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Primary education

Join our Primary Education forum to discuss starting school and helping your child get the most out of it.

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Original poster

So embarrassed, I was told off for ds1's lunchbox

47 replies

MadameMorticiaMills · 25/10/2006 08:19

DS1, aged 6 needed a packed luch as they were off to the theatre yesterday and would be eating out. He normally eats school dinners.

This is exactly what I gave him -

Ryebread with cucumber and roast chicken (leftover from previous nights dinner)
4 baby plum tomatoes
2 fingers of cheddar cheese
small banana and a plum
bottle of water
6 pringle crisps.

When I went to pick him up I was taken aside and told that he was not to bring crips in again (even just 6), as they aren't allowed. Apparently there was almost a fight as his classmates saw what he had and they all wanted one.

Is it really so wrong to include these in his lunchbox? Btw, all chldren at the school eat school diners, this was just a one off because of the trip.

OP posts:

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Blandmum · 25/10/2006 09:37

I did, but thanks to dhs amazing lock down procedulre on my computer (the kids use this one!) I couldn't get 'at' it

BTW I can't thank you enough for the Inner Life of Cells. It fits in perfectly to the first year of the sixth form, covers cell ultra structure, enzymes, membranes and protein synthesis. Wonderful wonderful wonderful!

My classes were amazwd and so motivated by it. Nothing like telling them the thing you are going to use was produced by Harvard University and that they can undertand a lot of what is happening to raise their expectations!

Honestly I can't thank you enough!

Original poster

MadameMorticiaMills · 25/10/2006 09:37

To repeat, I was not told beforehand that crisps were not allowed. I hae since been informed that crips and sweets are not allowed.

Now I have had time to gather my thoughts, I will be speaking to school this afternoon.

I suppose I'm just smarting a bit after being 'told off', but to repeat again- I was not told. DS has been at this school since March and this isn't the first packed lunch he has had, just the first I have put crisps in. Packed lunch etiquette has never been pointed out, well not to me anyway!

OP posts:

golds · 25/10/2006 09:38

completely ridiculous, I could understand them saying something if the lunch box was filled with completed rubbish, but its just plain daft. To restrict kids completely from 'naughty' things i only asking for trouble - everything in moderation

Blandmum · 25/10/2006 09:38

Very silly of the school not to make it clear that they didn't want crisps. You are not psychic after all

ScummyMummy · 25/10/2006 09:45

Awww. I'd have been embarrassed too. But it's no big deal is it? Just an understandable accident on your part. I am not in favour of banning foods personally but rules is rules... Schools seem to have jumped on the healthy eating bandwagon lock stock and smoking barrel (lovely mixed metaphors there) and there's no point in challenging it, imo. I hope the teacher didn't mean to tell you off as such but even if she is a bit of an abrupt type isn't it best to let it lie from here on in and buy yourself and ds a nice packet of crisps after school to cheer yourselves up?

juuule · 25/10/2006 10:07

I wouldn't have been embarrassed, I'd have been annoyed. I would also be thinking of going into school for a list of permitted and proscribed foods to find out just what the rules are. Then depending on the list, I might just start to calm down a little.

heifer · 25/10/2006 10:10

I am going to hate it when DD goes to school.. I hate the idea of being told what I can feed MY OUR CHILD... I have spent the last 2 (almost 3) years deciding what she can/can't eat, and think I am more than capable of making good decisions....

I give her homemade wholesum food, but will certainly allow her treats...

I had no idea that schools were actually banning certain foods...

Great, just great.... really looking forward to DD going to school now....

Actually more likely to be inwardly annoyed than actually complaining to the school.....

thekidsmum · 25/10/2006 21:53

I am waiting for this to happen at our school. If it does I will be asking for a copy of the schools menu plan and when they have a pudding etc ,will provide my DS with one of a similar nature. At the moment they are very good and we can provide what we wish for lunch. For trips out they only stipulate no glass bottles and no tubs of yoghurt as they break and burst.

