I have to ask - how often do you go to eat lunch with your kids at school (if it is allowed, that is)? I work in our school cafeteria, and I just want to get some feedback on what is the norm and why.

I love going to eat lunch with my kids, they enjoy me going to eat lunch with them, so I do it when I can. But it ends up being only a few times a year as their school is about 20 minutes from where I work and that's a lot of driving to do, especially with gas prices like they are.

In Our School it Is No Big Deal ,
You Ring the Front Bell - Doors are Kept Locked For Security.

You MUST go into The Office and Sign in the Visitor Book and Put on a Visitor Tag.

I Go over once or Twice a week Since we Live so Close ( 1 Mile) And So Far I Always have a Younger kid or 2 at home, and they LOVE it.

I Also Stay For Recess , and the younger Sibling is Super Happy to Stay and Play !
It is Not Much More Work for me , than Making Lunch at home, So I Go often to Break up the Day.

Sometimes I Take My 2nd grader a Hot Lunch , Sometimes a Fresh Sandwich or Salad .
I Have Done a Pizza or Sonic too.

My Parents Have gone in to Eat with Her A Few Times and So Has My older Daughter.

BTW - My 5th grader has Requested I Not Come in... LOL - I Know this Is Not The Thing To Do ! I Wouldn't Want to Sit with Him and His Friends and embarres Him or Anything

Never...it's never been allowed at any of the schools my children have attended. I think it could be really distracting and cause more problems than be beneficial...but that's JMO. My kids have never had a problem separating from me, enjoy school and the school environment. I'm very active in my kids schools, and always have been but the whole parents showing up for lunch thing baffles me to be honest. The lunchroom at our schools is totally CHAOTIC. LOL It's just not something I would choose to do, if it were allowed.

I occassionally eat lunch with my dd, but I would prefer a slap in the face instead! I don't mind eating with my dd -- it's the other kids around her that have such poor manners. They chew with their mouths open and perform various disgusting experiments with their food. If I eat lunch with my dd, I get so grossed out that I don't eat well for a couple of days afterwards. I've told my dd that one day I'm going to film her class at lunch. It would make a great weight loss video.

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Every time we start thinking we're the center of the universe, the universe turns around and says with a slightly distracted air, "I'm sorry. What'd you say your name was again?" ~ Margaret Maron

I went to DD's school at lunchtime today because the day was turning out colder than we expected so I brought her coat. I don't EAT with her because I'm wheat/gluten free but I sat while she ate. It was a big deal. The two of us got to eat at a special table and she had THREE friends join us. I was thinking, "Wow, for a mere half hour out of my day, I get the inside scoop on everything that is happening in DD's social circle. Cool!" I have to do this more frequently.

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"I've been rich and I've been poor but independently wealthy is where it is at."

A slap in the face!

I have not gone but it is common for moms to go at our school. This is my middle ones first year of full day, and when DD was there - well the last thing she wanted to see was me and her little brother! Haha. I think DD ans DS would love it. She goes to preschool there so she is very comfortable.

I never thought about going to the high scholl, hmm.. Ill talk to DD see what she thinks! Ya right!!!

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MrsMom43 = Happily Married mom of three wonderful children!

I agree with Oregano. I don't like to disrupt the daily routine. They work hard to keep things running smoothly in the cafeteria.

I do plan to volunteer to help at lunch when I'm able. If it is disruptive to my child, I will no longer do it.

Thank you all for your feedback. I think once in a while is a nice treat for the kids, and even some parents come in once a week if they happen to be volunteering at the school. However, we have two parents who have been in every single day since school started (over 3 weeks now) and I just don't get it. We have a special table where the kids eat with their parents, so when these parents come in, the kids are losing an opportunity to socialize with their classmates. Lunch and recess are really the only times they can just hang out and be kids. I like to think that they must have a good reason to be there every day, but I don't think it is due to any special issues (anxiety, etc) with their children - the kids were at our school last year, too, and didn't have any special needs.

When my kids were in elementary I went in a few times, but not really much. I also volunteered a lot in the classroom and at parties and such, but the lunch thing wasn't up my alley (ala Starlite's slap in the face ) For one thing the school lunch period is very short and very chaotic, and when I would go I would just sort of be in the way. Plus my kids always liked to socialize with their friends. I would think it was VERY weird if parents came in every day. I would think maybe the school should talk to the parents.

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