[Sam B]

After much thought, I've just sent this email to the head of my children's school:

Firstly, I would like to thank you for making my children's first year at school in NZ so wonderful. They love their new school and have learned more this year than they have learned in 3 years at their UK school. They have also had amazing opportunities and grown in confidence.

There is just one thing that bothers me, and I wanted to share my feelings with you. I do not feel that Goodwood does everything it could to promote healthy eating for children. There is now a clear link between processed meats and cancer and new guidelines recommend that people should eat none of these products, and yet there seem to be so many sausage sizzle fundraisers. But the thing that bothers me more is the promotion of large corporate fast food outlets. These organisations are responsible for many of the problems that we see with childhood obesity in many first world countries, and they also damage the business of local cafes and restaurants. They aggressively promote their products towards children.

I was concerned to see that one of these organisations had sponsored Sorrel's cricket skills day, and I was also concerned that the year 6 special trip includes a trip to MacDonalds. How is promoting MacDonalds as a special treat going to help children to make healthy choices later in life? I am sure there are a number of Kiwi owned and run cafes that would more than welcome the year six students. Last week Poppy was offered a choice for lunch between KFC and Subway - again multi-national fast food outlets with dubious environmental practices and offering mainly high-fat, high-salt fast foods.

I just want to offer this as food for thought. I am so happy with the education that Goodwood has offered my children, and this is just a fly in the ointment, but I care passionately about the food my children eat, and I also care that they are environmentally concerned. I want them to buy locally, support local businesses and make healthy choices, and I want their school to support this too. I would be interested to hear your thoughts on this, if you have time.


What do people think? Does anyone else feel exasperated by this?

Sam

[ourquest]

Well done. You are very right to point this out to them. Often schools who are very vigilant in one aspect (eg sun protection) are inconsistent in their disregard of other health issues. This makes many parents uncomfortable, unfortunately most do not speak out, but with proactive and caring people such as yourself who are prepared to stand up there will be plenty of support within the school, and morally from others such as ourselves.

[Jo Jo]

I'm not a fan of this sort of insidious marketing to children at all.

There is an interesting article in the Journal of the NZ Medical Association about it here (http://www.nzma.org.nz/journal/118-1218/1554/).

[Tia Maria]

Sam, I think this is a great email and hopefully you will receive a positive response. :clap

I know our head teacher is very responsive to parent's views but also looks for alternative ideas. For instance, is there a local cafe that you think would be a good alternative to Mcdonalds? Maybe if the Head arranges a meeting in response to this (I know ours would), you could offer to approach a few local cafes on the school's behalf?

Our school tries to avoid this kind of sponsorship (although the local football league is sponsored by Mcdonalds) and has had much success in getting sponsorship from other local companies. Its newsletter, for instance, is financed by adverts from local businesses on the back (normally owned by parents at the school). The school saves some money and parents at the school get to support other parents at the school.

It also has a sushi day once a week, orders are put in on a weekly basis and it provides a good healthy fast food alternative for those that want it.

I think the sausage sizzle will always be here to stay but our school did add some healthy home-made mini vegetarian pizzas to the last one, everything got sold, so there was obviously a demand for both. So you could always point out its worth adding on extra choices as its all extra money for the school.

Good luck with this, I would love to hear how you get on.

Cheers

Tia

[Sam B]

Love that link Jo Jo! Shall quote it in my counter-reply. It's everything I was trying to say, but more articulate.

[LesleyS]

As a newcomer to New Zealand Iam also concerned about the number of 'fast food' outlets in our local towns and villages. The biggies like KFC, MacDonalds, Wendy's, Burger King, Pizza Hut, Turkish to go, Noodle Canteen et al....

It seems (according to my daughter's friends at school) that these are widely used as an alternative to the 'school dinner' to me this is not what children of that age should receive on a daily basis.

Our particular school does not provide any food at school and children are asked to bring a packed lunch (which I duly provide daily). It makes me wonder how parent's afford to give their offrspring money to buy such expensive and IMHO un nutritional lunches!

Educating children about health and nutrition should start early, and I totally agree that as parents we should look at what schools provide and promote - why not?

[JoanneG]

Hi Sam,

I'm also passionate about food so I will look forward to hearing what response you get from your head teacher.

[Lupin]

I'm right with you Sam. We have sausage sizzles at hockey matches and I shudder at the ingredients in the cheap sausages (of course being meat none of us eat them, but that's not the point), which children merrily wolf down.

We've always had a McDonalds et al ban here but earlier this year a family invited dd2 (4) to their sons McD birthday party and it was impossible to say no without causing serious offence, so she went. Thankfully she only remembers that she went to Old McDonalds playpark (and only had a 'yukky' milkshake and 'yukky' fries), so perhaps we got away with it!

