Guess What was on my Kid's School Shopping List

strongmindstrongbody

The teacher asked for a bag of candy. Of all things, right?

My kid's gotten so many cavities since starting school last year, I'm tempted to send the school his dental bills. All the sugary snacks and gooey treats at birthday parties are ridiculous. The candy will be used as incentives for the children, and while I can understand how useful that may be to a teacher, there's got to be a better way.

adiostrasero

Maybe you could ask the teacher if a bag of cheap-o prizes would be a suitable replacement instead of the candy? Or stickers? That might give him/her the idea to start using that instead. That's what I did as a teacher most of the time, although candy IS a lot cheaper and teachers do end up shelling out a lot of personal funds to keep their classrooms stocked.

jenifr818

My dentist gave me sealants on my teeth when I was a kid, supposedly it's supposed to prevent cavities. Have you asked yours about that? Prevention's the best medicine, and if your kid's going to be eating a lot of sugary stuff at school (since he's a kid, and he will if they're offered), might not be a bad idea to check into it

vim_n_vigor

Wow! You are supposed to send the teacher a bag of candy to feed to the kids for incentive? If they want something like that for incentive, they should buy it themselves. Our kids get pencils, stickers or more time outside!

Shy_Yogi

Wow. I'd be mad. Sugary and gooey treats are banned from my school. We are only allowed to send in healthy things for snacks. And they use small toys for motivation.

Maybe you could rally some of the other parents together and make a change for the better.

DawnieB1977

My dentist gave me sealants on my teeth when I was a kid, supposedly it's supposed to prevent cavities. Have you asked yours about that? Prevention's the best medicine, and if your kid's going to be eating a lot of sugary stuff at school (since he's a kid, and he will if they're offered), might not be a bad idea to check into it

I had that sealant stuff done on my back teeth as a kid. Guess the only teeth I have fillings in? 2 back ones on each side! Thanks dentist!

I'm English and pretty much all of our schools have a healthy schools policy, and kids aren't even allowed to take sweets into school with them. My 4 year old starts in reception class in Sept. He won't be taking sweets!

kr1stadee

Haven't seen candy (yet) but I'm going to take in some dye-free candy for my son. If the teacher is going to give out junk, it might as well be the stuff that doesn't make him crazy.

I DO have to send in 6 boxes of kleenex and a box of large baggies though.

One year it was lysol wipes, kleenex and papertowels along with the school supplies

_chiaroscuro

The teacher asked for a bag of candy. Of all things, right?

My kid's gotten so many cavities since starting school last year, I'm tempted to send the school his dental bills. All the sugary snacks and gooey treats at birthday parties are ridiculous. The candy will be used as incentives for the children, and while I can understand how useful that may be to a teacher, there's got to be a better way.

I wouldn't be over the moon about constantly bribing my kid with candy to behave in a way I expect her to anyway, I get that. But if this is an occasional treat, not a habitual one, I don't see a problem. And birthday treats? Come on. Parents are getting hyper-vigilant and fun-killing in my opinion.

PapaverSomniferum

yeah, send stickers instead!

my kids will jump through any hoop to get a goddamned sticker.

mmm_drop

I know there are budget cuts in education, but since when are the parents responsible for the incentives in the classroom?

ThatSoundsHard

Suddenly I'm extremely grateful for my daughter's school's 'no junk food policy'
So, each child is supposed to turn in a bag of candy to the teacher at the beginning of the year? That is one of the most insane things I've ever heard.

knightreader

as a teacher, i would be thrilled with a parent sending in some extra paper towels or pencils! we aren't even allowed to give out candy!

tatd_820

Don't like it at all but you could send in a sugar free candy...to make it a wee bit better.

branson101

at my son's school each kid has to bring doughnuts one friday a semester for their homeroom. I hate that because doughnuts are garbage and they are expensive when it comes to 30 kids.

kr1stadee

as a teacher, i would be thrilled with a parent sending in some extra paper towels or pencils! we aren't even allowed to give out candy!

I hear parents complain about the lists every year.. and they comment "But if I send in all supplies NOW, the teacher will give them to the kids without stuff!!" ...

I have no issue with sending in some cleaning supplies, I know they are well needed and expected to come out of the teachers pockets if not supplied by parents!

JenS2586

That's ridiculous! I'd be complaining for sure. My daughters first day of sk last year the teacher handed out suckers, so I wrote a note to the teacher stating if any sweets are given in class I want them sent home with my child so I can monitor what she's consuming and she can brush her teeth right after. My daughter isn't allowed candy, pop or juice. Sweets like chocolate or cake or homemade cookies I'm fine with, in moderation, but never pure candy. There are better ways to reward a child than with junk.

