I’m no gestapo about sugar. My kids get it. We’re not the Healthiest Family on the Block, I’m sure. Junk food and sugar makes its way into our lives and bellies. We have ice cream treats now and again, cupcakes at birthdays, chocolate certain weeks, and so forth.
But.
It’s not an every day thing.
I don’t keep juice or soda at home, fruit is considered dessert (as is white bread)Â and the cookies are the 100 calorie “keep Mom happy” packs stashed in the back of the pantry.
We aren’t better than anyone else and I don’t mean this in a holier-than-thou way. It’s how my mother raised us, it seems like the good nutrition way to go, and so it’s what we do. My kids have learned how to make good choices in general, so those few times that they say, “Donuts,” I tend to shrug and give in half the time.
So like I said, I’m no gestapo.
But.
It drives me stark raving nutters that every day both kids come home from school and—despite the “suggested snack” list the teacher handed out with easy to buy snacks on it—tell me about the cookies and sweets they got at snack time.
It seems like at least once a week my kindergarten daughter gets cupcakes. Or cookies, with frosting. Not once have I heard about a healthy snack, or what I’d consider healthy, and trust me, my daughter gleefully shares with me whatever that day’s treat was…every day.
Do parents really think these are good snacks?
I realize the constraints are tough. Code requires that all snacks be prepackaged and store bought rather than homemade. I realize this is a CYA thing, to protect allergies and ensure so-called freshness and safety. However, it immediately eliminates fresh and healthy food. So you go on to the next thing closest to healthy, right? Cheesesticks, yogurt tubes, raisins, granola bars, hey, I’m even fine with goldfish crackers and pretzels and animal crackers. I realize many of these are high in sugar, but at least they have some nutritional validity. I prefer good, high-protein snacks mixed with a healthy carb. I think these give good energy that lasts, rather than sugar highs.
But.
Apparently, I am in the minority.
My younger daughter gets animal crackers, the frosted kind and fruit candy, or better yet, frosted fruit candy. My older gets packaged cookies and cupcakes.
What’s a mom to do?
I hate to set her apart and send up a Special Snack Just for Her and force the teacher to determine whether today’s snack would be Julie-approved or if it is time to pull out the special snack.
I hate more the hyperness I’ve noticed since school began…the over-sugared hyperness. I hate the increased craving for sweets, and the new demand for sweets as snack or with each meal.
What would you do? What do you do?
(Don’t miss SciFi Dad’s article about children and health care, below!)
By Julie Pippert
Also blogging at:Using My Words
