Kindergarten teacher begs parents to stop sending this 1 snack to school
'I have a PSA for parents who pack their children's lunches,' McMahon says in a TikTok video. 'I love helping your child get their lunch settled and opening things for them. I don't, however, particularly enjoy these things.'
In the clip, she holds up a fruit cup packed with glistening mandarin slices.
'They are actually impossible, parents, to open in the classroom without spilling them and getting syrupy, sticky juice all over my clothes,' McMahon explains. 'I don't really wear nice things anymore because of these fruit cups.'
'Don't get me wrong, they're delicious and I know the children love them,' she acknowledges. 'However, I think they would be a fantastic snack for after school — at home!'
McMahon, who now teaches third grade at Jubilee Christian School in West Covina, California, worked with kindergarteners for more than 15 years. She still shudders when she spots a fruit cup.
'What I ended up doing was poking a straw through the lid so the kids could drink the juice before I opened it for them,' McMahon tells TODAY.com.
It turns out that McMahon isn't the only educator with a disdain for single-serve peaches and pears.
'YES!!!!!!!!! Finally, someone tells parents how awful those are,' one person wrote in the comments on McMahon's TikTok video.
'Hahaha. I actually banned these from my kinder class. Well not really. I just nicely asked parents to please put them in another container.'
'I am irrationally afraid of those. Like I have to take a breath every time I open one from a kid.'
'I used to go open them over the sink and drain half the juice out. They are my worst enemy.'
'Our cafeteria serves it with the meal sometimes as a fruit so I get to open 20 of them!'
'We beg parents at back-to-school night not to send those to school!!'
'SOMEONE HAD TO SAY IT!!! Thank you they are a nightmare in my pre-K class!! One of my kiddos tripped over fruit juice that spilled.'
According to McMahon, Capri Sun juice pouches are equally troublesome, with their minuscule and nearly impossible-to-puncture straw holes.
And don't get McMahon started on Go-Gurt Yogurt tubes.
'I started keeping food scissors around because if you try to tear them open, yogurt is going to splatter everywhere,' McMahon says. 'Go-Gurt, Capri Sun, and fruit cups — I'm convinced parents send them to school because they don't want their kids opening them at home!'
This article was originally published on TODAY.com
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Newsweek
18 hours ago
- Newsweek
Dog Jumps to Action to Save Kids in Pool—But There's a Twist
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. Ignoring signs and her own safety, a dog jumped into action to rescue children she thought were in danger, instantly receiving praise from the internet. Owner Amanda Morgan told Newsweek via email that her dog, Tinker, is the sweetest, with an especially "soft heart" for children. She first noticed the dog's protective instincts while taking her nephews and Tinker to the lake and swimming. "She tries to haul them out of the water, so I actually had to stop bringing her to the lake with them because she panics when they're in the water," Morgan said. One day, Morgan took her dog on a walk around the neighborhood, but when Tinker heard her favorite children—whom she visits often for pets—jumping and yelling, she became genuinely worried. Morgan knew they were "just being kids" and enjoying a summer day splashing in the pool, but Tinker went into protective mode. Screenshots from a June 9 TikTok video of a dog looking at her owner after trying to save kids who she thought were drowning in the pool. Screenshots from a June 9 TikTok video of a dog looking at her owner after trying to save kids who she thought were drowning in the pool. @tinker_is_judging_you/TikTok "She pulled me over to the pool and kept slamming her head into the iron fence," Morgan said. "I had to physically pull her away so she wouldn't hurt herself." But without knowing the children were safe, Tinker kept trying. She cried and threw herself on the ground. It took Morgan about 15 minutes to finally drag Tinker away from the pool. A parent of the children even came over, after seeing Tinker's concern, reassuring her everyone was safe. Tinker not only ignored the signs that the children were not drowning, she also put herself out there to protect them despite not knowing how to swim herself. Morgan said Tinker will not swim in deep water even if she wears a life jacket. "Tinker doesn't like everyone, she's scared of a lot of people and dogs, but she will do ANYTHING for people she loves," she said. "She's a very special dog." Her heroic actions, although not necessary in that moment, touched people's hearts, and as of Monday, the TikTok video reached over 516,400 views and 70,800 likes. "Okay but real talk, Tinker is a badass for that. Attempting to sacrifice herself for her kiddos. She is a very good girl," wrote a viewer. Hoping she received appropriate compensation for her work, someone said: "Her medal for bravery must have been off camera." A third person commented: "That's true love and loyalty." Do you have funny and adorable videos or pictures of your pet you want to share? Send them to life@ with some details about your best friend, and they could appear in our Pet of the Week lineup.
