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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

To bring a snack to school pickup?

101 replies

cadburyegg · 12/09/2019 21:45

DS1 started reception yesterday, he’s sensitive and emotional so we’ve had tears on drop off both days, so yesterday I brought some sausage rolls at pickup time because I thought he would be hungry. Yesterday he was teary at pickup and first thing he said was that he was starving and after he’d eaten he was chirpier. Well my mum came with me today and was a bit about me bringing him a snack, started talking about childhood obesity etc. For reference DS1 is very active, 30th centile and we walk/DS1 rides his bike home which takes about 20 minutes, he still eats a good amount of dinner! So AIBU to bring snacks?! Suddenly I’m doubting myself!

OP posts:

user1573354 · 12/09/2019 22:29

I've seen some snarky comments about this loads of times on here. If I don't bring a snack for my 6 year old it is torture all the way home and we walk. I bring fruit though. Better to give my kid a piece of fruit and walk a mile than be snobby about it and drive.

EmmiJay · 12/09/2019 22:30

My DD is a machine. If I don't bring a snack she'll flip the bus over. Its between crisps eyeroll, juice, a pretzel or cream crackers and occasionally a sausage roll from Percy Ingle too

mamaoffourdc · 12/09/2019 22:30

My 13 year old still asks for a snack on the way home from school!

ellzebellze · 12/09/2019 22:41

Give him a banana. Works a treat.

justasking111 · 12/09/2019 22:43

Mine never drank enough so got headaches. Even at secondary level I always had a bottle of water in the car and something to eat.

PickAChew · 12/09/2019 22:46

I used to take some oatcakes for mine, at that age. Particularly when he was on school lunches as they were tiny and he only ate half of it. They got us home with as little pain as possible!

youngestisapsycho · 12/09/2019 22:49

My DDs had a bag of crisps everyday after school for the whole of primary...

pikapikachu · 12/09/2019 22:54

My children are teens and the first thing that they do when they get home is eat.

Totally normal to be hungry/thirsty after school. I remember that feeling myself.

MonChatEstMagnifique · 12/09/2019 22:55

If it helps, just do it. Don't most kids have a snack after school once they're home anyway? So it's not really any different.

howyoulikemenow · 12/09/2019 22:55

Nah, they get a small portion for lunch and that's if they even like it enough to eat it all. Naturally they'll be hungry when they come out and it's a good way to bribe them to walk to the car for me.

Sounds like said person is just one of 'those' people.

RosesAndRaindrops · 12/09/2019 22:56

I never understood this at primary school (both mine now in secondary.)
Parents with big bags of sweets or chocolate bars every day to greet them at the door with - I mean, most of them lived a 5 minute walk away
Can they really not last out the 10 minute walk home without a grab bag sized licquorice laces or whatever? Daily?
I get they're hungry after a long day at school, but when we got back I'd make a snack of toast, bagel/cheese/flapjacks whatever which would put them on until tea (Usually 5 or 6pm)
Don't get the need for all the crap at the school door myself!

howyoulikemenow · 12/09/2019 22:57

Rethink the snack? It's a fucking sausage roll. God, people are mental.

Gracie300 · 12/09/2019 22:57

I do every day. Fruit and a choc chip brioche thing. There’s nothing of my 4yo, I’d say go for it!

justasking111 · 12/09/2019 22:59

I used to be in the car and think damn need water and snack, dash back into the house to grab something, probably a sausage roll at times although the crumbs are grim.

TheBabyAteMyBrain · 12/09/2019 23:04

When I nannied I used to take ice poles in a freezer bag in summer, general snacks all seasons, and always a treat on a Friday. They looked forward to their snacks and it definitely helped motivate them to plod up the big ass hill on the way home.

When my ds' start school I'll most likely do the same with them. I've actually found it helps calm the after school crazy/crank and usually helped open communication so I was able to get more than one syllable answers about their day 😅

'how was your day?'
'good'

scrivette · 12/09/2019 23:05

Pretty much all the children have a snack at pick up time at our school.

RubbishRobotFromTheDawnOfTime · 12/09/2019 23:06

Of course it's not unreasonable to give your child food if he's hungry. Mine always ask for something as soon as they come out of school. I have brioche type things, fruit and chocolate raisins in my bag usually, plus a drink. So do most other parents in the playground. The children hardly eat anything at lunch, which is least three hours earlier.

SadOtter · 12/09/2019 23:16

Both my kids have always had a snack after school because they are hungry and grumpy by then. I work in a school and I always pack a little snack for me to have while walking home too, because i'm usually hungry and grumpy by then too. They are 10 and 15 and both quite skinny (I'm not remotely skinny but im 99% sure that's not due to snacks after school).

DD and I generally have a bit of fruit. DS buys his own snack, usually crisps.

goldfinchfan · 12/09/2019 23:22

My daughter always needed a snack after school and she did not get fat.
She was active and we ate fresh cooked food not junk so I think your DS needs the snack cos he has used a lot of energy at school.
Lt him have the snack and anone who says difference can just shut up.

paintedfences · 12/09/2019 23:26

@howyoulikemenow well yeah, a commercially made sausage roll is shite food. obviously. I'll admit to being PFB but whyyyy?! Something with some vitamins, or fibre, omega fats perhaps?

morrisseysquif · 12/09/2019 23:45

I bring my kids breadsticks or crackers, just a couple to keep them going. They often don't eat the school dinner, too keen to get out and play.

DrCoconut · 12/09/2019 23:59

I appear to be in a huge minority in that it has never occurred to me to take snacks to school pick ups. I honestly never remember snacks being a thing in my own childhood, you got meals and that was it. My kids come home (or to childminder on work days) and have their tea. That said, I am also a minority in that my kids eat to survive only, they would live on fresh air if they could get away with it apart from the odd day when they catch up a bit. DS2 would consider a sausage roll to be a complete meal and wouldn't want anything else after. This is not about competitive under eating because I'd love to be able to take them out for a meal and have them eat more than 2 forks worth before declaring that they are full.

Wayfair2020 · 13/09/2019 00:21

I always take a snack for the kids to eat in the car after school. It stops then whinging until we get home and prevents me having murderous thoughts

ChangeItChild · 13/09/2019 00:23

I think bringing a snack is a sensible idea, kids are usually so hungry at the end if a school day. Although it's tempting to provide a high calorie, convenient snack I'd try to make it a healthier option.

Piece of fruit or breadsticks or some cheese or nuts and some water.

1FineDane · 13/09/2019 00:30

M&S do a tub of mini sausage rolls. They're absolutely gorgeous and I think about 50 calories each. 2 of those little fuckers would be less than a bag of crisps and would tide him over until dinner.
They're £2 for the tub and there are about 20 little blighters in the tub.
A fatty greasy sausage roll maybe not so much lol.

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