembly in the morning, their daily routine and them getting home.
Done properly, it should have been in the form of a newsletter taken home by the kids with an explanation of what they are doing an why.
The school my daughter goes to hasn't gone as far as banning cordial but nut products are out. Its really not easy packing a lunch for a child that contains nothing that 'may contain traces of nuts'. I can see how hard it would be not sending cordial. The only real options are some dairy based drink, water or natural fruit juice (though they invariably contain additional sugar).
Definitely have a chat with the Headmaster would be the way to go.

MooMoo444 · 2 Jul 2013 at 11:45

bobbyspangles said:
Panda Pops were the drink of choice in my school. The cola flavour was so wrong yet so good

MMm delicious chemicals

LordSplodge · 2 Jul 2013 at 11:46

Dis86 said:
I don't get the problem here.

The school has issued a ruling.

Schools job is to teach children. It's not their job to tell parents what foods are or aren't acceptable.

More effort should be focused on improving the education kids get. Less on being food police.

LordSplodge · 2 Jul 2013 at 11:49

Unluckyalf said:
The school my daughter goes to hasn't gone as far as banning cordial but nut products are out. Its really not easy packing a lunch for a child that contains nothing that 'may contain traces of nuts'..

Ahh, Health and Safety gone mad. Pack the food for your kid. Jesus if another kid with a nut allergy is stupid enough to eat something that actually contains nuts (rather than that stupid "packaged in a environment that may contain nuts" rubbish) then that's Darwinsim working.

LordSplodge · 2 Jul 2013 at 11:52

Dis86 said:
I ate things I didn't like as a child...here's why...my parents told me to.
It's called discipline and respect.

Sure but you have to give some leeway. It's not the Victorian era anymore. And whilst I think a lot of parents are way too soft on their kids nowadays I draw the line at total obedience. You want some independence and challenging of authority instilled in your children.

Dis86 · 2 Jul 2013 at 11:53

LordSplodge said:
Schools job is to teach children. It's not their job to tell parents what foods are or aren't acceptable.

More effort should be focused on improving the education kids get. Less on being food police.

Ahh, Health and Safety gone mad. Pack the food for your kid. Jesus if another kid with a nut allergy is stupid enough to eat something that actually contains nuts (rather than that stupid "packaged in a environment that may contain nuts" rubbish) then that's Darwinsim working.

It's also the schools job to look after the children in their care and the welfare of said children.

Also, peanuts can be harmful through inhalation and skin contact...but, glad you think that people with extreme allergies should be left to die!