Sugar is a DRUG!!!

I think I have mentioned before that I am an educator.  I taught middle school for several years, and I am currently working in an elementary school with even younger children.  This is always interesting and I find myself studying the laws of cause and effect quite often in this environment.  Today was no exception. I arrived today and found myself in the middle of an absolutely tragic event. I observed a transformation of small human beings right before my eyes!

All of my students went to participate in a “rewards event” for collecting good behavior tickets throughout the month of February.  This special even takes place every month as an attempt to motivate students to behave well in the classroom.  Beginning first thing this morning, they were funneled into a room and seated on the floor.  They traveled to the room quietly and behaved well upon entering the room taking their seats obediently in anticipation of receiving a reward.  They were then given a GIGANTIC chocolate chip cookie and told to sit quietly and “visit” with their friends for 20 minutes. They would then return to their teachers and resume their day.  This would take place every hour all day long with different classes.

I watched with my own eyes as well-behaved children transformed into raving maniacs in a matter of ten minutes! This is what I observed:

1. Increased agitation

2. squirming and giggling which became increasingly louder

3. SCREAMING

4. Pushing, shoving, rolling around on the floor 

5. Aggression towards others

I couldn’t believe my eyes!   By the time I had to bring them back to my classroom and attempt to do anything with them they were completely out of control!  I was sickened by what I was watching, it was so graphic and blatant!!!  They could not understand what was taking place, all they knew is that they HAD to scream!!! This went on all day long.  I observed the students lose a sense of reality, become unresponsive to outside stimulus, and literally move toward self destruction.  By the middle of the day, I had had enough.  I mentioned to the director of the event, that I strongly believed they should NEVER do this again. It was actually bordering on abuse.  Of course I just got strange looks from most, but I could not in all good conscious just sit back and watch that happen to those poor kids.  

I explained to my older students that sugar is a drug.  It has a chemical reaction in your body just like drugs, and it does very extreme things to your system.  I asked them if they could feel it.  Most of them admitted that they could feel the effects and even contributed more information to the conversation such as “It makes me feel tired” and “I can’t sit in my seat very well”.  We talked about better ways to get sugar, like eating fresh fruits.  I was able to turn a very miserable experience into a “teachable” moment, but frankly, I would have preferred it if the subject had never had to come up.  I have been concerned with the lack of nutrition in school lunches (full of empty carbs and sugar) for years, but I really feel that today’s “reward” was more of a punishment. 

If you love your children…. please keep the drugs away from their precious little systems.