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?

The morning snack is fruit. That's not filling. A far too small lunch.

Why would he say he was hungry if he wasn't? My DC wouldn't. And he ate what DS2 gave him, which he wouldn't have been able to if he hadn't been hungry.

I can tell DS2 not to share with him anymore, but I'm not there, so he could still do it.

I'll just talk to the teacher next week.

I teach children of that age. Some of them are very good at turning on the waterworks when things aren’t going their way (eg if a friend has a snack and they don’t!).

On football club day, which is also PE day, only one child has a snack - because he is diabetic.

I know you’re saying school stipulate they should take something, but really they don’t need it. If that’s the mum’s choice then so be it.

He will say he’s hungry if he isn’t if he knows your dc will share his snack!! Kids do! Also, it’s perfectly possible to eat a small snack when you aren’t hungry.

Snack snack snack

When did this constant eating start?

I’m sure this kid isn’t going to expire from malnutrition

Kids very often mistake hunger for boredom or thirst or say they are hungry just because everyone ekse is eating.

The meals aren't too small they are measured out to be what kids that age should be eating.

Most parents over feed their children . That's a fact. Many wouldn't know am appropriate portion if they fell over it. Hence why so many kids are over weight and every time they have to put one foot in front of the other for more than 5 mins they are deemed as needing a snack.

The club finishes at 4. Half an hour after changing and finishing eating. The dramatics at him having to wait til he gets home are ridiculous.

I can tell DS2 not to share with him anymore
Why would you do that?

I hate this whole snack culture with school children. Our girl never snacks at home. She never ate snack when she was at nursery. But at after school club, they do this whole snack thing and it's a big social thing and she'll eat a snack, with second helpings if it's a treat type snack and then come home and not eat her dinner. We don't want her to miss out on the social stuff so we haven't banned her from it but it's a constant source of fights with us!

You are only getting half a story. The kid may well be "crying" because I'm guessing a whole lot of the kids are tucking in to crisps and biscuits and he wants some.

It's none of your business and if your kid wants all his snack, tell him to say no. You might well be faced with an angry parent who is trying to deal with some food issues with their kid and your kid is making that hard for them.

if your child comes out of school and says they are hungry?

She's offered fruit. If she eats it she was hungry. But that happens rarely. She mostly will say she's hungry in the hope of getting a sweet.

But the whole general attitude on posts like this and many others.

There's one going right now where everyone is imploring the OP to call SS.

What happens here is people will remind those intent on interfering that a
different parenting style is none of their business. I have never seen a single post where a child was actually at risk where the prevailing opinion was "don't get involved"

You keep saying the lunch is too small. What does it consist of?

Do you know that the kid gets given dinner at home?

Tiger constant eating? 2 snacks a day, one of which is fruit?

Giles that's bollocks. They're given the same size portion in nursery as in yr6. Yr5 and 6 can have seconds if there are any left. I went for a Mothers' Day lunch once, we were given the same as the children. 1 serving spoonful of each thing.

Yabbers there are no crisps and biscuits because school bans them, quite rightly.

They don't change Giles, they play in uniform.

Well, exactly Herestoyou.

The lunch portions won't be too small. It's our warped view of what portion size should be that's changed. Kind of like vanity sizing in reverse. School meal planning, menus, ingredients and portions are a scientific and almost PhD level operation, seriously. When I once went along as deputy, with the head, to speak to the Scary Canteen Manager she blinded us with sizes, carbs, calories etc for an hour.
Dd is 15 now, but I realised, as others have said, she'd say "I'm hungry, what is there?" And I'd say " get some fruit out" "it's ok, I'll wait, I don't feel like fruit"

Pretty sure the child will be fine without a snack. I never gave my kids regular snacks between meals and they have turned out just fine. Same with myself!

It sounds like my DS rugby cubs. All the mothers running around trying to feed there DC before it starts and when they are having a water break. Have no idea why a DC needs to eat during an activity. I had a DM trying to offer my DS something and I asked her not to. My DS had a good breakfast and would be getting his lunch after the activity. My DS asked me for a snack as he saw others having some and I said he would have something after he had finished. You have said that in the club letter it says to have a healthy snack before the club starts so how would you have any idea that this DC hasn’t had something already....

Book I don't have a warped view of what portion size should be. You can't tell me that a 3.5yo and an 11yo need the same amount. The portions were too large in nursery and reception, about right in yrs1 and 2, now they're getting too small. I don't give both my younger DC the same portion. Why would I?

DD 11 would get herself a snack if she wanted one, she doesn't usually. At home, I only give DS2 a snack if he asks for one. He's just asked for one now, he had breakfast at 7. We don't have lunch until after 12, so I'm happy to give him something. If he didn't have ADHD, he probably wouldn't need as much fuel. Also, he doesn't eat a massive amount at mealtimes. Little and often seems to work for him.

Rogueone because it's at school, straight after school. They only have an opportunity to eat at 3.15, before club starts. They're lined up outside waiting for the PE teacher to collect them. He never has a snack with him.

Honestly you are making too much of this. No child needs a snack st 3.15pm.

Omg you are still way too dramatic over this 45 mins.

Unless the kids are keeling over in class then lunch is enough.

We over feed our kids that is a fact.

PhilomenaButterfly ah now I understand.... My DC used to stay for an hour long activity two days a week. I never gave them anything and they would moan that other DC had snacks.... I am not sure if they were actually hungry or were just annoyed that they didn’t have a snack like there friends! I sound like the DM you have posted about 😂

Alexander DS2 really does. Especially before sport. His behaviour really deteriorates if he doesn't have one.

I don't overfeed my kids Giles.

Rogue if DS2 wasn't hungry he wouldn't eat his snack and then his dinner at 5. DD doesn't have a snack but will have a bigger portion of dinner. She may have a bedtime snack if dinner was early to get DS2 into bed earlier.

On non club days I also take a bread roll with me, because if DS2 eats any later than 3.15 he doesn't eat his dinner and then wakes up hungry at around 10.

I used to give him a snack when we got in, but that doesn't work for him. At weekends dinner's later, so a snack at 4's fine.

I didn't say you personally over feed your ds. I said that we over feed our children.

To the point that what several years ago would have been seen as a lunch. Roll cheese string and a carrot sticks for example. Is now seen as a snack and must be handed over at the school gates 2 hours after lunch finished.

We as kids roamed for goes after school and at weekend. And only came back for tea.

Now they do 45 mins after school having and we worry they won't make it til tea

Prime example on this thread. A carefully measured out portion of food now apparently leaves them so hungry they cry 2 hours later.

Bad habits. See.

And I was always hungry Giles. I stole biscuits from the house because I wasn't allowed a healthy snack.

It's a tiny portion of food for an active 7yo.

It's the same portion for 3.5yo and 11yo. Don't we incrementally increase portions as they get older?