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Old 09-21-2012, 10:08 AM
 
Location: New York City
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Just curious, because we still do this for our new 6th grader, and she seems old enough to do it herself.
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Old 09-21-2012, 10:10 AM
 
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She is! I think mine started in 2nd, with support.
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Old 09-21-2012, 10:12 AM
 
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My kids always "helped" me when cooking so they had actually been packing their own lunches since Kindergarten with a wee bit of help from me and they decided when they were ready to do it all on their own but I seriously don't remember when that was. My youngest is 26 now so we are far removed from the lunch packing issue.
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Old 09-21-2012, 10:32 AM
 
Location: Chapel Hill, N.C.
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Mine are responsible for their own lunches most of the time. if time is short i will help. they are 4th and 5th grade but started helping in first. any kid old enough to go to school is old enough to wash some grapes, make a sandwich or at least set out what they want, containers, etc.

have a friend who insisted on making her 11th grade son a lunch every day cause she "wants him to eat healthy". BS--she just didn't want him to grow up and be independent.

my 5th grader is finally tall enough to reach the clothes from the washer and put them in the dryer so she is in charge -with sister- of their own laundry starting this summer. Funny how all of a sudden they don't throw everything in the hamper after 2 hours wear when they know they have to wash and fold it themselves. They have been folding clothes for years now.
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Old 09-21-2012, 11:15 AM
 
Location: Oxford, Connecticut
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My dd10 has been making and packing her own lunch every day since 3rd grade. My son opts for the school lunch, but if he didn't I would probably make it for him. The mess he would make wouldn't outweigh him doing it for himself.
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Old 09-21-2012, 11:35 AM
 
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My kids have been able to pack their own lunch for a long time. And they have packed their lunches before. But I usually do it for them. If they were to forget to pack their own lunches, they would end up charging something at the school cafeteria - and guess who would get the bill for that...(Hint: not them).

They do cook other meals for themselves, so I know that they can fend for themselves if need be.
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Old 09-21-2012, 11:53 AM
 
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Quote:
Originally Posted by springfieldva View Post
My kids have been able to pack their own lunch for a long time. And they have packed their lunches before. But I usually do it for them. If they were to forget to pack their own lunches, they would end up charging something at the school cafeteria - and guess who would get the bill for that...(Hint: not them).

They do cook other meals for themselves, so I know that they can fend for themselves if need be.
That's how I looked at it. Yes, they knew how to prepare a meal, and were certainly capable of making sandwiches, but I made their lunches all through high school. It was much cheaper that way. My boys were likely to use 1/2 lb of meat per sandwich otherwise. Most of the time they chose to buy a meal during their lunch period and saved what I packed for after school so they could eat something before sports practices.

None of them opted for the meal plan after freshman year in college, so they somehow learned how to feed themselves.
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Old 09-21-2012, 12:03 PM
 
Location: Geneva, IL
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Sometimes I pack them, sometimes they do, depends on the time. I am not militant with chores, they are very capable, and usually willing, so if time permits they do them. Most of the time I do them as I have the time.
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Old 09-21-2012, 12:37 PM
 
Location: SF Bay Area
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Quote:
Originally Posted by gimme it View Post
Just curious, because we still do this for our new 6th grader, and she seems old enough to do it herself.
My twins are seniors in high school and I still make their school lunch. It's just easier that way for our family. They've been capable of making a proper school lunch independently since middle school.
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Old 09-21-2012, 01:09 PM
 
Location: Chapel Hill, N.C.
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Well, I guess that makes me a mean mama. I'm surprised at how many say they still fix a lunch for teens.

There are several reasons why my girls are required to make their own lunch.

1)It's about responsibility and teaching time management. It's about thinking the night before about did they put their lunch box containers in the dishwasher so they would be ready the next morning.

2)It came to be because I was tired of getting half their lunch back and they would say "I don't like that kind of sandwich". One girl actually doesn't like any kind of bread - lucky kid- and so I said "OK you start making your own lunch and that way we all will be happy".

3) They are allowed to buy lunch once a week and since we get a monthly menu they pick in advance which day they will buy. When they buy I can't be sure what they are actually eating. But when they take lunch to school they are required to pack up what they don't eat and bring it home. This isn't my rule. I think the school does this and I'm glad they do. How else would we know what is eaten and what gets tossed.

Not saying my way is best for everybody-it's just what works for us.
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