I have noticed that there is a direct proportion between "hunger" and bullying in our elementary and early middle schools. The more healthy the lunch, the hungrier, more edgy, more aggressive the child. The more full, the more docile, content, nicer the child. From about junior high school through young adulthood, the young bully emerges into a vile, anti-social,violent blight on others. The behavior, I noticed begins at an early, hungry age. I have been observing bullying for some time. You might remember my blog: "Teach Your Children Well, Or Better Than You Have!" The parents of bullies should be held accountable for nurturing, fostering, encouraging and enabling objectionable behavior in their children. The ignorance of "Atta boy/girl!" is sleazy, totally unacceptable and should never be condoned.
Here is my thought:
President Kennedy promoted Physical Fitness. Mrs. Obama wants youth to MOVE. But, children are not going to joyfully "Move it, move it. You've got to move it, move it. Move it!" if they are hungry. Comfort food is not necessarily broccoli and tofu. Comfort food traditionally includes meatloaf and macaroni and cheese. I am not suggesting that we want to pork up our children. Homemade, natural, nutritious, variegated, appealing foods are preferable to any fare out there. School lunches used to be satisfying. Lunches packed at home, even more so. Our school cafeteria workers can slice, dice, stew, chill any and all vegetables and fruits on the planet and place them artistically (or not) on trays and watch big black trash bags being filled to tip capacity with those very items. (Understand, I love veggies and fruit of all kinds, except okra. Two of my three grandchildren delight in them as well.) I have personally observed a janitor with the quickest reflexes ever! He could catch and stow apples as they, mid air, made their way from trays being "dumped" into garbage cans. That man was good! Any professional ball team would sign him up in a heartbeat!
Before healthy nutritious mania, children brought possibly "last night's leftovers" on a Kaiser roll, Twinkies and bought chocolate milk for lunch. Those who "bought" would maybe trade a chocolate chip cookie from their trays for one of the Twinkies and perhaps have some of the homemade lunch in exchange for half of their sandwich. Chocolate milk, again, washed down that meal. On the playground, afterwards, full, satisfied children did not necessarily have the edge, hunger, hollow discomfort to "pick on anybody". Hunger = Grouchy. Most children played together. Of course, there are always leaders, tough kids, but disputes were settled, "evened up". At home cereal, oatmeal, fruit at breakfast and traditional meals sometimes based on ethnicity and convenience rounded our children's diets. Lunch could be fun, but, EAT THOSE ASPARAGUS at dinner!
I have witnessed the jealousy that arises when a child might have brought something scrumptious from home, from the child who buys low carb, low fat, low salt, no sugar balanced lunch. I have heard victims of the wilted celery stick beg for a chip or a taste of a more appealing lunch. I realize that children do not necessarily know what is good for them and we can't feed them cotton candy three times a day, but... Why not a lunch of a salami sandwich, Sun chips and a chocolate chip cookie?
From the disappointing cafeteria, the hungry child on the playground, has an itch that he can't scratch. He becomes consumed by jealousy and rage, but just does not know why. Chances are that the well fed, happy child, who may or may not have shared, or any other singled out child who is satisfied becomes his victim! The hungry child is just plain old grouchy, cranky manifesting infantile behavior. A baby cries and fusses when it is hungry. The child in school is nasty when he is hungry. Just pay attention!
BEFORE an incident, SQUASH bullies. Head them off at the pass! GIVE 'EM A COOKIE!
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