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AIBU?

To not want my child to have to eat outside in November?

160 replies

Verycold · 30/11/2012 22:32

Found out today that at my ds's junior school the children have repeatedly been made to eat their packed lunch outside, even after half term. They have a system where they only eat in classrooms if it's wet, otherwise they supposedly all eat in the hall and get called in bit by bit when there is room - or so we thought until it we found out otherwise today! Would this bother you? Not very comfortable to eat outside in the cold surely?

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ChaosTrulyReigns · 30/11/2012 22:34

Sounds very Nordic.

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CoolaSchmoola · 30/11/2012 22:36

It wouldn't bother me at all - but then we are quite "outdoorsy" (hate that term but it covers it). We camp/hike/geocache in winter - and all involve eating outside.

I'm of the opinion that as long as a person isn't physically cold (ie wearing appropriate clothing) and it isn't raining, eating outside in the fresh air is actually really nice.

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OpheliaPayneAgain · 30/11/2012 22:38

No issue here. Children don't melt.

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Verycold · 30/11/2012 22:38

Thinking about it, there might be children who like it and that's fine, but I think it should be optional when temperatures fall below a certain point.

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Softlysoftly · 30/11/2012 22:40

Oh Coola I love geocachibg, can't wait until both the DDs are old enough, you can't really geocache more out of the way places with a pushchair!

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apostropheuse · 30/11/2012 22:41

In our local school the children who have packed lunches eat in the dining hall with the children who are having school lunches.

I think that's much more civilised.

I certainly wouldn't want to eat out in the cold.

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Mintyy · 30/11/2012 22:41

No, I think I would prefer my children to be able to eat indoors in the winter. I would certainly choose to myself. School is not camp, or Scouts or any sort of endurance test afaik.

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AChickenCalledKorma · 30/11/2012 22:43

Mine would love it. They might also eat a bit quicker than they do in a crowded, noisy hall with lots of distraction.

Maybe not for infants, but if it's a junior school I can't really see the problem. Make sure they are properly dressed for being outdoors - but you are presumably doing that anyway.

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honeytea · 30/11/2012 22:43

Yabu. There is nothing wrong with eating outside. Has your dc said they are cold whilst eating?

If you are worried buy your DC a warmer coat.

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emsyj · 30/11/2012 22:45

I wouldn't want to sit outside in my coat and hat to eat and wouldn't want DD to have to either. If she chose to then fine (DH is quite hardy and she takes after him and happily plays in the garden/goes to the park in all weathers). I personally am the absolute opposite of 'outdoorsy' - given a choice, I would always rather be inside! Hate the sun (burn too easily) and hate the rain and cold too. Give me indoors and a comfy chair any day.

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Chopchopbusybusy · 30/11/2012 22:45

I wouldn't be happy about this. I wouldn't choose to sit outside to eat my packed lunch in November, so I wouldn't expect my children to.

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MrsMelons · 30/11/2012 22:47

I don't even like eating outside in the summer really so would hate it in the winter. I find it odd that the children would have to do this!

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GwendolineMaryLacey · 30/11/2012 22:47

I wouldn't fancy it at the moment so therefore i wouldn't like it for my reception child. Do the staff eat theirs outside? No, i don't suppose they do.

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TerraNotSoFirma · 30/11/2012 22:52

Is this an attempt to have more children ask for school dinners = ££££££££

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BRANdishingMistletoe · 30/11/2012 22:53

Do they have picnic tables outside? I wouldn't mind my child eating outside so long as it's dry and above freezing, but I wouldn't be keen on them having to sit on the ground, on a wall or on anything that might be very cold like concrete benches.

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Itsaboatjack · 30/11/2012 22:53

No, I would not want to eat outside in this weather. Where do they sit, do they put tables outside for them?

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racingheart · 30/11/2012 22:53

DC now in Yr 6 who have to eat outside. the younger ones eat in. This is the first year they've had no colds, and they are zooming around in sub zero with barely a shirt on. I think it makes them hardy.

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steppemum · 30/11/2012 22:53

I think it depends a bit. If they are wraped up warm in coats etc and can sit down at picnic tables, then maybe. I encourage mine to get on with it and play outside etc, but it was very cold today and dd1 would have frozen anyway outside for lunch play, as she doesn't run round much, if she had had to eat outside too, she would have been miserable. Seems a bit off I think

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juniper904 · 30/11/2012 22:54

It was quite warm today, once the sun came out. Most kids in my class dump their coats as soon as they're out of the door.

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ChippingInLovesAutumn · 30/11/2012 22:56

It wouldn't bother me as long as it's not raining. I sit outside a lot though and have had either lunch or coffee outside most days since half term. I would think though, if your child minded they'd have been whinging to you about it!

How did you find out?

How reliable is the 'repeatedly'? Xmas Grin

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apostropheuse · 30/11/2012 22:57

It may have been warm where you are Juniper, but it certainly wasn't warm here. The ground is frozen solid. Little Jacky Jack frost was biting toes today!

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steppemum · 30/11/2012 23:02

here I went shopping and came back at 12, it was freezing (literally still frost on grass). By school pick up it was wamer.

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Nanny0gg · 30/11/2012 23:05

Not all children will be in suitable clothing (no matter how much you ask) and it's not as if they're eating hot flasks of soup.

I would not like to do it and I don't think the children should.

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juniper904 · 30/11/2012 23:07

Half the boys are still wearing shorts. Madness. I was on duty this morning and I had 2 jumpers on as well as my wool coat, and two pairs of gloves. I feel the cold very easily has central heating on full right now and an electric heater melting the room

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NamingOfParts · 30/11/2012 23:08

I think the test is:

would the staff like to eat outside?

If the consensus of the staff is 'no' then the school has its answer.

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