Anonymous
Post 08/27/2025 06:04     Subject: 179 lunches to go
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:I really hate making school lunches. I wish in school options were better.


Kid can make their own lunch


Same unless your kids are very young. I kind of supported through elementary school but by middle school they were fully independent. We would coordinate so they could have leftovers in their keep warm container or I’d get groceries for a salad, but deciding what to eat and packing it was definitely on them.


My hs kids don’t have time.


Yes they do. Youre either an enabler or have poor time management skills.


How do your kids have time with sports/activities and homework? No, I encourage activities and expect good grades.


DP.

DD did six activities, was president of two clubs at the same time and secretary of a third, and did dual enrollment where she had straight As in both her MCPS and MC courses.

DS did four activities, two sports, two internships (for about six months concurrently) and earned straight As. He also earned five 5s and 1 4 on AP exams and was featured in an art gallery.

They packed their own lunches because they multi-tasked that kind of low thought activity. They also typically did their own laundry.
Anonymous
Post 08/27/2025 05:58     Subject: 179 lunches to go
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:I really hate making school lunches. I wish in school options were better.


Kid can make their own lunch


Same unless your kids are very young. I kind of supported through elementary school but by middle school they were fully independent. We would coordinate so they could have leftovers in their keep warm container or I’d get groceries for a salad, but deciding what to eat and packing it was definitely on them.


My hs kids don’t have time.


Yes they do. Youre either an enabler or have poor time management skills.


My HS kids mostly just buy out, but let’s be real — most McPS HS kids are sleeping 6 hours a night or less. The are getting up at 6 to catch buses already. If a parent making their lunch enables them to sleep an extra 10 minutes, that’s worth it. These teens are more overschefuked and overworked than anyone short of medical residents. My oldest would get home from sports practice and then do like 6 hours of homework on a night she didn’t have volunteer work to do. It’s ridiculous what the current stndatds are. I make my kids do chores but feel bad about that too.


My two youngest graduated in 2024. They were extremely busy. Mostly they took leftovers from dinner since their schools had microwaves. DS sometimes ate his leftovers cold, but managed to grow six inches in high school nonetheless. Occasionally, they took sandwiches, fruit, and a granola bar or yogurt. They learned a lot about nutrition and food waste by packing their own lunches in HS.
Anonymous
Post 08/27/2025 01:04     Subject: 179 lunches to go
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:I really hate making school lunches. I wish in school options were better.


Kid can make their own lunch


Same unless your kids are very young. I kind of supported through elementary school but by middle school they were fully independent. We would coordinate so they could have leftovers in their keep warm container or I’d get groceries for a salad, but deciding what to eat and packing it was definitely on them.


My hs kids don’t have time.


Yes they do. Youre either an enabler or have poor time management skills.


My HS kids mostly just buy out, but let’s be real — most McPS HS kids are sleeping 6 hours a night or less. The are getting up at 6 to catch buses already. If a parent making their lunch enables them to sleep an extra 10 minutes, that’s worth it. These teens are more overschefuked and overworked than anyone short of medical residents. My oldest would get home from sports practice and then do like 6 hours of homework on a night she didn’t have volunteer work to do. It’s ridiculous what the current stndatds are. I make my kids do chores but feel bad about that too.


I don't expect that much help during the school year except for them to sometimes cook for themselves or fold their laundry, etc. They don't have six hours of homework but between everything rarely get to bed before 11, if not later. Then up at 6.
Anonymous
Post 08/27/2025 01:03     Subject: 179 lunches to go
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:I really hate making school lunches. I wish in school options were better.


Kid can make their own lunch


Same unless your kids are very young. I kind of supported through elementary school but by middle school they were fully independent. We would coordinate so they could have leftovers in their keep warm container or I’d get groceries for a salad, but deciding what to eat and packing it was definitely on them.


My hs kids don’t have time.


Yes they do. Youre either an enabler or have poor time management skills.


How do your kids have time with sports/activities and homework? No, I encourage activities and expect good grades.
Anonymous
Post 08/27/2025 01:02     Subject: 179 lunches to go
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:I really hate making school lunches. I wish in school options were better.


Kid can make their own lunch


Same unless your kids are very young. I kind of supported through elementary school but by middle school they were fully independent. We would coordinate so they could have leftovers in their keep warm container or I’d get groceries for a salad, but deciding what to eat and packing it was definitely on them.


