Spying on your kids' lunches

[TPO]

I am a firm believer in innocent until proven guilty. Therefore, I think children should be allowed their privacy when it comes to meal choices until such a time that they do something (as in the case of diabetics not adhering to their diet) to break that trust. To me, giving parents the automatic right to monitor their child's eating habits is saying the child is guilty until proven innocent.

And unfortunately, I have seen way too many mothers who are obsessed with what their young daughters eat and tell their slender daughters that they are fat or going to get fat. It would not surprise me if these girls feel as though they have to lie to their mothers about what they eat.

[divalasvegas]

Gee touregsand maybe. I don't know which school system you live near, but I can tell you that the schools near me already have their teachers watching out for:

illegal drugs

alcohol on the premises

weapons of all kinds (here that includes guns and machetes)

teachers being threatened or physically assaulted by students

students threatening or physically assaulting fellow students

rival gang violence

which kids are on Ritalin for their ADD/ADHD or whatever the latest "syndrome" is

sexual activity in the boys' bathroom

sexual activity in the girls' bathroom

interracial rivalries/violence

making sure that any contact with a student is not misconstrued and seen as a sexual advance or harassment

the threat of being sued at anytime, by any parent, over anything (especially in the context of say, little Susie or Billy missing their meds or ate the wrong thing, so of course it'll be the teacher's fault so let's drag him/her into court)

And the list goes on and on and on. Oh yeah, amongst all of the above they actually have to try to provide the little darlings with an education. All for not very much money. So why not, let's add just one more item to their ever burgeoning list of responsibilities.

Frankly, I say make the monitoring of kids' diets technologically available to all parents, but let the parents opt out if they wish.

[touaregsand]

Gee touregsand maybe.  I don't know which school system you live near, but I can tell you that the schools near me already have their teachers watching out for:

illegal drugs

alcohol on the premises

weapons of all kinds (here that includes guns and machetes)

teachers being threatened or physically assaulted by students

students threatening or physically assaulting fellow students

rival gang violence

which kids are on Ritalin for their ADD/ADHD or whatever the latest "syndrome" is

sexual activity in the boys' bathroom

sexual activity in the girls' bathroom

interracial rivalries/violence

making sure that any contact with a student is not misconstrued and seen as a sexual advance or harassment

the threat of being sued at anytime, by any parent, over anything (especially in the context of say, little Susie or Billy missing their meds or ate the wrong thing, so of course it'll be the teacher's fault so let's drag him/her into court)

And the list goes on and on and on.  Oh yeah, amongst all of the above they actually have to try to provide the little darlings with an education.  All for not very much money.  So why not, let's add just one more item to their ever burgeoning list of responsibilities.

Frankly, I say make the monitoring of kids' diets technologically available to all parents, but let the parents opt out if they wish.

←

How are the parents notified of what their children ordered? Via internet? Is it immediate?

[divalasvegas]

Gee touregsand maybe.  I don't know which school system you live near, but I can tell you that the schools near me already have their teachers watching out for:

illegal drugs

alcohol on the premises

weapons of all kinds (here that includes guns and machetes)

teachers being threatened or physically assaulted by students

students threatening or physically assaulting fellow students

rival gang violence

which kids are on Ritalin for their ADD/ADHD or whatever the latest "syndrome" is

sexual activity in the boys' bathroom

sexual activity in the girls' bathroom

interracial rivalries/violence

making sure that any contact with a student is not misconstrued and seen as a sexual advance or harassment

the threat of being sued at anytime, by any parent, over anything (especially in the context of say, little Susie or Billy missing their meds or ate the wrong thing, so of course it'll be the teacher's fault so let's drag him/her into court)

And the list goes on and on and on.  Oh yeah, amongst all of the above they actually have to try to provide the little darlings with an education.  All for not very much money.  So why not, let's add just one more item to their ever burgeoning list of responsibilities.

Frankly, I say make the monitoring of kids' diets technologically available to all parents, but let the parents opt out if they wish.

←

How are the parents notified of what their children ordered? Via internet? Is it immediate?

←

Being at times someone who can be somewhat technologically befuddled, I have no idea, but I'm sure someone out there reading this knows the answer.

BTW touregsand I've been meaning to tell you for some time that the quote from your daughter when she was 2 that accompanies all of your posts is absolutely brilliant!

[squids]

Oh yes! It's all so creepy!! Ha ha ha! NOT!

My 12 YO grand-nephew nearly died today. He went into diabetic shock. Got to the blue skin stage due to no oxygen. Fortunately the paramedics got there quickly and he is still alive. We still don't know if there is brain or other organ damage. 

I sincerely hope that none of your children/family suffer like this due to lack of supervision of their diet/medication.  And I do mean that.

←

I just saw this thread today Maison Rustique and I want to extend my good wishes and prayers for the speedy recovery of your grand-nephew. Diabetes is no joke. I know since it was complications from diabetes that led to the death of my Mom, with all of the debilitating side effects that led up to her demise. Bless her, but she did so love her sweets--especially Baby Ruth candy bars, real Coca Cola, white rice and bread.

Hopefully, the various school systems can come up with some system of monitoring to help families like yours keep track of the eating habits of their kids when indeed what they put into their mouths can be a matter of life or death.

←

I am also just reading about your grand-nephew, and feel your frustration and truly hope he is doing better. But please, people, realize that children, being children, will rebel. The more "monitoring" you do, the bigger the rebellion. And diabetes is not an area to play around with. One of the most important things that parents can do for their children is to empower them to take responsibility for themselves and their own care. Being a Type 1 diabetic myself for over 34 yrs, I was fortunate to discover very early on a summer camp especially for diabetics, and attended for several years. Too young you say? We had campers as young as 4 and 5 learning how to give their own shots, and to manage their diets by making good choices. The diabetics I've known that had the most problems were the ones who were "watched" over diligently--so much so that they had to rebel. ("for every action there is an equal and opposite reaction") In the same light of empowering children with their own care, the insulin pump is being used on children as young as 2 years old. This form of treatment is very interactive and empowering in itself. So lets look to the school system to find better ways to teach our children, not to monitor what they are eating.

[MomOfLittleFoodies]

Hopefully, the various school systems can come up with some system of monitoring to help families like yours keep track of the eating habits of their kids when indeed what they put into their mouths can be a matter of life or death.

Teacher?

←

The union contract for the teachers in our school district state that the teachers are not responsible for their students during lunch hour. The only adult supervision comes in the form of 4 adult lunch monitors... one of which barely speaks English.

My oldest son has multiple life-threatening food allergies... and I'm alarmed enough at the supervision that I bought him (an almost 8 year old) a cell phone to carry during lunch and recess.

[FabulousFoodBabe]

Hopefully, the various school systems can come up with some system of monitoring to help families like yours keep track of the eating habits of their kids when indeed what they put into their mouths can be a matter of life or death.

Teacher?

←

The union contract for the teachers in our school district state that the teachers are not responsible for their students during lunch hour. The only adult supervision comes in the form of 4 adult lunch monitors... one of which barely speaks English.

My oldest son has multiple life-threatening food allergies... and I'm alarmed enough at the supervision that I bought him (an almost 8 year old) a cell phone to carry during lunch and recess.

←

Teachers can only do so much. Used to be that kids with such allergies sat separately and were watched, but parents threw a fit about their being stigmatized. I'd be more worried that the kids wouldn't survive.

[foodiehall]

This all reminds me of the intent of this humorous, yet real apparently,website:

GPS panties ...

As a fairly new person here, I'm still amazed at the stuff I pick up from eG. Guess I've been leading a sheltered life.