Whose Fault Is it Anyway??? aka...Saturday Night Ramblings....

I watched with great attention all the episdoes of Jamie Oliver's Food Revolution. And I was in agreement with it all until the last episode when the whole thing did a 180 in my brain. Jamie touched on the subject of parents and their involvement. He trained many individuals in the community but the bulk of the episodes involved around changing the schools. In the last episode..it was mostly undone..by the parents who decided to pull their kids out of the school lunch and let them brown bag it. And the brown bag-it's were terrible!

It really did get me thinking- who SHOULD be responsibile for our children eating right? I think that there can and should be vast improvements in the school lunch program but at the same time there certainly shouldn't be any limitations put on what parents send with their kids. Jamie mentioned that some of the foods sent border on child abuse if you were to do it every day. Hmmm... I guess it all got too "big brother" for me. I do think the whole country has, over the past 50 years, revolutionized itself into poor health. And it will take some top down decisions to change that. But as individuals we need to have the right to take that responisbility into our own hands. I think there could be answers such as taxes on junk food, for example, which still leaves the CHOICE in the hands of the family. But the changes should reflect our choices.

Fed Up with Lunch recently had a guest blogger who talked about how more homework, less recess and bad lunches are all leading to childhood obesity. But in reality, whose fault is that? Parents want a 'good education' and in many circles more homework = good education in their minds. I know that isn't the case with everyone. Parents support behavior modification such as taking away recess. I know that the schools may suggest it but I can't imagine a teacher saying to a parent they wouldn't be OK with a more active type of punishment such as restocking the library shelves vs. sitting on your buttocks for an hour. But all that takes parent involvement.

When we decide on therapy for Andrew I often consider drive time. For sports etc..how much is spent driving to and from practice and games vs. being in the activity? And on those drives to practice, how many more drive thrus are seen? In the 'olden days' afterschool activites were primarily pick up games and bike rides at least through elementary school. They didn't require any drive time.

Like I said, I know the schools / govenrnment can improve in this area of food and they should. But I like being free to drive through McDonalds on occassion. We are typically in the minority when we meet friends at the park who have brought their fast thru drive thru bags...but I certainly think they should have the freedom do to that.

And I am not paranoid that my freedoms are all going to go away overnight but it was just a strange 'feel' when I watched Food Revolution last night. We should lead by example, inviting folks to healthier eating, and certainly be able to tell our own kids how to eat but in the end, we choose what we choose and that will drive the change or it just won't change. I still love the show and am thankful for what Jamie and folks have brought to the public eye. Just something 'extra' to think about.

A final note... kids will be kids. For most days in high school, I ate a cinnamon roll and a tab. I know..gross. (I wonder if my mom reads my blog and if she knew this??)