School withholding snack as punishment?

[cjs99x]

Hi all,

I wanted your opinion on something that’s happened today at school. For context - in my son’s class they have a morning snack (during juice/milk time on the carpet), lunch time (in the dinner hall) & afternoon snack (outside on the playground).

Today my 5 year old DS was kept inside for afternoon break time as he and another boy had a fight. My son getting into trouble at school is a very rare occurrence and that particular situation has been sorted out.

My concern is that, because he was kept inside for afternoon break time, he was told he wasn’t allowed to have his afternoon snack. All the children in the class was able to have their snack outside as usual, and he was told he wasn’t allowed as part of a consequence of missing his playtime. I mean keeping him inside as a consequence is fair enough, but not allowing him his food that I’ve packed?

I have briefly heard another parent mention something like this before but I wasn’t part of the conversation so I didn’t hear the full story. Obviously my son may be mixed up but he was really upset when he came out saying he was really hungry and is usually accurate when explaining things (even if it means he’ll be in trouble).

Am I being too sensitive here or is this just a very odd punishment for a 5 year old child? I just can’t see how the school is able to withhold a child’s food from them.

I will be speaking to this teacher tomorrow but I guess I’m just wondering if this a normal thing that happens in schools? He’s my only child so this is all knew to me but it just seems extreme

He was told "no" while getting his snack from his bag.

I would check the details are correct first. Staying inside sounds about right but I’d be surprised if he was denied a snack.

A genuine question - did you have afternoon snacks when you were at school? It wasn’t a thing when I was at school , but that’s some time ago, admittedly.
We had milk mid morning, then lunch at lunch time and that was all. Didn’t come home “starving” at 3.30 I must admit, but Mum usually gave me a glass of milk to put me on until tea time, which would be around 5 pm.

The snack only exists because of the kids having a break. He doesn’t get the break so he doesn’t get the snack.

If he had been allowed the break but not the snack, that would have been withholding food. That isn’t the case here.

I agree. I would never do this with a child in my class.

Exactly this 🙄

I'm with you OP. Some very harsh replies. Healthy snacks are good for small children, agree food shouldn't be used as a punishment

It's a snack. He's not going to starve. Snack could be had at the end of the day?
Fair consequence for his actions.

Glad to hear it.

Will do him no harm whatsoever abd and will teach him a valuable lesson.
Talk about first world problems!

I wouldn't have been happy either OP

1. the punishment was to miss break to reflect (which included the snack, but the snack being withheld was not the punishment). As an Early Years teacher, I actually don’t agree with this punishment either but schools are so stretched it was probably the teacher’s only chance to have the reflection. I also hate afternoon snack as a concept, but when it’s part of their routine they do come to rely on it.
2. You describe each child pushing the other and yet you had to sign an incident form? In my experience incident forms are reserved for when actual harm has been caused, not such a scuffle as you describe. I would talk to the teacher about this and try to understand why it needed to be recorded, is it possible they used very light language to describe a worse situation? If so you need to set straight with them that you want actual facts, especially if something were to happen again.

Remember to reintroduce food to him very carefully and take your. Overfeeding him could be dangerous.

Hi lovely, how are things going? Did you speak to the school?

Another mn lynching you're getting here! Totally unreasonable. Yes one snack isn't going to hurt but withholding food as punishment is just wrong. If that happened at home, social services would deserve a call. Schools are literally worse than prisons.

You’re so rude. If it was your child I bet you would be so different.

Sorry to see the awful responses on here. Some awful mums on here!! I think it’s a disgrace that they have done that. He should still be allowed to eat, but just not play out. I’m curious- I haven’t seen you mention but apologies if you have- did the other child get the same punishment ?

*NoSoupForU · 29/09/2025 17:49
No child ever wasted away because they didn't have a snack. Are you this melodramatic all the time? Comparing the situation to that of prison is insane. Your son was fed. He had his lunch.

You’re so rude. If it was your child I bet you would be so different

When did snacks at school become 'a thing'.
I never sent my kids with a snack
On the back of this thread i asked school mum friends if they did to check i haven't got a false memory but they've all said the same. The children went with a lunch box and that was it.
We rarely did anacking between meals unless it was a treat or a necessity, eg we had been out cycling swimming on a big walk etc.

Im not knocking it, just wondering when there was a shift. My mum certainly never sent us with snacks, just a piece of fruit on the day we had swimming lessons or sports days (ive fact checked that with mum as well!)

Careful, @Kskinner648 - you are going to pull a muscle, making that stretch.