in thinking that breakfast clubs are for working parents

[nametaken]

and not for non-working parents who can't be bothered to organise breakfast for their dcs.

They may have children who ate to eat immediately on getting up.
Or they might prefer to have an extra cuddle in bed and someone else does the bread in toaster routine.

hate to eat not ate to eat.

agree with tigermoth.

My ds goes to breakfast club sometimes because his big sister gets the bus for school an hour before his school starts. If dp isn't home I would have to take him with her to her bus, take him home again for half an hour, then take him out again. Instead, he goes to breakfast club, eats enormous quantities of toast ( he is famous for his toast capacity - the breakfast club people regard him as a challenge!) plays with his friends, then strolls round to his class when the bell rings. I do one journey in the car, reduce my carbon foot print and a relaxed start to the day. What's not to like?

You could look it the other way- parents who work can afford to pay a childminder to take their child to school

No, but seriously, there are lots of reasons to take a child to breakfast club and working parents is only one of them. Children with eating problems may benefit (there was a poster on the other thread), children who find it particularly difficult to get up or to eat first thing in the morning, children whose parents are unwell or depressed, children whose parents need to take a sibling to another school at the same time or who are dealing with a sick or disabled sibling.

I am going to be struggling next year, when I need to get disabled dd to secondary school at the same time as getting ds off to junior school. I still haven't worked out the logistics of this one, but it's going to be hard.

I think that breakfast clubs should be open to everyone and personal choice whether you use them.

Actually I tell you when we need the breakfast club and I would claim as much as anyone- its on the regulat events when our multitudes of appointments at the hospital are in the morning. Because there isn't one I often have to cancel, this puts them back on the end of the waiting list- for ds1 it meant he was discharged from physio never having seen one, and ds4 discharged fom hearong clinic (we know one ear wasn't functioning at birth, no idea now).

I cant take all 4 to hearing clinic, they need silence and the sn duo asre prone tp blting etc anyway.

So really there are so many different circumstances parents are in..

When this scheme first started at my dc school, the idea was not so much about breakfast but more about some children having some extra informal teaching for 30-45 mins.

Over the years it evolved into a childming service with various staff coming in at 7.30 to provide breakfast and play. It cost 50p and the staff were unpaid.

It's now officially part of the so called wraparound service and now costs £2 per session.

In one sense it's a good idea but I do wonder about the children who would have benefitted from the extra half hour or so.

Love the sound of Seeker's toast monster He sounds like he'd get on well with DD! They tell me she eats more than the Yr 6 kids (is in reception) and that they never make a profit on the days she goes

I have a toast monster too. He is not quite one yet and will nyom his way through any size pile you put in front of him. Doesn't make the little blighter grow though, he's still tiny

They are for all.

well, I do think breakfast club should be for working parents and after that those with mitigating circumstances.

think it's incredibly odd that anyone would use this facility just becasue they could and not for any reason in particular. I am 'judging' as well.

Do schools set some form of criteria? Or if not, should they?

Breakfast Club in Glasgow schools is free

Ds goes to breakfast Club becasue he wants to; he actually has two breakfasts, one with us and then again when he gets to school. Given that he deoesn'(appear to) each muchj lese, we are happy to encurage this

Dh works from home, so it doesn't really matter to us whether or not ds goes to the breakfast Club. However, when dh is away, then I do need ds to go. That was how he first started going - when he was in P1, dh was away for a week, so ds had to go. And ever since then, he has insisted on going back. (he's now nearing the end of P3)

We did get a note home from the head teacher saying that kids weren't supposed to be going if they had already had breakfast. I don't think she was withini her rgihts to say that - but she was entitled to say that kids shouldn't go if they are not going to at least sit down and eat something. The brekast Club is run by dinner ladies after all - they are not play supervisors!

Peachy, I'm sorry to hear about your problems getting to audiology. Our audiology clinic is more sympathetic. They are prepared to do the hearing test without the parent in the room while the parent looks after any siblings in another room.

nametaken you should know by now that you can't have views, however reasonable they may seem at first sight

Yes of course YABU. Breakfast club is for anyone who wants to use them. If they're paying, what business is it of anyone else's why they use them?

It's like saying AIBU to think buses are only for people who don't have cars. Mental.

Those of you saying that only working parents should get to use the breakfast clubs are as unreasonable as me saying that working parents should either use a childminder or nursery for their pre and post school care.

The difference is, of course, that I wouldn't say that

Breakfast clubs should be a free for all, and if it's a list system it should be 'first come first served'. With no exceptions. That's fair you see. No weighting and bias towards anybody.

well dp and I don't work and dd1 will be going to breakfast club tomorrow for 2 reason

1. dp has a job interview at half nine tomorrow

1. ds has an emergency dental appointment at 9.10 tomorrow.

I will not be able to take dd1 to school, walk to the bus stop and get myself dd2 and ds on the bus and get down to the dentist in time if dd1 went to school at normal time.

She will have breakfast when she gets up and again when she get there.

yabu.

My son's school offers a free few breakfast club places to those in desperate need. For example if a mum is having major problems getting children to school on time due to postnatal depression. It can be easier to get children to a place when you can drop them off between 8 am and 8.50am than saying you can only drop children off between 8.50 and 8.55am.

I think its up to the school to employ enough staff to ensure that EVERY child whose family gives 48 hours notice can attend the breakfast club. My son's school has this policy.

My dd (year 6) goes to breakfast club everyday and I don't need her to for work reasons....I work evenings. She wants to go. Since the breakfast club started she is up washed dressed and ready to leave by 8.0am. Before I would have to coax and cajole her out of bed and to school by 9.10am!!!!. She loves having her breakfast with her friends. I pay varying amounts depending on what she has....items are individually priced. She did used to have a healthy breakfast at home but may children don't. I do regularly see young kids walking to school eating sweets crisps etc. and wonder if that is their breakfast. I think breakfast clubs are a great idea for all parents. I'm not too lazy to make her breakfast...I have two other dcs who have breakfast at home she just likes going and it makes mornings less stressful if she does so I can't see the harm.

i find it quite offensive that wohm should get priority. we all make choices. your child should not be given priority for school clubs over mine just because you choose to work. you may need| to have a job to fund the lifestyle you want but thats still a choice. i see no reason why my child should be treated as a second class citizen because of choices parents make. i do think it is right that priority is given to people with extra need, but i dont think a job should be classed as such

i dont work at the moment on leave due to pregnancy,
but i think breakfast club at school is for everyone,
i have never been to the school breakfast club but if dd wanted to go i would take her!