VeniVidiVickiQV · 25/10/2006 21:58

Thats the sort of thing that could trigger an allergy in my DD so her nursery have banned bringing in of such stuff.

VeniVidiVickiQV · 25/10/2006 21:58

pre-school rather...

Original poster

MadameMorticiaMills · 26/10/2006 07:47

They don't have pudding at his school, just fruit

OP posts:

edam · 26/10/2006 08:24

What a load of fuss about nothing! It's a school trip, for heaven's sake, not an ordinary day. If they are that bothered about six crisps what on earth do they do about things that are really important?

All they are doing by taking the healthy eating thing to such extremes is telling kids that crips are really delicious and exciting because they are banned. Nothing so desirable as something that's forbidden. I think they've fundamentally misunderstood the nature of a healthy diet. I'd go to the British Nutrition Foundation website/Food Standards Agency, print off what they say about healthy eating and take it into school.

Given they didn't explain the rules in the first place, then they have been extremely rude. But if the teacher took you aside in an apologetic, sorry you obviously didn't know but for future reference, way then I wouldn't take it any further.

edam · 26/10/2006 08:25

crisps, obv.

anorak · 26/10/2006 08:59

I agree with those who have said:

There is nothing wrong with a no crisps rule.

But there is plenty wrong with

1 Not making sure everyone knows the rules.
2 The rudeness in the way you were spoken to.

How dare they tell a parent off!

ginmummy · 26/10/2006 09:23

I can see both sides to this so I'm sitting on the fence, but I think there is an issue in that you weren't expressly told what foods were unacceptable.

In my day we had soggy ham or egg sandwiches on white bread followed by a packet of Monster Munch and a Penguin, all washed down with a can of fizzy orange. Never did me any harm.

HallgerdaLongcloak · 27/10/2006 15:42

I agree with anorak.

But if you are inclined to be bloody-minded about the whole business, you can always slip the Pringles between slices of bread - no-one will ever find them there

GODisGOOD · 27/10/2006 15:43

I AM GOD and i know everything. next time tell them to piss off

lemonAIIEEE · 27/10/2006 15:48

Agree with anorak (although if all the kids always eat school dinners except on occasional trips out, even having a no crisps policy seems overkill to me).

nogoes · 27/10/2006 15:50

Bloody stupid! I would complain in writing about their lack of communication.

Greensleeves · 27/10/2006 15:51

I'm all for the healthy eating initiatives - but it doesn seem a tad harsh to make an issue out of 6 Pringles when the children don't normally have packed lunches anyway - sounds a bit jobsworth to me and doesn't do the image of the whole "campaign" any favours. I don't take kindly to being reprimanded by teachers anyway, I had enough of that when I was in school uniform

I didn't like the sound of the TA buying kids chocolate bars on the quiet though - that is seriously overstepping the mark IMO. I assume she has a comprehensive list of the children's dietary needs/sensitivities in her pocket? And even if she does, I would be very annoyed indeed if somebody was feeding chocolate to my child without asking first.

Blondilocks · 27/10/2006 15:51

That does seem silly. No telling off for the children then who were fighting over someone else's food?

I do find it really stupid how you can be told off for a balanced diet. It really annoys me when all of the emphasis is on whether something is good or bad for you rather than the importance of a balanced diet.

thirtysomething · 06/11/2006 20:09

they would love my kids' schools then - virtually every child has ...wait for it....a WHOLE packet of crisps ALL TO HIM/HERSELF in their lunch boxes. I'm sure most of them (mine included) have a couple of portions of fruit and veg and eat plenty of good stuff at home. Six bags of crisps each would still be preferable anyway to the rubbish they serve for hot meals at school. Yes, the world is indeed mad, and your ds must go to a super-duper school in academic and behavioural terms if that's all they've got to worry about. At our school parents get told off for never arriving on time to pick their child off, not for a lunchbox issue FFS!

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