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! 😬

She was expecting breakfast and a "snack tea" not pre selected items.
Many would describe baked beans both as a breakfast food, and a light tea item.

A bit irritated, maybe. There are more things to be furious about. As my mother would have said, if you’re hungry you’ll eat it! But this does bring back uncomfortable memories of being treated very differently at school for bringing a packed lunch every day. A small group of us always had to sit on a separate table and before we went in to the gym/dining room, we had to place our lunch boxes on a table. Not sure why even now. All this because for one day of having school dinner I didn’t like the fatty stew that was served up. Hating any waste my mother decided I would take a very small sandwich to school every day for my remaining years at school 🙄

It's not a stupid comment

It's literally how it works.

They provide him with food anyway and he's around provided food so should be informed of all allergies. They don't need to check before every single piece of food is given to him or may be eaten near him

Additionally a 7 year old should indeed be aware of their allergies and to be careful because they might share food with others without adult supervision

I mean, 1 meal for lunch and 1 for tea would be fairly bloody obvious I would have thought, if you clicked no hot meal and it didn't say a cold option or snack is provided then you'd provide one...

That's what I was thinking.... I don't get it!

Wow - you really need to learn to calm down ALOT.

This

At worse it’s a case of miscommunication. But it was dealt with and your reaction is way OTT

The staff sensibly tried to ensure he had two meals even though you hadn't paid for one. Not a reason to be furious at all. Just move on now you are clear how it's running this time round.

My son is a fussy easter op so also would not eat a jp. I think they should have rang you and given you the option to bring in another lunch for tea time. It's not the end of the world though and hopefully your son wansnt too upset about it.

Overreacting much!

Total non issue. They fed him and you know to send him with extra food now. Perhaps start by reading over the communications and make sure you haven't misread or missed something. No need to be furious.

You are being ridiculous

If hes there for dinner AND tea why didnt you send him in with 2 packed lunches anyway? Especially if you didnt pay for a dinner, what did you expect him to eat?

Perfect example of why this country has gone to pot; it was a small mix up and they sorted it out as best they could. There is no need to be angry or furious or bitter or anything.

Why are you sending an 8 year old child to a holiday camp from 7 till 5?

Furious is a bit much. I was pretty annoyed when a club gave my child a snack they were severely allergic to through negligence (they were fully aware of his allergies). In this scenario I couldn’t bring myself to be quite so enraged.

furious ? really ?? Your child was fed. You know now, do you have nothing else going on in your life that a minor upset like this makes you 'furious' ?

Why do you think she's sending him to a holiday camp from 7 till 5? Because she has to work. Obviously.

I get it OP I’d be upset and angry about this too. He is there all day and I don’t think beans is enough, I’d feel terrible for my DS in that situation. No doubt a lot of your angry feelings are because you feel guilty that he is there in the first place. I also have to use holiday clubs and I’m forever fighting with my guilt over dropping my child off and going off to work when I know his friends can stay home and go on days out etc. It doesn’t help that my child wants to stay home or stay with me and I have to leave him. So to hear that he’d only eaten beans until tea time would hurt. There should have been better communication and an alternative, even some bread and butter or a bit of toast.

She is sending her child to holiday club because she has to work to pay her bills (as did I back in the 90s)

I’m sorry but you should count yourself privileged if you don’t have to work full time and can keep your child or children at home in the holidays.

You ever heard of annual leave, parental leave, unpaid leave??????????????????

Baked beans for lunch one day is really no big deal, OP @samidolls

Chill!

Please - HR policies are a world away from what they were 30+ years ago

@piperatthegates

its so she can sit around her on arse watching Love Island of course . It’s why all parents use childcare?
. Society going down the pan!

🙄

Calm down, I can’t see the drama. You said he didn’t go hungry, so…, not that much harm done is there?

I think many parents would say ‘Oh right, ok, I understand now, so going forward I need to bring two packed lunches per day? Righto. Cheerio. See you tomorrow.’

Furious indeed.