Please or to access all these features

Add post

Watch this thread

Save thread

Start a new thread

Flip thread

Hide thread

My feed

Active Unanswered threads

Getting started FAQ's

Unanswered threads Acronyms Talk guidelines

Hide shortcut buttons

Talk

Primary education

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

Flip

1 2 3

Original poster

So why is it that children don't go home for lunch any more?

54 replies

BlueCornflower · 22/09/2008 21:02

That's it really. Not that I want my DD to. I am just interested why no one seems to do it these days. Is it not allowed anymore, or would you be allowed to do it if you really wanted to?

OP posts:

Are your children’s vaccines up to date?

Set a reminder

FluffyMummy123 · 22/09/2008 21:03

Message withdrawn

DeJaVous · 22/09/2008 21:05

I'm in the Netherlands, a lot (maybe even most) children go home for lunch here. I think it's a nice idea, but DDs not at school yet so I may change my mind...

MrsBates · 22/09/2008 21:05

Good question. I went home for lunch when I was little but not many others did. Fings ain't wot they use to be.

NorbertDentressangle · 22/09/2008 21:05

Maybe more parents work these days?

People send children to schools further away, not necessarily the nearest school?

wheresthehamster · 22/09/2008 21:08

Since packed lunches have been allowed I suppose there's not much point. Unless you can't live without your dcs for more than 3 hours, it's nicer for them to have a long playtime with their friends.

anyfucker · 22/09/2008 21:08

in my DD's secondary school, they are not even allowed off the school premises at lunchtime

too much litter-dropping and bothering of local residents by gangs of teenage schoolkids I reckon

norksinmywaistband · 22/09/2008 21:08

The main family meal is now in the evenings not lunchtime.

When I was at school It was not unknown to go home for lunch and Dad be there on his lunch break as well. Then proper tea in the evening.

Not the same these days

< btw I am not that old really>

anyfucker · 22/09/2008 21:09

oops sorry, have just realised this is in primary

as you were !

shubiedoo · 22/09/2008 21:09

My son is too little to walk home on his own for lunch, but I'd like to think he will when he's older.

LadyGlencoraPalliser · 22/09/2008 21:11

We did when I was a child, and my parents came home from work too, but our lunchbreak was longer, I think, than my children's is.

morocco · 22/09/2008 21:11

cos the entire lunch break is 45 minutes at my kids school. it takes 5 minutes to walk home, plus 5 minutes waiting outside for them to come out. so they get 30 minutes at home. it's too rushed. we still do it sometimes but it's hectic. couldn't face doing it every day.

islandofsodor · 22/09/2008 21:12

No-one at home
School too far away
Can't really see the point
Children used to walk home by themselves, no-one of primary age walks home alone these days.
Administrative nightmare if the school had x amount of children leaving the premises each day. You have to sign in and out for a doctors etc appointment. It would mean more admin of children were all over the place at lunchtime.

islandofsodor · 22/09/2008 21:12

No-one at home
School too far away
Can't really see the point
Children used to walk home by themselves, no-one of primary age walks home alone these days.
Administrative nightmare if the school had x amount of children leaving the premises each day. You have to sign in and out for a doctors etc appointment. It would mean more admin of children were all over the place at lunchtime.

Original poster

BlueCornflower · 22/09/2008 21:13

Ah - I think it's the packed lunch thing, isn't it. Thanks hamster. Hadn't thought of that.

OP posts:

MaloryDontDiveItsShallow · 22/09/2008 21:16

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Original poster

BlueCornflower · 22/09/2008 21:16

I remember walking home for lunch loads when I was about 8 and 9. There were loads of strikes then anyway (late 70s). I wonder how they knew which kids were in school - makes you laugh now. I'm sure we only had an hour and we lived about 20 mins away...

I am more than happy for my DD to remain at school - I'd never get her back there again!

OP posts:

Hulababy · 22/09/2008 21:22

I assume many can't go home for lunch as parents are working.

Also many schools have now reduced their lunch breaks to the bare minimum so there would be no time.

At DD's school, it is compulsary to stay for school lunch (included in fees). I wouldn't want to have DD home for lunch TBH; I like the idea of her having a hot school meal int he middle fo the day. Plus I work PT so ome days would be out of the question anyway. Also, DD's school s a 10 minute drive away, so not practical, even though they do ahve more than an hour's break.

I rarely came home for dinner from what I can remember; had hot school meals at primary and middle school, then packed lunch or canteen food at secondary. Did have a period of time at middle school where we cam ehom but that was due to industrial action bu midday supervising staff IIRR.

AbstractMouse · 22/09/2008 22:31

I did this once when I was at primary, lived about 10 mins away from school and thought fuck this for a lark (In a 10 year old way lol).

Although I was always a bit jealous of the packed lunch kids, more a want what you can't have kind of thing because the dinners at our primary were great (would kill for a slice of their chicken pie or weird pink stuff with cornflakes on top)

Are secondary kids not allowed out now?

But then again I often spent my dinner money on single fags from the van and a packet of spicy bikers, or a kids meal from the local chippy lol. Or when we were in year 11 save your dinner money for a booze fest at the weekend . Actually now I have kids keep the buggers in, (rough tart emoticon)

MsPontipine · 23/09/2008 20:46

Arrrrrr Pipkins

MsPontipine · 23/09/2008 20:47

Arrrrrr Pipkins

charmander · 24/09/2008 09:57

i used to walk home on my own for lunch when i was in the infants (mid 1970s). one day i got confused and went home at morning playtime.
No one at school noticed! Luckily mum was at home and brought me back.

i always thought it was very badly organised that the infant school was further away than the junior school so that my little legs had to walk further.
i was only as an adult that i reconsidered this and realised that the world did not revolve around me and maybe the council dodn't site the schools for my personal convenience!

pagwatch · 24/09/2008 10:02

he's not at primary but my DS1 pops home at lunchtimes sometimes. He has 1 hr 15 mins and occasionally said he came home because the lunch was crap or he had missed it .
He has started bringing friends.
But I have just realised that they are eating first and then coming home to eat again

GrapefruitMoon · 24/09/2008 10:03

We used to go home for dinner in the middle of the day when I was little - as did most children unless they lived miles from the school. Most families had their main meal in the middle of the day and most fathers came home too. Obviously most men worked close to where they lived...

My mum hated it - it was always a rush getting the main meal ready so early in the day. She much prefers having dinner in the evening now but my dad would probably prefer to have his at lunchtime!

peanutbutterkid · 24/09/2008 10:19

DH went home for hot dinner all the way thru A-levels (1991). Is that unusual?

I seriously considered it when DS was having playtime troubles 3 years ago. Too far, too much hassle.

PoorOldEnid · 24/09/2008 11:41

ooh can you do it though? by law?

could I take my two home on thursdays for a bowl of soup???

I would LOVE that

Flip

1 2 3