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I am registered, however, I work for an Early Head Start program and I know for a fact that 2 of my co-workers are on this site (they actually told me about it some time ago) so I'm going as incognito as I can-- even though I know once they read this they will know which kid I'm talking about.
Last week on Friday we had a pizza lunch in one of the classrooms as a prize. The rest of the Center had hot turkey sandwiches. Because of CACFP the cook had to make it a "certain" way to make sure we got all the components in it I'm told. Fine. So, this one little girl comes in late, about 10 minutes after her class sits down for their family-style lunch and the teacher aid asks her to sit with us. Mom says, "no, I don't feed my kid garbage." OK?? But your child has been here since she's was 9 weeks old. She's now preparing to enter the Head Start program (almost 3). How many pizza lunches do you think this kid has had?! That's neither here nor there. This has NEVER been an issue, and the food meets the Federal standard. Additionally, there is spinach salad, mandarin oranges, 1% milk, and fresh (meaning cut off the bone) turkey sandwiches on whole grain bread as an alternative because that's what the rest of the center was eating. Might have even been something else, IDK because I don't work in the kitchen. Mom goes into hysterics stating there is no way her child will eat ANY of the "crap" and they're going to call [food regulation agency here] and CPS. She leaves with child. Meanwhile, mom was so loud she's disrupted 4 classrooms and we have all these spectators and "helpers/calmer-downers" standing around the classroom doorway causing an even bigger scene in the name of "helping".
Fast forward to yesterday. Little girl didn't come on Monday, but AS SOON as she hit the door yesterday she was literally begging for breakfast. I pointed to the board and reminded her that breakfast is delivered at a certain time (about 20 minutes away), and now it's work time. She wanted no parts of it!!!! She began screaming, CURSING, kicking yelling: "My G-Ma says I can finally eat today! My G-Ma says I'll get some f*in food today!" At this point the nurse comes in, takes her to the office and gives her a pack of saltines.
Now, this child is only 29 months, and I know stories get creative at this age, but the nurse wrote in the digital chart that the child (per the child's story) had not eaten since FRIDAY (in her words, paraphrased: I only ate when I left school that other day). The story the Center Director got from a relative of the family is that the mom left the Center, went to McDonald's, got the baby some nuggets and that was IT until this AM. Obviously, come breakfast we let her serve herself first and lunch was the same. She ate a lot; we had to ask the kitchen staff to send another dish of broccoli and mac & cheese. It hurts me to my heart because I know mom/grandmom can AFFORD food. Why aren't the feeding the child?...Was that some sick retaliation towards us?? AND how DARE you lift your nose up at our nutritionally balanced lunch then go feed your child "chicken" nuggets?! Geesh.
Last week on Friday we had a pizza lunch in one of the classrooms as a prize. The rest of the Center had hot turkey sandwiches. Because of CACFP the cook had to make it a "certain" way to make sure we got all the components in it I'm told. Fine. So, this one little girl comes in late, about 10 minutes after her class sits down for their family-style lunch and the teacher aid asks her to sit with us. Mom says, "no, I don't feed my kid garbage." OK?? But your child has been here since she's was 9 weeks old. She's now preparing to enter the Head Start program (almost 3). How many pizza lunches do you think this kid has had?! That's neither here nor there. This has NEVER been an issue, and the food meets the Federal standard. Additionally, there is spinach salad, mandarin oranges, 1% milk, and fresh (meaning cut off the bone) turkey sandwiches on whole grain bread as an alternative because that's what the rest of the center was eating. Might have even been something else, IDK because I don't work in the kitchen. Mom goes into hysterics stating there is no way her child will eat ANY of the "crap" and they're going to call [food regulation agency here] and CPS. She leaves with child. Meanwhile, mom was so loud she's disrupted 4 classrooms and we have all these spectators and "helpers/calmer-downers" standing around the classroom doorway causing an even bigger scene in the name of "helping".
Fast forward to yesterday. Little girl didn't come on Monday, but AS SOON as she hit the door yesterday she was literally begging for breakfast. I pointed to the board and reminded her that breakfast is delivered at a certain time (about 20 minutes away), and now it's work time. She wanted no parts of it!!!! She began screaming, CURSING, kicking yelling: "My G-Ma says I can finally eat today! My G-Ma says I'll get some f*in food today!" At this point the nurse comes in, takes her to the office and gives her a pack of saltines.
Now, this child is only 29 months, and I know stories get creative at this age, but the nurse wrote in the digital chart that the child (per the child's story) had not eaten since FRIDAY (in her words, paraphrased: I only ate when I left school that other day). The story the Center Director got from a relative of the family is that the mom left the Center, went to McDonald's, got the baby some nuggets and that was IT until this AM. Obviously, come breakfast we let her serve herself first and lunch was the same. She ate a lot; we had to ask the kitchen staff to send another dish of broccoli and mac & cheese. It hurts me to my heart because I know mom/grandmom can AFFORD food. Why aren't the feeding the child?...Was that some sick retaliation towards us?? AND how DARE you lift your nose up at our nutritionally balanced lunch then go feed your child "chicken" nuggets?! Geesh.
: will wait
, in part) because I know I will encounter situations I can't help or change.
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