For the last 18 months or so I’ve been one of those odd, annoying-at-dinner-parties food evangelists who don’t eat any carbs or sugar. Relax, I’m not about to go all Pete Evans on you and beat you into the submission of a paleo school canteen!
For the most part, it’s actually not so hard. But I have moments of weakness where I’m triggered into old habits. I have awful conversations in my head when these moments come – it’s like there’s three of me arguing over who gets their needs met.
One such moment came up at the MCG last weekend at a football match with my son. The bloke behind me bought a meat pie and the smell struck me like a left hook. It was intoxicating and triggered a palpable need for pastry, sauce and gravy.
I’ve learned to acknowledge that feeling and just let it float by. It’s not easy! But we all feel comfort from things we’ve had and done previously despite there not being any nourishment and nutritional value in it.
I’ve had ‘comfort food’ in my schools too. There’s little evidence to support the use of primary school homework, buddy programs, compartmentalized social skills programs, merit awards, punitive behavioural schemes, tables points and detentions. So, why do we keep them? Could it be simply because they make us feel good? Are these practices and programs nothing more than educational meat pies.
There’s nothing wrong with the odd meat pie, by the way. But if pies are your staple and habit of life, there are serious ramifications. For me – that’s on the scale! What are the long-term ramifications of comfort food in your school?
Special Guests at our next FREE Webinar
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We’re delighted to have Sacha Kaluri and Sonya Karras of the Australian Teen Expo joining us for a critically important webinar on “Safe Teen Pathways”.
We know that Secondary, Middle School and Upper Primary Teachers are concerned about the pathways our teens are on and the obstacles they’ll need to navigate now and in coming years.
Sonya and Sacha are the subject matter experts in how Teachers can play their role in pointing young people in the right direction.
Register by clicking here for “Safe Teen Pathways” on Thursday 8th September at 3.30pm (AEST).