Bee in my bonnet, yes but AIBU?

[RedBlueRed]

I've not been on for a while, bit busy, thinking about it - tis the season for trolls so I may be opening up a whole world of woe but here goes anyway!

DS' class are organising a christmas party, they ask him to bring in paper plates and plastic cutlery which I object to on environmental grounds when they have a canteen full of the stuff. They ask him to bring biscuits so I send him in with a big family box of biscuits instead - they have told him it is not enough!
It's a party, its not like they have to feed themselves for a week and I am just really disgusted by the greed.
So AIBU to:
a)object in the first place.
b)dontate the second box of biscuits I have bought to charity on their behalf and
c)write to the head to suggest a lesson in greed, gluttony and environmental impact.

Actually, I have mellowed now I have it out of my system but I am still tempted to donate the biccies none the less.

Thoughts?

I share your dislike of disposable plates and cutlery.

I am a bit confused about the biscuits.
have all the kids to bring biscuits/ some sort of contribution?

YANBU

How is a family box of biscuits not enough? Is he the only child bringing them for the whole school?

I am feeling a bit the same about our school Christmas party, which has also asked for food to be taken in on disposable plates. We were told to bring one of the following:
crisps, sausage rolls, sausage on stick, buns, biscuits, sandwiches.

Not sure how this fits in with all the "healthy eating" propaganda he came home with the other day.

Am tempted to send in a plate of fruit!

Bake them a cake beautifully iced with obscenities.

The school plates are not likely to be made available to the classrooms for use in parties.

Part of this reason is that most parties are in the afetrnoon and the school plates, etc. will have been used just prior.

Another reason is that many schools don't have plates, but those tray things instead.

Also - if you use proper plates and cutlery - who will wash them up afterwards? And where? When?

However, def not on to say that you didn't bring enough biscuits.

I get the feeling all his class are bringing in something - they have elected this is to be his contribution.

Like the idea of cake iced with obscenities

just the one cake?

Detailed obscenities.

I always think in estimating quantities for pot luck parties everyone brings roughly the quantity of food they would eat themselves .

So your son will not be eating any more than the equivalent of a big box of biscuits, surely?

Why not suggest in future each child brings their own reusable plastic cup and plate which they take home and wash?

Is this party being organised by the class? If so, the teacher might be stepping back to let them lead and come up with a plan.

Agree with hula re the paper plates. An alternative is just to serve a smallish snack of finger food on a paper napkin and place mats can be made from sugar paper.

Might be worth a quick call to the teacher to find out what is expected in terms of food.

Do you really want to object to the children's plans for a Christmas party?

I see your point re the plates/trays.

They are 10 so I really think they should be responsible for washing their own dishes and tidying up after themselves.

Perhaps I am going a bit far there considering the state of DS' room...

And where will the class wash their dishes? And who will supervise it? And how much of the party time will that take?

Is this really all you have to worry about.

To be honest you sound like a bit of a loon.

Ok pointetty, you are right on that one.

But what about the fact that they want to eat their body weight in pink wafers when the country is still suffering the effects of recession and Cumbria is still waterlogged, not to mention the rest of the worlds poverty and deprivation.

At what point do we say 'perhaps now is the time to teach about restraint and being grateful for what we have'?

Bah humbug.

Bloody Christmas.

Pish.

Thanks doublebuggy - I knew it wouldn't take long for the personal insults to start on AIBU - 13 post in!

Round of applause for doublebugger.

I hate class parties with a passion (I'm a teacher) so brainwash the children into thinking that they'd like a 'posh party' where healthy(ish) food is served by the adults to civilised(ish) children who are sitting around a beautifully laid table...

We plan it in advance, consider the healthy foods they'd like e.g. carrots/cucumber/peppers to dip in hummus, fruit salad, sandwiches etc followed by the sweet foods they think would be good along wih drinks. We write a class shopping list and everyone signs up for something, usually just one thing.

On the day myself and my lovely TA will set up the table with the children (who have usually decided to create place names, menus and other accessories) and put out all the savoury food. The TA and I wait on the children and pour drinks into the reusable cups that live in the classroom and the children help themselves/each other to food which they put on reusable plates (that live in my cupboard most of the time). At the end of the posh party my 'guests' help to clear the table, wash up and even hoover the carpet - they love it for some bizarre reason.

There's no need for excessive waste or greed at class parties so to OP I'd suggest your donation could be some plates/cups to be reused every year plus a bottle of Ecover so the children can do their own washing up

As I said, I'd have a quick chat with the teacher about what is expected re biscuit provision. There may be confusion.

your biscuit provision seems adequate.

though for the sake of convenience, whilst ti's not you who would be washing plates, the planet can take one for the team...IMHO

though YANBU on one point.

As long as there is one biscuit each then YANBU, presumably there will be tons of other stuff to eat as well. Tis the season for good will though, so I would go with the flow if I was you.

You should have taken in some cheese n onion pasties instead.

SE13Mummy I like the idea of donating reuseables, great suggestion.

Poinsetty, also good call.

But I still like the detailed obscenity decoration

Choices, choices...

Send some greggs sausage rolls and a case of fruitshoots.....

Why not go one step further and donate some reusable biscuits!?! I can't believe I've not thought of that before... how could the healthy eating Police complain if the biscuits weren't actually edible?

Am off to patent my idea of an entirely reusable class party...