We've been talking about the difference between parents and schools in upper middle class towns v. middle class towns. Here's another difference for the list -- the cookie police.
Ian's birthday is next week. When it's Jonah's birthday, I drop lift a couple dozen Dunkin Donuts at his school and drive away. Ian is bussed to the upper middle class school district. For Ian's birthday, I've been given a list of "acceptable foods." This list includes air popped popcorn and carrot sticks. NO CUPCAKES! NO DUNKIN DONUTS!
My buddy in the super rich school district on Long Island was telling me about a recent Board of Education meeting where parents were demanding the same rigid food codes that Ian has.
I love my friend, but she's a food Nazi. She said, "Laura, can you believe that one woman got up and said that if the school forced parents to only bring in brown bread for lunch, her kids wouldn't eat anything. What woman feeds her kids white bread in this day and age." Um... Raising my hand.
She said, "On the 100th day of school, the kindergarten teacher had them lick a lollypop 100 times. Why a lollypop? Couldn't they have counted buttons?"
She really believes that nutrition should be part of the curriculum and that kids should be taught that cupcakes and donuts are evil things.
Fingernails on a blackboard.
I want my school to teach my kid how to add and how to read. I don't want anybody telling me what I should feed my kid. My kids are doing just fine, thank you. They get their fruits and vegetables everyday and a donut doesn't ruin their appetite. They have no cavities and are slim and muscular.
What's so difficult about moderation?