Originally posted by pals:
Tim- I am surprised by this. Not quite sure why but when I first read it I was wondering if you were serious.

Nothing like these items has gone out. I'm just checking some assumptions. I've got a decent gut, but I trust the instinct of masses, too. Easier to trust one's gut if/when the masses agree. Good feedback so far. Love to hear more (pro or con).

Tim

I have to take the opposite side and say
maybe
maybe
yes
no.

However, I would make sure that parents are told when they get the bag that there is a med sample inside, so please be careful not to let kids have it or leave it hanging around. As far as the ADHD coupon goes, that is just a personal preference. I know that some kids/adults are helped by this medicine, but I feel like sometimes it is pushed and it is given out when people just don't know how to deal w/their kids. That is just myo, nothing against anyone who uses it or has kids that use it. I have some concern, also, that ANY sort of pharmecutical sample/coupon could be construed as an endorsement by the group.

pals nailed exactly what I was feeling. "Is Tim serious? He's Tim so he has to be serious but, really? goodie bags with meds?"

I think that is why I made the connection with the McDonalds bag from 10 years ago. There's implicit trust that's developed over time. I trusted McDonalds to hand over a kid-friendly bag. I trust Tim to ask for input on serious issues. I trust the school (teacher, parent group, etc) to maintain a certain level of safety. In my opinion, it's not worth risking that trust for advertising money.

I agree with Crazy4my2 and CrewChief--I would be a NO on the meds being included in the goody bags.
As a mom of 4 kids--whom if given a goody bag one or two of them will have it opened before I get to it--let me tell you they are quick LOL!! and I wouldn't want them to get into meds.

Tim- I am surprised by this. Not quite sure why but when I first read it I was wondering if you were serious.
I understand that parents like free samples and what is trying to be accomplished YET I worry about a couple of things.

1-I would worry that someone may leave theirs laying on the table and a child get hold of it, which after events you always find things laying around.

2-In our district it is against policy for a child to receive any medication without a letter from a doctor, if a child needs any type of medication even over the counter and they don't have that approval the parent must come in to give it to them. I don't think that our district would even approve of us handing out bags with any type of medication in it-it seems that it could be a liability type issue. Maybe not?

Maybe I have been running my group too long and often see the "other" side of things, usually because of a incident that has happened! Good luck with your search!

Ditto.

Love goodie/sample bags. Just not with meds. I got a sample bag from McDonald's once when I ordered a happy meal for my three year old. I was surprised to find a tylenol sample in it and my initial thought was, "Thank God I found that before the shorty did." Especially since I was this close to handing it over, thinking it might just be full of coupons and something fun for him to do in his car seat.

I don't even mind the piles of coupons and fliers that usually come in them because I understand that it's a marketing tool. But I would pause at a coupon for ADHD medicine. Many parents are already starting to think that it's a highly over-diagnosed condition thanks, in large part, to some overzealous teachers.