Is it the teachers responsiblility to ensure children eat lunch or is it up to the child?

[fel1x]

DS is in reception. He came home today starving and had eaten nothing at all in his packed lunch box, except for his drink.
I know that the teachers dont sit with the children at lunch and reception children sit with yr6 so they have older children to ask to help them if needed instead.

Would you mention to the teacher to ask if they can check DS is eating his lunch? or is it up to him and nothing I can do about it?

In reception, it is quite normal for a parent to ask the teacher to keep an eye on a child who isn't eating, teacher talks to lunchtime supervisors and then support is given.
Do you know why he's not eating?

In Reception, I'd say it was quite normal for a staff member to keep an eye on what they are eating. According to DD2 (in Year 1) our dinner ladies inspect lunch boxes to make sure most things have gone before the children are allowed out to play. So yes, I would mention it.

Ok, will mention it, thanks.
Only reason I asked is that I said to DH 'oh I'll mention that to hsi teacher tomorrow' and he seemed surprised that I would tell the teacher something like that.

I dont know why he didnt eat it. He has Aspergers and doesnt tell me anyything about school or remember anything that happens there, so when I asked him he said 'I dont know' as usual

They had a workshop all afternoon in the school hall today, so perhaps they had the layout different or something in preparation for that and it upset him..is the only think i can think of

However it isn't the teachers job, we aren't technically employed at lunchtimes ( although you wouldn't believe it, given that we work through most of them!) By the time I have finished in my class and am ready to snatch a break, the children will have finished eating, I suspect even more so in Reception classes where the staff will spend most of the lunchtime setting up for the afternoon. Teachers will however ask the dinner staff to keep an eye on a child not eating, but they can't force any child to eat, imagine the uproar if they did! All they can do is encourage the child to eat as much as possible

In the school i work at teacher have nothing to do with lunch time. It is organised, supervised and run by lunchtime supervisors.

You can mention it to the teacher and they will then pass the information on to the dining room staff, but it is unlikely a teacher will be watching over them. They may pop in once or twice or ask the dinind staff how they have done, nd can then feedback to you.

It isn't the teacher's responsibility to check children are eating but many reception teachers do so because children are new to routines. I always went to the dinner hall with my reception children and my TA and I made sure they all had lunch before we went for ours.

I as a TA sit with the children in reception and have lunch with them... it does seem to help.

When I was a child I had a terrible experience with another child 'telling on' me for not eating my packed lunch, and the dinner lady seeking me out in the classroom and saying I must eat, etc, etc. I was quite a sensitve child and after that wouldn't eat anything at lunch time for a good few weeks, as I felt physically sick every day. Another time I was going to my grandmother's funeral the next day, and feeling a bit down, and didn't want to eat the school dinner I had before me. The dinner lady said I had to, and after that I couldn't eat meat pies for about 10 years! True, I may be a little 'unusual' but now that I am a teacher I would never make a child eat something they didn't want to, for fear it would have lasting effects similar to my childhood experiences! If I knew a child wasn't eating lunch every day, then I might suggest mum change the sandwiches, etc, but if it was a one off I wouldn't be too worried.

sims2fan, that's interesting how long traumatic memories about being 'forced' to eat at school last. When I was in reception, I put loads of salt on a ham salad (wtf did they have salt cellars on kids' tables?), tasted it, realised it was revolting and went to put it in the washing up window. A cow teacher intercepted me, scraped a bit of the salt off and told that I must eat it as 'I'd ruined it'. Nice. Needless to say, I couldn't and had to sit with it in front me me all lunch time.

I still feel a bit upset about it just typing it out tbh - I was 4 and had no idea what do with with a salt pot - so yes, definitely mention it, but it's better than teachers are relaxed rather than pushy about 'eating everything up'.

that's interesting how long traumatic memories about being 'forced' to eat at school last.

I still remember our nasty dinner lady (we had a "nice" on & a "nasty" one) forcing me to eat rhubarb crumble & custard or I "can't go out to play" - I hated rhubarb (apart from rhubarb & celery I'll eat anything I was never a fussy eater ) & I ended up being physically sick all over the table, I was 5 at the time. Mrs Longbottom you were an evil cow & you got your "just desserts" (ha ) when you had to clean my sick up that day...

In our school the Reception teacher sits at the table with the Reception children and encourages them to eat everything (OK, she bribes them with stickers).

The budgets have been cut which means that there are fewer lunchtime supervisors. Luckily the teachers are lovely and have taken up the slack (on top of everything else that they do!)

I am always wondering why my DS (Y1)eats almost everything in his lunchbox. A whole thick sliced sandwich, a joghurt and fruit? He never eats that much at home.

Last year we were invited to have school dinners at school with our children and there were the dinner ladies/TAs around to watch out that they are eating properly, but he had school dinners that day.

i would mention it.

my dd is in reception and there at least 3 non eaters who are supervised and ecouraged together (on the same table with other children who are eating). the ta some times does this even thogh it is not usually in her remit along with lunch supervisers.

they seem to communicate well to parents every day.

Yes i'd mention it.

Do they have a rule that the sandwich is eaten first?

DD is in reception and I overheard another mum telling the teacher her DD hadn't eaten at all as she disliked the type of ham her mum had used and daren't move on to the next item due to the rule!

At DD's school it is their policy to encourage children to eat but they certainly do not force them to eat!