Thanks MrsKiasu and Zac’s mum. Unfortunately, with the pressure on girls to look a ‘certain way’, even young girls are brainwashed into thinking certain body types are acceptable or not. We do not mention weight but health in the household, the negative connotations are from outside the house. We have sat DD down and she is clear but my question is whether MOE should be reporting in this manner? Is there a more sensitive way of doing it?


Actually the data on BMI in children and how that translates to adult health is not as clear cut (but I will not go into that).

Hi Parents


I am not sure whether I am just sensitive but I have a concern with the way the primary school report books label our children. In the report books, the kids BMI will be recorded as severely underweight, underweight, acceptable, overweight and severely overweight.

My 7-year-old dd was upset when she saw that she was labelled as overweight. She wanted to go on a diet! To put it in context, her BMI for her age was just slightly over.

I am wondering if other parents are worried about this labelling of children during their formative years. I am not disputing the importance of healthy living in children. I feel that it is better to put the number like 16,17,18 rather than a labelled that has a negative impact. There are 5 categories there, and only ONE is acceptable. The rest have a negative association.

I wrote to MOE about this and the answer I received was as below
"The weight indicator informs parents by defining the children’s BMI current status readily as compared to the absolute figure where parents would need to make reference to the BMI norms before they know their children’s status. It may not be easy for parents who are not familiar with the BMI measure to relate to the norms chart."

I much prefer to look up the norms chart (Our kids health booklet has a norms chart) rather than to have to deal with the mental health issues that may arise from a negative label from the school.

What do other parents think?

Hi


Does any mummies use the after school care in St Joseph’s church? I heard that it will be closed from May 2016. And CHIJ OLP own after school won’t open until end 2018. What are the alternatives?