So entitled and unable to share

[BG2015]

We've had a Christmas party in KS2 this afternoon. Children were asked to bring some food to share eg crisps, biscuits, cakes etc.

So many children sulking because the food was put together, children actually saying to staff "I want my own food, I'm not sharing" massive bags of Haribo and crisps, boxes of muffins (32) which were sent to share between a class of 31 and the child wanted them for him and his friend.

I have never known anything like it in nearly 30 years of teaching.

That sounds awful and I'd be mortified if my son behaved like that!
KS2 is old enough to understand the idea of bringing something to share.

I teach secondary but I do think social skills aren't what they were. We seem to deal with a lot more fallings out/bickering/kids crying over very minor things than we did when I trained (14 years ago).

The astro pitch at break/lunch has to be managed and supported by a staff member as the kids seem unable to play independently without it ending in arguing/fights.

Not sure what the answer is but I do sympathise!

Unsurprising tbh. Many kids have no concept or appreciation for community. At the end of break I am constantly in battles with kids at secondary about picking up litter. The classroom resources are damaged and written on. It is so depressing.

A parent has complained today that her son wasn't allowed to eat his own crisps. Lengthy phone call to my colleague and a visit to school. Just over a bag of crisps.

Words fail me.

Parenting is the main issue here.

Too many children are pandered to at home, never told no, and not taught basic manners or courtesy towards others.

It's making teaching a class pretty miserable at times.

And why? Because the "Do Gooders" have stopped any form of discipline, any form of telling off and any consequences. We bow have a world of violence, disorder and chaos.

I'm retiring in July and it can't come soon enough. Stuff like this makes me realise I'm done with education. It makes me very sad.

Reading this makes me glad I'm older (60s) and closer to being done on this planet. I do despair though about the world my young adult DDs will be living in. I know there are a lot of good kids out there, but far too many of these entitled, angry, unsocial children, who will grow up in to angry, entitled, unsocial adults.

As a Reception class TA, we found this worked well. Send the children home with a foil food container and write their name on the cardboard lid.
On party day child brings in their foil container with their own food and that's what they eat. We would sit at tables and adults would obviously be monitoring.
Keeps it relatively simple regarding food intolerances and you don't get parents complaining that their child ate a crisp when they only permit them to eat carrot sticks!