Teaching assistant eating ice lolly

[JJ6]

Am I being OTT to think it totally out of order for the teaching assistant to be sitting next to my daughter in after school club eating an ice lolly when the children had fruit and biscuits (this being a very hot day) !!

What did the police say?

I don't get Adair's treat food sharing rule. I eat chocolate all the time in front of other people. If I had a family size bar of chocolate I would offer it around, but not an individual size bar. Can't adults get their own chocolate bars?

mummyofexcitedprincesses Thu 24-Jun-10 20:32:19

"If she was working,she shouldn't have had it and if she wasn't working, she should have gone elsewhere to eat it."

So while she went elsewhere to eat her snacks, who would have supervised the children who were eating their snacks???

It was snack time! Everybody was eating! Unfortunately, people in charge of young children do not necessarily get the luxury of going off and eating in privacy. I'm sure she'd have loved to. But I bet everybody would have whinged like mad if she had gone off into the kitchen and left the children eating on their own.

If it had been my dd who came home and complained, I'd have told her in no uncertain terms that she could have the best snacks when she worked as hard as the TA.

I happily eat ice lollies in front of my kids without offering any. And they happily watch me.

I never offer my own personal food, and don't expect it offered to me either.

YABU. What a bizzaro thing to get worked up about.

Having a cup of tea, sandwich or plain biscuit is different to having an icecream. One is sustenance, the other is an obvious treat.

So, as I said, fruit or biscuit in a meeting = fine. Cornetto/bar of Dairy Milk (offered round or not) = unprofessional.

Would you, for example, think it was OK for the teacher to be eating a Cornetto while he or she spoke to you at parent's evening? Whereas a cup of tea or juice would be fine.

Do you know what? I have revised and re-thought- it is kind of instinctive for me to think about other people first, but actually it is ok to think about yourself sometimes. I am starting to think perhaps it is not rude to not think about other people's feelings, but just not nice.

Cory, I would have said the same thing as you to dd, but I privately would have thought 'cor, that was a bit insensitive'. Cos she was eating something that kids really like, but couldn't have. And of course, they can't have everything but if she was sitting right there - well... I do still think it was a bit mean. Though not wrong.

It was a lolly, not an ice-cream, offoffandaway, and a TA not a teacher. Try to at least pretend you've read the thread!

Or what Offoffandaway said.

Gosh, this thread has really got to me. Don't know why .

The only reason I might resent a Cornetto more than a cup of tea at parents evening is if teacher found it difficult to speak because of mouth full. Not because Cornettos are nicer. Would I resent a cup of hot chocolate more than tea on the principle that hot chocolate is more of a treat? Certainly not.

What is your stance on chocolate hobnobs, Off? Or home-made juice ice lollies?

Honestly, I think you're over thinking this a tad. I wouldn't do it, because I'd've enjoyed my lolly more at home, in peace, but equally I wouldn't think it my business to comment on someone else's snack choices.

Been here since before 7 Feenie

Lolly/icecream = treat. So I'd be surprised to see someone tucking in at work, esp with young children because of the extra thing about them seeing it and wanting it. But an odd choice of food for any workplace.

Cup of tea/sarnie = OK.

Was just making the point that perhaps the OP's reaction wasn't just about 'my LO didn't have an icecream' - is also about whether it's appropriate to eat that sort of treaty food in a professional environment and the image it conveys.

Why should she buy the rest of the kids one? if she did you would have some mother complaining that they weren't allowed junk food.

ybvu

DS#2 is eating a Fab in front of me. I am affronted

I'm sorry, a meeting at work (or parents evening) is very different to general supervision/work time.

When I worked in an office I would definitely eat snacks at my desk, but not in a meeting. I am working at both, but different circumstances.

Likewise, DH would not eat in the classroom whilst teaching, but definitely would during recess or a games lesson, because he usually had to skip lunch to sort out x's exam paper or Y's parents complaint re: nothing.

I certainly think in after school club the TA is in a more relaxed period of work and can't be compared to parents eve/meeting.

Also, the kids presumably have the option to go in and out shade etc... Staff are often posted at certain points so that they have a good view of the entire playground, and she doesn't have the opportunity to go inside and sit down if she is too hot.

I told DH about this thread and he's asked me to bring 3 ice lollies to school at recess tomorrow

I can't see fruit being particularly professional-looking in a meeting, tbh.

Take oranges, for instance. You have to peel them, you get sticky fingers, the juice squirts everywhere. What about the pips?( if you've been shortsighted enough not to buy seedless) Do you spit, or remove daintily with fingers? Where do you then put the pip? In a designated pip receptacle?

Bar of Dairy Milk seems to offer fewer problems, I think.

See my dd would offer me a lick

It's an after school club! Not teaching time, not parent's evening, not even break or dinner time. After school clubs are generally very relaxed and it's not as if the kids didn't have something.

As many have already pointed out, there are myriad reasons why teachers and TAs are advised not to give things to kids. [Quakes remembering the safeguarding policy we've just been dragged through]

Lets face it; we're not all equal and you can't always have what other people have.

Apples are OK. Likewise biscuits.

Hot choc OK, so long as no whipped cream/marshmallow.

I am developing a quite comprehensive set of rules as I go along...

P.s. as far as treats and unprofessionalness - I used to eat haribo at my desk all the time at work.

Again, not in a meeting - but whilst answering email? no problem.

Ah, Haribo are small and discreet. So probably OK at desk. But not in a meeting, I agree.

LMFAO at whipped cream and marshmallows!! If only the school canteen were starbucks...

So could TA sit and eat a pack of haribo in front of kids then?

The snacks provided by schools are for pupils only. There are enough for pupils only. There is no allowance for teachers or TAs. Therefore TA is entitled to provide own snack.

No. Not teaching. That constitutes a 'meeting', technically - communicating with others. Different to solitary desk activities.