Child never given a snack

[PhilomenaButterfly]

DS2 goes to basketball club after school. The letter for clubs clearly states that children should bring a healthy snack to eat beforehand. DS2 has heard this boy ask his mum for a snack and she says he doesn't need one. Twice now he's been crying because he was hungry and DS2 has given him half his snack. I don't want to give DS2 extra because I can't afford to feed an extra child every week.

Should I mention it to the mum or the school?

Is he crying with actual hunger or because everyone has a snack but him I wonder.
I would mention it to the teacher and just make them aware.
My children are hungry after school and have a snack, especially if the school lunch wasn't very filling that day or they didn't like it.

Oh my God, mind your own business!

Tea for mine was 5pm so I wouldn’t have given a snack for a club that ended at 4pm.

If he is from a no snacking family who eat big meals and is used to never snacking then he shouldn't be so hungry he cries. I would mention it to the club supervisor and say you don't want your DS to share his snack but want to check the boy is ok.

He probably cries because he sees the other kids with something he hasn’t got rather than he’s actually hungry.

Carrots must be the cheapest food on the planet, you really can't afford to cut up an extra carrot once a week for your ds to share .

If he's upset because the others have a snack and he doesn't then I also think that is a bit unfair on him and his parent should allow him a snack even if he doesn't usually have one.

I've never given DS a snack for an after school club. Not even if he's had an after school football match and won't be home until after 5. He has a drink but that's all

Honestly, you can’t toss in a second Apple or some extra carrots sticks?

No wonder we're breeding the most obese nation on the planet. A 45 minute club (which let's face it, once you've gathered a horde of 7-8 yr olds together is going to be more like half an hour) in the middle of the afternoon doesn't need an obligatory snack. I bet the child is crying because all the others are laying into the buns and he feels left out (fair enough but still no grounds for people to start buying extra food for him)
If you "report" this OP, you're effectively citing neglect and the school has a duty to log it. Is that what you want?
Over a kid whinging he hasn't got a bag of crisps?

A few carrot sticks are hardly solid fuel for a session of sport. It is more that he has nothing to occupy him. Speak to the person in charge, they can feed back to other staff if needs be.

The nation is not obese because children have a healthy snack before an active afterschool activity. You seem to have difficulty with comprehension - it's not crisps. Pointing out the absent snack is not reporting neglect. So much hyperbole.

If it finishes at 4 I’m sure he is having his dinner when he gets home. I would imagine he’s had his lunch and then will have dinner, it’s hardly child abuse. Although I can understand in our snacking culture how it would be seen as such nowadays. He’s probably crying because he wants a snack as everyone else does not because he’s ravenous.

It seems a little unfair to make him the odd one out but on the other hand if you don’t at times your kids could be eating around the clock some days.

If they are 7/8 they already have free fruit in morning break.

So breakfast, fruit, lunch including a pudding, and home for dinner.

How much more food do they need?

Personally I'd just pack an extra banana for the other child. Whether he needs the food or not. It's simple kindness.

And by the way your DS is lovely for sharing his snack with his upset friend.

A school lunch can be pretty small (and also may be so unpalatable that the kid doesn't actually eat it all). Then the kid is definitely hungry 2 or 3 hours afterwards, and needs a snack, especially if they're going to be doing a sport.

The club specifically recommends a snack and I would be prodding the club organiser to remind the kid's parents about this.

The club finishes at 4, not 11 at night!
I am safeguarding lead and if the OP mentions this to the basketball coach they will probably mention it to the school who will be bound to log it. Yes, because of children like Daniel Pelka. When the reality is probably that Junior has his tea about 5 and is a picky eater and his mother doesn't want to encourage snacking.

IMO the school should not be telling parents that children are to be provided with a snack for a short after school club. It’s entirely up to individual families what their after school snack policy is and I don’t think the school should suggesting otherwise. Ours doesn’t.

Bloody hell calm down. It ends at 4pm

How long has it been going on? I'm just wondering if friend is on a growth spurt right now?

I am reminded of a school friend of my own back in the 80s who even to this day is a drain pipe. They weren't badly off at all (neighbours of ours) but his mom was rabid about dieting and health (well before it was a thing iyswim). I remember kids taking the p out of him for carrot sticks and hummus. I recall my own mom being appalled that the other mom served a salad (veg only) with half a can of corned beef for 5 adults and my friend. One of those adults had been out all day as a postman (back when they didn't have vans!). I'm just wondering if perhaps your son's friend is in a similar family. I know I bought my friend stuff like burgers from the burger bar at school (wasn't it a different time?!) because it was horrible to have someone as an odd one out for the sake of 50p or so. I also know I would've ignored my parents if they told me to stop.

I am worried that this boy's needs aren't being met at home.

If that’s all you have to go on, and he seems otherwise fine, that’s a bit of a leap

Basketball club I presume will end just as school breaks up for Christmas. Then it's onto new clubs in January, which may solve your current problem.

I'd talk to the school about stopping the 'bring a snack' policy. The school needs to have a word with the club providers. Bringing snacks muddies the waters and besides, you can always give your child a snack en route home after clubs.

Mention it to the club leader. It’s not fair on the kid if everyone has a snack except him.

And no kid ever got obese from carrot sticks or fruit.

They get obese though when even clubs meant to get children moving end up losing chunks of time they could he exercising faffing about with food/snacks.

jesus christ almighty

It's a 45 minutes club

He's not going to fucking die because he is made to wait for his dinner.