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Original poster

Husband touched a kid to reprimand them on school trip

792 replies

ToddlerIs2 · 15/09/2025 11:25

Husband went on school ltrip with yr 6 dc as our DC"s 121 so only responsible for him. Yr 4 girl in front was being annoying all journey. Husband asked her to stop several times. He dozed off and she banged the seats again (so banding onto her knee) and he lent over and tapped her on the head and told her to stop. Off the coach the teacher spoke to him and he said sorry, didn't think etc. now head wants to see him. What's the likely consequences? We have a lot going on and I'm not holding it all together very well so at home so don't know how irrational I am. He's never smacked out kids so I know it won't have been a smack to the head etc and it was only when she got off she told the teacher. I'm absolutely fuming because how did he forget to never touch someone else's child? And obviously there's an angry parent there that there's a grown man who's touched their daughter so school will probably have to make an example of him. Any ideas what's likely to happen?

OP posts:
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8
CustardySergeant · 15/09/2025 13:14

GlastoNinja, why on earth are you bringing capital punishment into this? No one has suggested anyone should be put to death.

CaptainMyCaptain · 15/09/2025 13:13

This reply has been deleted

Message deleted by MNHQ. Here's a link to our Talk Guidelines.

FFS.

CalmHiker · 15/09/2025 13:13

blowingbubbles1 · 15/09/2025 13:12

How can you fall asleep on a school trip?!

desperation? 😂

Booneymil · 15/09/2025 13:13

CaptainMyCaptain · 15/09/2025 13:11

SCHOOL Nursery in a SCHOOL.

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It still has different guidelines!

MissMoneyFairy · 15/09/2025 13:12

Booneymil · 15/09/2025 12:54

Would you like to be touched on the head by a man sitting behind you on a bus

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Neither me or my children would deliberately annoy someone that much in the first place

CalmHiker · 15/09/2025 13:12

Booneymil · 15/09/2025 12:54

Would you like to be touched on the head by a man sitting behind you on a bus

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I wouldn't like to be told by a man to go to the loo before the bus is due to start, or to remember my water bottle,

so I am not quite sure what your point is and how it's in any way relevant?

Booneymil · 15/09/2025 13:12

Ratafia · 15/09/2025 13:11

So why does something deemed utterly safe in nurseries suddenly become unsafe a week later when the child goes to school?

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Because the young child in nursery has to be helped physically.

There is a legitmate reason to touch the child. Helping with feeding, changing nappies etc

blowingbubbles1 · 15/09/2025 13:12

How can you fall asleep on a school trip?!

Booneymil · 15/09/2025 13:11

CalmHiker · 15/09/2025 13:10

screaming, or being an annoyance to other children who are quickly losing patience when YOU are the one in charge of them?

If you want to make a comparison, go for it, but don't make stuff up.

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The child was being an annoyance to everyone around them. I still would never dream of touching the child

Ratafia · 15/09/2025 13:11

Booneymil · 15/09/2025 13:10

As i have already written,
If you bother reading,

nurseries OBVIOUSLY have different rules to schools.

They have completely different safeguarding guidelines.

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So why does something deemed utterly safe in nurseries suddenly become unsafe a week later when the child goes to school?

CaptainMyCaptain · 15/09/2025 13:11

Booneymil · 15/09/2025 13:10

As i have already written,
If you bother reading,

nurseries OBVIOUSLY have different rules to schools.

They have completely different safeguarding guidelines.

Show quote history

SCHOOL Nursery in a SCHOOL.

CalmHiker · 15/09/2025 13:11

Booneymil · 15/09/2025 13:07

Whats nonsense exactly?

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I agree with the poster calling nonsense on your post, or at least it's simply not true in all schools

GlastoNinja · 15/09/2025 13:10

Booneymil · 15/09/2025 13:04

I was recently sitting next to a screaming child for two hours on a plane. Is it ok for me to tap that child on the head?

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Was the child screaming to be a shit or screaming because they were a baby and upset? Did they have an adult with them?

Screaming to be a shit and no adult around managing their behaviour, absolutely tap them on the head and advise them to amend their behaviour

Screaming because they’re upset and there’s no adult around, nurture and support them and if that involves hand holding, stroking an arm or cuddling (with their permission), so be it.

