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Elementary School Gym teachers telling kids to restrict calories!

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Replies

  • kenyonhaff
    kenyonhaff Posts: 1,377 Member
    Yes, talk to the gym teacher, ask about the curriculum, talk to the principal about your concerns. A lot of parents do not pay much attention to the PE curriculum and bad health advice gets passed on that way.

    No 2nd grader should be expected to count calories...they can't typically add 3 digit numbers. And a lot of them think that fruit roll-ups as actually fruit and that ice cream is a food group.
  • distinctlybeautiful
    distinctlybeautiful Posts: 1,041 Member
    I think you're doing the right thing getting in touch with the school, especially seeing them in person to talk about it. I think you have a legitimate concern, so there's no reason not to address it. I also see everyone's point about the information being filtered through a child. However, you know your child and are in a better position to make judgments about whether he's giving your accurate or skewed information about what's happening than we are. I think it's going to be a difficult - or maybe delicate is a better word - subject to broach. I think it'd be wise to do everything you can to go into this meeting in a calm state of mind because I don't think anger is going to be productive, at least in the beginning.
  • HeliumIsNoble
    HeliumIsNoble Posts: 1,213 Member
    edited March 2017
    Yeah, I would say there is a realistic possibility that the teacher did not say what the children think she said. However, that would still mean you should meet with the school. As far as the results are concerned, it doesn't matter what great things she's trying to teach them, if she's saying it in a way that is being misunderstood so easily.

    Best case scenario: she needs to adapt her message so that they hear what she's actually saying. But she needs to know there is a problem to do that.

  • pinuplove
    pinuplove Posts: 12,871 Member
    I'd be upset, not because the gym teacher is touching on nutrition, but because she is SO VERY WRONG! Focusing on fruits and veggies and the importance of a well-rounded diet are the extent of what she should talk about. Not eating nuts for dinner because she was out of calories. Sounds like a personal problem to me - 1. If I'm out of calories I'll go out and earn some more before I'd skip dinner and 2. Nuts?? High density low volume isn't the way to go. She could have had turkey with a 100-calorie flatbread wrap, mixed greens, and some avocado for the same calories as 'a handful of nuts.'

    The sad truth is, many of these kids will go home with no assurance of a healthy dinner, or any dinner at all. Some of them will be lucky to get a bowl of cereal or boxed mac and cheese. More than a few will eat fast food for dinner regularly.
  • Geocitiesuser
    Geocitiesuser Posts: 1,429 Member
    100% in support of the gym teacher. Sounds like you're hearing what the teacher taught through a child's filter. The gym teacher should be applauded.
  • Susieq_1994
    Susieq_1994 Posts: 5,361 Member
    While I agree with the idea teaching children the basics of nutrition and calories in school (in fact, I think it's a very important thing to teach), the way this teacher went about it is extremely concerning to me. I would expect a health teacher to explain what a calorie (a kilocalorie, really) is, how energy management in the body works, and so on. Telling growing children to RESTRICT their calories and telling them to exercise off all of their meals is frankly horrifying to me. And the "personal anecdote" of her own calorie restriction rubs me the wrong way somehow as well, although I can't pinpoint right on the money what bugs me about it.

    Just to play devil's advocate, though, since I'm a teacher... Children don't always portray the situation very clearly when repeating things to their parents, which I've seen quite a bit of in my dealings with parents. I'd talk to the teacher and find out exactly what it was she said before taking it much further.
  • wellthenwhat
    wellthenwhat Posts: 526 Member
    I agree that nutrition and stuff should be taught. But there is a right way and a wrong way to do it. Stressing calories can do more harm than good, even for the obese kids.
  • VeryKatie
    VeryKatie Posts: 5,961 Member
    edited March 2017
    I would say the first thing to do is to talk to his doctor. If you're worried about a disorder, he seems like he is already showing signs. The sooner you deal with it the better/safer! Don't let it go farther. Are there other places where he is seeing the same behaviour for eating that he is emulating? Are his classmates all restricting as well? Are you or your husband?

    I agree the teacher should not be recommending to restrict calories. It's one thing to teach about proper nutrition, including how to figure out how much is enough... and it's important to start discussing it early... but she's going about it completely wrong. No way she should recommend the whole class should restrict. It should be a simple "eat to much and you gain, eat too little and you lose, and eat the right amount and you will grow as you should". For growing 11 year olds, they should not be restricting. Some children need more calories than adults BECAUSE they're growing. And I somehow doubt she is taking that into consideration.

