Talk to me about lunchboxes please, re new year 7

[Sunnymeg]

DS starting year 7 next week, wants to use the lunchbox he used at primary. It is a Skylander Giants one. DS has Aspergers and loves Skylanders. I am worried he is going to get teased or worse because Skylanders is seen as babish. DS says that if people won't accept him for who he is, then they are not worth bothering with. Perfectly fine to think that way, but don't think it will pan out like that in practice.

I presume most children take a Tupperware style box, like I did back in the day. Or am I wrong and the Skylander lunch box will be perfectly OK?

Thanks

Sunny, my dd starts high school next week too and I will be sending her lunch in her school bag. I think they will have enough to carry without an extra box/bag etc.

Hard one this, if your DS really wants to take it then no problem. Yet, on other hand kids can be cruel. I would be tempted to try and find an alternative one for him, maybe plastic . Good luck xx

I would go with plastic, too. Maybe tell him it's more about him being able to fit everything in to his bag - so a small plastic box for sandwiches and everything else loose to fit better?

My ds has Asperger's and has just finished yr 7 (at a private school) and they have hot lunches, not pack-ups, so we haven't had that particular issue. We chose the school for its excellent pastoral care and attitude to 'being different', ie. it's ok! But having said that, I have tended to err on the side of caution, like you, because it's just easier not to have something obvious to be picked up on straight away. So, for example, on an early non-school uniform day I encouraged ds away from wearing his Angry Birds t-shirt and towards a plain one, but on G & T summer school week (just gone) I let him wear it one day as all the kids were probably Aspies (!). Does that make sense?

I admire your son's point of view and I think it will stand him in good stead but sometimes it can be easier to present a neutral front when first meeting others. I think it would be easier to disguise your own intentions, though, rather than challenge him directly.

PS. My ds loves Skylanders too and thinks they are actually real...does yours?

Hello, Hmm DS does realise they are not real, but it doesn't stop him loving them any less. He is so excited about SWAP Force coming out in October, even though he knows he won't have it until Christmas.

My ds has just had his birthday and he got an IOU for Swap Force so he will get it as soon as it comes out - and got money from all his other relatives so is saving that for some characters.

Honestly, I'm not allowed to talk to him in his room about anything 'embarrassing' in front of the characters as they are 'listening'...

Anyway, he's had a lovely first year at secondary despite this aspect of quite immature behaviour. Just had one occasion where he was being teased about believing dragons are real and he apparently responded with 'I think we should all respect each other's opinions and stop arguing' and he says no one's teased him since.

Good luck to your ds

It depends if the lunchbox will fit inside his school bag, as they all keep them in their bags rather than carry them separately

Ds2 had a Lego lunchbox all through primary (is/was obsessed with Lego although its starting to wane a bit now). I 'retired' it before he went into Y7 and replaced it with a completely plain one - I think he has enough things that people could pick on without giving bullies an even easier target

I also make sure that his Lego Star Wars boxers are only 'clean' on non-PE days ...

I have to do the 'hide the boxers' thing, too basildon...ds has Angry Birds and Star Wars Lego ones that he would wear all the time given half a chance!

My lot took plain insulated bags in Year 7.

While your son's attitude is great and exactly as it should be in a perfect world I really wouldn't recommend taking a lunch box with characters into secondary given we don't inhabit one.

I think you might being doing him a favour if you accidentally broke his lunch box. Sad but true that it would make him a target.
No room in bag for boxes anyway. Lunch in a plastic bag squashed in with books and PE kit .