You’ve done a course, we get it, you know the policies, fine. Real life and human development don’t always fit the course outline.

Midlifehereicome · 15/09/2025 13:10

Some of the replies on here are ridiculous and just highlight why so many kids cant behave and the woke society were are developing. The child was misbehaving they had been told to stop they didn't. They were tapped on the head. This is a non issue. If it were my child that had misbehaved they would be made to apologise to your DH and I would thank you for providing an appropriate response to correct their behaviour. He didnt smack them round the head for goodness sake it was a tap on the head. As for being banned on future trips total over reaction. Sounds like more parents like him are needed. Imagine if the child's behaviour had caused an accident what would you all say then?

Ratafia · 15/09/2025 13:10

Booneymil · 15/09/2025 12:27

Of course if it is an emergency and they are going to save the child's life - then they can touch the child.

That is the only circumstance it is ok. No other circumstance is ok.

I work in a school. We just did safeguarding refreshing training. We were told we are not allowed to tap, hug a child ever.

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How utterly miserable. Won't they even clean a child up if they've fallen down and scraped a kne? How about when they have an EHCP that provides for them to have hands-on help of various kinds?

When my children were little, the teachers/TAs would regularly hug an upset child or have them on their laps at story time or whatever. The concept of standing back and leaving a distressed child to cry seems abhorrent.

Booneymil · 15/09/2025 13:10

CaptainMyCaptain · 15/09/2025 13:06

Complete nonsense. I taught in School Nurseries and Reception.

Edited
Show quote history

As i have already written,
If you bother reading,

nurseries OBVIOUSLY have different rules to schools.

They have completely different safeguarding guidelines.

CaptainMyCaptain · 15/09/2025 13:10

Booneymil · 15/09/2025 12:54

Would you like to be touched on the head by a man sitting behind you on a bus

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It would depend on the circumstances, I certainly wouldn't call the police if that's all it was.

CalmHiker · 15/09/2025 13:10

Booneymil · 15/09/2025 13:04

I was recently sitting next to a screaming child for two hours on a plane. Is it ok for me to tap that child on the head?

Show quote history

screaming, or being an annoyance to other children who are quickly losing patience when YOU are the one in charge of them?

If you want to make a comparison, go for it, but don't make stuff up.

MissMoneyFairy · 15/09/2025 13:08

arcticpandas · 15/09/2025 11:39

If my son came home and told me that a dad gently tapped him on his head to make him stop kicking around in the bus I would be dead angry...with my son.

Me too, it shouldn't have happened, the teachers and ta are also there to supervise the children, what were they doing when the child was banging into his seat, I would never volunteer to help anymore, I'm sorry he reacted this way, he probably won't be allowed to volunteer any more and hopefully both sets of parents can discuss this with the Head.

Booneymil · 15/09/2025 13:08

Bumblebee72 · 15/09/2025 13:05

Your husband has learnt the hard way why only idiots volunteer to do things involving other people's children. There is no upside and just risk. Next time the school needs to send a TA to be the 1-2-1 for your child.

I was.just about to write this aswell.

Never volunteer for a school, as you won't be thanked!

HarrietPierce · 15/09/2025 13:08

Sundaymorningcalla · Today 13:06

"Husbands a nonce"

Don't be ridiculous

StillTryingtoBuy · 15/09/2025 13:08

Booneymil · 15/09/2025 13:04

I was recently sitting next to a screaming child for two hours on a plane. Is it ok for me to tap that child on the head?

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As long as you pretend it’s to get their attention, I think it’s fine?

Booneymil · 15/09/2025 13:07

CaptainMyCaptain · 15/09/2025 13:06

Complete nonsense. I taught in School Nurseries and Reception.

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Whats nonsense exactly?

StillTryingtoBuy · 15/09/2025 13:07

BadgernTheGarden · 15/09/2025 13:03

Sitting still for an hour? At least being told off for it, not being treated like the survivor of a dastardly attack on her person!

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Okay, just noting she might have been told of for it, why do you think she hasn’t been?

Dramatic · 15/09/2025 13:06

I can't believe people are talking about calling the police because someone tapped a child on the head to get their attention. If my child came home and told me they were tapped on the head by an adult I wouldn't think twice about it. Ridiculous overreactions.

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