To make DD buy her own lunches?

My dc are 12 and 15 and I will only pay for one lunch a week. The rest they have to take from home or they will sometimes buy from their pocket money. Definitely not unreasonable when she has a job. There’s no way I could afford 25 pw on lunches

I paid / pay for lunches whilst in education. Sixth form she has a parent pay account but when at uni will be contributing towards food. A fiver a day doesn’t go that far these days I guess, but think she should pay if more that. But personally, I wouldn’t say she should be paying for all of it herself but your call.

It’s not completely unreasonable as she can take lunch from home so doesn’t have to spend her own money, but personally I see it as our responsibility to give our kids money for lunch at college. Most kids seem to buy something rather than take lunch from home.

In your position I would keep giving her the £25 for lunch and she can add to it from her own money if she wants to.

Depending on what she is doing at college, I’d keep an eye on how many hours she is doing at work, and that in her desire for cash, she isn’t doing too many and letting her study and grades slip.

@Thailandherewecome your daughter has a point. I was getting £5 a day for lunch in 6th form in 2001. She’s still in school ofcourse you should be covering it.

Nope, she can pack her lunch, or pay herself.

I agree with this.

I would still offer the fiver a day for lunch but she can top up from her wages if she wants more. A fiver is more than a meal deal or most college canteen lunches so more than generous. (That’s if she even goes 5 times a week)

Agree that train fare is for you to pay.

No, you’re not being mean at all. I think it’s very nice of you to give her the £25 as it is when she could just make a packed lunch. Maybe point out how many hours she’ll need to work to be able to afford the lunches she’s asking you to pay for, just to get her thinking about the value of money.

Yanbu that’s a good hands on life lesson about spending priorities and the ability to save if she wanted by putting the effort into making lunch

I'm a single mum on a low income and in college my DC also all had more disposable income than me - so I empathise.

I personally still paid for their lunches. In my mind until they finish FE I'm responsible for providing three meals a day.

Having said that, no way would I give £5 per day for lunch. I dont spend £5 per day for my own lunch. I always had food in for them to make a packed lunch (as I do for myself) - 1 DC did, the others never did. The other option was £3 a day which was the same as the cheapest college canteen meal. If they wanted anything more luxurious they had to top it up themselves

No , you are not being mean . She’s earning money and if she doesn’t want to make her lunch everyday that you are supplying then she has the money to buy her own .