A Boy Named Fred

Ok, that's not really his name but I am going to go with that to protect his privacy. This is a blog about school lunches, not about the govt imposing rules (though I will insert a blurb here or there on that), but about a parent's inability to know what her teenage son needs.

Fred is a Senior this year. Historically, he has been a pain in the keester but this year he seems to have his ducks in a row. He is much more polite, asks in advance to make him some meat free food (he is a sometimes vegetarian: he is until that lettuce salad doesn't fill him up, then he wants chicken!), and generally has been a great kid so far this year.

His mom put money onto his account at the beginning of the year with the explicit note that he can only buy a lunch: no diet pop, bagels, extras, etc. Well, he went thru that money pretty fast because he came in for breakfast and bought what would be considered a "meal" and then would come thru again for "lunch". I told my Boss about it and she contacted his mom and she said "He is only allowed to buy one "lunch" a day". We let him know (ok, this should be a conversation between mom and him.) and he was crushed. He is soo hungry when he gets to school that he can't get by on one meal.

My Boss called his mom again to let her know how hungry he is (this is after I spent my own money making sure he was fed. Yes, I do that for the kids, go ahead and report me). Response was the same: he can only buy one meal a day.

Here's where I get loud : MAKE YOUR SON BREAKFAST AND SEND HIM TO SCHOOL WITH A FREAKING SANDWICH OR SOMETHING!!! HE IS STARVING AND CANNOT LIVE ON ONE MEAL A DAY!!!

I get up at 5:30 every morning so I can make sure my kids have lunches packed that can get them thru 9 hours and a really good breakfast that can get them thru until lunch. Why can't she 1) Make him a good breakfast (he claims he does not eat in the morning) and 2) pack him something extra?? The fact that the Foodservice Director has called to say that the lunch lady is paying to feed him and that he is so hungry everyday, that should be a big clue that he needs more to eat!!

He came in today to see if he had money on his account to get lunch: .05 cents on his account. Needless to say, he didn't have lunch.

I know we are all busy and I know packing lunch is the last thing we want to do (I have been known to pack blueberry muffins, carrots, crackers and cheese), but seriously, think how cranky you would be all day at work being hungry.

Obviously I care a lot about my kids and the kids I feed. I want them to be healthy and happy and it ticks me off when the parents are coming up short. We all have days when we pack our kids gum for lunch but it should not happen on a regular basis. Don't punish your kids with not feeding them lunch.

Ground them from the Xbox.

Make them clean the toilets.

Onto something more personal: Middle Child is trying out for travel basketball and though I had heard about how competitive sports are in our town, I never realized it until this week. He is really good at all sports, but now he is up against some really good kids. And it doesn't look good for him making the team. This is a first in this house as he excels at sports. It is taking it's toll on him (and me for that matter!) but we have a backup plan to get him into the basketball he played last year. I am not sure how to handle him if he doesn't make the team. 

The dreaded Reunion is a mere 4 days away. I have not lost 40lbs, though I have lost a few. I have bipolar moments of being totally worried and then not caring at all. I will be glad when it is over, let's just go with that.

Work is wearing on me with no one hired in my old position yet. We are doing the best we can but the colder it gets, the busier we get.

Youngest's 9th birthday is in a little over a week. Good thing I have the Reunion to obsessive about because it would be his bday I would be crying over.

I hope everyone is well and healthy. Lots of weird health stuff going on, be safe.

Something you never knew about me: Mexican food is my absolute favorite genre of food. I have never been south of the border but would love to go, just for the food. 

I haven't run much this week. Life's events are getting in the way but I should be able to Thurs-Sun. Won't bore you with my mile times, I am sure they will be close to what that were!! Thanks for your continued support.

Cat