Parents' Evening: do you take your child?

[KathG]

We have been "strongly" offered this as an option for a Y1 child, but it is optional? What would you do? (She is shy and somewhere in the middle of the class).

[coppertop]

I don't take ds1 unless dh is at work and I have no choice. It depends on whether there's something you want to talk to the teacher about that you would rather not discuss in front of your child. If you don't feel comfortable with the idea then leave dd at home.

[annh]

How odd. Our school suggests that we come without the children, although this is not always practical and there are often children outside in the playground etc. I have seen a couple of children (rec/year 1) sitting with their paretns while they were talking to the teacher which I didn't think was particularly appropriate. Do children normally go to Parents' evening at your school? Thinking about it, at our school there is open afternoon once a month when the children can take you into class to look at their work, displays etc so there is certainly no need for them to be there for anything like that on Parents'evening.

[Bozza]

At ours we are told that the child is supposed to attend but not younger siblings. It is a day that I work so I book a time between 5 and 5.30 and get DS from CM but leave DD at nursery.

[nailpolish]

we dont have any choice if both dh and i want to go unfortunately

either one of us goes or the whole entire family

if you ahve to take dd then encourage her to go off and play out of earshot, or both you and the teacher would feel awkward discussing problems

[Bozza]

Once both are at school I will have to send the other one off to play in the corner while each is having their turn.

[ArcticRoll]

No.
At my dcs schools we are told not to bring them.
At this age I think it is best to leave children at home.

[mankyscotslass]

at our school they have said that YR-Y2 children are requested NOT to go with their parents, but the school have set up a creche for the parents who would otherwise have childcare issues. Also Y3 and up they request that sublings all go to the creche.

[Hulababy]

I think it is pretty common at secondary school, but not known it to be the case at primary level. We made appointments at different times to one of DD's friend's parents and then just minded one another's children.

[Tiggiwinkle]

As others have said, I dont think it is appropriate with primary age children. However, when they get to secondary it can be useful for them to hear what the teachers have to say!

[Bozza]

So our school is unusual then?

[coppertop]

At ds1's school most people seem to take their children with them. No-one's ever said whether we're supposed to or not so I don't know what the official policy is tbh.

[serenity]

They do that for the juniors in our school. You talk to the teacher whilst they play/do stuff on the other side of the classroom and then come over for the 'going forward' discussion. My school generally doesn't have a problem with you taking children and siblings anyway, they just go over to the book corner whilst you talk.

IMHO parents evening shouldn't be the place for major revelations anyway. If there's a problem it should have been bought up before (by either of us!). I'd be really p'd off if their teacher waited for a parents evening to tell me they were struggling when we could have already been working on it.

[Steward]

When I go to parents evening, I end up talking both kids as I have nobody to leave them with. A few time the Kids have gone to a part of the classroom and played with toys or looked at books. I find in most cases the teacher involves my son in the coservation by saying things like he is well behaved in the clas arn't you (son's name). But I have been lucky so far as my son has not had a bad word said against him by a teacher. It has always been positive. Sometimes the child needs to hear positive things from parents and teachers to know that they are going well and it encourages them to do better.

[kslatts]

I never take my dd's, if dh isn't working we both go and at our dd's school one of the classroom assistants is there to be with the children while we see the teacher.

[KathG]

I don't feel as if I want to take her, would rather have a frank discussion with the teacher, but don't want her to be the only one of her classmates who wasn't in on the discussion.

[NuttyMuffins]

I do yep as they are required to pick their own target for next term.

[southeastastra]

i take my ds(5) and ds(13) but you have to then!

my 5 yr old likes it and they talk to him as well as me, so he understands how he is getting on etc

[LindzDelirium]

We have been told to leave them at home. Get a babysitter for 20 mins, when all relatives live 40 mins drive away, yeah so that'll be easy!!!NOT!

[tinkerbellie]

at our school you can take them or leave them...if you don't want them in the room tey have a room set up for them to watch telly in play games etc

[nikkie]

HAve taken them to dd2s when hers was straight from school but last time I swapped with a friend, she looked afte my 2 and then I looked after her dd.

[Ceolas]

No way