Lunchbox laws cause friction between schools and parents and achieve a great deal less than intended. I am all for healthy eating, but the answer is not to suspend a 6 year old for what is in his lunchbox.
Ultimately, as much as educators want to feel they can change the world in all instances, the job of parenting should rest solely with … parents. It is not the business for schools to suspend children for cheddar cheese bags.
There are far better methods for dealing with unhealthy lunches than dictatorial rules. These include:
1. Having a quiet word to parent offenders.
2. Complimenting children with healthy lunches.
3. Having a fruit and vegetable party in the classroom to celebrate a class achievement. This has proven particularly successful in my classroom.
4. Sending a list of healthy food options for lunchboxes to parents. Parents hate to be preached at but often welcome tips and advice.
I am sure my wonderful readers can recommend other positive ways to get parents to include more healthy items in their kids’ lunchboxes. As a teacher and parent I would love to read them.
Click on the link to read Invaluable Rules for Getting Kids to Heat Healthy Food
Click on the link to read Tips to get Children to Eat Better and Exercise More Often
Click on the link to read 10 Tips for Promoting Kids’ Healthy Eating
Click on the link to read my post on Tips For Parents on Packing a Healthy Lunch Box
Click on the link to read my post on Getting Kids to Eat Healthy Food
Tags: Chedder Cheese suspension, Education, Health, Healthy Eating, Healthy kids lunch ideas, Healthy kids lunch recipies, Healthy kids lunch tips, Nutrition, Parenting, School Rules, suspended for having cheese in lunchbox
Topical Teaching 
February 2, 2014 at 3:27 pm |
I’d better keep the pork pies I have for lunch a secret, then, just in case I’m breaking some unpublished rule.
February 4, 2014 at 1:06 am |
I wont tell if you don’t.