Schoolchildren with no breakfast

Just watching an article about children that go to school without breakfast as their parents can't afford it. Apparently it's on the increase.

How shocking is this in this day and age? Seems to me some families live from one extreme to another. So sad.

Re: Schoolchildren with no breakfast

They have a breakfast club at Grace's school, but I make sure she goes off with a decent breakfast and I have to say it costs pennies really, the value breakfast cereals are pretty good and an egg and slice of toast really shouldn't break the bank. The parents of the kids using the club seem to be able to afford smart phones and cigarettes though so I do wonder perhaps if they may have slightly warped priorities. I do feel sorry for those who have their benefit sanctioned they do need help with breakfasts and lunches but that is a small proportion of the kids using the club..

Re: Schoolchildren with no breakfast

I can't imagine not having given my son's breakfast before school. We were both working. Not well off, but feeding my sons were a priority. But then I'm also very aware of the financial situation of some families and my heart goes out to them.

Isn't it awful that someone can't even afford a cheap value loaf and a cheap jar of jam?

Re: Schoolchildren with no breakfast

Most can though, they are choosing not to, chatting at the school gates it's amazing how many will not buy value products and insist they have to have the proper branded item.

Re: Schoolchildren with no breakfast

That's what I mean Julie. It's one extreme to another. If someone can afford to buy more expensive brands, then it's such an ill divided world.

Re: Schoolchildren with no breakfast

Can't really add to this, but only to agree with everything said! Bread and jam or any other toast topper shouldn't be expensive, but I sometimes wonder if it's just laziness on the part of the parent, or even the child?

Also agree Julie, you can get very cheap cereals if you look hard enough. Enough to fill a little hole in a little tummy, and milk is not expensive either.

But I also suppose, and accept, that there are families who just do not have any money to spare, for whatever reason.

Re: Schoolchildren with no breakfast

There was a woman in the article who said she could eat the pickings left by her child, as she could not afford to feed both him and her. She did then add that she was a smoker. Some may say that is a wrong choice of priority. Maybe so, but I like the fact her child comes first.

Re: Schoolchildren with no breakfast

I think a lot of these articles are written for sensation grabbing headlines and I think that the observation of parents "able to afford smart phones and cigarettes though so I do wonder perhaps if they may have slightly warped priorities. " may be closer to the truth.

Interestingly "On Monday, free school meal entitlement was extended to all P1-P3 pupils in Scotland ...
The menus look quite attractive.

Re: Schoolchildren with no breakfast

I should have said it was on a morning tv programme and viewers were invited to phone in. Which they did.

Re: Schoolchildren with no breakfast

How many of those children had mobile phones, game boys, xboxes, computers, outsize TV sets, computers and parents who regularly drink and smoke ?

I do not believe that anyone cannot afford to give their child a breakfast - I do believe they need to sort their priorities.