What do you think about this?

[alarosalpn]

DS came home with a letter from the teacher to the parents...The 2nd grade teachers want all parents to send in a box or large bag of snacks once a month instead of individual snacks daily...(ex:pretzels,gold fish,triscuits,wheat thins,ritz crackers...)
DS said that if other children dont bring a snack the rest of them are expected to share...
I teach sharing but I pack enough for one serving...I dont think that if the other parents dont pack a snack that I should have to provide for them (individual snacks)

I'm not sure how I feel about this whole scenerio.....
Whats your thoughts?

[shoiji]

Sounds like there may be a lot more junk food for snacks. Then again it may end up being cheaper in the long run for each child to have a large bag of something once a month.

Also sounds like a sign of the times where people are struggling financially.

[Libby]

In one way - this could save your butt in case you forget to pack your son a snack.

The other is - why should you have to compensate for someone else's forgetfulness? KWIM? (lack of ability to provide is a whole other issue)

The third point - what if you don't want to give your child crackers, pretzels & cookies for snacks but instead fresh fruit daily? How does that factor in? Maybe you should ask about that?

Does the school know about this request? Are all other classes doing this? Does this meet the schools guidelines of providing the minimum nutrition requirements? Just curious.

[Syn D]

Well, when I had kids in school, there was no way I could of afforded to do that. Is there a snack time in the 2nd grade class or is this with lunches?

None of my kids nor my grandson had snack time sense kindergarten.

[onencgirl]

I never minded doing this because if parents don't send snacks then the teacher pays for it out of their own pocket. Ask me how I know. LOL.

[Palooka]

Personally, I think it would just be easier to send a large bag/box once a month. Might even be cheaper. My kids didn't have snacks in 2nd grade.

[McD]

We are also to send a snack for the class once per month. The teacher provided suggestions to follow so the kids don't eat the same thing day after day. The teacher also provided alternate suggestns that can be picked.

I'd rather send snack once a month than snack plus lunch every day.

[MissSeetonFan]

Since when have 2nd Graders needed snacks during the day? What they need is more recess.

I would call the teacher and ask her specifically about what the snacks are for. And ask whether it is school-wide policy. Maybe even ask for it in writing before making a decision.

[wanderlusting]

Also sounds like a sign of the times where people are struggling financially.

I was thinking the same thing. I remember when I was in the 1st grade, there were a few kids whose parents couldn't afford to send snacks with their child to school. They ate the free school breakfast and lunches. They would eat graham crackers that the teachers paid for out of pocket for their snacks- I felt bad for them because it was obvious that something was different

ETA: If it were me, I'd just send the recommended snack once a month

[OOwl]

My kids are grown up now, but with stuff like this common place, I can see why so many parents now elect to homeschool their kids. Geez. . .

[alarosalpn]

To answer a few questions...
The teacher sent a recommended list of examples.
Its not school wide...seems more like 2nd grade (the paper is "signed" "the second grade teachers"
This wasnt the case last year in first grade...
I guess it will save $$ in the long run...I guess I just feel like its not neccessary...DS likes fresh fruit or fruit cups sometimes...However,to send those once a month would be to costly for my budget...
I dont find it an issue or more work to pack a snack cause I put it in his lunch box...He knows whats snack and whats lunch...
I guess I'll just suck it up and send something...

[Ramona]

I think it's a good idea, only because the children without snacks will be able to share and giving to the children is a good thing.

[Debbie-cat]

Sign of the times I guess. Maybe the first month will be a trial run. I would make sure to find out from your child and the teacher how the snacks went when the first month is over.

[monkeywrangler71]

I think it's a terrible idea and I would be very unhappy to receive a notice like that. Every one of the examples listed in your post is high fat, high sodium, garbage. My son wouldn't eat most of those things anyway. What would he do? Just go hungry?

My kids have fresh fruit or vegetables every day for snack. I have a very specific group of items that I put in my kids' lunch boxes, in order to ensure that their meals are balanced and in appropriate portion sizes. I'd be supremely PO'd if I found out that the teacher was giving away my child's food.

[Momto5RN]

lunch time snack time in schools are two diff things
i know at my kids school the lunch boxes go down to cafe in the classrooms bim each AM

the kids do not have any access to the lunch boxes until lunch time

they have a mid morning snack - its not allowed to be candy sugary etc no chips etc something like pretzels or crackers


keeps them from getting too hungry before lunch which disturbs their concentration and is a food that no one needs to wipe up a mess or could lead to a stinky trash can by dayes end

the teachers cant be cleaning up peices of fruit or juices from fruit cups or veggie dips etc - its not a long lunch time its a few minute snack time

at that age the teachers may be seeing an issue with kids trading or wanting what someone else has- just makes it easier on them and less disturbing to your kids learning to have everyone have the same snack .

and if someone cant afford snacks well you helped a child who needed it and how much did it cost you ?

rather than look at it as providing for kids whose parents forget look at it as for kids whose parents just cant and or making it as easier day for your child in school also

i have found over the years things i didnt understand, make more sense as my 5th is growing