As it was the first day at a new school for Smallsteps, it was a little bit uncertain if she would have anything to eat there at all, since she is on a restricted diet still. However, everything had transferred from the old school smoothly and the canteen had a gluten- and lactose-free meal prepared for her.
When I picked her up she was still a bit hungry though, as she said it wasn't quite enough, but that is just teething problems - and that one of her new friends is also gluten-free, but their paperwork hadn't come through yet - so they shared the meal. A special diet has to come from the doctors for these kinds of things, otherwise they would have to make an individual meal for every student with parents who like weird stuff to feel special.
But it reminded me of someone I went to Primary and High school with who earned the name "Seagull" from friends because he would hover over people with food and take leftovers. He once ate half a meat pie that had just been thrown into a bin by a friend of his. The kid wasn't the nicest of kids to me at primary school, but he also wasn't the worst - but I never teased him (or anyone) because I know what it was to get that kind of thing, and much worse.
In Australia and at least at the schools I was growing up with, lunch was either brought from home, or bought from the canteen. However in Finland, there is a rule that schools have to provide lunch (and some other snack meals in some cases), which means that at least five days a week, a student gets a proper warm meal once a day.
I suspect "Seagull" would have been less peckish, had there been a proper meal at school.
I have no idea what Seagull's home life was like, but he was a sporty kid on the scrawny side. To me, he always looked older than his age, like he had had a hard life and found solace at the bottom of a bottle. Thinking back though, it might have been that his life was hard, and it was a parent or both of them that were having hard lives and Seagull was being neglected.
Seagull was just a hungry, growing kid - doing the best he could.
Given the ubiquity of drinking problems in Finland, it is probably a good thing that the schools provide meals and I suspect that it has likely saved a few kids from both extreme hunger, and the embarrassment of having to satisfy that hunger.
While there was normally some food in our house, by twelve years of age I was already doing some odd jobs for cash in hand in order to get money to buy things that I wanted, including food. My parents were not around much by then and I was fending for myself more than I perhaps should have been. This is a different kind of neglect, as while I learned a lot that strengthened me and built resilience, I also missed a lot of opportunity through not having the support there for it. I couldn't take risks and make choices aligned with my interests, as there were no safety nets, financially or emotionally.
I don't think anyone is truly "self-made" in the sense that many use it, but there are many who have overcome a lot to get to where they are, even if where they are isn't anywhere special. It might even be in an average position in life, but they are up on where they could have been, or perhaps could have been. But, support comes in many forms and I think that many underestimate all the little social mechanisms in play that help them through life. It doesn't take much to make a large difference in outcomes.
Maybe just a decent solid meal a day.
Children shouldn't be forced to live off scraps.
Taraz
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Not all get everything in life. Life throws us in different situation to make us learn and then design our life.... in my time, school had canteen that serves snacks. But recently I learned the new schooling has a diet sheet for each student and the children has to carry their lunch accordingly. It is quite strange, what if all the parents can't afford the lunch. Everyone have their limitation. But this is what the parents have to go through if they wants their kids to study in high class school....
Yeah, it is hurdle after hurdle in many cases and in many places.
The new trend is affecting the life of common person as their dream to provide good educational environment to kids is fading away with high class culture.
I wonder how Seagull's future fate turned out. I hope he became a good person.
No idea. When I was on Facebook a long time ago, I don't remember seeing him there.
Ah, that's awesome that she shared her meal with the other kid. That had to make you pretty proud. What a great example she is.
I hope that she ends up being a good example, but also not one of those people that gets walked over because they are "too nice".
Yes, I can understand that.
I much prefer the longer (eating) breaks and more decently sized meals in the Mediterranean countries ( first Portugal, now Italy ) that I've been living in since 2017, over the short breaks and small (cold) meals until dinner time that I grew up with in The Netherlands. I basically felt hungry throughout the day and I still tend to rush my eating, even now it's no longer a necessity.
Yeah, I think they are still too rushed here, but the meals are warm meals and have a fair amount of variety. It isn't like in the US with fries and burgers. However, Smallsteps said it is nicer at this school because the canteen is much smaller (less kids) and she doesn't feel rushed.
Ah the yearnings to be fed in full. It is something of a luxury to most folks, yet we take it for granted living in our cushy existence whereas there is a world out there where kids as young as two perhaps don't even get the basic nutritional requirements necessary for growth....
Yep. Trillions spent on war - but there isn't enough money to feed children.
Where we are, the schools are not responsible for supplying meals but there are programs that augment. Discounted (relatively speaking) prices for food made by students for credits and special days like tasty Tuesday.
We were never well off but it amazes me to think of kids being sent to school with no food. A place to live and food to eat. If you can’t supply those, what are you doing?
Seems one of the good things is the kids judge a little less and share a little more but that is wild. Good on the school system for taking even more of the parental responsibilities so kids don’t have to do without.
With over 10% unemployment in Finland at the moment, I think the problems are going to get worse for many.
I think it is the benefit of Finland. They had very little for so long and after the war when they started the school system, they had to ensure kids had enough.
No one should be forced to live on surpluses, but hunger levels have been increasing over the past two years.
Matthew, my son, doesn't eat gluten or lactose, but by different criteria, he is autistic. As we colloquially say, "he's a great eater," sports activities increase his food cravings.
When I was a kid, I ate a lot of foods with high levels of sugar. My brain consumed a lot of energy, so much so that while I slept, I dreamed and solved the math problems I had left to do.
I'm glad to know that the start of school for little Smallsteps has been easy; that's her power of adaptability. I'm sure you've had a big influence on that.
Why does autism affect it? I haven't heard about this.
These days, the amount of sugar kids eat is making them stupider. The help it gives only goes so far.
It was nice that on the first day she had new friends.
Life teaches us a lesson as we experience it on a daily basis. It requires our actions to change situations that suites us, though it looks challenging to do in most aspect but it is worth the time when things turn out for good.
It is worth the time even when things don't turn out well :)
In University I tend to sit close to the band conveyor that transported the leftovers into the kitchen to be cleaned. But when something good was there - I was fast. And it was to be thrown away, anyway, so I didn't restrict myself to vegan goodies (though the fries always were a favorite). I was always surprise by how much people left on their plates.
But that was an ethical thing. I didn't need to do it (yes, it saved me quite few bucks), I just didn't like things going to waste. Still don't.
Glad that Smallsteps first day went good! And that she was able to bond by sharing her meal, even though it was over an allergy. First impressions are important.
I felt so sorry for Seagull. I hope her life is much better now. If she's had a good life, I'm sure she's very strong and resilient.
Instead of throwing away the ground meat pie, the kid in class could have said, "Anyone want some ground meat pie?" I'm sure Seagull would have accepted it and thanked her friend. There's a fine line between these two.
Not really worried, because they make all the food for her, and allow for the allergies. Not all kids get the same food.
Thank you :)