Booksin the Lunch Room

I guess I feel like it is their time to relax and socialize....you know what they say about all work and no play

Lunch time is break time IMO. They need time to chill between morning
and afternoon.

I would ask the teacher about this, because I wonder if she is suggesting this to everyone or just him as a result of something. I'd wonder if he is complaining about not having enough time to read, or not having friends to sit with at lunch, or no one talking to him at lunch... If she is suggesting this to the whole class maybe she is thinking of but trying not to single out the children who aren't finding any time in their day to read.

He should be eating and talking with his friends. At our school they are not allowed to bring books or homework.

When I taught, I did encourage the kids who didn't often earn their AR points in time - to take their books with them to the cafeteria to help get caught up. Now, I guess it's b/c I'm not teaching or b/c I am a mom (of one 3.5 yr old) - I think that it'd be SO much more beneficial for kids to get that brain break and just talk to others and learn socialization and learn table manners, etc.

"Encouraged" to take a book vs. "Forced" to take a book is the difference here. If he's not behind, the teacher really shouldn't push it. And another thing - does she encourage ALL her kids to do this? Or just a select few?

If my kids read at lunch, they wouldn't have time to eat... lunch.

30 mins is not a long time to eat lunch in my opinion, I go to eat lunch with my kindergartner at school and they have 45 mins and even then some kids still don't have enough time... they have to go through a lunch line and everything, and tons of kids are slow eaters/talkers anyways. As for taking a book, it's a nice idea, but with the crazy that lunch and then recess is, limited space at the table, I would worry it would get dirty and what would he do with the book on the playground? I also think lunch and recess is a kid's much needed time to unwind, talk and play, not do more homework. So my consensus is, let him read books at home or quiet time in the classroom, not at lunch.

FIRST thing I thought of: food or drinks may get on the book! When we eat at home, I make sure that nothing else is on the table to distract my slow eaters. If they had a book... they would NEVER finish their meal. They LOVE reading, so they'd get lost in a book and forget all about the food. 30 min. is a short time... for my kids. (they get the same amount of time at their school) They are social, yet ALSO slow eaters. That combined with a book for someone who likes to read is a recipe (pun intended) for NO EATING. Besides, how can you focus on a book in that environment?

I don't think it has ANYTHING to do with "giving the kids a break" like one mom suggested (cause my kids love it), it has EVERYTHING to do with "there's a time and a place for everything". The cafeteria is not a place for books. They can get dirty from food, they can distract the child from eating, give themselves something ELSE to carry and how can you focus on it?

That's what I think. Silly idea. That teacher is very irrational yet it sounds like they are trying to sound clever. Just because it involves books, doesn't mean it is a good idea! LOL:)

PS: my school-aged kids (i've got two at home still) are in 1st and 3rd grades.

My son is 15 and has pretty much carried a book around with him for years. Some days he reads, some days not. It depends on what is on the menu at the school for lunch, who he is sitting with, etc.

Please let your son carry a book to lunch. I learned that to ban the book, so to speak, took some of my son's joy for reading. So I banned the ban.

:)

IMO lunch s/b the time for a child to relax, socialize, and take a break from academics. However, I've noticed that many schools do not allow the kids to socialize at lunch and often have complete quiet time.

Throughout elementary school and middle school all students in the school were encouraged to always have a book with them at all times so they could read during down time.

You may want to find out why she is encouraging him to take a book with him?

I know the schools here don't let the kids talk at lunch, kinda creepy but if the kids talk they don't eat and then can't do as well for the rest of the day. My 3rd grader still gets snack time at school, because most schools now seem to get how important it is to keeping a kid focused. However, if they have a no talking rule and then finish their meal, they need to have something to do, so why not read? i don't think it's a big deal either way unless your child is feeling forced to rush his meal in order to read or something like that.

I don't have direct experience with this from a parent standpoint, but as a bookish kid who was an introvert, I read every day at lunchtime and loved it.

If he's an introvert, you're letting or not letting him read at school during lunch isn't going to "fix" his introversion either way. Because being an introvert is not something that is wrong.

However, you can help him learn to be more confident. Find out something he really enjoys and get him involved with that. Having a passion for something can help get him excited and help him want to share his passion (which will lead to interactions and friendships). One friend I know loved trains and started & joined a train club.

I also recommend reading this excellent article from the New York Times:
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/06/26/opinion/sunday/26shynes...

I am an introvert, and my passion is horses (among other things), so my parents got me riding lessons. It was the best thing they could've ever done for me. I still read as much as possible (with kiddos, that means 10-15 min at night, 20 min on my lunch break, and occasionally listening to a book on tape, but still. :)

I say as long as he eats his food then why not. I read my book everyday at work when I eat lunch. I even bought a little book weight to hold it open so I can eat. Also as long as he wants to do it.

Just curious though why she is encouraging this? Is he not socializing?

If he wants to do this maybe just have him pack a book and he can decide if he feels like reading or not that day. Make sure he knows it's not required and it's optional. I send a book with my 2nd grader that he can read after his school work is done or in his after school care. For lunch once they're done eating they can go to recess so he eats as fast as he can so he can have more time playing.

I think it's great that he's so interested in reading. I myself am an avid reader and I encourage my kids to love books. My son gets so excited when there's a scholastic book fair at his school. He brings the flier home with a bunch of books circled.

I'm sorry I don't understand what the big deal. I must be overlooking something. As long as he is in a safe and healthy environment at some point we have to let go and let the teachers make some of the decisions for our kids. We can't control every aspect of their lives.

30 minutes is a long time for kids to have for lunch, maybe they are not allowed to talk? I know the preschoolers talk and it takes them 10 ro 15 minutes to eat there lunches...