General Chat

Just before Christmas I faced the prospect of OH losng his job.

Thankfully it didn't happen..........his work record saved his bacon. Bless him.

However..........I remember sitting in Asdas cafe with my friend crying my eyes out in case I had to put the girls on free school dinners.

It was the last thing I WANTED to do.

BUT..........I'd have done it if I had to.

When the chips are down me and mine come first..........does that make me selfish..........or simply human? xx

Human hun, and simply doing the best you can for your kids.

Ta TW.........I was beginning to feel a bit uncomfortable.........what with the thought of taking food out of another families mouth and all.

BUT truly..........I couldn't give a monkeys..........if my family need it ........then I'll take it.......

Just wondered if I was being overly selfish xx

That wasn't selfish, Muffy. We are here as protectors and providers for our children and that should be our priority. Whatever it takes:-) BC XX

no hun mine will come first everytime xxx

That's not selfish Muffy that's the normal reaction of a mother with children to look after. I'm really pleased your husband didn't lose his job.
Sue x

Listen, claiming what you are entitled to is NOT taking food out of anothers mouth, its simply putting food into the mouths of your own. Your hubby works, and pays his dues, therefore if he should have needed it he would have been entitled to it.

It would have been income based JSA...that means, benefits given because he had an income and no longer does.

I hated the thought of living on benefits when I had my hip done, housing, council tax and incapacity benefit. I would much rather have been able to go out and pay my own way as I do now.

Thanks everyone.

The threat of redundancy isn't over completely........but I know that's the case for thousands of people at the mo.

I would just grab everything I could while I needed it..........

Glad to know I'm not being selfish......

If I was I'd do it and be selfish with pride if you know what I mean lol xx

Muffy, that's what benefits are for; they're there as support for when times are tough. You wouldn't have been taken food out of other people's mouths. :-) I hope that you don't need them though!

Thanks SS

No way do I want to............wouldn't choose to.......but.........needs must I guess !!! xx

Muffy that's just being human.

I was on income support for years, am now on child tax credit but that's another story. I still get free school meals and I will continue to take them while I'm entitled to them. I'm simply putting my children first.

And so you should hon............ xx

I wish more people would take up free school meals if they're entitled. The stigma isn't there as it was when I was at school and the kids don't worry about it generally. We have a till that myself and another girl have to use and we just discreetly tick the names of the free children off as they come through the door. No-one else see the list. We just have to keep a note of the number each day for our paperwork.
So if you're entitled to them PLEASE take them up.

Muffy,,

anyone who wouldnt put their children first ,wouldnt deserve it anyway,

,,some would be devastated at no bingo ,no fags or no pub,,,

your children always come first above anything,,and if you had to grab what you could then so be it.

Isn't Scotland planning free meals for all children in their first 3 years of school?

they're talking about it for the whole UK in Primary school I think SS. It would be good as a lot of children would be exposed to food they aren't used to and may become less fusyy. Hopefully.

I'd give up ANYTHING for my kids........anything at all.

However........in my day...........there WAS a stigma attached to free school meals........it was made very clear in those days who got them and who didn't.

But I'm assured that these days that's just not the case xx

Thanks I didn't know that Sally,

It's not now Muffy, not at our school at least. In fact we often have kids asking how they can get their dinners free because their friend says they don't have to pay for theirs!

I think my daughter's school have got it right re free school meals. All the pupils have a card on which money is put whether it be x amount each day for the free school meals or parents writing a cheque or sending in money each week/month/whatever. The pupils use these cards to pay for their meals so it's not obvious to anyone who's on free school meals or who pays.