JenAndSome

My kids school asks for cheap toys (like McDonald's toys) and stickers and things like that. One teacher does do popsicles at the end of the week if they turn in all their homework, but that's not a huge deal. I'm surprised a teacher would ask for parents to send in candy. They probably really want it for themselves. :laugh:

ashdawg8790

First off, let me first say I agree one hundred and fifty-six percent with NEVER bribing kids with candy. I work with kids with mental illness. For them, they can earn "coins" that they can cash in for good behavior for a small toy, a piece of sugar-free gum, or Wii time later in the evening (they are in an inpatient setting). Perhaps your teacher could create some fun games to play later in the day for the kids who do well? The gum works pretty well for older kids as well. Or perhaps at the very least sugar-free candies! With all the kids out there with dietary sensitivities, however, using food as incentive is risky anyway!! Hopefully you can work something out with your school system! :flowerforyou:

recoveryjunky

I don't think we had no junk food policies when I was in school (not too many years ago lol) but our teachers just didn't do it. Except for one... and she was morbidly obese... huh--I actually never made that connection before

MySlimGoals

I'm a teacher, and you're not even meant to give prizes as incentives because it sends children the wrong message. But giving them sugary treats is just wrong - if the teacher is going to do that she should be giving out stickers instead. LOL send the teacher a book on classroom behaviour management!

ashdawg8790

at my son's school each kid has to bring doughnuts one friday a semester for their homeroom. I hate that because doughnuts are garbage and they are expensive when it comes to 30 kids.

This teacher would be on my list. It's not a nice list to be on. Just sayin'. :noway:

maegmez

I don't think the amount of candy they would get as an occasional treat at school would be anywhere near enough sugar to cause cavities. Same with birthday cake and party candy. Oral hygiene is key. I just think its wrong to pass the buck on the teacher.

Mamakatspokane

WOW. In Kindergarten my kids had to bring stickers but those were more for papers. Rewarding with sugar...yeah I'm sure that's how US kids stay so thin:frown:

BlueBombers

Really? I have never heard of that on a school supply list.

bcf7683

That's total BS. If a teacher wants to supply their students with incentives, they can from their OWN money. I've NEVER heard of a teacher putting their voluntary incentives on the parents to pay for (*especially* candy). Sounds like your child has a super cheap (or lazy) teacher. I wouldn't buy the bag of candy, and send my kid to school with a note explaining why. Some schools I observed in while in college wouldn't even allow candy into the classrooms. That's ridiculous. I feel like even if it wasn't candy that the teacher is asking for I'd still be a little p!ssed. They decided they want an incentive stock on hand- they should pay for it. :noway:

cabaray

My elementary aged daughter had a bag of candy on her list too. Boxes of tissues were on there as well. I don't mind if she gets a piece of candy every now and then as a reward (not that I need to worry, she's been a butt so far this school year and probably won't be getting any). I don't mind the tissues either, but I never send them in at the beginning of the year. I just take some in later.

hottie_in_training

Our schools are junk food free. Thank goodness.

As far as parents supplying cleaning supplies, etc. What the hell??!! Do our tax dollars not go towards the maintenance and running of our schools??

wertgirlfor

I would send a bag of stickers/mini prizes/etc. and maybe a small bag of those mini size candies. I don't think getting candy as a treat is necessarily bad, but there should definitely be more options. And there shouldn't be candy big enough to put a dent in a healthy diet if the kid gets those incentives frequently. Still a little ridiculous for the teacher to ask for that, though.

I think birthday parties and school parties are totally fine with including a little junk. Looking back at videos of my cousins & I's parties, we had a lot of soda, chips, pizza, cake, etc. but we turned out all healthy and well adjusted because we only got that on those occasions. Candy bars were a really special treat. Everything in moderation is the key, especially for kids.

shellma00

We do not have to send in candy or anything else for incentives, but I was really shocked to see a box of Band Aids on the school supply list (which I refused to send), along with the cleaning wipes and germ x. We also have to send a ridiculous amount of pencils, glue, and many other regular supplies, when I know that my child does not need that many. Our teachers put everything in "community" boxes where the children just go get whatever they need when they need it... So I am pretty much taking in supplies for parents who do not send supplies in for the children. It irks me. I found out that on the last day of school the teachers just throw away any unused supplies such as pencils, pens, markers, crayons, paper, ect.... and the janitors just go through every trash can and cash in on the leftovers. Why cant the teachers put the leftovers in a tote and use for next year? I was livid when I found this out and so I sent my daughter with the least amount of supplies for the "community" boxes and have the rest of her stuff at home for when she needs it.

adiostrasero

I know there are budget cuts in education, but since when are the parents responsible for the incentives in the classroom?

... Parents have always been responsible for school supplies. There has probably never been a budget for classroom incentives, so budget cuts really have nothing to do with it. At my school I got NO money for supplies. Anything I wanted, I bought. Teachers spend plenty of their own money on everything from paper to field trip fees for kids whose parents can't afford it. I don't think it's unreasonable for parents to chip in with extras like candy, tissue, hand sanitizer, etc. Schools do not provide these things, so either teachers pay for it, parents split up the cost and pay for it, or the kids get none. Or, you can be one of those parents who just relies on the reliable parents to pick up the slack for you. (Had a lot of those as a teacher.)

It's a hot button issue for me ever since the year I spent $200 on PENCILS. I realize candy is a different issue, but since when are TEACHERS and not parents responsible for something that kids want and use in the classroom?

odusgolp

OK, I'm actually with ya here. Candy is an absurd request.

I bring 4 boxes of tissues, 4 boxes of baby wipes, 4 boxes of ziplocs, Hand Sanitizer, etc.... Plus pencils and *kitten*.

I draw the line at Candy. I am fine with bringing in a monthly treat or something (I tend to do fruit, cheese, crackers, etc.) but to request candy is just a little ridiculous. You should not be giving kids 30 bags of candy/school year....