Nursery worker told she HAS to eat with children

ohreally

I would consider making clear she will provide supervision for the kids at mealtimes and support them in whatever way is appropriate but when it comes time for her break* she will take her break away from the workplace in a manner of her choosing. !!!!!!, shes an adult and its not too much to ask to eat way from children.

* Is her break unpaid? - can she sit in her car away from the workplace at her break?

renowen

Hi there

I've worked as a Nursery Nurse for 10 years and it has always been considered 'good practise' for staff to sit at the table at meal times and eat with the children. This isn't just to encourage them to eat the food, but also to model good table manners and correct use of utensils, which is part of our job description.

That said I've never known anyone to be TOLD they must do this, it is just encouraged. One setting I worked at would provide a jacket potato and cheese/beans for any staff who didn't wish to eat what was on the menu so they could still eat the food and most Nurseries offer a vegetarian option which may be available if the meat option doesn't take your fancy.

Different sittings do things differently but is it not possible for your gf to request her break over the lunch period? This isn't possible where I currently work but was in previous nurseries so could be an option for her?

Whatever the situation where you're gf works she MUST speak to her manager first, or if not her then whoever is above her, it's no good getting stressed over something like this as children arn't daft, they can tell if you arn't happy and they can tell if you are 'pretending' to eat. It would in my opinion, be better for your gf to eat her own lunch and be seen to enjoy her food that to be seen picking and her food and playing with it!

Hope she can get this sorted x

RobertoMoir

mildred1978 wrote: »

My almost-2 year old eats exactly what I eat and has done since he was 6 months old, no mashing or puttering or special "baby meals". We had lamb shanks tonight and roast chicken dinner yesterday. He's never eaten a chicken nugget or a fish finger. Believe it or not there doesn't have to be "baby food" v "adult food".

I'd be wanting to know why the kids weren't being fed normal food!!

This is a whole different kettle of cod, of course, though you make a valid point.

Regardless of how "suitable for adults" a meal was, I'd still be unhappy with anyone who tried to force me to eat it though.

LadyMissA

azza21 wrote: »

Yes to encourage them to eat the food. She was told in no uncertain terms she had to eat what her children had to eat, be it macaroni cheese, spaghetti anything. She has to eat it with them and yes she brings her own pack lunch in and has a seperate lunch break. She is not allowed to eat her lunch with the children, has to be what they eat.

Let me just clarify my girlfriend doesn't have a problem pretending to eat the food, she used to do this, has done it for the last 6 months. Never been an issue, now however she has been told she has to eat the food they eat and is not allowed to pretend to eat it.

I am so sure no one can force you , thats like forcing a child to eat which I am sure she doesn't do!

mildred1978

ladylouise62 wrote: »

Bloody ridiculous. I can understand the need for them to be present and pretend, but blinking heck, a large proportion of parents at home will rarely eat the same food as their kids!!!



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Really? How sad.

Perhaps that's why generations of kids are growing up only interested in junk food.

renowen

Just to add, generally speaking the meals offered are no different than what an adult would eat, just obviously with no added salt, nothing more spicy than a korma and nothing cooked with booze lol! It's just served in smaller portions!

x

LadyMissA

mildred1978 wrote: »

My almost-2 year old eats exactly what I eat and has done since he was 6 months old, no mashing or puttering or special "baby meals". We had lamb shanks tonight and roast chicken dinner yesterday. He's never eaten a chicken nugget or a fish finger. Believe it or not there doesn't have to be "baby food" v "adult food".

I'd be wanting to know why the kids weren't being fed normal food!!

Yes at 4 years old (as the children are here) they should be eating REAL food not just 'baby' foods that are mainly pasta and nothing else. They should be eating a varied diet. My nieces were eating as we would all eat from a very young age as mildred1978 has said here.

Nicki

OP, not a legal answer, but in your GF's shoes I would invent a medical condition, that doesn't affect her ability to work in any way, but does need dietary management. The best one I should think would be IBS. I would therefore go to the boss and say that I had IBS which I kept under control by carefully managing my diet, and was unable to eat the nursery food, but would either continue to pretend to eat with the children, or eat my packed lunch with them, whichever the boss would prefer. However, if eating my packed lunch with them, I would make clear that I was still entitled to a rest break of the same length as before.

RobertoMoir

renowen wrote: »

Whatever the situation where you're gf works she MUST speak to her manager first, or if not her then whoever is above her, it's no good getting stressed over something like this as children arn't daft, they can tell if you arn't happy and they can tell if you are 'pretending' to eat. It would in my opinion, be better for your gf to eat her own lunch and be seen to enjoy her food that to be seen picking and her food and playing with it!

Yes, surely the students are far more likely to be put off their food by someone not enjoying the same food as them than by someone enjoying different food.

That makes comments like the one below (from someone else, not you, renowen) as daft as they are offensive.

Perhaps if someone had sat with her and set a good example at the age of 4, then she wouldn't be so picky about her food.

sariebeth

No - her boss can not force her to eat the food. I understand the reasoning, but it is ridiculous. If pretending has been fine for the last 6 months then I see no reason why it can't be now.

I would suggest your girlfriend continues to pretend, and if pressed by the boss just to say she doesn't eat macarroni/spaghetti/fishfingers/sausages/whatever. The boss will tire of asking.

If it came to a disciplinary the boss would be made a laughing stock.

EDIT: I would highly recommend NOT eating macaroni etc everyday. She would end up MASSIVE. Children burn it off, adults don't