Mom Says Her Son's Teacher Refused To Open A Snack In His Lunchbox Because She Deemed It 'Unhealthy'
She pointed out that if she's packing a snack for her son, then he's allowed to eat it.
@ashy_anne_ / TikTok A mom revealed that her son's teacher may have had an unnecessary opinion on the snacks that she packs in his lunchbox.
In a TikTok video, Ashley Griffiths shared the exchange that happened between her son and his teacher and voiced her discomfort with someone dictating to her child what they can and can't eat without taking into account that, as the parent, she has already made the decision.
Her son's teacher refused to let him eat a snack in his lunchbox that she felt was 'unhealthy.'
"I wanna know if you think this is something I could raise up at my child's school," Griffiths, who resides in Queensland, Australia, began in her video. She explained that she had sent her son to school with a wrapped slice of cake for him to have as a snack.
When he came back home at the end of the day, she noticed that he hadn't eaten the slice of cake, which struck Griffiths as weird since her son has been going through a growth spurt recently and usually eats all of the food she packs for him.
So, Griffiths decided to ask her son about his uneaten snack, and his answer shocked her. "He said that the teacher on duty at lunchtime wouldn't open it for him because it's 'not healthy,'" she revealed. "I don't remember asking you."
Taken aback by the teacher's reasoning, Griffiths pointed out that she makes sure all of the food in her son's lunchbox is "well-balanced," including packing him dairy products, fruit, sandwiches, cold meats, and a variety of different selections for him to choose from.
"We believe in this house that it's our job as adults to provide enough food and variety for our son’s nutritional needs to be met and to allow him to listen to his body and make decisions accordingly,” Griffiths said.
“That means he’s allowed to have sweet things sometimes. I know some people call them ‘treats’ or ‘sometimes foods’ or whatever. We just call it food in this house. We do not attach a moral value to food.”
She accused her son's teacher of trying to 'shame' him because of what he wanted to eat.
Griffiths continued, admitting that after hearing about the way her son's teacher refused him his snack, she became annoyed at the response and how she felt about the slice of cake.
She claimed that it struck her as odd that a teacher who doesn't know her, her family, and barely knows her son, chose to decide on what he can and can't eat based on her own views on food and the diet she follows.
"As far as I’m concerned, if my son has eaten his ham and his cheese and his yogurt and his fruit and his sandwich, he can have the f–-king cake if he’s hungry. He can eat the f--king cake because it’s not in there to be a decoration. I made the decision to put it in there for him,” she remarked.
Griffiths concluded her rant by asking viewers if this was enough of a debacle to bring it up with both her child's teacher and the school, or if she should simply let it go and do something about it if it happens again.
People in the comments section encouraged Griffiths to speak up about it.
"100% say something or write an email. I put everything in ziplock bags to, unfortunately, avoid circumstances like these," one TikTok user advised.
Another user agreed, writing, "I would say something. I would go in and request to speak with that teacher personally and ask what gives her the right."
Other people shared similar circumstances happening with their children and the meals they would pack for them.
"This happened to me and I went to the teacher and asked her about her multiple degrees! Dietician, teacher, nutritionist. No more comments afterward," a third user shared.
A fourth user remarked, "Had a teacher take banana bread and chips off my son, my husband went to the school and told her not to take food off him. "
Pressuring children to follow strict dietary rules can lead to many negative effects, including feelings of stress, anxiety, or low self-esteem. It may also lead to social isolation if they feel different from their peers due to their restricted diets.
Children should instead be encouraged to enjoy a wide range of foods and develop positive associations with eating, promoting a healthy body image and overall mental well-being.
Nia Tipton is a Brooklyn-based entertainment, news, and lifestyle writer whose work delves into modern-day issues and experiences.