This Mum And Expert Wants Schools To Stop Shaming Parents, Kids To Have Cake Again

Any parent will tell you that kids deserve the occasional treat. Sure, it’s important to do this in moderation yes—no one should be guzzling soda nonstop or eating cake with every meal—but it is entirely possible to have dessert now and then as well as a healthy diet. An Australian mother got fed up with overly harsh restrictions on school lunches, and penned a powerful response.

This is the lunch Valerie Gent packed for her five-year-old son. It got him into trouble at school. 

Even though his packed lunch was healthy and balanced, school administrators took issue with a chocolatey treat Valerie had included as a dessert.

This is Valerie. 

She points out that not only is she a mum, but as a feeding speech pathologist, her job is all about healthy eating.

The thing is, Valerie’s not the only one this has happened to. 

Healthy eating guidelines have caused schools to shame several Australian kids (and their parents!) for having treats in an otherwise healthy lunch.

Valerie’s essay urges schools to take a ‘chill pill’ with the shaming approach. 

She points out that nutrition is too complex to split things neatly into ‘good’ and ‘bad’ categories. She also notes that shaming is a terrible way to create a teachable moment. There’s also some hypocrisy on the schools’ part, as chocolate fundraisers and junk foods in the canteens are still prevalent.

Val closes with some excellent nutritional tips for any parent.

It’s a powerful essay, one full of common sense wisdom and positivity. You can read her story here.