    Honestly, I would submit a written concern letter to the principal - and if nothing is corrected - write to the school board. If this gym teacher doesn't have the education to teach that topic, she needs to stop immediately. It sounds like she is impressing her own issues with food onto the children.
  • brookielaw
    brookielaw Posts: 814 Member
    First and foremost, I would attempt to verify exactly what is being taught/ told to the children. I'm hoping it's a case of the child misinterpreting the general message. I don't think the teacher meant any harm but a logical part of the talk on nutrition I would think would involve a focus on healthy vegetables and fruits, lean proteins, and complex carbohydrates in balance. I'm hoping your child got a full message and was speaking to you about one particular part, which yes, would bother me as a parent.

    Education on nutrition is very important, and should begin in the home. After being super morbidly obese the majority of my life, I am VERY conscious of how I educate my daughters and the messages I send on nutrition and exercise. We also lead by example. As you have seen for yourself though, what happens outside your house is out of your control to an extent. Intervening with the school by verifying what is being taught and giving your input should cover that.

    I have spent a lot of time discussing with my oldest (13) the concepts of head hunger versus physical hunger, nutrition, balance, hydration, activity, and the general concept of CICO. I have explained WHY a 750 calorie frozen pizza is not a "snack" but a meal, that would be better eaten in a smaller portion along with fruits and vegetables. The little one (20 months) has been introduced to the healthiest choices and the concept of "sometimes foods." I'm hoping this is the right approach because I really don't want either of them to go through what I have gone through. It wasn't in the non-existent "how to give your kid a kickass life and be a great parent" book but I do think it is an important part of parenting.

    As a parent I am appalled that your very thin child would talk about how fat they are. I would be very concerned about where this self-talk is coming from and how to deal with it. Have you asked why he believes that? I know that from time to time my oldest will say things along those lines and we spend time talking about the importance of HEALTH and how that can be measured, not just in numbers on a scale. I think the research and discussion on ideal weight and BMI drove it home but it is an issue that sadly has come up after summer visitation or weekends with her mother. [See reference to not being able to control what goes on outside your home.] The bottom line is that you do what you need to do to help your child be the happiest, healthiest version of himself he can be.
  • BrunetteRunner87
    BrunetteRunner87 Posts: 591 Member
    I absolutely think that children should be educated on how to live a healthy lifestyle. It's very important that they learn to eat well and stay active. However I don't think telling children to count calories or that they have to earn dessert is helpful. Frankly I don't think adults should really have that mentality, it would be great if we all learned to maintain healthy lifestyles without obsessing about calories or earning treats. Many of us (myself included) are here on MFP to count calories but I wish I would have learned at an early age just to have a healthy relationship with food.
  • BrunetteRunner87
    BrunetteRunner87 Posts: 591 Member
    To add to that though I think the more education the better so at some point children should be taught how macro nutrients and calories work, the basic mechanics of it, the more knowledge people have, the better. But I don't think they need to be told what to do WITH that information.
  • 3rdof7sisters
    3rdof7sisters Posts: 486 Member
    BrunetteRunner87 wrote: »
    To add to that though I think the more education the better so at some point children should be taught how macro nutrients and calories work, the basic mechanics of it, the more knowledge people have, the better. But I don't think they need to be told what to do WITH that information.

    ^I agree with this. I would guess that a good percent of adults don't know much about this either.
    This woman's son needs to see a professional. By his mother's own admission, he is very thin, and worried about his weight. This is clearly an issue for this young boy, and probably something his mother realizes did not result from a teachers comments.
  • Packerjohn
    Packerjohn Posts: 4,855 Member
    [quote="Calimom10;10528483"

    The other day he told me that his gym teacher has been talking about calorie counting. She told the kids that she had to eat nuts for dinner even though she was hungry because she reached her calorie limit for the day. She told them that they should limit calories. She also tells them that they're getting to an age where they need to start worrying about what they eat and that they should try to burn off every meal. She tells them that if they eat junk food they should do push ups or something to burn calories. She also talks about how they will see overweight kids in middle school next year and that they need to make choices to avoid being overweight.
    I've talked to another mother with three kids in the same school and they confirmed that this is the way she teaches. Even the second graders are being told to count calories.