Yahoo
20 hours ago
- Yahoo
Woman reveals why you should stop throwing away silica gel packets: 'I had no idea'
Woman reveals why you should stop throwing away silica gel packets: 'I had no idea' TikToker That Jewelry Girl (@thelastinglook) shared a hack for using silica gel packets rather than throwing them away. "I had no idea," one follower shared. The scoop In the video, the creator, who loves all things jewelry, said she puts the small packets that come in most packages in her jewelry box to help absorb moisture and humidity to prevent her jewelry from tarnishing. "They're free," she touted. Some users had no idea the packets could be used in that way, while others chimed in with their own successful ideas for how to use them, including putting them in suitcases for traveling, inside storage boxes with papers such as photos or books, and in your handbag. Another commenter shared that they placed them in their safe, and one TikToker said they put them inside boxes of holiday decorations. The possibilities seem endless. How it's helping When thrown away, silica gel packets can be harmful to the environment. They often end up in landfills or oceans because they are made of non-biodegradable plastic, so they don't break down naturally. Repurposing them keeps them from becoming single-use plastics, which are plastics that are designed to be used only once and then discarded. Single-use plastics contribute significantly to pollution, so reducing them is a critical step in protecting human health and the environment. Some cities are issuing bans on single-use plastics in an effort to help. Silica gel packets often contain chemicals that can cause health issues if ingested by humans or animals. Which of these factors would most effectively motivate you to recycle old clothes and electronics? Giving me money back Letting me trade for new stuff Making it as easy as possible Keeping my stuff out of landfills Click your choice to see results and speak your mind. By repurposing them, you can keep your belongings dry without spending any money, and you're also taking a step to reduce waste. They can be used to dry out electronics that have been exposed to water, you can add them to your gym bag to keep it smelling fresh, or they can be put in a toolbox to absorb moisture. What everyone's saying In addition to creating a forum for environmentally conscious TikTokers to share their own hacks for repurposing silica gel packets, the video inspired appreciation from those who now have the opportunity to do better. "Omg, thank you. Talk about upcycle," one said. "Who knew?" another wrote. Someone else simply stated, "Thank you!" Join our free newsletter for easy tips to save more and waste less, and don't miss this cool list of easy ways to help yourself while helping the planet. Solve the daily Crossword
Newsweek
21 hours ago
- Newsweek
Dog Nearly Lost Hope Waiting 1,459 Days in Shelter, Then a Miracle Happened
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. A greyhound that became an animal rescue's longest resident began losing hope, but his luck turned around when the perfect person came along and offered him a chance. Olympus lived at Greyhound Rescue in Australia for 1,459 days, waiting day in and day out for a happy ending. While the staff know him as a great dog, Kate Button, president of Greyhound Rescue, and manager Kirstie, told Newsweek that Olympus was misunderstood. "He has very big feelings and doesn't know how to regulate himself in those moments," Kirstie said. This greyhound loves having fabric in his mouth, such as a blanket, they said. He'll rip his blanket apart when extremely excited. And without access to fabric, he'll turn to clothing, jumping and grabbing at it. He did not know how to "regulate his emotions." Photos of Olympus, a greyhound who lived at a rescue shelter for four years, waiting for his forever family to come forward. Photos of Olympus, a greyhound who lived at a rescue shelter for four years, waiting for his forever family to come forward. Courtesy of Greyhound Rescue People became interested in Olympus over his four years there, but the rescue organization found other dogs they thought would be a better fit. They wanted to help Olympus and ensure his forever family understood his ticks. And thanks to a grant dedicated to rehabilitation, the staff began working with Olympus and monitoring his behavior more closely. They focused on giving him other options to regulate his emotions. "We aimed at letting him have big feelings, have big playtime, but learn how to bring himself down to a good level," they said. In less than a year of working with him, they noticed a night-and-day difference. Kirstie said he's incredibly clever and motivated by food. He "kicked goals" in everything they taught him. This led him to have a more likely chance of being adopted. A bright spot in his story finally came earlier this month when a person arrived at the rescue, asking to adopt the longest-term resident. After several meet-and-greets with Olympus and understanding his behavior, they decided to bring him home. The adopters currently have Olympus on a trial basis. They've been sharing daily updates in a private support page filled with adopters, staff members and volunteers, giving the rescue organization hope he's in his forever home. He's been snuggling on the couch with his humans, turning to the other dog in the house for cues on how to react. They noted he's been much calmer out of the shelter environment. And while the trial isn't over yet, Greyhound Rescue is hopeful this is his forever family. The rescue organization shared the exciting news in an August 2 TikTok video posted to the account @greyhoundrescue, which reached over 183,700 views and 25,000 likes as of Wednesday. In the clip, Kirstie asked staff and volunteers to gather around and celebrate the bittersweet goodbye. Olympus trotted off in the video, with a smile on his face, as he knew his time had finally arrived. "Well done. There is a home somewhere for every rescue dog and this proves it," wrote one viewer. "Omg the years, why so long my boy? Thank God for a happy ending and a happy home," another commenter said. "Oh bless him, waited 4 years to find his home," a third person commented. Do you have funny and adorable videos or pictures of your pet you want to share? Send them to life@ with some details about your best friend, and they could appear in our Pet of the Week lineup.
