The Irony...

Yesterday, I mentioned that my daughter Kt had a field day at school. This was run by the P.E. teachers and the conclusion would be that it would promote exercise and physical education, i.e. healthy habits!! Today, Kt came home with her two prizes - Werther's Originals (2) and a Starburst! Let me just remind you all of the excerpt I printed about a month ago put out by our P.T.A. president:

Current studies indicate that by 2010 nearly half the children in North and South American will be overweight... I can obviously monitor what they eat at home, but what happens when they are at school? They are offered birthday snacks, candy, and pizza in addition to the lunches they bring from home or purchase at school.... Parents of children with food allergies also have concerns.... The students who suffer from food allergies are often unable to eat the treats that are offered to them. As a result, these students may feel left out when others bring in food to share that they cannot eat.... When your child has a birthday, consider sending in a present for the classroom in lieu of cupcakes, cookies, and goody bags filled with candy.

How ironic, that we are foregoing all parties at school due to childhood obesity, yet the one activity this year that is promoting physical activity is passing out candy as a prize???

I, for one, am not complaining about this. My child was quite happy to get some candy and I see no harm whatsoever in her getting it! I do see a problem with claiming that parents who send in a birthday treat are the problem, however. And, as I stated in my previous post where I quoted this letter, the issue has more to do with allergies than it does with childhood obesity, the latter being the latest scapegoat for food allergy concerned parents. And why? Because no one takes them seriously when they share their fear of their children dying due to exposure to things such as nuts or eggs.

I wonder if anyone will complain about these prizes? I wonder if anyone will see the irony in this?? I, for one, am not complaining, unless a poor gym teacher gets in trouble for doing something nice for the kids. Personally, I know that those gym teachers spent their own measly salaries to do this and I think it was very thoughtful, but you won't hear any parents thanking them, will you?