“Oh S**t-School is starting!”    Johnny

“Boy Oh Boy Oh Boy-School is starting!”    Johnny’s mother

All right, we all look at things form different points of view. I get that. It doesn’t mean though, that the thing we are talking about is not actually going to happen, does it? No, it does not! School is happening so let’s make the best of it if we all can.

The first part of this column is going to deal with a very old subject-school lunches. I am not really sure how many people actually make lunches for their children any more, but I did for many years and I honestly enjoyed it. My kid’s school did not start until nine o’clock so we had time to do this daily job together.  We made everything from peanut butter tacos to strawberry pops-a carrot stick with a strawberry stuck on top of it. They were funny looking, but very good, believe it or not.

Yes, I found out, as have we all, that things were thrown away, traded off, or simply never taken out of the bag. All I can say is that, as usual, I hoped for the best and looked for something positive in it all. Some days that is easier than others of course. Did you know, and yes this is a truly researched fact, that nearly 40% of food produced in the US is wasted or otherwise thrown away? I find that appalling and I hope you do too. What I am proposing is simply that you check it out. Ask at school about the quality of lunches and how much actual food is eaten. You cannot force children to eat, but you can try to see what is happening and how food is being presented and how much is eaten or wasted.

As school begins also there are tons of other things that interweave to make the giant kaleidoscope that makes up a “day in school.”  Things from uniform drives to Backpack Buddies to class placement are moving targets and paths often fraught with situations for students. As a parent, there are so many things to follow that often we feel it is easier to just send our children off for their day. I urge you not to do that.

Have a good look at how your child in interacting in the classroom with other students and with the teacher. Have a good look at all grades. Do not just look at the academic grades but keep up with the conduct grades and comments. Conference with the teacher. Chances are a really good teacher will welcome the opportunity to speak with you and I do not mean just when their issues. Having been a teacher myself for many years, I liked to talk to all of the parents-not just the good and also not just the bad!

I also would like to say a final word about a topic that has been talked to death and still not had enough said about it. Yes, I am talking about bullying. Physical abuse, verbal abuse, the shove by the lockers, the nasty note left in a book, name calling, and so much more can be heartbreaking to a child. Exclusion can be simply devastating. Not being asked to a gathering, being left out of a club or group, always being chosen last, even being ignored are painful stabs through the heart to sensitive children and it seems the shy and sensitive are the most frequent targets. Watch your child carefully for signs of any of these things happening. Talk to your child frequently and regularly.

As a professional, I worked with students with learning disabilities and I can tell you that these “different” children were the most frequent victims of the cruelties of others. It seems that there is a pack mentality that makes others go for the weak among them. Doesn’t that sound horrible?  Well, yes and it truly is horrible.  I am going to be a bit controversial here though and tell you that those who taunt and bully others are frequently victims themselves and they act out and strike out to return the hurts. This is a known fact and I have seen it many times over the years.

Anyway, this column is about healthy lifestyles and is frequently funny and pointedly comedic, but not this time, ladies. Believe me I know that parents today, single parent families, traditional and non-traditional families and those who are part of extended families face trials in their busy days that were unheard of until quite recently. Yes, I get that you are up against it very frequently and hustling to make it, but so may be your children. Be engaged. Take an interest. Be there. You will be so glad you did.  Let me hear from you,  Love Judith