Dear Teacher,
You might believe that my over excitable behaviour is from a sugar rush but this is far from the truth. Did you know that this is a myth? There are expectations from adults that children will be hyperactive because there’s sugar-laden food available but the reality is, that it’s just an excitable fun event with friends and family that makes me enthusiastic.
You will notice that I might behave differently around the time of Halloween. My family routines have changed and I’ve had a later night than usual. I need you to help keep me calm by including some breaks where I get to be physically active. Using my brain and body together just before I get too fatigued and distracted will help me be energised to learn.
Please support my relationship with food by not commenting negatively on sugary treats. Sometimes I need the opportunity to learn to self-regulate my food by eating too much or too little. Please trust that my body knows when I’m full.
Please don’t single out sugar as something that I need to reduce or stop eating. Rule based thinking disconnects me from my body. Learning to make sensible food choices comes from experiences. Please allow me to enjoy eating and not feel ashamed of what I eat.
Please help me understand what is real and what is not. Halloween can be scary with the costumes and masks but did you know that the food can also be scary? My anxiety increases and might show in different ways. I might refuse to eat. I might withdraw and hide. I might get upset and cry. I might get annoyed and angry.
Please don’t tell me to eat my sandwich or ‘healthy food’ first. My parents have given me the responsibility to choose what I want to eat and in what order I want to eat my food. I don’t have to eat everything in my lunch box, in fact, I don’t have to eat if I’m not feeling hungry. My parents trust that I will make a choice that works best for me.
Thank you for reading my letter.
Sincerely,
A student learning to like food.
