Dehydrated School Kids

Last week, I volunteered in my daughter's class for the day. Everytime I do this, I leave feeling disappointed, disturbed, sad, helpless, frustrated and ready to home school! The number one reason for my dismay, in a nutshell, is nutrition. The lack thereof, I should say.

I have to sit there and watch my daughter look like some kind of freak because she is expected to eat her protein and veggies for lunch! A few months ago she started pleading with me to pack her something - anything - that came in a package, like all the other kids' snacks and lunches. What's wrong with that picture?! Poor kid - her mom is SO mean! Can you believe I would have the audacity to pack lunches and snacks that don't have a shelf life, and actually contribute to lifelong health? What nerve I have! Honestly, I thought I'd have a few more years before she'd start caring so much about what her friends were doing... and eating. Geez Louise, you'd think I was trying to kill the poor girl!

The one thing that really surprised me last week was the lack of water these kids drink throughout the day. They have a pure water dispenser right in their classroom, yet I didn't see one child drink a glass of water all day long. Sure, maybe I caught them on an 'off' day. The problem is, when it comes to drinking water, there shouldn't be 'off' days! Kids cannot be healthy without water.

From a teacher's perspective, I can understand how drinking water throughout the day could lead to some challenges, like more frequent trips to the bathroom or shenanigans at the water fountain. BUT, on the other hand, I would think that teachers might enjoy the countless benefits that drinking sufficient, pure water would provide for the kids: better energy levels, better able to focus, clearer thinking, happier, stronger immune systems, more stable moods... the list is incredibly lengthy.

I think it would be simple to implement 'mandatory/extremely-highly-recommended' water breaks 2-4 times per day, as well as providing the kids a glass of water with their lunch and snack. Again, even if it is a slight inconvenience, isn't the health of the kids worth it? Can you even imagine how much better they'd function if they were properly hydrated?

Perhaps I'm naive, or missing some major detail that would prevent this from happening. For example, maybe several kids are highly allergic to pure water! Ha! My point is, it's fabulously good for everyone... it absolutely cannot hurt.

I so strongly feel that schools should not be the creative force in a foundation for lifetime sickness. Our kids should be 'safe' there. Yes, I do believe that poor nutritional habits, and the reinforcement of these poor choices in a powerfully influential social setting such as school, is highly dangerous to the health of our children. There are simple things that can be implemented throughout the day in a school setting that could drastically improve the current and future health of our kids. Water is one of those simple things.