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Elementary School Gym teachers telling kids to restrict calories!
Replies
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Okay, here's my opinion.
(1) I'm an adult who went back to college. I had to take a physical fitness class this year. The person who taught the class also teaches high school gym/physical fitness/soccer and other sports (as well as college in the evening). Fitness includes nutrition and basic knowledge about our bodies, calories, food, health, etc. This was college, not grammar school, but I think the same things would apply to kids except in simpler way.
The professor/teacher I had did indeed mention how sad it is that many kids are overweight and probably headed for diabetes -- they already have telltale streaks on their skin. We have an obesity epidemic in the United States. I see it every day. I don't think you need to scare kids, but they should be educated that they can make healthier choices.
(2) You're hearing things filtered through kids and other parents. Why not set a meeting with the teacher and ask her directly what she is teaching? Bring of list of things you've heard and ask questions. Is what she's saying factual? Does it match school approved curriculum? Tell her your child comes from a family with eating disorders and you are concerned about creating food anxiety in him.7 -
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.3 -
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.3
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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.
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Woah theo166... sensitive about how mom and Dad are about food? I said that I was bulimic mAny years ago. And my ex husband was. I don't count calories, I don't talk about weight. Don't diet .. I don't restrict food for myself or my kids. I do eat healthy but I certainly don't act in any way toward food that would make my son self worried about calories . His teacher is the one talking about going to bed hungry becuse she reached her calorie limit.
Op, you don't count calories and you don't "diet" (I understand why) and you just started your account on 3/15. You start a thread complaining of calorie counting and getting third hand information of what your kid's teacher said. I find this very odd.7 -
I would love some input and advice from other parents.. or anyone who has an opinion on this subject!
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 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.
I'm absolutely livid!! I don't think kids need to worry about calories. No wonder my son has been not eating. PLEASE- feel free to give me some advice on how you would handle this. I've emailed the principal and teacher and am planning to meet with them.
Are gym teachers even allowed to give nutritional advice like this? I'm not about to allow this woman to be the trigger of my son's eating disorder. Although it's likely too late.
There is a difference between teaching nutrition, but telling kids she ate nuts for dinner because she was out of calories was really dumb. She could have left that part out. She also has no business telling kids to restrict calories either-and, no, that is not teaching nutrition, etc. It seems to me she is projecting her own weight issues on to the kids, and I don't blame you for being worried.
Me? I'd go to the principal and ask about this.
This teacher has no business projecting her own issues onto children like this. She is essentially shaming them. This makes my heart hurt.
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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.4 -
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.4
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Geocitiesuser wrote: »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.
Except the kids didn't pull eating nuts for dinner because she was out of calories out of thin air. Her advise was at best ill-advised and at worst detrimental to developing brains and bodies.9 -
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.2 -
Gallowmere1984 wrote: »I just....lololol. We have a 300+ reply thread where people talk about the need to start educating people from a young age on CICO. Now we have someone do it, and a bunch of butthurt ensues. This is the real problem with trying to fix things from the current status quo. There's always gonna be one kid who takes it too far, and suddenly it'll be the curriculum at fault.
^^ times 10
So what if the gym teacher wasn't perfect in the delivery that exercise compensates for overeating. This scenario isn't a crisis, it's basic parenting where you help them work through the good/bad and imperfect information they are picking up in the world.
Kids pick up their attitudes about food in the home primarily. If both parents had eating disorders, and one child starts to show symptoms, don't be so quick blame it all on outside influences.13 -
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.3
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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.4 -
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.4 -
The main issue that I have with this isn't that she's attempting to teach healthy eating habits to children - I think that part is great. You want kids to be active and to eat balanced diets because it's important for both their physical and mental health. What I take the most issue with is the age of these children. I think that elementary-aged kids don't have the full capacity to really understand what this teacher is trying to say to them. Kids often take whatever is said to them at face value so if a teacher said to me, "don't eat that, that makes you fat," or "I'm not eating dinner tonight because I ate more than I should've today" I would think to myself, "oh, I guess I'm not supposed to eat anything for lunch today because I ate a big breakfast."
I'm not trying to say that children are stupid, because I don't think that they are, but I don't think that they're ready to be provided all of this information yet because they can't extrapolate it and apply it to their own individual circumstances.
Even many fully functional adults who come to MFP and start reading the forums, quickly succumb to information overload. If anything, I'd say the teacher is on the right track, but needs to slow her roll a bit. Start with the basics (units of measure, macronutrients, etc.) and all of that, then start feathering in the details later in the curriculum. If a specific child is advanced enough to start forming questions on specifics early, let them ask the teacher directly.7 -
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.3
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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.0
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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.0 -
[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.
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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.1
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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
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TRxMhqdmb2Y
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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).
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BrunetteRunner87 wrote: »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.
It's not a relationship issue; it's a good food habit issue. Habits that used to be common place like not snacking, eating less at lunch if you have a large dinner planned and knowing that limiting sweets and desserts was common sense, not deprivation. We've done away with all of those norms - anytime is a good time to eat, anything is a good thing to eat, you deserve a treat etc. etc - something has to replace that.
If it's going to be calorie counting you need to start young so it's an ingrained habit -- these aren't innate skills.5 -
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.2
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No matter what they are told/taught in school. Most children learn how to eat at home.9
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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.0 -
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.8 -
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...3 -
Need2Exerc1se 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.3 -
I've already gotten into it with my kids' school also. The lunch aides (not certified nutritionists, not remotely qualified in any way, shape or form) are hovering over the kids, looking at their lunches, questioning their choices, etc. etc. They are also giving out terrible advice. The 100-calorie chip bag is "bad" food. Don't start brainwashing them young. Yogurt is candy. Lunch needs to be a large meal. I had the school nurse call me after my son was reported. He wasn't hungry one particular day. They pulled him out of the lunch room and down to the nurse and started questioning him, to the point he started crying because he thought he was in trouble. He wasn't particularly hungry that day because he had 4 pancakes for breakfast. The aide told him he needed to eat a smaller breakfast and a lunch of similar size, that eating one larger meal and one smaller meal would cause all kinds of health problems. WHAT?!?! I don't know where they're finding these people but they need to better train/educate them if they're going to push advice onto my kids.8
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