DOES YOUR SCHOOL DO BODY MASS INDEX - ??

TANNER'S MOM wrote: Our schools have recently starting doing Body Mass Index on all the kids in our district? They are sending letters home about your childs weight etc. Some parents with heavy kids, especially the older ones are mad b/c they say just to be weighed infront of other kids is awful enough...And if you have a big child you know it. You don't need the school to tell you?

My child was actually underweight and they called about her??

What do you guys think of this?

5littleladies replied: In my opinion the schools have no right to be doing things like this. Those poor kids! They probably have problems enough getting picked on about their weight without the adults bringing attention to it. I would be so angry!! I'd call them up and say mind your own darn business-My child is my responsibility so shut the heck up and leave them alone! *grumble, grumble*

MomToMany replied: I think it is so wrong. It is SO embarrassing for the kids to be weighed in front of each other (It's bad enough when we have to at the Dr.). They don't think about what it might do to the mental well-being of the child, as well as the self-esteem. Not good!

This doesn't go on in our school district here. That's what Dr.'s are for. I don't think it's the responsibility of the school district to monitor a child's weight. And the parents are aware of the problem, if there is one.

ammommy replied: Some of the schools here do it and I'm torn. I'd hate to get one of those letters, but I understand the reasoning. Overweight children are generally unhealthy children. Childhood diabetes is on the rise, which is often caused by being overweight. Here, the measurments are taken in the nurse's office so other kids don't see the numbers. You may be surprised at how many parents think their child is "plump" when they are in fact nearly obese! So they may not know, or are in denial.

Did the school enclose information about nutrition and exercise or offer to set up an appointment to get these families back on track? If not, then the letters are worthless. If so, I can see the point. It would also help if the schools reinstated gym class (many schools here don't have them more than once a month) and got rid of the soda machines in school.

As for calling you about your daughter, if she was underweight, I could see the school being concerned about nutrition or an eating disorder. Neither of which, I'm sure, is a problem for you. We see girls, and some boys, as young as 5 being so concerned with body image that they become bulimic or anorexic. I think the schools are just trying to stop weight problems before they become serious medical problems.

mammag replied: I have mixed feelings about this. I think it is good to know this information but I don't think they should be doing it in front of other kids. Really it should be something done by doctors on a regular basis but some kids don't keep going for annual checkups once they get older. I think it is good that schools are more mindful of childrens health but they need to do this in a way that doesn't lower a childs selfconfidence.

TANNER'S MOM replied: I totally agree with getting rid of snack machines and soda machines in school.

The letters state that they recommend you seeing a doctor for screening!
No help or funding.
Our govener was over weight and went on a big diet and since has decided that Arkansas needs to be healthier and we do but at what cost.

My daught is a very small girl, She eats well, she has no eating disorder. But she gets teased about being small alot, and hating being measured more than anything she is only 4'8 and didn't want them to see that.

I can't imagine a heavy child's feeling about it!

I would like to make the point of this..if the parents aren't taking the kids to the yearly check ups etc I feel it is due to lack of funds, no insurance etc. How is this program going to help that. They recommend you seeing a doctor, but the school doesn't pay for it? How does truly help the child??

mckayleesmom replied: I also have mixed feelings. No I don't think the children should be wieghed in front of other children, that can be embarrassing and children talk. I do think that it would be different if they asked the parents permission for the tests first. If I gave the school my permission, then that is one thing,,but to do it without my consent would make me livid.

ammommy replied: [QUOTE]The letters state that they recommend you seeing a doctor for screening!
No help or funding.

Well, that's pretty worthless, then.

mammag replied:

I agree that is the case most of the time. I feel it would be helpful in the same way that them screening for vision and hearing is. You may not realize they have a problem. Like someone else said, you may just think they are chunky and find out they are obese. The school also doesn't pay for glasses but I'm still glad they screened Cade and found out he had a vision problem, I didn't notice him having trouble and was unaware. What you do with the information they give is completely up to you.

