how healthy is your childs school?

The weekend is over and it is time to start a new week, one that will be busy for my kids. My two youngest children will be taking their TCAP tests this week and wouldn't you know that my son wakes up vomiting this morning. I am pretty certain that he doesn't have a stomach virus or anything, just sinus drainage making his stomach all yucky...he had no fever so he went to school. There is something I have always found disturbing about TCAP week, the schools send home letters for two or three weeks before the big week arrives telling parents how important it is for your child to eat very healthy throughout that week and get plenty of sleep, cut back on the sugar you give them and so on. My disturbing thoughts come in when I think of what some parents are feeding their children throughout the rest of the year that cause the schools to continuously send home these letters year after year. I know that some parents do not monitor what their children take in their bodies but around here we (Mr. B and I) do. A couple of years ago our school system changed some rules regarding food and drink. They removed all soda machines from most of the schools, they do not allow fast food of any kind to be brought in the doors, they ask that if you send snacks for your children to send something more healthy and not sugar loaded. As far as the soda machines go I think there are still at least one in each high school but they can't be used until the end of the day bell rings.

My son is in the 4th grade and the past couple of years they have asked parents to send a refillable water bottle with the sip top and a healthy snack everyday. They have found that they have less disturbances with kids wanting to go to the water fountain to get drinks and that the children are more alert throughout the entire day. Every year my sons elementary school has an even they call The Bear Run. Bear Run is basically a fun fund raiser. The schools mascot is a bear and the first principal of the school had a great idea that was put to use. She was all about stressing the importance of reading so the BEAR not only represents their mascot but also stands for a very good program called Be Excited About Reading. The event is an all day thing, the kids spend weeks before the event getting family and friends to sponsor them for a walk, you can make one donation or you can pay per lap that the child will walk. For lunch the kids get to buy from the concession stand which sells hot dogs, Petro's chili and chips, salads, or nachos and cheese. There are sodas allowed this day but they all have to be caffeine free. Parents and grandparents are really great about jumping right in and helping the school out during this event. Some get together and host a vintage car show for the kids, our local police officers have brought their canines in and explained how the canines are trained to sniff out drugs, all in all it is a really fun day and it is coming up on the 18th of this month which is a week or two earlier than previous years. The week of Bear Run is also Spirit week and the kids get to dress in certain attire each day, the grade that has the most spirit dressed kids all week gets to have a huge pizza party. We are really looking forward to Bear Run this year.

As for the weather...it is supposed to be beautiful all week long here with temps ranging in the mid 70's, the only downfall is we are expecting rain for three days but it is only small chances of rain. It started raining here on Thursday and didn't quit until the early morning hours of Sunday, I can't complain because we desperately needed it. Today I am going to throw the windows open and do some Spring cleaning. Speaking of Spring cleaning...daylight is burning so I better sign off and get to it. Y'all have a beautiful day!