    [/quote]

    Other than the part about her eating only nuts for dinner the instruction is reasonable. I seriously doubt the 2nd graders are told to count calories as they could not understand the concept. Probably in issues with the parents interpretation of what the kids thought the teacher told them.
  • WVWalkerFriend
    WVWalkerFriend Posts: 575 Member
    I think for small children encouraging them to eat plenty of veggies, choosing fruit over cookies or candy, trying new foods, and making different choices would be sufficient. I'm a fan of meeting people where they are and if the student body is made up of fast food eaters, then teach them to pick the oranges over the fries and the milk or water over the soda, for example. Will they all do that? Not without parents backing it up but it would register more than counting calories. For older kids you can start educating them on calories and macros, but I would prefer a method that starts with making the kids aware of how many calories are in certain foods compared to others. My girls are juniors now but it seems to me they didn't really start learning nutrition in school until around 6th grade, in health class. I do not agree with a gym teacher telling kids specifically how many calories they should eat. I don't feel it is their place to do that. That should be done by the child's parents and pediatrician.
  • rawroy
    rawroy Posts: 106 Member
    edited March 2017
    I remember when I was growing up teachers never mentioned calories or nutrition to me. If they did, I'd probably run home to my parents and tell them the teacher was "nuts" while I enjoyed my highly processed Mac n Cheese, Fat Fried Chicken, and Buttery Mashed Potatoes. Fast forward to my life now and I'd think the teacher was on to something "instead of" on something. Keep Calm and Watch This Video :smiley:
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TRxMhqdmb2Y
  • Packerjohn
    Packerjohn Posts: 4,855 Member
    Calimom10 wrote: »

    So, for the past few months I have been very concerned about my 11 year old son. Hes already very thin and has been talking about how fat he is. He has been eating much less, wanting to eat low carb bread over the whole wheat white bread he normally eats, and the last time I had lunch with him in his school he only ate 2 bites of his food. He said he was saving his appetite for popcorn in class.
    A little background about me ( was bulimic and anorexic for 12 years) His biological father also was bulimic. So I already know there is a good chance my kids will have eating disorders.

    The teacher should not have talked about eating nuts for dinner as a child. Other than that seemed like pretty generic information.

    Unfortunately, you son's eating is much more likely to be learned from what happens in the family for the last 11 years as opposed to a few comments from a PE teacher (not in any way disrespecting teachers).
  • cessi0909
    cessi0909 Posts: 653 Member
    Have not read the responses but I would go talk to her and then the principal, I am all for teachers promoting being healthy but she is pushing an unhealthy view of food on young kids.
  • dbanks80
    dbanks80 Posts: 3,685 Member
    First of all kids need proper calorie intake for proper growth. If kids are active they should be able to eat what they want. If concerned about eating healthy teach healthy eating habits. They should not be counting calories and going to the extremes this teacher is teaching them.

    She is setting those kids up for an eating disorder and she should be reported to the administration. I think that is absolutely horrible.
  • coreyreichle
    coreyreichle Posts: 1,031 Member
    Seeing as far more people are affected by obesity rather than anorexia/bulimia, this is good education to prevent future problems with diet.

    So, yes, kids should learn to count calories, so they aren't completely lost on why they put on the Freshman 15...
  • dbanks80
    dbanks80 Posts: 3,685 Member
    edited March 2017
    Need2Exerc1se wrote: »
    dbanks80 wrote: »
    First of all kids need proper calorie intake for proper growth. If kids are active they should be able to eat what they want. If concerned about eating healthy teach healthy eating habits. They should not be counting calories and going to the extremes this teacher is teaching them.

    She is setting those kids up for an eating disorder and she should be reported to the administration. I think that is absolutely horrible.

    I would disagree with most of this. Children should never be allowed to eat what they want. They'd likely live on chips and candy. Parents should teach children how to eat properly - proper portions along with proper nutrition.

    I should revise what I said. I certainly don't advocate them eating junk food all day long. I meant eat as much as they want until they are full. Not feeling like they should have to restrict calories. My sons played sports throughout their youth so when we had dinner if they were hungry I let them eat until they were full. And my oldest could put away some food. Because they are so active they burn it off fast. They are grown men and they make good food choices and they very active by working out.
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