Wow! Life MAY have just gotten much less stressful!

[MandCmama]

Had Kindy curriculum night tonight. Shoved into the handbook at thMe last minute was a sheet from the school nutrition initiative. Teacher was flustered about it b/c just informed about it yesterday by email and told to hand it out. Still VERY unclear on the details, but from her take on it, school bday parties would be parents requesting birthday baskets from school food service. Options are bagged baby carrots, apple slices, and pencils/stickers.  Parents pay per student. I will drop dead if this is true! No debating. No reading labels at last minute.  No running substitutes in at last minute.  Can it be?

[GingerPye]

oh wow, that would be wonderful!

[MomTo3]

Awesome!  Our school does no food birthdays and I am so happy! Not like pre-school last year where my boy was left out!  YeahhhhH!

[Macabre]

Oh, that is too beautiful for words.  Wow. 

[maeve]

OMG...that would be awesome. 

[MandCmama]

It would just be so shocking to me because a I got a firm "NO" on food free birthdays at the 504 meeting.  I even got a firm "NO" on 24 hour notice of birthday treats to give me time to read labels and prepare equivalent substitutes, "because then we'd be put in the position of turning people away"  I did not even TRY to hide my rolling eyes after that comment!
The teacher seemed to imply this was being mandated by the state- the majority of it talks about being sure to send HEALTHY snacks for snack time.  The flyer from food services was separate.  I'm DYING to hear if it's this or no birthday party or if this is just going to be pushed as a healthier alternative....

[joanna5]

That would be fabulous- keep us posted!

[becca]

That would be great and is a great idea. 

[ajasfolks2]

I think that is a GREAT BIG step in a FORWARD direction!

Eventually, the schools may go the way of ZERO food . . . (but they are also eyeing this as a new money maker -- just saying).

IMHO, it is NOT appropriate to put the screws to the families who cannot afford a classroom celebration for child's bday.  Time to say NO to the Bday "celebrations" on classroom time, taxpayer time, and parents' dime.

[rainbow]

Great! this is probably the school's own creative response.

I do agree about the $ issue.  This is a great option but there must be a provision for those that can't afford to order from Food Services.
At a minimum, they need to encourage food free birthday celebrations.