I got the wrong day for introduction session (child about to start school)

[Elfinprincess]

... and I feel awful. Rubbish, pathetic mother. I wrote the date in my diary (I have been to the parent's evening) and my child was due to go to their first introduction day at primary school. I wrote it in my work diary and I put it in on the wrong day ! I can't believe it we turned up today, all ready and were told we missed it. There is another one in a few weeks but I feel so awful how could I have made such a huge mistake.

Also wondered, will this put a huge black mark against my name... I hang my head in shame and have a crying child.

I am now ordering a wall chart calendar but feel I have let everyone down. Sigh. They tried to reassure me at the school that there will be another introduction day but I now feel my child will feel left out...

Any advice apart (please no name calling, Iknow I have been a utterly rubbish parent)

[Annunziata]

Don't be daft, it's not the end of the world at all my love.

Have a cup of tea and forget about it. You weren't the first and you won't be the last!

[Elfinprincess]

Annuziata - there is always one isn't there, just really sad it was me. Feels rubbish but thank you so much for your kind words. sniff.

[Lancelottie]

It'll be fine.
The memory might even save you from being the parent who dropped off their child on an Inset training day without noticing the school was closed

[Annunziata]

I know it feels rubbish, you just want to start off on the best footing.

But I can guarantee you someone else won't have came because they couldn't be bothered. You do care and that's why your child will have a ball at school :)

[lampshady]

I've turned up twice on inset days. It doesn't get better when they start school!

[Annunziata]

The memory might even save you from being the parent who dropped off their child on an Inset training day without noticing the school was closed

or uniform on a non uniform day

[DeeWe]

Oh don't worry!
When dd2 was starting at juniors and her db had a couple more inset days before he started at infants, we met a family who had dc the same age and were walking the infant to their first day at school and the junior looking forward to a couple more days (same school).

We hurried across to tell them their mistake, cue tears from the infant who was very excited to be starting big school, and tears from the junior who was looking forward to two extra days holiday.

They laugh about it now.

[Lancelottie]

... or non-uniform on a uniform day, Annunziata

After a while, my DD got very good at double-checking the calendar.

[Elfinprincess]

Oh bless you your messages have made me feel a bit less useless. Stupid thing was, I have a year planner in my work manual diary, and it has little tiny inserts for each day.... what a dumb mistake.

I am currently searching for a decent calendar as we type! I was so sure I had been organised, I collected him from preschool early, got him all dressed up, made sure he was sun creamed, teeth brushed, fed, I even discussed it with his preschool teachers, then as we entered the school they knew exactly who we were... Oh jeesh, and there was me worrying the school may not be good enough!

Ah bless, note to self, highlight inset and non uniform days too!

This is going to be tougher than I thought...!

Thank you ladies, I am trying to work out how to explain this one to my husband and mother too!

[fairgroundsnack]

I've done the uniform on a non-uniform day before. My poor 5 year old son literally backed into a hedge with embarrassment until he disappeared! Now he always tells me repeatedly when there is a mufti day...

Don't worry OP it will be fine, you can just go to the next one.

[CMOTDibbler]

I put everything in my electronic diary, which syncs with my phone. I take pictures of letters and notices on my phone as well so I have all details. And party invitations - time, address, phone no all go in the appointment details.

And I've found if I have to sign a form, that I can take a photo and just email it to the school office, which is less forgettable than a letter.

Oh, and I took ds back to school a day early after christmas.

[PenguinsandtheTantrumofDoom]

Don't worry. It's no biggie.

Non uniform day.
Dressing up day for the topic
Inset day
Forest school 'come in normal clothes' day
Musical instruments.

It just gets worse and worse...

[tutorproof]

Believe me this will be the first of MANY fuck ups.

My DS was the only one in football kit one day because I got the text wrong. He was also the only one in uniform for school play because I didn't read he needed a costume.

My friend turned up to the wrong class's nativity; her son's was an hour earlier.

