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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

School chores?

134 replies

LyricalBoudicca · 13/10/2021 17:08

At my daughter's school the y6 children have various jobs allocated to them on a rota. One of the jobs involves scraping all of the half-finished lunch plates of all the younger children into the bin. She is now looking for excuses not to go in on the day on which this job is allocated as it makes her feel sick. Pondering on this and assessing if she was being 'precious' I seem to remember picking up litter/tidying up the library as jobs I used to at primary school do but nothing as yukky as what her class is being made to do. Apparently, she is not the only child disgusted by this but she wouldn't want to be the only one to complain. Part of me thinks a few chores is a good training for life but there are yuk limits at that age. Is this fairly standard in schools or is her school asking a bit too much?

OP posts:
Mybalconyiscracking · 13/10/2021 17:11

I would not accept this as a task for my child. They can pay someone to do that.
Our yr 6’s used to water plants and empty and rinse water bottles.

Hellocatshome · 13/10/2021 17:11

There isnt anything yucky about it really and if she is finding it a bit yuck then now is the time to learn not all jobs are pleasant and to just get on with it. What will she do when she has to clean a toilet etc when she has a house of her own? As long as its on a rota and everyone has to do it I wouldn't have a problem with it.

Bonusjonas · 13/10/2021 17:12

Other children’s food is not appropriate.

Blahdyblahbla · 13/10/2021 17:12

That's pretty gross, the bin must be revolting. Each child should scrape their own plate. I absolutely wouldn't make my dc do that if they didn't want to. Although I'd be happy for them to do less vomit inducing chores.

nosyupnorth · 13/10/2021 17:12

If she can eat the food for lunch (or its reasonable to serve to the other children) then I don't see how putting it into a bin could be particularly gross.

Unless there's some ongoing problem of younger children chewing their food then spitting it back onto the plates or other extra factor adding grossness, or she has serious issues with food in general that would impact doing this, then I think you and her are being a bit precious

Hellocatshome · 13/10/2021 17:13

Other children’s food is not appropriate why? They don't have to touch it.

lazylinguist · 13/10/2021 17:14

Precious imo. Scraping food remains into the bin is a perfectly normal household task and a y6 child shouldn't feel they are above doing it.

StandWithYou · 13/10/2021 17:14

My eldest had this and also hated it. My younger two managed to avoid it due to COVID. I was in two minds about it - yes some chores are ok but when they scraped plates they missed most of their lunchtime on that day. I wouldn’t like to do it either.

Rocketpants50 · 13/10/2021 17:14

Yes I remember litter picking to, we didnt have any of those fancy litter picker things either. Not nice.
Plate scraping, why can't the younger ones do it themselves, surely that's how they will learn how to do it. Maybe a y6 could monitor to encourage and guide them instead - worth suggesting? All children do it themselves at my DC's school. I think there are a few broken plates!

AosSi · 13/10/2021 17:16

She's being precious. It's a pretty basic job, none of us should feel above doing basic jobs.

StandWithYou · 13/10/2021 17:17

It’s not like doing it at home - it’s a large open top bin and it’s grim.

SirenSays · 13/10/2021 17:19

I don't see the big deal tbh. When my friend was teaching in Japan the children helped to clean everything, including the bathrooms.

minipie · 13/10/2021 17:20

I think that’s grim and not ok to ask children to do that. The younger children may well have smeared ketchup/gravy/sauce round the rim of the plate or on the cutlery, meaning it’s going to go on the scraper’s hands.

Why can’t they each scrape their own plate?

Flickeringgreenlight · 13/10/2021 17:20

I find it bizarre that the children are not expected to clear their own plates. YANBU

Anonymous48 · 13/10/2021 17:21

On the face of it it doesn't seem like an unreasonable chore for a child that age. It would seem to make more sense for each child to do their own though, surely?

On another point, if they're scraping leftovers into the bin, does that mean they use real plates rather than disposable ones?

DeepaBeesKit · 13/10/2021 17:22

If it's ok for someone else to do it, why isn't it ok for your DC to do it?

It's a job that needs doing. At that age they do have to learn that there are jobs that are a bit " yucky" that need doing.

Can you give her some rubber gloves to take in to wear?

Anonymous48 · 13/10/2021 17:22

@minipie

I think that’s grim and not ok to ask children to do that. The younger children may well have smeared ketchup/gravy/sauce round the rim of the plate or on the cutlery, meaning it’s going to go on the scraper’s hands.

Why can’t they each scrape their own plate?

I agree that they should each do their own plates, but I would also assume that they are provided with gloves if they are asked to do other peoples. If not, that really is disgusting.
Hellocatshome · 13/10/2021 17:22

does that mean they use real plates rather than disposable ones?

I've been in a lot of schools and never known any to use disposable plates, is that a thing?

DeepaBeesKit · 13/10/2021 17:22

The younger children may well have smeared ketchup/gravy/sauce round the rim of the plate or on the cutlery, meaning it’s going to go on the scraper’s hands

But it's just food waste - they can wash their hands. Or wear rubber gloves.

NotYourCupOfTea · 13/10/2021 17:23

Gross I wouldn’t want my child doing it if it makes them uncomfortable

Anonymous48 · 13/10/2021 17:24

@Hellocatshome

does that mean they use real plates rather than disposable ones?

I've been in a lot of schools and never known any to use disposable plates, is that a thing?

Yeah, my kids never used real plates at school.
Cocomarine · 13/10/2021 17:24

Precious - and that goes for the adults here saying it’s disgusting.

I understand a debate should any chores be set (my experience is that Y6 love the responsibility! There was uproar when some teacher suggest Y5 take them on after SATs as a treat! Uppity Y5s stealing our jobs and thinking they were as good as Y6 now? I think not! 🤣)

But if you accept that chores are appropriate and positive - no reason not to include plate scraping.

At my kids’ primary that would have been part of being a table monitor helping little ones at lunchtime and much coveted!

minipie · 13/10/2021 17:25

I hadn’t thought about gloves Anonymous. With gloves it would be less disgusting, although still think they should do their own plates!

GinIronic · 13/10/2021 17:28

If my DC were still at school - it would be a firm no from me. Kitchen duties are not part of the curriculum. It’s not up to children to fill the kitchen/cleaning vacancies.

DeepaBeesKit · 13/10/2021 17:29

Why are cleaning jobs "disgusting"?

These are normal parts of every day life. Thousands of cleaners and service workers and parents and waitresses clear up and clean up waste food every day. You do the job then you wash your hands and they are clean again. This is normal life.

I'm now realising all you lot are probably the tossers who dont pitch in washing the tea mugs at the office and dont tidy their own food trays into the bin in fast food restaurants "because its disgusting" but ok for someone else to do it as long as it's not you.