Comments on: Food as a Disciplinary Tool

By: lindsay

lindsay — Fri, 04 Dec 2009 14:51:41 +0000

I am a mother of 2 little kids…..This year my son is in 1st grade and was recently diagnosed with A.D.D… Joey has not been put on medication yet but will be at the end of the month… now he is havinfg a very hard time in school as far as finishing his work…so the last few days he has been come home starving so i asked him why? maybe he need a heavier lunch or a better breakfast….. NO MY SON EATS LUNCH AT 10:30 IN THE MORNING AND HIS TEACHER HAS BEEN TAKING HIS SNACK AWAY BECAUSE HES NOT FINISHING HIS WORK……SNACK IS AT THE END OF THE DAY AROUND 1:30…. am i crazy or over reacting????

By: Nancy

Nancy — Tue, 20 Oct 2009 06:15:00 +0000

While not being an expert, I do think that eating disorders are about control, and using food as a means of control. So I agree with your discomfort of using food as a punishment.

By: Jessica V

Jessica V — Tue, 13 Oct 2009 21:08:05 +0000

First time commenter – but I’m very interested to hear how your next conversation goes with the school about this. Hope you post a follow up!

By: kyooty

kyooty — Tue, 13 Oct 2009 13:26:18 +0000

I didn’t get to read all the comments,but it’s food. I can totally see how nipping other’s food would easily happen in a classroom setting. I’m not sure how you bring food to the table at your house or during other eating/social events but here it comes on a platter and the people take their bit? My boys started K doing this, they had to be reminded that they had their own food and the other kids had their own food. It’s a pretty easy concept to teach if you have patience enough to talk to the kids.

By: psumommy

psumommy — Tue, 13 Oct 2009 01:06:09 +0000

Ha, sorry…no, it wasn’t you. And I didn’t remember until I was explaining the whole thing to my husband. Ugh. Dern kids stoled mah brainz!

By: deej

deej — Tue, 13 Oct 2009 01:01:05 +0000

Oh, btw – I’m all kinds of smart with my grammar too! *smiles*

By: deej

deej — Tue, 13 Oct 2009 01:00:06 +0000

Wow, you kinda got really hammered by people on this post.

I would be super-duper pissed if a caregiver punished my kid by removing food. I don’t care what she was doing – that is a lazy (uhh, and destructive!) way to teach a child.

Paid caregivers are there to re-direct – NOT DISCIPLINE!!!

By: caramama

caramama — Tue, 13 Oct 2009 00:36:50 +0000

I’m in total agreement with you on this. I would be very upset about using food as discipline, and I do think the teacher probably is just clueless. Definitely talk to her and open her eyes. Food should never be used in this way! It’s too easy for people (and girls especially) to develop issues with food even without moments like this to reinforce it.

I also think this is not at all an example “natural consequence.” As a person above said, natural consequence is when the kid gets cold because she won’t put on a coat. This reminds me of how some people will spank or hit their child to teach them not to hit/discipline them for hitting. IMO, what that shows is that that those in power can do it, but you aren’t allowed to do it. Taking something from her because she took someone else’s (food/toy/whatever) can backfire, teaching resentment, giving certain messages about authority/power and showing that it is something that is okay to do if you are stronger/bigger/have the power.

Hmm. I hope I’m making sense. I’m still deep into sleep deprivation of new baby and sick 2.5 yo. It’s tough to try and be deep and thoughtful on so little sleep.

By: The Bare Essentials Today

The Bare Essentials Today — Tue, 13 Oct 2009 00:17:10 +0000

Whatever happened to time outs? I agree completely about the whole taking food away can cause food issues later on life. I would have a real issue with this.

By: MereCat

MereCat — Mon, 12 Oct 2009 12:55:33 +0000

Food nabbing happens at my house all the time because I have twins the same age as Erin, but I’ve never taken away food because of it, and I’m not sure I would have thought to even do such a thing. I basically tell them to keep their hands in their own plates, and that’s it. I guess the teacher was showing Erin what it feels like for someone to take your food. And with lots of kids to police, he/she may have had to do it in order to keep it from continuing. I think I would have just put her at a table by herself rather than take her food away, though.