Don’t Forget That Parents Also Have A Role In Children’s Health

To the Editor:

I read with interest a letter dated February 10 from Linda Watson, printed in last week’s Bee, regarding proposed budget cuts [“School Budget Cuts Will Affect Children’s Health,” Letter Hive 2/12/10]. As a parent of children attending school in Newtown, I too am disappointed that the proposed budget requires cuts in education. However, I must question the assertion that it is irresponsible and a danger to their health to eliminate a home economics course or a disadvantage they will carry for a lifetime to cut school sponsored after-school programs.

As a food service worker in the Newtown Public School system, with first-hand knowledge of what many of the children choose to eat for lunch on a daily basis, I find many of the children who are purchasing a “full meal” (consisting of proper serving sizes of protein/protein alternative, grain, vegetable, fruit and dairy), as opposed to ala carte items, often add an additional entrée item (burger, nuggets, slice of pizza), eliminate the consumption of fruit and vegetables, and do not even drink (low fat or nonfat) milk that is considered part of the meal. They will, however, purchase bottled water, a snack, or drink juice (in lieu of taking a fruit with their meal) which is much higher in sugar. As is evidenced by the fact that many elementary-aged children cannot tell a pea from a bean or a peach from a pear, the training has not begun at home and therefore will not be as effective as it might otherwise be in a brief course at school.

My children have taken the home economics course and have successfully completed the tasks of making monkey bread, pizza, and popcorn, but I do not believe that these culinary delights will sustain them through their growing years. Instead, I find that spending some “family time” cooking up some healthy menus at home, where they can also learn about portions, ingredients, methods of preparation, etc, adds an opportunity to talk about other events in their lives that they may not otherwise choose to discuss.

Also, while sports and other recreational activities are obviously advantageous to children and adults alike, why must we depend on the educational system to provide them? We live in an area where there are many safe areas for independent exercise such as walking, playing basketball, soccer, tennis, bicycling, as well as indoor facilities for those who are willing to pay for the use of those facilities, and Park and Rec programs.

Rather than view this as a detriment, let’s take the initiative as parents to provide for some of the basic education and recreation for our children. In addition to becoming more involved, we can get to know our children a little better and actually have some family fun in the process! The memories they will have of sharing this time with family will remain with them throughout their lives.

Also, just for the record, the “cupcake law” was courtesy of Governor Rell, not the Newtown Board of Education.

Lorna Szalay

3 Oak Drive, Sandy Hook                                        February 17, 2010