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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

Lunchbox Police- Preschool

49 replies

Captaintango · 27/03/2017 16:29

My dd is 3.5yrs and has recently started to stay at preschool for lunch after her morning session.
We bought her a lunchbox with compartments that has a clip to open. Dd needs some help with this, but it keeps her lunch fresh.
Dd's preschool teacher doesn't like the lunchbox. She started a few weeks ago mentioning that other children had items placed into a lunchbag. Then she told dd that it was an adults lunchbox and she needed one like 'child's name'. When I collected dd, the teacher told me she 'nearly broke a nail' opening it. A week later we got a post-it attached to the lunchbox saying that she needed to use a knife to open it and requesting we use a different one.
The lunchbox is suitable for children, sold everywhere and not difficult to open at all.
I will replace it over easter as she has made such a huge thing of it. But AIBU to think she is overreacting and quite controlling over the lunchbox?!

OP posts:

MadMags · 27/03/2017 17:23

Then she can't do it.

She's really not the one being a drama llama...

Falafelings · 27/03/2017 17:24

Can your child open it? Because she should be independently. It maybe better to use another for a year or so, then resort back to the origional.

However it sounds like the playworker is over egging how difficult it is to open.

Falafelings · 27/03/2017 17:26

Don't buy another. Just tell her your DD will open it if playworker can hold the top. Maybe demonstrate to playworker

StewieGMum · 27/03/2017 17:35

If your DD can't open it, then it's not appropriate. Spend Easter holidays having picnics to see if your DD learns how to open it otherwise there are lots of options. Ikea has a green one that is easier than the systema but still may be tricky for a 3 year old.

shatteredstudentmum · 27/03/2017 17:46

I do lunches at work in nursery attached to school. We have 20 children each day and open about half their lunch boxes. And zip lock bags, and yoghurt, biscuits, oranges, smoothie... it's part of the job.

We tie shoe laces too, and pull up trousers, do up zips and buttons.

You shouldn't have to replace it

BeyondThePage · 27/03/2017 17:55

Would get a bag with a zip or velcro, most kids have them for school - characters, flowers, plain, whatever. Gets them good at using zips too.

PatriciaHolm · 27/03/2017 17:57

Yep, that's the one we have! I don't use it anymore because it's a real pain.

Birdsgottaf1y · 27/03/2017 17:59

""The lunchbox is suitable for children, sold everywhere and not difficult to open at all""

I've never had strong hands, so struggle with certain stuff.

Having strong hands/fingers, isn't an essential requirement of being a teacher.

The teacher shouldn't have to struggle to open lunch boxes, or risk cutting herself by using a knife.

DrowningSeas · 27/03/2017 18:01

Yabu

Pre school is about school readiness and becoming self independent. Which involves eating lunch independently..

Also to point out... Childcare workers generally eat their lunch with the children as it promotes conversation

How are they supposed to eat when they're opening lunch boxes?

Buy your dd a zip lunchbag and stop being awkward.

JustSpeakSense · 27/03/2017 18:03

If your DD can't open it herself then it is unsuitable.

Take her with you when you buy a new one and make sure she can open and close it herself.

insancerre · 27/03/2017 18:03

Maybe the worker has a condition that means she finds it difficult to open the box

frieda909 · 27/03/2017 18:11

I really can't see how that lunchbox would be so difficult to open that it breaks nails or requires knives to get into it.

BUT I also can't see why the teacher would make so much fuss if there wasn't really a problem, so I'd have to assume the lunchbox was getting stuck in some way that you haven't experienced yourself. I have had Tupperware with those kind of clips get stuck before when the food inside has been heated... could there be some kind of vacuum forming that's getting it stuck occasionally?

Anyway, I think you have to pick your battles and this seems like a fairly small request to me. So rather than assuming the teacher has some kind of strange, controlling ulterior motive I think I'd just take her word for it that there's a problem and buy a nice lunch bag!

WankersHacksandThieves · 27/03/2017 18:14

I really can't see how that lunchbox would be so difficult to open that it breaks nails or requires knives to get into it.

