Can you eat lunch with your kid at school?

[moolarkey]

I know our public schools here allow it, not sure about other schools here.

[AHappierHour]

Yes we can. It's a public school and we have to eat with them in the quad area.

[winelady]

We can. We just have to sign in at the office. We can buy a school lunch and have whatever is in the menu or pre-order a " staff lunch" on the website. We can also bring food in.

[winelady]

Oh, it's public school.

[devonpow]

No way. I've never heard of that until these boards actually. Public school.

I feel like having lunch with my kids during the K-2nd grade time frame would be tough on them (for the transition back to school - I have stage 5 clingers), and my 9 year old son would be mortified if I even suggested the idea lol

[cleo29]

Yes and it is a public school

[sonrisa]

I don't think so, but you can volunteer to be a lunch lady twice a month. Hot lunches are through a third party provider and there are no paid lunch servers. Parents volunteer to hand out the food to the kids. I don't think you get to sit with them, but you see them come through the lunch line if you buy their lunch. 

There is also parent recess volunteer at lunch time so you can see kids then.

Public school in California.

[W.T.Faulkner]

Our kids can go out for lunch (we're in an extremely busy city center) so theoretically they could meet their parents for lunch.

But they're in high school, so they'd rather die.

[notoriousmeg]

We can as long as we sign in at the office. Public school.

[mrsjuleshs]

Yes, as long as you are on the approved list and you show your id to the office. Public district.

[lilafowler]

No. You aren't allowed in the school building unless you've been cleared by the office staff (and only for certain reasons).
If you want to volunteer any length of time you need a CORI and fingerprint check. Public school in Mass.

[cmeon]

Yep- public elementary. We've only gone a few times a year, at most, in the past- we generally brought him a "special" lunch and just sat with him at a picnic table in the courtyard.

To be on campus for *any* purpose we have to pass a (light?) background check and be entered into their system as cleared. This started 2 years ago. We just sign in and get a visitor sticker, sign out and give it back.

[kellykapowski]

Nope, private school. And frankly, I'm not mad. One less thing for me to feel guilty over for not being able to do.

[pagas]

Yes- private school

We only have lunch with her on her birthday. They only have 20 minutes for lunch so you have to be there right on time. I should do it more often because her hot lunch is $7 or $9 depending on what she gets. It would be so much cheaper to bring in a couple slices of pizza than pay $7+ on pizza day.

[HiC]

For security reasons, only on their birthday. You have to reserve it ahead of time. This was a safety policy put into place after Sandy Hook. Public.

[lolalolalola]

I have never even contemplated this being an option or heard of its occurrence prior to this thread. So I'm going with no.

[missmaddie]

I have never heard of this IRL. I could take DS home for lunch, and volunteer to help on pizza days (with a police check).

[usuallylurking]

Yes, public elementary.

You have to submit your info for a background check and be cleared prior to having permission. If you want a hot lunch you need to call in in the morning so the cafeteria adds you in to their count for the day.

I haven't done it and I'm not sure that I would. They have very little time to eat. Growing up I remember we would have the "lunch feast" (thanksgiving week) where our parents or grandparents or whoever you wanted to invite could come in that day for lunch. That was always fun.

[copperboom]

Yes. Public school. We have to show ID to get into the building and sign in at the front desk. Parents can bring in food for their child if they want. I try to go at least once a month. They used to have a separate table for kids and parents but how we sit at the classroom table with them.

[missyny]

Yes
Public
Sign in/sign out.
Allowed to bring food in/allowed to purchase food from cafe/easy going

[livinitup]

I don't want to do this.

I heard, recently, that parents/grandparents can on the student's birthday. I might do that this year (3rd grade).

[frkls]

yes. you have to sign in at the office and get a visitors pass and all that jazz, but the handbook says that students are always welcome to visit their children's classrooms or lunchtime.

[eb777888]

Yes. David is in private school but even in public and at his super strict charter we were allowed to eat with him.

[cinderbella]

Yep - we can bring stuff in or get what they are serving for hot lunch. We just need to sign in at the office and get a badge.

[frlcb]

Yes, private, on certain days and you sign up ahead of time, only one child gets up to two guests on that day (so from each class). Our public school allows it anytime.

[lauralala]

Yes, you just have to sign in and bring your own food, since there is no hot lunch program. I have no plans of ever doing this, though. It would be way too disruptive in his day.
He is at a charter school.

[tevagirl]

Yes, you have to provide your ID and get a visitor badge. You can bring food or buy school lunch. I see various parents a couple times a week in my building (middle school).

[mccallister84]

I guess technically yes, as we are not permitted to bar you access to your child. Rarely a parent will spend a day shadowing a student - this is usually done when a student is having academic or behavioral difficulties. I have never seen a parent just show up to eat lunch with their student and I have worked in public middle and high schools.

[papie]

No. Why do people do this? We're allowed to pick them up for lunch but even that thought never crossed my mind.

[thinkofthesoldiers]

It would never occur to me to ask to have lunch with my kids when they are at school.