Children not getting breakfast

[Edwardo Piet]

Hell I don't eat breakfast today.

I was forced to as a kid of course.

Freedom is more important than health. I eat when I wanna. Fuck being forced to do shit.

Or should I say, freedom is an important part of mental health which is ultimately the most important kind of health.

[robvalue]

I'm interested in the angle that some kids don't want to eat first thing. I could see some validity to a breakfast club in that instance, although why the taxpayer is then buying their food isn't so clear.

From a health point of view, should the parent encourage/enforce (depending on the age of the kid) at least a light breakfast? Or allow the kid not to eat?

[The Grand Nudger]

The taxpayer buys their food for the same reason that the taxpayer is on the hook for food stamps centering firmly around a select few producers goods.  Backhanded corporate subsidy with a near unassailable hook.

"It's for the children".

[robvalue]

That's one thing that always puzzles me. All the benefits people get "for their children" seem to be handed over in cash form. There is then no guarantee that it's actually being spent on them. It's apparently against their human rights or something to have vouchers so that they can't spend it on booze and fags.

[J a c k]

I work for low income families. Just today I witnessed a legitimately homeless person be denied benefits for this month due to technicalities. Sure, they can apply next month, but they're hungry now, dammit. I had to take a 15 minute break to go buy them a hot meal. Fuck. I even threw in a chocolate cake. Tax money... pocket money... if it'll feed a hungry person, I'm in.

Having said that, same goes for kids and breakfast, at least here in the USA. Some families are left with out benefits for certain periods for whatever reason and yes, kids go hungry. We keep getting referrals from schools for kids who eat just a small portion of their meals at school, because they want to save the rest for after school when they get hungry again, or for mom and dad. We have families sleeping in their cars for weeks after eviction, waiting to find a new place, waiting for their benefits to kick in. So... meanwhile? We have children being taken by the state from their homes due to abuse, abadonment, or parents died, placed in temporary homes that weren't expecting them yet, benefits pending approval. They get to eat at school! For whatever reason, yes, some kids go hungry. If there is a risk that one might, I don't mind feeding another that simply chose to not eat, because it was too early. Hunger is horrible. Let's cut it short. No? I work my ass off to pay my bills as a single parent. If a portion goes to helping others, I'm fucken happy my money and effort are going to good use.

My son likes to take snacks for after school. He always asked for two of each. One day he told me it was because he had a friend who was always hungry and everyone could hear his tummy during class. Kids thought it was funny. I think it's heartbreaking. Makes my heart crumble.

Fucken life. Gawd.

[Crossless2.0]

I work for low income families. Just today I witnessed a legitimately homeless person be denied benefits for this month due to technicalities. Sure, they can apply next month, but they're hungry now, dammit. I had to take a 15 minute break to go buy them a hot meal. Fuck. I even threw in a chocolate cake. Tax money... pocket money... if it'll feed a hungry person, I'm in.

Having said that, same goes for kids and breakfast, at least here in the USA. Some families are left with out benefits for certain periods for whatever reason and yes, kids go hungry. We keep getting referrals from schools for kids who eat just a small portion of their meals at school, because they want to save the rest for after school when they get hungry again, or for mom and dad. We have families sleeping in their cars for weeks after eviction, waiting to find a new place, waiting for their benefits to kick in. So... meanwhile? We have children being taken by the state from their homes due to abuse, abadonment, or parents died, placed in temporary homes that weren't expecting them yet, benefits pending approval. They get to eat at school! For whatever reason, yes, some kids go hungry. If there is a risk that one might, I don't mind feeding another that simply chose to not eat, because it was too early. Hunger is horrible. Let's cut it short. No? I work my ass off to pay my bills as a single parent. If a portion goes to helping others, I'm fucken happy my money and effort are going to good use.

My son likes to take snacks for after school. He always asked for two of each. One day he told me it was because he had a friend who was always hungry and everyone could hear his tummy during class. Kids thought it was funny. I think it's heartbreaking. Makes my heart crumble.

Fucken life. Gawd.

You're a good person, Mamacita. We need a lot more like you.

[The Grand Nudger]

That's one thing that always puzzles me. All the benefits people get "for their children" seem to be handed over in cash form. There is then no guarantee that it's actually being spent on them. It's apparently against their human rights or something to have vouchers so that they can't spend it on booze and fags.

IDK what the situation over in the UK is, but here, "for the children" money rarely makes it to children -or- their parents.  It's far more likely to arrive in the hands of needy families as vouchers redeemable for specific products (WIC), a faux debit card...again redeemable for specific products (EBT), or subsidized housing.  While it; not imposible to scam those systems by trading the products to a third party, welfare fraud is exceedingly rare and the rate at which offenders are caught (and then forced to repay in cash as though they'd gotten cash.....) is high, as is the rate of people worrying about it......because assholes use the idea to set poor people against poorer people.

[mlmooney89]

Obviously we all had very different childhoods. My mom would put money in my lunch account at school so that all I had to do was go in and type in my pin and it deducted it from my account. I could use it on breakfast or lunch. She normally only put in enough for lunch because I too don't eat breakfast. I literally get sick at the thought of food when I first wake up. I need a solid 2 hours before I can think about food. I used to grab a poptart and bring it to school with me so that eventually when I got hungry I had a snack to get me to lunch.

That being said I know here in Texas the school HAS to feed every kid regardless of the money situation. If you don't have money you get the minimum yes but you get food. And in the summer when normal school is out they know that school meals were all the food some kids got so they would open the summer school (school for those that failed their school year and had to make it up if they wanted to continue on) meals to all children and it would also be free.

[ReptilianPeon]

More people are relying on food banks than ever before. It's a bad reflection on our country. If I reminder rightly, the British Red Cross described it as an emergency. And the minimum wage isn't high enough so people in work suffer too, and the government has to top up incomes. But, yeah, a child could have an eating disorder or just not like breakfast.

[brewer]

Give them government cheese and that's it. Nothing else!

Wait, government crackers also. But no more!

Hold on, government wine too. I don't care if they are not old enough. Do you want them fed or not?

Oh, and a government dance/mingle so that they socialize. And that's the final straw!