School Lunch Issues...anyone else?

[nevaehsmom327]

I read an article a few days ago about lunch ladies marking kids hands if they are getting low on their accounts. Our school doesn't do this, and I think I'm kind of thankful for that, simply because I don't want it called to attention day after day that DD doesn't have money in her account. I only put like $10 at a time in there because we get reduced lunches and it shouldn't be costing me more that that per week to keep her fed.

We send her with snacks, lots of them. I don't know. Maybe she's just in a constant growing spurt and needs to eat a ton during the day. But she doesn't eat much when she gets home and we have dinner. I think she feels like she needs to be FULL constantly...which she doesn't really need to be. Maybe we just need to have that conversation with her too. UGH!

[sarahisis]

the foods that she's buying extra at school, could you somehow send it in with her, or a variation of it? She could just be eating extra because everyone else is eating.. or out of boredom? I know when I was in school and we were offered to buy food, we did because we could... that's it.

[deannemdm]

Our DD was buying a ton of a la carte stuff and (like $4-6 a day) instead of a meal. Our school can put a lock on the account (I guess it is pretty common here) so they can only get a meal (two choices of hot, plus hot and cold sandwich line or salad line) she is in middle school. If DD does not get filled up, that is one thing, but chack with the scholl about the taking too much in a day issue. Other parents may have also had this problem, too.

[nevaehsmom327]

Well that's just the thing, I think she does it because she can. I did make her take money out of her piggy bank for spending so much last week. I think if she's going to be spending that much we need her to understand the cost of it.

We have sent her with like carrots, or a sandwich, etc. to bring with her to lunch, plus a snack for class. Growing girl I guess.

I will have to check with the school and see if there's anything they can do about it. I hate to be such a stickler, but spending $3-$5 a day on lunch for her is just out of our budget right now.

[bunsy]

Bring the hammer down Amy. You'll be in practice when Lily & Izzy get to school. Can you imagine if 3 kids were doing that each day?

[sarahisis]

I remember the days where there was no 'account' and you had to bring your lunch money with you every day and that was that.

[bunsy]

Yep. They should go back to punch cards. Your card is punched? You're done eating.

[lilmermaid]

I still can't get past the fact that this is at the elementary level! They aren't old enough to have this responsibility!!!!
Very thankful it's not like that at our school!

[nevaehsmom327]

I know. It seems a bit ridiculous to me, especially when they even do it at a Kindergarten level. Those kids don't know ANY better!

Yep, I'll be making phone calls to the school to CANCEL lunch accounts if all 3 girls are doing this in school. Ugh! lol

[dara1012]

We had tickets in elementary school. One ticket = One lunch.

We had a la carte choices in middle school and high school (we paid cash) -- but all the choices in elementary school seems odd and that no one is helping to monitor even harder. Do elementary schools really expect 5 y.o. to 11 y.o. to understand finances and what they can/can't afford?

[nevaehsmom327]

Apparently they do. I'd love to be able to call the school and chat about it, but they keep friggin closing! lol