AIBU to be furious at holiday club?

[samidolls]

Background- my son is 7, going into yr3 in September. Holiday club is run by the school, and he has attended each year since starting school. Every year previously holiday club has provided breakfast and a snack tea, but parents have had to provide a packed lunch as they don’t have access to the school kitchen.

Yesterday was the first day of this years summer holiday club (for some reason it didn’t open for the first week of the holidays). There has been a new system put in to book places at holiday club, and part of this was an option to pay an extra £1.50 each day for a hot meal.
We specifically did not pick this option as while DS is not a fussy eater he cannot stand potato, and at least 3 of the meals are potato based.
There was no communication of any other changes at all.

DS comes home last night to tell us he was not allowed to eat his packed lunch at lunch time and had a have a hot dinner- which we have not paid for. The meal was jacket potato with beans, and as he doesn’t like potato all he ate was beans!

The staff told him he should have brought two packed lunches, as he needed a second one for tea time. They then gave him his packed lunch at tea time.

I know he hasn’t gone hungry, and that’s not the source of my angry (though it doesn’t help!) but the complete lack of communication?! We would have packed a second lunch if we had only been told about it.

There has not been a single bit of communication about this, I went back and checked booking docs, posters, terms and conditions- nothing.

I should also add that DS is in before and after school club every day, and the same staff run holiday club, but again nothing was mentioned! They know he eats basically everything but potato, so to withhold his packed lunch just seems absolutely insane to me!

It was not a very successful start to the holidays as we couldn’t even get into the building yesterday as they are having building work done and the entrance was blocked (with a builder as a bouncer who insisted we had been informed- we hadn’t!) and also now holiday club closes at 3pm on Fridays!

There are many frustrations as a working parent but this has tipped me over the edge when it’s all combined! 😬

So the basic issue is that he expected to have a pack lunch and a tea provided, but instead he had lunch provided (which he was fussy about) and a pack tea.

Grow up.

It's irritating, that's true, but furious is a big overreaction.

I suppose they should have just split his packed lunch in half and told him to keep half for teatime but they didn't. Just make sure from now on that you provide him with two sets of sandwiches or whatever he likes eating and that he knows why etc.

Don't go in all guns blazing (furious makes you sound like you might). If you need to say anything then just calmly mention that you had no notice of this change because it was in none of the documentation or emails.

These certainly aren't highly paid people and some may even be volunteering.

Furious? Really?

Presumably all the other kids had food for tea?

And the builder (who was making sure everyone was safe, you're being a bit rude) saying there was communication

Sounds like something maybe didn't reach you which should have

An accident is all

As a fellow potato-hater, I feel for your son.

But what did everyone else do? Was the hot meal served to all the kids because nobody had brought two sets of packed lunch? Communication does sound dreadful, but that's a one off. Now you know, you can send him with his two packed meals and things will be fine. He'll survive.

I would be frustrated by poor communication but not furious.
I think when booking I would have spoken to staff to clarify the food situation - you made an assumption a snack tea would be provided, but as they are now offering a hot option then I assume they are focusing on lunch, with children bringing something for the end of the day.
You say there has been no communication but did you actually ask them questions and confirm the food situation was the same as previous years? As it sounds like you didn't make these checks and are only checking the T&Cs after the event.
I imagine they are closing early on Friday due to staff and not enough bookings. My kids school don't run a holiday club but my friends school does. She doesn't use it however as if numbers are low, it doesn't run, so she cannot trust booking it and therefore looks at bigger schemes where they are well established and take children from multiple schools, meaning they run no matter what. Perhaps you should check out other options in your area as back up.

Sounds like a misunderstanding, they aren’t providing food unless you pay now. I suggest the main issue is a very fussy child - all potatoes? That’s plainly ridiculous what do you eat at home? I found bribery was key to get them to eat foods, takes a long time but well worth it

It's the first day. There was poor communication but it happens. They made sure he had something to eat. It's hardly something I would be furious about. These things happen.

