How did this happen??
When I attended grade school, children simply exchanged little cards or notes for Valentine’s Day. Somehow, in the years since, Valentine’s Day has morphed into a feeding frenzy with loads and loads of candy and other sweets taking center stage. I was SHOCKED when my two boys came home from school on Wednesday with literally, a shoe box each FULL of candy given out by classmates for Valentine’s Day.
Not only that, each class had a party with juice, cookies, and other refined carbs to stuff the kids with before sending them home with enough candy to keep their sinuses clogged and noses running at least until the Easter candy fest starts all over again.
What are these people thinking? Don’t they know we have a childhood obesity crisis going on in the Western world? Don’t they realize that children as young as 10 are regularly being diagnosed with type 2 diabetes, a degenerative disease once only found in adults primarily over the age of 50? Don’t they realize that children’s bodies are increasingly made out of “mush” (exact word used by my chiropractor to describe the bodies of children he treats) where injuries and broken bones occur for seemingly little to no reason at all?
These types of injuries rarely occurred years ago when kids played outside a lot more and played a lot harder, for that matter. A friend of mine whose 13 year old daughter plays competitive soccer told me that last year, every single girl on the team with the exception of one or two suffered a fracture of some kind during the season! I played a number of competitive sports growing up including speedball (a cross between football and soccer), and I never saw a broken bone. Not one.
Could people really be that oblivious to the serious and shocking degeneration of our youth that is occurring right before our eyes? Am I the only one who can see it? I don’t think so. I think most people see it but feel powerless to stop it. So, they ignore it.The commercialization of Valentine’s Day is so complete that folks take it for granted that giving a shoe box full of candy to a child “is just what you are supposed to do”. This is simply not normal, folks! Just because everyone does it doesn’t make it “normal”. Giving that much candy to a child, many of which already show signs of weight issues is just plain crazy. Until “the tipping point” is reached where enough parents rebel and refuse to participate in the sugar madness that has taken over our schools at not just Valentine’s Day, but ANY day that is even remotely a cause for celebration, then the degeneration will continue.
I am happy to report that when my kids came home with all this candy, they each requested one or two special pieces to keep and then promptly threw the rest in the trash. They did this on their own with no comment on the situation from me. I hope more than just my kids did exactly the same thing or something at least similar!
“You teach, you teach, you teach” .. the final words of Dr. Weston A. Price.
Sarah, The Healthy Home Economist
I’m like you in the fact that I try to cut as much sugar & carbs as I can…I used to have an issue throwing any food out (an idea that I’m sure originated from my Mom) but now I can be positively happy about it!!! Better in the garbage… than that garbage in my kids or I!
One critique though, just like every other issue in life not everyone sees the way we do & that’s okay. Keep educating people b/c things are changing but please, allow your kids the freedom to enjoy these special days with their friends (and allow them a few ‘special pieces’ and throw the rest out – It works for us!)
Its also a way for parents/kids to feel included and involved too so, I think it is extremely important to celebrate special times/days in life and keep finding special things to celebrate with your kids b/c they are often memorable and teachable moments.
Happy Valentine’s Day!
Here’s one for you….many schools in my area will not allow a parent to send in homemade goodies to serve the class. The goodies have to be store bought so the label can be read for health and allergen purposes. Sooooo….instead of mom making a goody from Nourishing Traditions that is actually healthful for the children, natural and all ingredients truly known, she has to buy a box of chemical garbage from the grocery store with no idea what half the ingredients actually are or mean! So glad I homeschool.
So very true! It is so annoying that people think this is “part of being a kid.” What happened to candy being a special, once-in-a-while treat?
Interesting about the bones being softer. Kids definitely do not spend a lot of time outside anymore. When at the park, parents are so fearful of their kids falling, the kids end up not having any real fun or exercising very much as a result. And OMG! They might get dirty and ruin those precious, expensive clothes.
I call it the Red Dye Holiday. We made simple Valentine’s. My son painted rocks for his friends that said “You rock my world” and my daughter and I sewed hearts and we attached a card that said “I love you sew much”. I am lucky that my kids attend a small private school where most of the parents get it, but I will have to ask my kids to throw all the garbage candy. Between life threatening allergies and fake food that does harm, I wish schools would adopt a “no food” party rule.
I’m viewed as horridly harsh & restrictive by my in-laws because I don’t let my kids have tons of sugar. I don’t care. They still get more than I want them to.
Happy to homeschool & celebrate with a healthy treat – paleo sweet potato pancakes from Healthy Bent (our first pancakes since going paleo 6 months ago).
I blame the cheap candy.
No candy allowed at my kid’s school.
leave it to our culture to take another “card” holiday and take it to the “more is better” mentality! Nice post
Unfortunately, we homeschoolers aren’t immune. Our co-op is having party today. We want to enjoy the time with friends and participate in making cards for refugees, but the sugar-fest makes it difficult. I am taking a fruit tray to share, and some truffles for just us. I’ve already told the kids that we’re giving away all the sweets they receive. Our valentines are simple, homemade mad libs tied with ribbon. Even without the parties, several of our teachers regularly give out suckers for good behavior in class. But, as Weston Price said, we online to teach.
Thanks for posting!