It's a minefield, but I like your approach Sam, good luck :)

[thezorbster]

Well done Sam for making your point. I'm proud to say that Sarah has never entered a McDonalds in her life but people often look at us in disbelief when we say so as if we are really depriving her. A kiwi friend over here told OH that McDonalds is different in NZ, it's healthy! Yeh right!!!

Keep us informed of what happens, would be very interested to hear the response.

[Sam B]

McDonalds is healthy in NZ - hahahahaha. Like it.

They won't have much fun if they try to take Poppy to McD, she's at that 'know it all and feel very strongly about something' stage, and there's nothing she likes to do more than quote facts about the evils of McDonalds to people trying to enjoy their lunch. The school have decided that she and her friend can eat next door at the sushi bar, whilst the rest of the class have McD, so that's something. Haven't had a response to email yet though.

[vixxann]

Great letter Sam :nice1 Be interested to hear about the response you get

[willowshouse]

Great email Sam .. not sure you'll get rid of the Sausage Sizzle but I would expect a favourable response to the rest. You might remember that I had a few McDonalds issues with my kid's school .. a certain poem they were made to read about "My Treat at McDonalds" .. we have since received an open letter from the school about promoting healthy eating so I live in hope that we will not hear the 'M' word again.

Would love to hear how it all pans out ..

[Sam B]

Just been to daughter's leaving assembly at school, and the head sidled up and said he had been meaning to reply to my email but he's got a stack of them, but if I'd like to come in he'll discuss it with me (all this time not looking at me but looking at J who is sliding down his seat and looking at me in a "it wasn't me it was her what dunnit" sort of way). So I say I can't cause I'm at work until the end of term, so he says he meant J, so I say, well it's not J who wrote the email, and he says "I know" and he's STILL NOT LOOKING AT ME, and then (still looking at J who is practically under his seat by now) he comes out with a load of tripe about how they are governed by regulations and they have to give children choices and some parents would argue that McD is healthy what with all the salads and it was all just a load of twaddle and whenever I tried to speak he just kept looking at J and ignoring me, so I gave up.

Head teachers and social skills - I've never found that the 2 really go together. Harumph!

[Sam B]

I've just emailed him that link that Jo Jo provided. I think they have got me firmly marked as a trouble maker now. There was also a special mention in the assembly for the parent from the PTA who puts on the sausage sizzle every Friday and all the money she has raised and in my paranoia I began to imagine that her and all her kin were looking daggers at me too...

[kowhai]

Hi. I am a New Zealander who has stumbled upon this site - and I must say it is very insightful.

Yes I' am your worst nightmare... a sausage sizzle PTA mum. Personally I HATE the darn things ( sausages ). However we do our utmost to buy quality sausages ( ha, ha ), ensure buns are fresh and so forth. We are aware that there are some parents who disapprove of our fund raising efforts - I would love to see them at the next PTA meeting - but mostly we are appreciated by the school community.We do our best.

Sam B - I think you have received the calling. Your childs school PTA needs YOU. Becoming involved in your local PTA is a sure sign that you are truly committed to your new community. It is a fantastic way to meet like minded people who really care and are doing their " bit ". Make new friends join the PTA. Im sure the sausage sizzle parent could do with some help . If you can suggest and IMPLEMENT a better fund raiser then please do.

[Andy-Dee]

Hi Sam
My daughters primary school has just completed a joint project with the local church and WI. It was called 'seed to saucepan'. The children planted vegetables in a little plot and then fed and watered them throughout the term. At the end they cooked and ate them with help from the WI and a chef supplied by the local council.

They also made fruit pies and brought home the peelings for composting - my daughter was so proud of the fact we were the only family in her year that had a compost bin.

All the children learned so much about food and nutrition in an interactive, fun way.

Perhaps there is a similiar group near your school who would be willing to do something similiar.

[kowhai]

Ooops. That should read. " Make new friends. Join the PTA " ! Although if you can make your new friends join too, that would be a bonus !!!

[Sam B]

Oh Kowhai - I know you're right. I've been wrestling with my conscience over the whole PTA thing for a while now. I've been doing bits and pieces, but unfortunately I work full time - my partner is at home with the kids, and he is allergic to any social contact. I'll work on him.

Guilt....

[willowshouse]

As a fully paid up member of the PTA, I can say that ... Sam, the way to do it is to wait for the next event which is outside of working hours and volunteer loudly to the chair or the organiser of the event to do whatever needs to be done (my own favourite is working the bar at the disco!!) It will open doors........:exit