Mom Sent 3-Year-Old To School With Chips As A Snack & Received A Note On His Leftover 'Trash' From His Teacher
According to her son's school, Pringles chips are not a suitable snack for a toddler to be eating.
TikTok A mom revealed that after sending her son to school with some snacks, she was berated by school administrators for what she gave him to eat.
In a TikTok video, Megan sought advice from viewers after she received a note on her 3-year-old son's leftover "trash" from his school urging her to reconsider packing him snacks that they deemed to be "unhealthy."
She was "snack-shamed" by her son's school after packing him a container of chips for lunch.
"Look at what happened to me today," Megan began in her video. She explained that she had sent her son to school with a small pack of Pringles chips, which she pointed out was an "age-appropriate" snack to let her 3-year-old son eat.
However, her son's school apparently did not agree, and when her son returned home from school, there was a note written by the administration on his empty Pringles cup. "This is what his school sent," she said, showing a photo of the note written on the snack.
"Please help us make healthy choices at school," the note from her son's school read. Upon receiving the letter, Megan was taken aback at how easily her son's school snack-shamed her for something that isn't wrong for a toddler to eat.
"They snack-shamed by 3-year-old, they snack-shamed me by writing that passive-aggressively on his trash," she continued. "What would you do?" Megan admitted that she did message her son's school about the note and told them that they were snack-shaming and she didn't agree with the snack being "unhealthy."
She pointed out that when it comes to food in her house, she doesn't label things as healthy or unhealthy because "that starts eating disorders" and can promote a guilty mindset in children who are more likely to struggle with their relationships with food as they grow older.
"I'm just curious, what would you guys do?" she asked viewers. "Do you think that's ridiculous? Because I f-king do. Thank you."
Many parenting and dietician experts have spoken out against trying to restrict certain food that is considered "bad" for children, as it can ruin their relationship with food. In an interview with Today's Parents, Corinne Eisler, a registered dietitian and pediatric nutrition expert explained, "The child [can] actually [begin] to view food with fear.”
Also, restricting or banning certain "unhealthy" foods from children won't automatically make them want to eat a healthy alternative. In fact, the restriction may cause them to want to eat more sugary snacks when they're around other adults that will allow them to.
In the comments section, people agreed that the school had no right to send a note about her son's snack choice.
"I beg you to confront the teacher asking for her dietary credentials or certifications in childhood nutrition. She can’t tout her opinions as advice," one TikTok user wrote.
Another user agreed, pointing out that even teachers will give out "unhealthy" snacks to children. "Hi... school custodian here!! Believe me when I say the amount of candy these teachers are giving your kids... lollipops and jolly rancher wrappers every day. Yes, even in elementary schools!"
"From a mom AND therapist who works with adolescents struggling with [eating disorders], THANK YOU!! Your response was perfection and we need more of your viewpoint!!" a third user chimed in.
A fourth user joked, "I would send him with every flavor of Pringles every day. Then send [some] for the whole class and the teachers too!"
Nia Tipton is a writer living in Brooklyn. She covers pop culture, social justice issues, and trending topics.