Part 1
This post might not be what you expect it to be. This isn’t about ancient religions and the roots that Halloween has in common with them. It isn’t about the devil, and it really isn’t about evil. I used the world evil to add a bit of flare in celebration of the holiday and the insanity of some of the people trying to make this holiday more trick than treat! Before I potentially upset you, here is a picture of an adorable bat:
Did you smile?
Ok so on to the not so fun. Have you heard about the Lady in North Dakota says she won’t give every child candy but instead will give out this “helpful” note to kids she thinks are over weight. When I first saw the letter I was in disbelief, how could anyone be so cruel? If there is evil on Halloween wouldn’t it be those trying to suck the fun out of it? Maybe this is part of the trick side though? Not a fun trick to say the least, or at least that is my opinion and that of many others I have talked to about it.
Here is the letter and some of the posts on my facebook fan page:
I can’t say I honestly expected anyone to defend the letter, at least not other crunchy parents. While attachment parenting tends to be about raising healthy kids and all things organic we tend to have our own ways of dealing with candy over load. It doesn’t tend to include attacking other kids for their weight or their parents. Still… it went like this: (comments on a public facebook wall I believe to be open to sharing on this blog)
Ashley Hawley No comment. I’m sure people will get nasty towards each other on a post like this
But she did…
Ashley Hawley Some people just don’t really care or monitor what their kids eat…..if my kid was a tad over weight I would see it as a eye opener and probably do something about it. Maybe they think their child is a normal weight and really isn’t……schools are starting to do this same thing with notes. People take offense to it but they should be glad that others are wanting healthier lives for the younger generations.
A Little Crunchy Halloween isn’t a time to proselytize your religion or opinion on others body. I think that is a great bully letter and cowardly as well, the person doesn’t even sign it. If parents are going to stand up, it should to protect their children from mean hearted people like that. If they want to help the obesity issue in the country there are ways that will actually help, that will not. Letters like that, that attitude, add to the high suicide rates in our country in my opinion.
A Little Crunchy Schools have an interest in healthy children but unless they have gone organic and have nutritionists on their payroll I don’t think they have a leg to stand on. We have some of the most unhealthy school lunch programs in the civilized world. My high school had a taco-bell in it that was cheaper than the normal crappy school lunches….
Ashley Hawley How can a lot of kids be taught healthy living when their parent or parents may be “unhealthy” themselves? I don’t call getting help intrusive. Sometimes a outside opinion is a good thing and very much needed.
A Little Crunchy I don’t think ridicule is going to change a deeply rooted issue like this. I don’t think that letter is in any way helpful and could be very hurtful to a child.
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There were other posts but they seem to be gone now. I think it took me a bit to see the good intentions Ashley has, I just think they are misplaced in this case. I bet with her passion she could help (and chances are does) a lot of people. Just not with evil little halloween notes!
Other comments seemed more in line with my instant shock and protectiveness of children:
Carolyn said: If I got that note, the jerk who wrote it had better hope they manage to stay anonymous. Mama bear would not be happy. I also feel bad for the poor miserable soul who feels the need to criticize children and their parents in such a way…they must be really miserable
Amanda commented saying: First – Halloween is one day out of the year. Rationing their candy on that one day is not going to affect their overall health one way or another. Second – if someone is really that concerned about someone else’s child’s health then go tell them in person instead of hiding behind an anonymous letter.
Jen said it very well I think when she posted this: Moderately good intentions, very poor execution. It is the perfect example of the old saying about catching flies with honey over vinegar–this is definitely the vinegar. And I don’t even see it making much of a difference. Halloween candy from one night isn’t making kids obese. It is a lifestyle issue that extends beyond the treats they get that night. And if this person is just passing out letters based on the appearance of kids who knock on the door–with no information about genetics, actual weight/BMI, health issues, medication side effects, etc., then there isn’t much benefit to this letter at all. It is a shortsighted, holier-than-thou assumption that everybody else is too stupid to make their own choices and therefore needs Perfect Expert Neighbor’s letter to do the right thing. And if the letter writer really thinks that solving obesity is as simple as sending out snarky letters at Halloween, he or she probably wouldn’t listen to reason from any parents who received it. This would get an eye roll and then go straight into the recycling bin at our house.
CNN reported on this evil halloween note as well and included something I think is really important:
Lynn Grefe, president and CEO of the National Eating Disorders Association, agrees, saying such a concept, along with letters from schools to parents about a child’s body mass index, would be the wrong way to go.
“So-called ‘fat letters’ have no place in schools and certainly no place in our kids’ Halloween buckets and bags,” Grefe said. “Bringing attention to a child’s weight and size in this way is yet one more thoughtless approach that targets and bullies children, putting them at risk for low self-esteem and ultimately developing an eating disorder.”
