Hunger and compliance

I work as a freelance educator. I currently and working with an education platform. I conduct online classes for students of various ages. I have a student with me who is currently 9 years old. Whenever I have a class with me it is always a pleasant experience. He is a bright student. He listens to me and answers all my questions. He never shows any resistance to learning. This is one of his qualities I completely a adore. When I was his age I never like studying. I offten tell him that he is a very good student and I love teaching him.

However the experience I recently had in the class wasn't pleasant. His school has already started. He had school in the morning and my class is in the afternoon at 4 o'clock. This week I had a class with him. When we started the class he was eating a peace of apple. I do allow eating in my class because I completely understand that it is the need of each and every human being. I do not stop my students from eating or drinking in my class. Though I ask him if they want to wait for a minute or two so that they can finish their food or beverages before we can start. But otherwise I do not have any issue with that as long as they are comfortable.

Okay continuing from what happened that day. We started our class and we were somewhere around 40 minutes from the start of the class. 20 minutes were still remaining in our Class session. The student stopped me in between. He told me that he was hungry. So I casually told him that he just ate a piece of apple before we begin our class. Apple keeps our stomach full for at least one hour. I also told him that I eat a fruit everyday and that is why I know. This is when I notice a hint of sadness in his eyes. He said he ate just one piece. He wanted to eat something more. So this is win I started asking him more questions. I asked him when he returned from his school. He said he returned from his school half an hour before the class. After coming home he took bath and then it was the time for the class. He did not get enough time to have snacks before the class. Then he asked me if we could end the class early so that he can go and have snacks.

This made of my situation difficult. I understood it he was hungry and he wanted to eat. Personally I did not have any problem with that. I cannot end the class early because as per the platform's policy the class should go on for the 60 minutes. If the class has been ended before 16 minutes then there will be a disciplinary action against me. I cannot let that happen. At the same time I do not want to keep a child hungry. I had to find a midway. I told him that I cannot end the class early but he can ask his mother to bring him something to eat. This way we will be able to continue with the class and also he would not feel hungry. He was not happy with my solution but he agreed to it. I also explain him my position. I told him that if I end the class early then they will change the teacher and someone else will teach him next class onwards. Since he likes my teaching he said he would not want to end the class early and was a ready to continue. I told him to tell his mother to give him something to eat while continuing with the class. But like a big boy he said he would hold back his hunger for 15 more minutes and once the class gets over he would go and have snacks.

In corporate work we are always told to be assertive. But most of the time being assertive hurts a lot. It hurt me when I told a little boy to not take a break for a snacks and continue with the class. I had given the alternatives but if I was incharge I would have given him the break early. Unfortunately my hands were a tied. I will never forgive myself for what I did.