In this context I wouldn't bother. It doesn't sound like the 7yo knows what calories are, but just thinks the biggest number wins. My 6yo came to me today asking if calories are good & saying that something she was eating had 100calories, why becuase she can read & reads EVERYTHING she gets her hands on.

 

My 5 yr old ds likes for me to read the nutrition labels to him. And he wants to know if the high fructose corn syrup in it. I don't think there is anything to be alarmed about unless they are discussing weight loss and counting calories.

 

I think what is bothering me about it is something I left out. The child keeps telling my child that because he has less calories in his food, it is bad. Now DS wants food with more calories.

 

I'd probably start sending the snack in a plain pack or zip lock baggie, no writing, no calories to read about. Or write in big letters, one million calories and he can win every day

 

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Originally Posted by MCR I'd probably start sending the snack in a plain pack or zip lock baggie, no writing, no calories to read about. Or write in big letters, one million calories and he can win every day

I am so going to do this! Maybe I'll let DS choose how many calories he wants his snack to have.

 

It could totally be innocent, it could be the start of something. Just my experience - we have been batteling with ds#1's weight since he was four. Yes at four he announced he didn't want to be fat. He is now 11.5 and it is a battle everyday and because he is a boy and because I know how to hide calories really well no one will help us.

 

It looks like a teachable moment to me.

 

I think if your child is going to learn nutritional information it is better coming from YOU than the teacher who may have a completely different idea of nutrition than what your family believes/practices.

 

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Originally Posted by CarrieMF I think if your child is going to learn nutritional information it is better coming from YOU than the teacher who may have a completely different idea of nutrition than what your family believes/practices.

This is a good point. We have been talking to DS about it every time it comes up.

I always worry about the other kids who aren't talking to their parents or who may or may not be effected by this.

 

My 6-year-old asks how many calories are in things- especially when we go grocery shopping. I asked him and Nataleigh (his older sister) about it and they said their gym teacher has told them about it! So I just say to him, "You're six. You're not overweight in the slightest, your family is all thin, and you are in gymnastics. You don't need to worry about calories." Nutritional content, yes, but still.... My kids (Nathan included, age 10) also do this thing where they compare who has the closest date on their pint of milk when we go to Tim Horton's. I've told them that they actually should see who has the date FURTHEST away, but they'd rather play their way.

 

Oh, my 7 and 9 yo do that all the time! They call it the "Nutrition Facts Game." They will each have a different box of cereal and then compare calories, grams of fiber, protein, etc.

They see me reading the nutrition labels a lot, looking for the amount of fat in something, etc so I know that's where they got it from. They've learned a lot about nutrition because of it. ie, when they talk about how something is healthy just because it doesn't have trans fat in it or whatever, I can talk to them about what "healthy" means and point out info about other fats, salt, total calories, etc. They also have asked me questions about what fiber is, what carbs are, etc.

I've always been happy that they read the labels because I really think you do need to be able to read and understand nutrition labels to be an educated consumer.

I think probably this kid at school just likes reading the labels. At 7 - 8, some kids want to turn everything into a "contest" so that is probably where that comes from. I wouldn't worry about it but if it bugs you, why not give the teacher a call?

 

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Originally Posted by Calidris I would mention it to the teacher, so that she can do a bit of nutrition education with the class, 7 is old enough to understand that stuff, I think. It is probably just typical children competitiveness, but it can potentially affect a classfull of kids and start them off with a skewed idea of what is important in eating.

I agree. If it weren't this it would be something else. Maybe the teacher can send a note home to the parent of the children doing this and let them know it's going on. Otherwise, I don't really see that big of a deal with it.

I actually did Weight Watchers last year and my oldest two kids wanted me to buy them their "own" points calculator so they could calculate the points (calories/fat grams/figer) in the foods they were eating so they could see how fattening stuff was. It was harmless and they actually learned a lot, especially regarding their snack foods.

Perhaps this child in the class has a parent on Weight Watchers or a similar diet program.

 

I have talked about food nutrition lables with the kids.With something like junk cookies we do compare calories like you can have 2 of these cookies and still be eating less calories than one of the other big cookies. The more important numbers we focus on were low numbers in sodium and sugar and a high number in fiber. And if we are lucky the food might also list some vitamins/minerals.

I guess if it were my dd dealing with these comments about more calories is better I would have her point out that a higher calorie food does not make it better. Does the calorie boy know anything more about the nutrition label other than the calorie content? And does he know if the calories listed are for the entire package or just a portion of it?

I would have fun with it.Definitely a teachable moment for the kids.

 

This isn't a game of nutrition, it's a game up number discovery. The little kids are playing with high numbers...and are playing who has a bigger number written on the package. Is it mean spiritred? Is it worth getting involved in? Is it worth putting the kibosh on what is basically a reading numbers game?

 

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Originally Posted by UUMom This isn't a game of nutrition, it's a game up number discovery. The little kids are playing with high numbers...and are playing who has a bigger number written on the package. Is it mean spiritred? Is it worth getting involved in? Is it worth putting the kibosh on what is basically a reading numbers game?

It is mean spirited. Ds has been teased by this child one time to many. My concern is ds is now overly worring about calories. And while I am confident we can curve and calm his concern, I am concerned for the other children.

 

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Originally Posted by Blooming It is mean spirited. Ds has been teased by this child one time to many. My concern is ds is now overly worring about calories. And while I am confident we can curve and calm his concern, I am concerned for the other children.

I thought the game is ' who has the highest number of calories' written on their little food bags? That simply doesn't seem like a nutrritional problem, but more of a "I have the most' 'problem'. Like I have more toys than you do etc. If you're woorried about this 7 yr old bullying kids, let the teacher know that. But I'd be careful with the whole nurtritional angle as I bet the kid isn't trying to get his mates to actually consume more calories. Just stick with the mean spiritred bully angle. Kids sometimes have contests...we have an 8 yr old in our hsing group who insists she a 1000 dollars in pennies in her room, no matter what her mother says. Her insistence means she has a lot, not that she is trying to torture any of the other children. I told my dc that if it bothers her, she could say she did as well. lol I won't say a word to the contrary. She says she doesn't care one way or the other how many pennies the other child has. Although it does bother some of the other children.