he shall have his cake...

AND EAT IT TOO!!!

About that cake..... I sent a short email that basically said we do not agree w/ using food as a disciplinary tool even though cake isn't on the food pyramid - our child is generally responsible in all of his food choices and he is going on a family agreement to buy a dessert only 1 time a week. With that said, and the fact that they served him icecream AFTER denying him the cake he bought with his money, we just don't see where the learning experience is for his mistake of not getting his homework sheet signed. (how does cake relate to homework - period?) Anyway, the teacher called, apologized and said its just "something we've always done when kids don't get their work done, we just tell them they can't get dessert".

I am disappointed in the school system, for several reasons, this time because they've taken control of food choices now - a basic need. Lunch is one of the very few parts of a childs day that they can't be 'wrong' about things... you can't pass/fail at lunch, and for some kids (like ours) this is important to have. A part of the day that is NOT pass/fail activity. If they don't want kids to have the privilege of having a dessert treat - then why serve it at all? There has to be a line in the sand. The teacher agreed that this would not be a problem again, and couldn't apologize more. SO - after a phone call from the teacher (that came appx 1 hour AFTER lunch that day) my child gets in the car to tell me that because he forgot to do 1 of his math assignments at night (he writes them down for himself, he failed to write it down at school) he couldn't order FRUIT. I wanted to ram my head into a brick wall. I had to say to myself, "I talked to her AFTER this happened..... this is no longer an issue."

Jonathon and I were talking about this more, because to be honest we're both baffled at the idea that the educational system has come to this. Taking even fruit away as a way to say 'I'll show you, you should do your homework or else.' What a way to encourage closet junk food junkie syndrome? What a way to encourage the "I have been bad at what I do, so I must deprive myself" eating disorders.... Further, we are quite disturbed that we may very well be the ONLY parents concerned about this!!!

**thanks Julie for the chicken recipies.... everyone else - seriously? you don't eat chicken??? send them on, I need to get some variety with our chicken!!