I've never had to resort to a knife - that sounds ridiculous, but I have broken nails on it. For some reason, sometimes the clip just seems really stiff. There is also an inner clip that separates the 2 sections, that one seems to be fine.

hockityponktas · 27/03/2017 18:15

I work in a nursery and have lots of children with this lunchbox! Never been a problem for any of us

Wondermoomin · 27/03/2017 18:16

YABU. Children are supposed to be developing independence at lunch times ahead of going to school. Why not give your child the chance to manage her lunches by herself without needing adult help? And why not make things a bit more straightforward for the worker who inevitably will have enough to do without opening everyone else's lunch for them? You sound a bit entitled and unreasonable.

Vandree · 27/03/2017 19:33

We have two of those lunch boxes, they are not difficult at all to open. If it was another more difficult one then I would change it but honestly those ones are simple to open. If she is using her nails or knife she has a problem. Is there a fault with it? Can you open it yourself OP? Because I really cant see how she is having such trouble. My ds is three and at playschool, his lunchbox can be a bit stiff. It was never meant to last this long because it was the only one I could find at the end of December and kept meaning to replace it if the playschool teacher complained. Not once has it been mentioned.

My dd1 went to an awful Montessori where the teacher was constantly complaining about something. My dd lasted 2 weeks and I should have taken her out sooner as alarm bells rang. Stupid complaints that my not even 3 year old had difficulty opening a yoghurt (first day of school and supplied by them) and we should work on it at home, dd put her rubbish in the bin before she was actually called up for her turn (second day of school), dd couldn't put her coat on without help. Things I would assume the teacher and staff where there to facilitate while dd learned and became more capable. So glad I moved her.

harderandharder2breathe · 27/03/2017 19:39

Yabu

If she can't open it herself it's not suitable. Keep it to use on trips with you and for when she's a bit older and can manage it on her own.

DonkeyOaty · 27/03/2017 19:52

Those sistema ones are buggers. Yabu.

ThreeLeggedHaggis · 27/03/2017 20:04

Also to point out... Childcare workers generally eat their lunch with the children as it promotes conversation

How are they supposed to eat when they're opening lunch boxes?

Unless they get a 15-second lunch break, I can't see how opening a maximum of three lunch boxes affects their break in any way.

Rosti1981 · 27/03/2017 20:29

Huh?! I have used that lunch box with both my children from age 2ish, DS is currently just turned 3 and has it at his preschool 3 days a week. He can open it himself no problem. It's a perfect box as you can do sandwiches in one part and cut up fruit/veg in another and something else like eggs or yogurt on another. I honestly don't understand how it is a problem! But maybe when they are new they are stiffer or something (ours - we have 3 now - are a few years old).

BeyondThePage · 27/03/2017 20:57

But the OP's child cannot open it themself, so that is "how it is a problem".

The preschool teacher does not like it, finds it difficult to open herself and has actually requested that they use a different one.

The op plans to buy a different one over Easter which seems a good idea to me.

The teacher sounds a bit controlling, but perhaps is exasperated with this particular box, so changing it should make things easier.

DrowningSeas · 27/03/2017 21:28

15 seconds to breathe is unusual in a pre school environment...

1 to 8 ratios...

Noses..nappies.. Hand washing.. Painting.. Snack.. Lunch...

So actually.. 15 seconds to open lunch boxes is an issue.

And.. If there's only 3 over lunch there's probably 1 member of staff sat with them whilst the other is doing nappies or afternoon set up.

hazeyjane · 27/03/2017 21:36

I must admit, I bought one of those lunchboxes and couldn't open the bloody thing! It is quite a faff when supervising kids eating their lunch - making sure one doesn't choke on the entire bread roll they've put in their mouth, chopping up the grapes someone has put in unchopped (despite a million messages home about un chopped grapes), wiping up the frube that has exploded over another's face....having to deal with that lunchbox would probably tip me over the edge tbh!

Lingotria · 28/03/2017 01:12

That box is a nightmare to open. I chucked mine. Others are right - a proper kids lunchbox that your dd can open is the way to go

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