paintermujer

I had some sound advicefrom Lynn a while ago but now Id like some general opinion.

Our daughter is a very picky eater and will hardly eat anything at lunchtime.

She has had school dinners because of the playtime which she loves.She has made many friends and learnt so much new stuff.

But she has never accepted what has been served up.I thought it may change her awful eating habits but no.

It has got to the stage now where she sits in the naughty corner and if she dosent eat her first then she gets nothing, not even a drink.

So she sits there for an hour looking at some soup.

OK so she goes hungry.But the problem is that the dinner staff are getting a bit pushy with her She was smacked on the face a few months ago. The head mistress did speak to the person concerned.But he still gets a bit pushy with her. And he is not the only one.They call her names like stupid etc.and they do get physical.

I guess they dont like her for the hassle she causes.

Going to speak to a mum in her class tomorrow who I think is in AMPA.

I know its kind of like 6 of 1 half a dozen of the other.I guess shell be coming home for dinners soon which I dont mind.Its just that shell miss her playtime which she loves.

Any advice or experience anyone?

lynnxa

sorry to hear this is still going on

I can understand why they might sit her in a 'naughty chair' - although I personally wouldn't agree with it

however calling her names & slapping her is way out of order it's abuse & you could denounce whoever did it for assault - though I would quite understand why you might not want to

you really must talk to AMPA & get them to liaise with school head & the catering company

this has to be stopped!!

Treegod

Sorry to hear this. That's not good conduct. Can't offer advice but I hope this is sorted out somehow.

snikpoh

My son (11) is exactly the same. His twin sister will try most any thing so started to go to school dinners last year. However, my son eats very little and will try even less.

They had a school trip coming up ( 6 days away) so we said that he could go if he tried staying for school lunches and started to try the food. He may not like it but at least he should try.

Well he did, he stayed for the two weeks prior so we let him go. He survived somehow. I have no idea what he ate (perhaps only bread and chips) but he didn't complain!

Any way, he then asked if he could stay for comedor and we agreed to get him to try the food and, hopefully, find some thing else that he liked. The teachers are not at all pushy - yes they try and get him to eat but there is no real pressure. He is always allowed to try and three courses even if he only ends up eating an apple for desert. He claims to be trying the food but who knows?


I really don't know what else to try but am just hoping that he will simply start to eat 'properly' at some point in the future.


Like you, I suspect, if there was any bullying or physical 'stuff' with regard to him not eating, then I think I would talk to the head. If it persisted I would probably denounce the person concerned.

However, I have noticed from speaking to other parents, that they are certainly more physical with the children here. They think nothing to giving a child a 'clip round the ear'! Whilst I might disagree with this, I am living in Spain and may find the authorities just a little deaf to the problem.


Best of luck with getting her to eat

lynnxa

yes, and kids really are expected to eat up & shut up!!

I remember taking my younger dd to a birthday party which was held at a spanish guardería & the staff didn't want them to leave the table to play until they had eaten everything

there was mix of nationalities there, and the mum (spanish) of the birthday girl had a quiet word, saying that other nationalities (brits!) didn't necessarily expect their kids to eat everything put in front of them................especially at a birthday party

angiescarr

Thought about fibbing a little and saying that the family are vegetarianos?
(If it's Spanish style meat she doesn't like)
On the other hand if your daughter is really picky, having had both types I only have one piece of advice. Don't ever let her get away with being picky at home. If she doesn't want what you serve up say that's OK but make her wait until the next meal. Harsh but it's the only thing that works.
My boys will eat anything because that was my regime, My daughter's dad though, used to let her pick and choose and gave her something else when she said she didn't like this or that. She grew so picky she looked almost anorexic and didn't mature to womanhood until she was 17.
If your daughter is over about 6 though, it's probably already too late.

anonimouse

I am very very surprised JLFS hasn't been here to make a comment about this subject, sounds like an expertfrom what I read in another thread about this.

I hope you sort it.

paintermujer

Thanks for all the replies.

I agree with what you all say.It is different in Spain and where we live the people are very traditional in their ways.This is why we havent persued the situation.

But OH is freaking out about it now cos it has gone on too long with too much upset but I doubt there will be a resolution and I dread it to be honest.

lynnxa

had a thought

do you get the menu a month in advance?

at my dd's primary school you can choose in advance what days they stay for comedor, and just pay for those days


could you maybe sit down with your dd & decide which days she could at least try eveything, and just book her in for those days?

or if the school is a bit more anal, then get her to go for maybe mon, wed & fri & come home the other two?

Treegod

Call me a naïve foreigner but.... packed lunches?

paintermujer

I wish.

paintermujer

Not sure about this.They seem to have the option of all week or 4 days and not wed because they finish at 1.

The thing is the menu dosent have anything that a more northern european menu would have.

If you dont like fish at this school you really are stuffed and its always cold but spanish seem to like cold hot food.

lynnxa

most of the catering companies do much the same menu - we've had several at our school over the years my 2 have been there & imo Safor are the best

dd2 doesn't like the food the new company this year is serving up, so is coming home hungry - the actual dishes are things she usually likes but she is compalining about the quality - says it's bland

but it's her last year of primary & school lunches, & chances are they'll change the company again next year, so I can't be bothered to complain

paintermujer

The company here are called IRCO. Maybe you know them too.

snikpoh

For some bizarre reason, packed lunches are NOT allowed in Spanish schools.