Dd didn't like any of the food she had been given for lunch (they aren't allowed to refuse to have food if they don't like either of the alternatives; they have to take one of the choices from every server) so didn't want to eat it. One of the play-leaders had tried to coax her into trying some, which dd had done, but she still didn't like it so the play-leader told her she could just eat her chips and pudding, and she would find her some fruit to have as well.
So far so good. But along comes one of the cooks who really lets rip, shouting at dd and telling her that she must eat all her food, it's a waste, it's disgraceful that she won't even touch it, that dd is being naughty for not eating the stuff. Meanwhile the waste bucket is full of fish fingers that other children have left. Dd was left in tears - although two of the play-leaders defended her against the cook.
Before anyone tells me that children exaggerate, both of the play-leaders have corroborated dd's version of events. The cook was yelling and screaming at my daughter, even in the face of my her tears.
This cook has been reported to the Head before about her attitude to both children and staff, and I feel that I should speak to the Head about what happened today, but there is one problem ... I work as a play-leader at the school too, so I have to work with this woman for at least one lunchtime every week.
Do I make a complaint and suffer the consequences? Or do I let it go, bearing in mind that dd goes up to Juniors in September? My gut feeling is that I should complain so that other children aren't spoken to in that way but (being purely selfish here) I don't want to make life unpleasant for myself.
Your thoughts?