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

[BlueCornflower]

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?

[Fimbo]

My dad used to fetch me on a Friday at lunchtime for > a sausage roll

[MadamePlatypus]

Thinking about it, I suppose there must be regional variations. Where I grew up even if the mother didn't work, the father probably commuted in to London to work so wouldn't have come home for lunch, and when I was at secondary school, even if we had been allowed off the premises before the sixth form by the time I had got the bus home I would already have been late to go back to school for afternoon classes. Commuters don't go home for lunch.

[MadamePlatypus]

I would imagine that its due to lack of parental enthusiasm about being tied to collection/drop-off/being at home at lunch-time everyday. What I want to know is why did people go home in the old days? Was it because not all schools could provide a school dinner and in the olden days people used to eat 3 square meals a day?

[Mercy]

Aaah, poor old enid

[curlywurlycremeegg]

I give up

[curlywurlycremeegg]

can't even strike out today, must have spent too much time -skiving- off ill

[suzywong]

I remembrer going home at lunchtime for Heinz Cream of Tomato Soup with Mothers' Pride and Summer County marge in front of Mr Trimble and Pipkins on the TV.

Fruit and museli bars PAH!!!!!

[curlywurlycremeegg]

Fizzylemonade, oh yes The Sullivans and then Emerdal FARM, not just Emerdale.....and if I was -skiving- ill it would the be Take The High Road, memories

[PoorOldEnid]

[FluffyMummy123]

Message withdrawn

[PoorOldEnid]

neither of them want to

[sob]

[Fizzylemonade]

I went home for lunch because my Mum used to work in the evenings so was home mid-day.

We used to watch The Sullivans! It was really common at our school. Maybe the dinners were disgusting

No option for lunch at home at Ds's school.

The last time I looked at statistics back in 2007 1 in 10 mothers didn't work (don't know about the Dads sorry) and 55% of working mothers work full-time.

[WhereTheWildThingsWere]

Wow I thought I was going to find lots of people on this thread who take dc's home at lunch and find out I am not a crazy oddball.

But sadly no, it seems I am.

Ds (summer born 4) in foundation 2 comes home for lunch every day.

He is the only one in the school, and they think I'm nuts.

6 hours away from home just seemed a really long time to me, and i am in a position to do it, so I thought 'what the hell'.

I like it and I think it breaks up both of our days.

I always went home for lunch, from age 5 to 16, don't know if that's why it seems normal to me.

[Nemoandthefishes]

children at ds school can go home for lunch but if I took him it is a 15min adult pace walk either way so he would spend his whole lunch time walking home grab a sandwich then eat it on the way back. Plus he loves the fact he can play with his friends at lunchtime

[Bramshott]

On the form from school when DD1 started in Reception, there were 3 options to tick - "my child will (1) have school dinners, (2) bring packed lunch, (3) come home for lunch" so it's obviously still okay in some places. I don't think anyone does come home for lunch from her school though, although I couldn't swear to it. It sounds a nice idea to do occasionally.

[PoorOldEnid]

mine would only be on thursdays

dd1 doesnt like school much and needs a bit of babying sometimes

I hope they let us do it

[fondant4000]

My dd (yr 1 primary) is the only one in her class to have home dinners - actually she may be the only one in the school .

Only on Thursdays (the day I work at home). It's a bit of a rush, and we live about 3 mins from the school gates!

I cook spaghetti before I go and get her, then eat as soon as she gets in. Half an hour of tv and then back to school. Why?

Started when she had anemia and I could keep an eye on how she was feeling and feed her during the day (did it every other day then)

Because her little sister loves to see her (2 yrs old).

Because dd1 enjoys it, and it's a nice break in the week.

Because when it's sunny we can all go in the garden and have a picnic.

The school do look at us as if we are a bit peculiar, and I do worry that dd1 might get singled out as a 'bit odd' in class as she gets older!

Sometimes it's a hassle (especially if I have deadlines), but mostly it's nice to do it because it makes her feel special I think.

We never did it when I was a kid - except when my Grandma came to look after us for a while. Then we'd get neck of lamb and mash for lunch and watch Pipkins....

[PoorOldEnid]

lol at staying overnight

dd2 would LOVE that

[TheInvisibleManDidIt]

ds's school get 1 hr for lunch, but if the children go home ofr lunch the school request they be back 10 mins before the bell.

My 2 always have school lunch/ pack lunch. They love the playtime they get with their pals.

Also I think if I did bring them home for lunch I'd never be able to get them back out the door to shcool again.

[pagwatch]

ditto Enid
my five year old DD would stay overnight if they'd let her

hope they say yes. It is my fav thing.

[PoorOldEnid]

i will ask dd1 and the school and see what they say

they will ask why

I will say 'cause we want to'

[PoorOldEnid]

dd2 wont want to I am sure

she lives for her terrible gropu of confident 5 year old girlfriends

[pagwatch]

not every parent would want child home even if they could - and not every child would want to come home .

[PoorOldEnid]

I think mine only get 45 mins

still we could do it, 30 mins for lunch and a quick chat

[pagwatch]

DS1 gets an hour and a quarter..