To think 18 November should not be too late to sign DD up for a school Christmas dinner

[AtheneNoctua]

I am really mad. There was a flyer home. I told DD she could have school dinner on one day. She was delighted. She really wants school dinner but I won't let heave them on the basis that they are crap on a nutritional basis. But, I told her she could have a Christmas lunch and she was thrilled.

So, sent nanny into school this week with the money. Told she missed the deadline (which I thought was today but must have read it wrong... and no longer have the top half of the sheet to see what it said).

So, now I have to send DD (5) to school and say actually YOU can't have a Christmas Dinner (which inceidentally is her favourite food in the whole world) and all her friends are going to sit down and have one.

Am contemplating:

1. Arranging for DD to be "sick" that day.
2. Sending her in with a packed lunch of chocolate, crisps, and peanut butter.

You cocked up.
Why are you cross at them?
Read the notes from school next time.

Yes, you cocked up.

Although it is bizarre that the deadline is this early. I think ours is only the week before.

Actually, I'd swear it said Nov. 18th... but admit I could be mixing up two different forms. And it's not me who is being left out. Seems very harsh.

Maybe they should give more warning or improve their parent communication.

Phone the school - I find it hard to believe that they won't let her have it.

Oh for god's sake is it really a monumental exercise for them to add one child to the catering numbers.

Ask again, charmingly, and in person

Maybe you should read the notes?

and if that fails, send her into school that day with no packed lunch. They'll bloody well have to feed her then.

I simply don't believe an allowance can't be made. Loads of children are off sick at xmas week anyway.

They will let her I'm sure. School lunches are no worse than packed lunches you know-we are hardly killing our children and giving them rickets (I am a lunchtime supervisor btw).

Really? If a child shows up with no lunch at all do they give them a school dinner?

Yes, they are worse than what goes in our lunch box. Once in a while a treat is fine. Every day, nope, they are not up to scratch on the nutrition front. (but this is a topic for another thread).

I think so, can you ask around, find out what the policy is at your school?

What do you have in your lunchbox? [nosey, refuse to be told my dd is eating c**p and neck hair is bristling emoticon}

The OP didn't say your dd is eating crap PLP she said the dinners at her dds school are not up to scratch.

YABU - it's not up to you to decide what the deadline is for ordering christmas dinners, so whether you think it is too early or not is irrelevant.

It's your fault she's missed it. Phone the school, apologise and ask if there's any chance of putting her on the list at this stage. You never know.

Right, I have e-mailed the company who does the catering. Maybe they'll let us squeeze in... fingers crossed! If not, I'll have to give her something equally exciting. I could stay home from work and bring her my own fresh out of the overn Christmas dinner right at lunch time. Just kidding. I'll be at work.

But, I am still brassed off. Communication with the parents is already something the school is not great at. And I guess this one just takes the cake -- no Christmas dinner. How mean can you be?

I thought school dinners were standardised now? All the schools in our county get the same dinner, and the menu gets sent home at the start of term-isn't it the same everywhere? Sorry if it isn't, I didn't mean to upset anyone.

re sending her in with no packed lunch. Well, she'd need to have no money too if you;re trying to kid on she forgot her lunch. Which you might be prepared to do. And if a few do this, some of the kids will end up with very small portions, which I';ve seen happen at these christmas lunches.

Take responsiblility and act like a mature adult.

But they did communicate with you woaman.
You were the one who didn't with them you numpty!

Jayzzzus!!

Yes you are being unreasonable.
This is your fault for not paying attention.

No point being angry with the school, it's not their fault that you didn't read the note properly.

But the school did communicate. You have lost part of the letter. They are not being mean. I have seen teh rush at school Christmas dinners, I have seen a kitchen running out and I have seen smaller portions being served up.

Erm... you have all assumed what is written on a letter you have not seen. I, at leasat, am giving the benfit of the doubt that i could be mistaken. This would not be the first time they wrote one thing on communicatio to parents while holding to a different deadline or practice in the school. It's a recurring lack of communication. I'm not certain this is the case as I threw the top half of the flyer away when I tore off the part which is to be sent in.

I am not seriously considering sending her in without any lunch. For goodness sake.

my reply was to nametaken re no lunch

Well you threw away the top half so haven't a leg to stand on.
Really, what is the purpose of the OP??

We have to order our dc's Christmas dinner by next week - last year, school dinner children didn't have to opt in as they were counted automatically but now they're not going to be. It's probably the caterers throwing a wobbly.

I guess I'm venting. Isn't that generally what people do on AIBU threads?

At the end of the day, I guess it doesn't matter. The walls of bureaucracy are high and thick in the school. So, what they say goes. I will wait to see what the caerer says. If he/she says no, I'll come up with something Christmassy which DD will be happy about. But, it will probably involve a crisp/chocolate violation. And a big piece of cake.