To think this is a sign of the times we live in.....

[MidWeekSlump]

My daughter today was telling us about her new high school... lots of stories. Then we got to lunch, her friend gets free dinners, when they went to get dinner (which cost my daughter £2), her friend complained as she had to pay 20p extra to add to her lunch as hers is free.

She said her friend started arguing with the dinner ladies about her free dinner and being a single parent family, then went on to say she shouldn't have to pay for the drink.

My daughter said she thought her friend was being silly as it was a lovely meal for only 20p a day if she wants extras....

Am I wrong for feeling sad that my daughters friend at 11 is already pulling the whole "I'm entitled to it" attitude out of the bag????

Some local authorities subsidise school meals

The FSM at my DDs primary include a drink, I've just checked this.

The poor girl didn't know, her mother may not have known. Funny how half of mumsnet seems to think she is a brat just because she is from a family on benefits. Personally, I think the dinner lady was a jobsworth who could have given her a drink and then warned her she would have to pay for her own in future - especially if it was as hot as it is here.

The bigotry on this thread is disgusting.

At my school you had to eat packed lunch at separate tables to those having school dinners.

Don't know what that policy was supposed to achieve but Separate Development was very popular in South Africa in the '70s and the school could have been showing a bit of solidarity.

The teachers ignored it (they would, wouldn't they? Lefty bastards, teachers.) but some of the dinner ladies were very keen on enforcing it.

It meant my friend, who was one of the only vegetarians at my school in the '70s, had to eat her cheese sandwiches alone. Serves her right. Her weirdo parents marched for Steve Biko too.

Just saying that not all dinner ladies are the kindly apple-cheeked people many on this thread fondly imagine. Some of them are the ham-armed enforcers of an evil regime. Some are just bullies who take a dislike to certain children.

Obviously this particular dinner lady could have been dying to help but couldn't. BEcause, like I said, we don't know that because we weren't there and neither was the OP.

Thing is though the OP so over eggs the situation that of course the bigots round here are practically orgasmic.

Oh and Income Support? Considering everything is deducted from it it's not the fortune that FloJo or whatever its name says it is.

Sorry missed a bit - the OP over eggs the situation to the extent that I do not believe it really happened.

Maybe she didn't have 20p.
And I think it's fine that she stood up for what she thought was right.
It may be a sign of the times that you begrudge a child a free school dinner actually.

oh god 11 pages maybe the kid didn.t realise you only get a certain amount each day for her dinner perhaps it wasn't explained to her, and she is only 11

What exactly is deducted from income support?
Maybe that's why I found it a fortune! No one deducted anything from me!

Point is, don't assume FSM = poor family.

Oh that and the sooner the government gets off its arse and replaces the current system with a much fairer one the better!

Well I know carers allowance is, child benefit used to be I'm not 100% on whether it is or not now....

Income support is to top up the difference between what you actually have coming in and what the minimum amount you are expected to live on is.

So as I get £55 carers allowance and the amount you're expected to live on is more than £55 I get an IS top up.

So no, not rolling in it.

Oh, and I won't elaborate further. I am going to go back to practise my new policy of not engaging with twats.

The 'times we live in' eh? I'm sure Scandinavia live in these times too and they provide school meals to all children. I'm in agreement that some of the attitudes in here STINK. I feel bad for this wee girl.

oh sorry, did I say that out loud?

bwhahaaaaaaaaaaa

Blimey there are some absolute twats on here.

It's ok Hully, I don't think anyone heard.

Have a nice .

20p, please.

Ha, LOL at loads of you lot grudging a wee lassie a treat.

Yanbu, its rude for a child to argue with school staff and if she wants extras over a basic meal then payment should be made just like other children have too. If the mum cant afford then she cant afford, no different to lots of parents saying no to things.

Many working parents cant afford school dinners as they are often worse off than parents on benefits. People should be grateful for the free meal, not moan about entitlements. A child spouting their rights re benefits doesnt bode well for the future as they will have an attitude everyone else should pay.

What was that Hullygully?

Personally, I think the dinner lady was a jobsworth who could have given her a drink

really? most are private companies now, why should the dinner lady risk being sacked for theft?

her friend started arguing with the dinner ladies about her free dinner

I hoped she was disciplined?

When my DS had school meals - £2 got him meal and desert. Drink was water, bring your own or pay for one.

FSM are the same basic meal option children get for free. Anything extra paid for is for everyone.

This thread might be really hurting Mrs Bumble's feelings now. I wonder whether she'll come back to drip feed about the family finances of Olivia Swirl.

I've heard that Sir Philip Green's kids were on free school meals. So not everyone who gets them is poor. FACT.