My hs kids don’t have time.


But they have time to tell you if you are the shopper what they want to get to sorta make lunch.


I know what they like and order it. If they want something different, they tell me. They aren't involved in their lunches.
Anonymous
Post 08/27/2025 00:43     Subject: 179 lunches to go
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:I really hate making school lunches. I wish in school options were better.


Kid can make their own lunch


Same unless your kids are very young. I kind of supported through elementary school but by middle school they were fully independent. We would coordinate so they could have leftovers in their keep warm container or I’d get groceries for a salad, but deciding what to eat and packing it was definitely on them.


My hs kids don’t have time.


Yes they do. Youre either an enabler or have poor time management skills.


My HS kids mostly just buy out, but let’s be real — most McPS HS kids are sleeping 6 hours a night or less. The are getting up at 6 to catch buses already. If a parent making their lunch enables them to sleep an extra 10 minutes, that’s worth it. These teens are more overschefuked and overworked than anyone short of medical residents. My oldest would get home from sports practice and then do like 6 hours of homework on a night she didn’t have volunteer work to do. It’s ridiculous what the current stndatds are. I make my kids do chores but feel bad about that too.
Anonymous
Post 08/26/2025 22:05     Subject: 179 lunches to go
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:I really hate making school lunches. I wish in school options were better.


Kid can make their own lunch


Same unless your kids are very young. I kind of supported through elementary school but by middle school they were fully independent. We would coordinate so they could have leftovers in their keep warm container or I’d get groceries for a salad, but deciding what to eat and packing it was definitely on them.


My hs kids don’t have time.


Yes they do. Youre either an enabler or have poor time management skills.
Anonymous
Post 08/26/2025 21:43     Subject: 179 lunches to go
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:I really hate making school lunches. I wish in school options were better.


Kid can make their own lunch


This. When I started having my kids make their own lunches, they suddenly decided MCPS lunches weren't so bad after all. No allergies/intolerances/sensitivities here, though.


Not my kids. They’d rather not make their own lunch but they do it rather than eat the MCPS stuff.
Anonymous
Post 08/26/2025 21:38     Subject: 179 lunches to go
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:What lunches do you all make?


Look at school menu, make similar items if your kids like those items. Every parent should try to visit their kids lunch time just even if it's once in a school year to see how lunch time is and if kids are eating. So much of school lunch goes in garbage or unopened stuff to the share table.


Yup! https://www.dcurbanmom.com/jforum/posts/list/1200618.page
Anonymous
Post 08/26/2025 21:37     Subject: 179 lunches to go
Anonymous wrote:What lunches do you all make?


Look at school menu, make similar items if your kids like those items. Every parent should try to visit their kids lunch time just even if it's once in a school year to see how lunch time is and if kids are eating. So much of school lunch goes in garbage or unopened stuff to the share table.
Anonymous
Post 08/26/2025 21:32     Subject: 179 lunches to go
What lunches do you all make?
Anonymous
Post 08/26/2025 21:31     Subject: 179 lunches to go
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:I really hate making school lunches. I wish in school options were better.


Kid can make their own lunch


Same unless your kids are very young. I kind of supported through elementary school but by middle school they were fully independent. We would coordinate so they could have leftovers in their keep warm container or I’d get groceries for a salad, but deciding what to eat and packing it was definitely on them.


My hs kids don’t have time.


But they have time to tell you if you are the shopper what they want to get to sorta make lunch.
Anonymous
Post 08/26/2025 21:29     Subject: 179 lunches to go
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:I really hate making school lunches. I wish in school options were better.


Kid can make their own lunch


Same unless your kids are very young. I kind of supported through elementary school but by middle school they were fully independent. We would coordinate so they could have leftovers in their keep warm container or I’d get groceries for a salad, but deciding what to eat and packing it was definitely on them.


My hs kids don’t have time.
Anonymous
Post 08/26/2025 21:24     Subject: 179 lunches to go
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:I really hate making school lunches. I wish in school options were better.


Kid can make their own lunch


This. When I started having my kids make their own lunches, they suddenly decided MCPS lunches weren't so bad after all. No allergies/intolerances/sensitivities here, though.


You feed that garbage to your children by choice?
Anonymous
Post 08/26/2025 21:21     Subject: 179 lunches to go
It's not just "making" lunches.
shopping, slicing, heating, buttering etc...
enjoy the late night or early morning moments.