[TalcAndTurnips]

Elfin - do not worry; the school will not think that you are 'that parent' because your remorse and chagrin will have been quite obvious.

It's the parents that don't turn up/don't phone their children in absent/don't return permission slips and then fail to give a shit when reminded. They're that parent.

The apologisers, those that are mortified - they're never given a second thought, because we all make mistakes.

Just spend the next twelve years marking every piece of uniform, returning every slip/letter on time and lob the odd litre of shandy in the bottle tombola at ye olde summer fayre and the school will think you are flipping wonderful.

[Mopmay]

As above, believe me the school will be soo used to this. No one will worry. Plenty do it every year.
I have two at a school where there is something to remember at least once a week - photograph invites etc and out in every calendar etc!!
Own clothes day, red day, French day, Earth day, nativity, sports day, special assembly, come to class day, cake sale day, PTA events ... The list goes on. At least one parent forgets each time

[Elfinprincess]

You all really made me laugh, thank you. I keep getting that pang of hideous guilt and ended up playing shops all afternoon (as well as typing on mums net!).


CMO you are my hero- taking pictues is a great idea and I have started doing that problem is, my iPhone photos are now full! I really think I need to up my game.

Every cupboard in the kitchen now has a school letter stuck to the inside!

Note to self don't write in my diary year planner!

Mopmay- how do you cope!! Talc bring not he next twelve years I am really going to have to watch this non uniform day lark, the nativity days and times, the inset days, French day... sigh, I am going to have to up my game... xx

[Bumpsadaisie]

Elfin, bless you.

You're going to make more monumental cock ups than this in your kids school career. Rest assured so will all the other parents.

I remember when my eldest started in YR. I spent the first term in a total logistics-packed-lunch-uniform-ironing tizzy.

Don't worry if you do too - its normal. It soon calms down as you get used to the new routine and start to give less of a damn.

[Lancelottie]

For a moment there I thought you ironed the packed lunches, Bumps.

Mind you, some mornings round here...

[Mopmay]

Add in World Book day and give yourself a months notice for costume inspiration. Ditto Nativity if you have to provide outfit. Then there is Easter bonnet parade. Yes - you will learnt to make one...oh and what trip this week.. Zoo or art gallery? Don't mix them up. Check the event weather for trios out - three parents at ours sent their poor children to a freezing cold farm day in just a t shirt and skirt no coat or wellies.

Oh and weekly PE kits, wellies, sun cream and hat. Swim kit. Musical instruments, junk for modelling, pots for gardening day. Don't forget money either for the cake sales after school

It's a whole military operation. I have no idea how those with 3,4 or 5 children cope!!!

[listsandbudgets]

Don't worry we once dropped dd off for the first day of Autumn term.... teh day before term started

[Mopmay]

My mate did that - the day after term finished... Another went to Alton Towers one Friday as they thought it was an inset day - wrong week !!!

[Pilgrimforever]

I was late taking DC4 to move up day at his new school. I already had 2 DC at the school and a letter on the fridge door.
We turned up to be met by the Headteacher's PA looking very concerned and asking if everything was alright. She kept asking which I thought was very odd even though I knew she was a lovely lady. I got back in the car and rang DC1 who was at home on exam leave who confirmed that I was half an hour late dropping DC4 off.
DC4 was very shy back then and was the only one going to this new school from his old school. I sat in the car and cried for 5 minutes.
I've never cried before or since about school but I did on that day picturing my shy 9 yr old walking on his own into a class full of children who already knew each other and them all turning round to stare at him.

[StockingFullOfCoal]

I forgot about a mufti day too. DD was 4. She is a very sensitive child and my heart sank, I expected her to bawl her eyes out.

Nope.

DD and a few of her friends pointed at me and laughed "Your Mummy is really silly."

[BrianButterfield]

They won't mind at all. My DS's new school has a right mosh mash of kids coming in on various days from nurseries and all over the place so they wouldn't necesaarily even notice who was or wasn't there on any given day. They also have a open door policy in foundation stage so we could in theory walk in any day!