It's mildly irritating, a tad frustrating. Not furious league.

You're doing well to find childcare that's not a 9-3 sports club for a start!

I really don’t think this is a hill to die on. Sounds like communication could’ve been better and your DS had one meal he didn’t like, think he’ll be ok. Not being able to go through the usual entrance to me is not a big deal. You sound really stressed which I completely get. I find the summer holidays tough as I also use clubs and to be honest feel a bit of mum guilt. It’s hard to juggle everything. Maybe focus more on the lovely things you can do with your DS on the weekends and evenings. The things you mention are annoying but not things to be furious about which is why I wonder if maybe something else is at the root of it. You might be feeling frazzled as I often am, and some time out for you if possible might help.

No because she was expecting him to eat a snack and then presumably she would give him tea at home.

He's at the club from 7.30-5pm a packed lunch and snack is going to result in a very hungry kid.

That’s what happened until this summer ?

Tbh my sons after school/ holiday club also does toast/muffins etc at tea time, we collect at 5 (but open til 6) and he has dinner with us around 530 which is the time we usually eat. Tbh on a non working day he has lunch at school at 12, a piece of fruit at 4 and tea at 530. He’s not starving.

Just a mix up/ missed communication, no harm done- move on.

7.30-5 4 days a week is 36 hours 30 mins unpaid lunch break
7.30-3 on a Friday is 7 hours 30 mins unpaid lunch break
that's a 43 hour week for working in a summer club, no wonder it shuts at 3 pm on a Friday

prob for a few pence above min wage.

I expect it wasn't open for the first week of the school holidays as the staff are entitled to annual leave too, esp if they are the same staff that run the breakfast club and after school club usually.

What do the staff do during the day ? are they employed elsewhere in the school i.e. in the Nursery or as a TA.

You need a bit more going on in your life tif this sort of thing makes you 'furious'.
Kid didn't starve, and not you have the correct information and can pack accordingly. No harm done.
Grow up a bit, stop stamping your feet and spitting your dummy out.

Why is everyone having a go at the OP? Juggling work & (probably v expensive) holiday childcare is AWFUL, and the organisers of the holiday club have messed up with their lack of comms. I’m sure that OP is usually a model of calm serenity but haven’t you ever had a day where something tips you over the edge?

Who knows, on a Monday morning I might well be. I can certainly understand why the OP is.

I agree they should have let him have some of his packed lunch at lunch time, and some of it later. Maybe they didn't have anything else to offer later? I'd only be mildy annoyed though, rather than furious. But it sounds like you've got a lot going on at the moment.. just pack him some extra lunch for tomorrow and I'm sure all will be fine 😊

It’s annoying, but I would try and downgrade feeling ‘furious’ to feeling ‘pretty irritated’. And move on.

OP asked a question. People answered it.

Oh I hear you.
Thank god those days are behind me but yes, communication is always crap. I think that there is a complete disconnect between the working parents point of view and the provider, especially school based.
Provider, we didn't tell people about the building work, they will figure it. Parents perspective, I need to be in work 30 mins after drop off ( or more likely work started 30 mins before opening) every second counts.
Provider, we didn't explain about those changes to catering. Ah well, we will give them lunch and they can have tea for lunch. Parent perspective "i scan every document to make sure i have it right. I'm not a bloody mind reader".
The only assurance I can give you is that one day it stops and life get better.

Surely its only lack of comms if others were also affected. If everyone else knew to bring food for tea then it can't be a comms issue from the childcare provider.

Sounds like an odd set up. I've never heard of 7:30 as a holiday club start and all of them end no later than 4 round here. Agreed, that's tricky for working parents, but it's reality.

Re the food thing - of course they should have given him his lunch at lunchtime and suggested he keep back a small element for later

Furious because he ate his packed lunch at a different time than you expected?