Packed lunch getting nicked

cheepskate_2

Hi All

I just really wanted views before i do anything.

Son takes in packed lunch to school. He only started this school a year ago as did his whole class (in upper primary).

Sometimes my son would come home and say xxx of his lunch had been taken, usually the crisps or sweet. We did not report to school as it was quite sporadic.

Last week on 2 seperate occassions things were pinched from his lunch box( assuming it is during recess as the only time it can really happen)
He informed the teacher( the second time) and teacher told class that it not to happen again or offender will be sent to headteacher. As we dont know who is doing it and it is a bit difficult to find out as it is sporadic.

Anyways, today his lunch was missing and he was left with just a bag of fruit, it would have also been a sandwich but i didnt pack one. Anyways a pk of crisps and a choc bar were taken. He didnt tell his teacher as he said the teacher told the class last time and didnt see point of saying again.
I plan to go in and see the teacher tomorrow. I dont know if it is only my sons being taken at moment.

I also have a email list of most of the parents in the class(emails were compiled and handed out by another parent) and was thinking of emailing them as a generic email to highlight this .

How would you respond to getting an email, baring in mind i have never met any of the parents, about a child in your childs class doing this.
Thanks

Plans_all_plans

I wouldn't send an email round as I think the school should be sorting this out pronto.

I would go see the teacher tomorrow and say that you have told your son that if he goes to his lunch box and things are missing, he is to queue up for a school dinner which you will not be paying for. They'll soon find a way of keeping the kid's lunches away from stealing hands!!

If they have a problem with this, tell them it's no different to what they're letting happen in class.

Molly41

Its probably being taken by some poor kid whose parents are not providing enough food for them or who has to fend for him/ herself. Have you thought about packing two lots of everything and writing a kindly note telling the child to talk to the teacher about the issue? I would do this for a while and see if the situation improves.

shy-but-need-help

I think I'd approach school and let them deal with it, my sister is a primary teacher and a good 95% of the time she knows exactly which children are doing the stealing- she does the whole talk about it being wrong and how it shouldn't happen again to the whole class, if it does then happen again she can directly adress it with the child she knows it is.

The school probably won't appreciate you bypassing their system for dealing with things like stealing by emailing the parents as it will come across as you don't think they're dealing with it adequately. I also think you run the risk of starting a witch hunt mentality where parents start talking and deciding between themselves which child it is (and they're usually wrong- my best friend in primary used to get accused of all sorts because she came from a very poor home and so everyone assumed everything must be her but it never was, she was poor as dirt but honest to the core.)

Make-it-3

Is it just your son's lunch - ie is he being specifically picked on, or something that is happening to other kids too? If the former, perhaps your son knows who it is, someone who is picking on him (maybe too scared to say in case it makes things worse).

Is it always the crisps/chocolates? Could be the thief in question isn't allowed these and is therefore stealing someone else's. Or if you live in a deprived area it could be one of the poorer kids who is doing it out of genuine hunger.

Not sure there's much the parents can do. I'd speak to the teacher again, ask them these questions and see if they can't flush out the culprit.

Pee

Is there any sort of locking lunch box you could get? I have seen them with combination locks on, which may work. (My friend had one to stop her stealing OH's chocolate bars for work!)

PasturesNew

I'd make some laxative cake.

Doozergirl

I doubt they'd be interested in stealing his lunch if it were a healthy lunch box. It doesn't solve the fact that there is a thief in the class but at least everyone will be healthy!

I'm surprised that they're even allowed crisps and sweets in their lunchboxes, my kids schools have never allowed it.

CAN1976

PasturesNew wrote: »

I'd make some laxative cake.

What could possibly go wrong with intentionally drugging a child?

Baaaad idea.

pigpen

I'd tell the teacher he was keeping his lunch in the classroom until they get it sorted as you are not having your child hungry because they can't monitor the pack ups properly!

I would email the parents.. I'd say 'My son has had items stolen from his packed lunch and I have spoken to the school about this and am intending to do so again this week. Has anyone else had problems of this sort because if they have would the parents like to come speak to the head/class teacher with me in order to address this problem? Regards'

ceebeeby

Molly41 wrote: »

Its probably being taken by some poor kid whose parents are not providing enough food for them or who has to fend for him/ herself. Have you thought about packing two lots of everything and writing a kindly note telling the child to talk to the teacher about the issue? I would do this for a while and see if the situation improves.

Lol - that's nuts!!! So the poor bank-robbers that steal money from the bank to feed their children, the bank should provide double the quantity they need and a wee note saying go and seek some counselling poor thing! The wee toe-rag is stealing for whatever reason, and whilst I'm sorry for anyone who is hungry - it's not the OPs job to feed them!!!

Personally I defo wouldn't email the parents - you're setting yourself up for 8 years worth of disdain at school shows / parents evenings etc. IMHO I wouldn't even bother the teacher - get your son to lick everything in the morning, and put it in new wrappers and when he gets to the playground get him to loudly announce - my mum's gone mad, she now makes me lick my lunch before I come to school - anyone want a game of footie and I'm leaving my lunch bag just here ..... Failing that, do they do lunch boxes with padlocks on?