Thursday, October 05, 2017

Kindergartners Don't Need "Fun Snack" Days

Received this from a long time reader.

It was the note sent home with her first Kindergartner from his school. Apparently mini-donuts are this month's "Fun Snack".

Next month's Fun Snacks, my reader was told, will be from A&W.

The question that leaps to my mind is, "Why?"

Why do 5 year olds need "Fun Snack" days at school?

I mean if schools wanted to provide 5 year olds with a special snack day, why not something like, "Funky Snacks", where once a month kids try foods and flavours specific to different ethnic backgrounds (ideally foods reflecting their class' different cultural backgrounds)? Given it doesn't take much to get a 5 year old excited, this might be a great way to expand their horizons and taste buds.

But why a food based day at all?

Why not a monthly "Fun Reading Day", "Fun Dress Up Day", or "Fun Singing Day"? Or how about "Fun Extra Recess Day", or "Fun Fitness Day"?

Why don't more people question the wisdom of teaching 5 year olds that fun is found in a mini-donut, or A&W fries?

Why are so many schools and teachers seemingly incapable of (or unwilling to) finding creative ways to entertain and reward their students?

The answer?

No one's paying attention.

Fun Snack Days for Kindergartners are our new normal.

We're all frogs in a steaming pot of junk food that has taken roughly the past 60 years to reach a rolling boil.