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Random Thoughts

I stared at the computer screen last night, trying to think of something to write, but all I heard in my head was "I'm so tired. I'm so exhausted. I just need to sleep. I'm so tired." so I gave up, shut the lights off and suddenly I was unable to sleep.

2 glasses of cherry Coke at suppertime, perhaps? Ugh.

Woke up this morning feeling...tired.

Dubya's class mass was this morning, so Baby and I brought the kids to school then went to mass. Came home, she began watching The Pioneer Woman on the iPad and I promptly fell asleep beside her. Best nap ever!

Speaking of P-Dub, I just took the Love Language test (she had a link on her blog) and scored 11 for "Quality Time" as my love language. Doesn't surprise me in the least! Surprisingly, however, (note my sarcasm font) I scored a big, fat ZERO for "Gifts"...apparently I've received one too many chocolate covered strawberry-type gifts from my husband to even have any sort of a whisper at that being my love language. 

So, @ThisDaddys_Blog tells me that on GMA today they are linking childhood obesity to BPA. What next? I mean seriously, BPA, milk, crappy school lunches, inactivity...how about THIS for a novel idea GET OUTSIDE AND MOVE. 

I have a theory about inactivity...so, childhood sports have become more and more competitive starting at younger and younger ages. What used to be a community activity for kids to participate has now become an "elite" event that excludes many "non-athlete" kids from joining.

Tryouts for the traveling/competitive/elite teams to select only the best of the best...and where does that leave the remaining majority of kids? Without an activity. Those kids who aren't natural athletes have stopped participating because it isn't "just for fun" anymore.

Not that I'm against competitive sports...we've been a part of them, but I do think they are very exclusive. I'm sad to see community sports/after school activities go by the wayside. Our school is starting an after school kickball...THIS is the kind of stuff we need!!! Activities after school to keep our kids active, to prevent them from going home and engaging in "screen" time.

Okay, end of that rant. Now...another? School lunches.

Fer dang sake. YES they need to be fixed. They were disgusting...but, they've traded nutritionally deficient foods for food no kid will eat. Carrot jello? Bean salad? I, as a 35 year old mother, wouldn't eat those.

I can't imagine the amount of food that is being thrown away because kids HAVE TO take certain options. How about, instead of these crazy mandates, we just start serving kids meals like we used to be served? HOME COOKED. Does it take more time? Absolutely. However, is it better for the kids? Absolutely. Will they eat it? YES, because it TASTES good. 

Okay, end of second rant.

And now, I must go feed my babe lunch. Something delicious. And nutritious. And I can guarantee you it won't be carrot jello. *gag*



Comments

  1. I agree. We have kids that play sports too and one that doesnt and one that isnt old enough yet. But they still run and play outside. Kids will continue to be overweight as long as we the parents dont strive to change things. Start it at home, go to your schools, your churches, your parks, play ball with them. School lunches...I dont know about them but I hope they are better than they used to be. A rectangle piece of pizza and fries...COme on, pack your kids a lunch if you have to. Another time to get after your schools to change things.

    Kids are at school majority of the day. Make it count for something good

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  2. My 15yr old started bringing his lunch to school every day...can't stand what they serve and at what $$. What used to cost $3-3.50 is now well over $5!! With even 2 in school I could go broke pretty quick paying that!

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  3. I absolutely LOVED this post!!! And agree 100%.

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  4. Loved your rants! We don't have kids yet, but I remember playing on multiple softball and basketball leagues at our rec center {do communities even have those anymore?!} all through elementary school. Didn't do much in middle school. Then was in marching band through high school. I can't remember spending more than an hour {watching 7th Heaven as a family!} in front of the TV unless it was a Saturday morning. I get so excited seeing our neighborhood kids outside playing. Sucks that sports have to be so competitive for KIDS now!

    And lunches?! Did you ever watch Jamie Oliver's special on ABC? It's all about getting healthier food in schools. Yeah, it may take a LITTLE more time than throwing a tray of processed chicken into the oven to thaw, but it is SO much better for them! And c'mon...there is totally a healthier substitute for chocolate milk. The choc. milk that kids drink now is chock-full of sugar. Because that's just what they need...When we do have kids, I will definitely be making their lunches! No processed lunch food for my kids. And as Krisin above mentioned, we'd probably go broke with how much they cost!

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  5. I am standing and applauding your post! For years we have struggled with how competitive sports have become- even for 1st and 2nd graders. These kids are just learning the fundamentals....it shouldn't be about which side wins (but wow have I seen some parents who sit and lecture their kids about the only reason to be out there is to win). Let the kids go out, have fun, learn, get active and lets cheer all of them on!!

    As for school lunches-- our school used to actually make things, now with all the changes most of the stuff is processed foods. My boys cannot handle the processed foods so it gives them horrible stomach aches. Even my high schooler now takes his own food....which is totally not cool but better than dealing with a stomach ache every day. I have nothing against healthy foods- like real fruits and veggies with something that maybe isn't quite as healthy- chicken nuggets. it is all about balance!

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  6. Both of my school-age kids carry a packed lunch EVERY. SINGLE. DAY. Lunches here are so disgusting that 90% of them go directly into the trash can. How is that improving anything? Like you said, our lunches used to be real, homemade food that was not nearly as fattening and bad for you as all the processed crapola they started serving. They got the kids used to eating all those sodium-packed, fattening, prepackaged, preservative filled, frozen foods and then suddenly figure out "Wow! This might not be good for them!" So rather than moving back toward healthy, homemade dishes that still have flavor but not so many preservatives and such, they choose to eliminate all salt, go with dark whole wheat EVERYTHING (which many kids just don't like) and then they're stunned that the kids are wasting so much. It bothers me because that hot meal is the ONLY meal that some kids get each day and if it tastes that bad and they dump it in the garbage, what nutrition are they getting?

    If a child wants junk food, they're going to get it. They'll raid the fridge and binge at home if they come in from school starving because lunch was inedible. School lunches should not be all about the convenience of preparation and sheer nutritional value. If it tastes bad, they're not going to get ANY nutritional value from it.

    And, BTW, I agree with you regarding youth sports, too. Those who excel and want to move to higher levels of competition should not be held back from doing so, but those same sports should still be available to all of those who have the desire to play. I believe that the problem there is the lack of volunteers to coach and organize the leagues. Most of the ones involved at that level in our area are the parents of the 'super athletes'. They live it, breathe it, love it...and then the competitive nature takes over and there is no longer room for the average athlete. The parents of those average athletes typically are not as 'into it' and are therefore unable or unwilling to take on a leadership role.

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  7. Loving the rants! We have a Y program in our area still up until 8th grade that all of our kids so far have been able to be part of and Y is equal play so that has been nice. Lunch food, OMG, dont even get me started. My husband and I were just talking about this when he took our son to school the other morning he mentioned to me that some kids were eating pizza for breakfast. Why was that even an option? I know, that they claim that it has the 4 food groups...but really? And I guess the alternative for some kids, no breakfast it is better than nothing but still.

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