Again though, I definitely think it should not be done in front of other kids.

gr33n3y3z replied: The schools my children are in do not do this
But since I work in the school kitchen and I see what these kids BRING IN to eat for lunch would make you all sick.
Parents let the children bring in soda and those junk lunchables, candy, etc.
It makes you wonder what they eat at home.

3boys4me replied: I think that has no place in our schools. I don't need anyone telling me or my child if he or she is overweight. How humilating for the child! And this helps their education how??? I think they could teach them how to eat healthier. I think their weight should not be the schools business.

MomToMany replied:
That's so irresponsible of those parents IMHO. Its the parents' job to teach good eating habits.

ITA that the pop and candy machines need to get out of the schools, or at least be stocked with more healthful choices.

momof2girls replied: I think schools should teach healthy nutrition, and I never think a child should be weighed at school.
My daughter happens to be overweight, Im aware of it, so is her pedi and let me assure you its not from eating junk. She is not aloud soda, fast food and all that stuff... We eat healthy she just happens to be going thru a chunky stange.
Ialso volunteer alot at her school, and the school lunch is not at all healthy and they can buy snacks there too, which I do not agree they should be able to do...

I would talk to the school board or maybe pta if your not happy with this...
A child has enough pressure on them, they do not need this.

~Roo'sMama~ replied: I think that's terrible! I had terrible self asteem when I was a kid and through my teenage years, and I still am really self concious about my weight. My two best friends growing up were sticks and I always felt so fat around them (I wasn't - they were just really skinny. I didn't start having real problems with my weight until later. )
I'm always embarrassed to have the nurses and doctors see my weight at the clinic - if a big group of my friends all could see how much I weighed and compare it with theirs I think I'd die.

gr33n3y3z replied: As far as the school lunch menues go they all have to go by state law of what is a balanced meal served and how much is on your childs lunch tray. So if the schools are feeding your children not so healthy lunches then you should complain about it.

Yes I agree the candy and soada machines have to get out of the schools
Our school offers none of that and would not agree to have those either.

But the high school does offer juice and snack machines

I feel that a weight of a child is no ones business except the child,parents,and the Dr. and NOT the Schools!!

AndriNPetersdada replied: I have to say that I think it's fine when schools do a healthy body healthy you type of thing Our school is doing that right now they put up posters about health and fat and all those lovely things and they have a school snack break between 1st and 2nd period for those of us who don't eat at home They offer only healthy things. However I think it's just wrong for them to be weighing kids especially without the parents knowing about it. What if our daycares did this! I would be very angry personally if someone from daycare called me and told me 'your daughter is just too skinny you should be feeding her more'. No that's wrong and the other thing is there are a lot of kids that are embarassed about their weight My brother Kelton is 5 and gets really embarassed getting undressed in front of any of his family even and doesn't like to be weighed: He gets embarassed really easily. I think we'd all be very upset if he came home in tears because someone made a remark about his weight.

oh and by the way about the pop and candy machines We don't have candy machines but have several pop machines all both ends of the buildings. They now sell water and a paradis blend gross dole juice maybe two even, but a year or two after my class graduates they are going to completly phase out pop machines. This is good because we do recycling here and the bins are always overflowing by the end of the week and I think most of the kids here are probably drinking at least two sodas a day. there are a few classes whos teacher says that they can only have 100 percent juice or water and they sell juice really cheap at snack bar.

ctymom replied: I think this is completely wrong. I run a website on Eating Disorders and let me tell you, MANY students are traumatized by this. It's horrible to weigh them especially in front of peers. I would never allow this with kids. It's certainly not their place either. I think we as parents know how much our kids weigh.

Sad to think about how many Eating Disorders are spaun from this practice.

Pamela

Mommy2BAK replied: Thats kind of sad and embarassing. But I guess with all the health issues today, schools feel like they need to address weight issues.

loveydad replied: yes I would be very pissed off if one of my kids came home upset because they'd said something to him about his weight.