Think back to when you were an elementary school kid. Lunch time was probably one of the highlights of your day. It is one of the few opportunities during the school day where kids get to eat and to socialize with their peers. Some parents have started eating lunch with their kids at school. This is causing problems.
Darrien News (Darren, Connecticut) reported that a rule change will no longer allow parents to eat with kindergarteners and first-graders at the town’s elementary schools. This rule was conveyed to parents via email.
The email was sent by Interim Superintendent Elliott Landon. Part of the email said: “For educational reasons, students of this age need to learn how to function independently under the supervision of a trained educational professional without parental distraction.”
As you may expect, some parents are angry about this rule. Some felt it was beneficial to have parents there to provide an example of how to sit down and eat lunch with other people. Others simply wanted to be able to spend time with their child during the school day. Some enjoy bringing a homemade hot lunch to their child at school.
The Atlantic posted an article that pointed out some of the problems caused by parents who decided to eat lunch with their kids at school. An anonymous middle school teacher relayed an incident where a mom brought in a pizza for her child and some students – but not others. This was disruptive.
Younger children may start crying when their parent attempts to leave school after lunch. The result is the child becomes upset, and must take time to calm down before they can focus on whatever learning experiences were provided by the teacher after lunch.
Children learn important social skills at lunchtime. They learn how to decide where to sit. They have conversations that help develop friendships. Kids can’t do that if their parent is at the lunch table.
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