Date: Mon, 4 Mar 2019 14:32:14 -0500
From: Mark Stinson
Subject: Kids , lunch and money
I have had three children in the Chatham County School system . I am very familiar with how it all works and I feel I am uniquely qualified to comment on this . I have been there and done it . The very first thing to happen when school starts is open house . Some parents neglect to go to open house . This is when the kids get room assignment and a stack of paperwork for the PARENTS to fill out . You don’t have to go to open house but I recommend it . Those that do will receive the application for free and reduced price lunch and can fill it out on the spot and hand it to the teacher . Kids whose parents can’t get to open house will get the package their first day of school . The note from the school clearly states fill all applicable forms out and turn in the first week of school . I know for a fact some parents won’t fill out paperwork and have to be prodded by teachers to do so .
The absolute first thing you do is make sure every piece of paperwork is filled out correctly .
If you can’t afford to buy your children lunch FILL OUT THE FORM! Its two pages, fill in the blanks and its available in Spanish too.
I went through a lot raising my kids over the last 28 years . I suffered multiple car wrecks , illness , being hit by lightning , a divorce and most of the supportive elders of my family passing away . My injuries left me bruised mentally and broken physically . Even though you can recover mentally over time physically you can’t bounce back but so far . There were not just days I couldn’t function but weeks at a time . I never knew when my body would throw me a curve ball and I still don’t . I was left with little ones to raise with no child support on about $750 a month . In 26 years not one of my children went hungry or did without decent clothing .. I on the other hand did without medicine , new clothing , glasses and anything else I could to make sure they did not go with out . I’m still driving the same 50 year old truck . I filled out the FORM and my kids got reduced price lunch . It was MY RESPONSIBILITY to make sure my children got fed one way or another . This is what parents do . You do your monthly budget where your kids come first with food , shelter and clothing are the priorities everything else is optional .
I know I’m not perfect , I have complained and whined on here in years past but the thing most who just see a post in black and white couldn’t understand was the depth of depression and stress I was under . My children were the only things to keep me going. If I managed to deal with disableling physical limitations , depression and severe stress on top of raising not one child but several kids on $750 a month by myself, then I see no reason anyone else couldn’t do the same now with the best economy I have every seen in my life . I taught my children to always do it yourself , never buy what you can’t afford , pay bills first and save what you don’t spend . I had one child that was difficult and stubborn like his old man but guess what , he got with the program too . They all are self sufficient, very happy and manage their own money . This is all a parent can ask for .
Ultimately when people pay a kids lunch bill they aren’t helping the children they are helping the parents. I’m not saying that some parents don’t need a little help but when you can FILL OUT A FORM and get help why complain about it online? If you make under $40 grand a year FILL OUT THE FORM . If you make more than 40 grand a year a lunch bill shouldn’t be a problem if you know how to budget your money.
I see no logical reason there should be enormous lunch balances .
GM
2019-03-06