Lifestyle

Mom Receives Scolding Note From School Over Her Child’s Packed Lunch

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Tony Maples Photography

 

Melinda Tankard Reist of Australia had this to say recently on her Facebook page.“My friend (mother of 8 healthy children, what follows relating to no. 7) received this today from her [3-year-old’s kindy].” The accompanying photo shows a note with a big red frowny face scolding the mom for putting a piece of chocolate cake in her kid’s lunch box. Reist went on to post, “I told her to put in two slices tomorrow and tell them to get lost.”

The parent who received the note and many commenters agree that the kindergarten (adorably called “kindy” in Australia) crossed a line and shouldn’t dictate exactly what their child eats. Reist says that the parents of the child both have health science degrees, but they allow a treat every-once-in-a-while.

Other commenters argue that it’s worthwhile for schools to send out these simple notes to fight childhood obesity and promote healthy eating for even the youngest of children.

LittleThings.com refers to the note as an “unkind form of mommy shaming,” noting that while Australia promotes eating well in schools through color categorizing foods into green, yellow and red, it’s a bit condescending to call the entire lunch bad due to one rare treat.