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Original poster

People older than 35; did your dad go to school parent’s evenings?

438 replies

Farrings · 25/11/2025 14:14

I asked my parents to look after our daughters for an hour (they’re primary age) so DH and I could both go to parents evening.

Both kids are at the same school so it’s no bother, and we care equally about their education, so we both want to go.

My dad (born 1943) asked ‘What’s parents evening?!’ He denied any knowledge of the concept, and said he’d never been to one. He has 3 kids who were all in school in the 90’s/early 2000’s.

To be fair, I’m not sure my mum went to many either… they’re not great with supporting formal education…but I was still surprised to hear my Dad say he didn’t even know what one was!

Then I thought, was this normal for the time maybe?

if you’re over 35, please vote -

YANBU - ‘My dad didn’t go to parents evenings either, (or maybe like, one time)!’

YABU - My dad DID GO! Or a few times anyway!

(Obviously whether or not Mum’s went is a whole other question, I will have to save that for another vote)

P.S This is Just for fun! X

OP posts:
oncemoreuntothebeachdearfriends · 25/11/2025 16:32

My Dad cared very much about DB and I, but I don't think he even knew what school either of us attended ! Women's work.

TroubledBloodyMary · 25/11/2025 16:31

@Idabelle!

😲

That surely wins the thread.

Noidlet · 25/11/2025 16:30

I'm mid 30s, Dad born late 50s. He would have come if he didn't work until 6.00 and then have an hour commute home. Mum was SAH for a large part of childhood, so she handled all of it.

DH is only available to come to parents evening as he can work from home. The slots usually end at 6.30 so if he had a commute it wouldn't be feasible.

LiftAndCoast · 25/11/2025 16:29

I'm late thirties and my dad never went to parents' evenings and to this day might not be aware that they happen in secondary schools. I never gave either parent any of the letters about them. I was high achieving, extremely anxious and frequently truant, and the thought of parents and teachers sitting there talking about me while I wasn't present was absolutely horrifying.

Dad left school at 14 himself. My mum left at 13 (not UK) so there was nobody in the household particularly invested in education!

Alpacajigsaw · 25/11/2025 16:27

Yes

Mumof1andacat · 25/11/2025 16:27

No. Mum generally picked an appointment straight from school if possible as dad was working until 5pm. I remember him come to school plays sometimes and prize giving in senior school

OhDear111 · 25/11/2025 16:27

DM always went, DF never. Parents evenings were in the middle of hay making and he was a farmer. Neighbours looked after us or DF after he got home. DM was very interested in our education, DF not so much.

StarCourt · 25/11/2025 16:26

Yes dad worked 7-3 so was always available to do Parents Evening with my mum

FluffMagnet · 25/11/2025 16:24

I'm 39, dad is 71. My dad tended to do all our parents' evening at Primary solo, as my mum was a teacher at the school so obviously busy! He was also there at all our concerts, Sports Days etc. often with his parents in tow.

I'm lucky that my side of the family have always been very supportive of children's efforts, and this continues with their grandchildren. Give my dad a date and time, and he will be there.

ThatKhakiLeader · 25/11/2025 16:24

My dad didnt and my husband doesn't. I just relay what was said when I get home/he gets home.

W0tnow · 25/11/2025 16:23

I don’t think dad did. He adored us, and tried in vain to teach me math (he was an excellent mathematician), but, he was a man of his time I guess. He was often late home from work. Mum worked part time.

He was chomping at the bit to babysit his grandchildren when we went back to work though, wild horses could drag him. Not many granddads do that. I’m in my 50s.

snoopythebeagle · 25/11/2025 16:23

Neither of them went, really. Maybe once at each school.

Idabelle · 25/11/2025 16:21

Considering he once offered me a lift to school when I was 15, then once I got in the car asked me where I went to school, no he didn't go to parents evening.

I'm 36, Dad born in 1959 but he believes anything to do with children/ school to be women's work.

Fifty50Fifty · 25/11/2025 16:21

My dad was born in 1944 and definitely went to parents' evenings!

user90276865197 · 25/11/2025 16:19

No, never.
My kids are are at uni now but always found parents evening a huge waste of time, they never told me anything I didn’t already know. Was great when it was online during Covid!

bridgetreilly · 25/11/2025 16:19

Usually both my parents went, but when only one could go it was sometimes mum and sometimes dad.

ETA Dad was born in 1939 and I was born in 1974.

Hellohelga · 25/11/2025 16:19

My DD never went to any parents evenings. Might vaguely have been aware of the concept and maybe looked at the end of year report. My DH didn’t go to many either as mine was the flexible job, though he would have gone if I asked him to. He used to jokingly call them parent teacher confrontations.

braaaiiins · 25/11/2025 16:18

My parents were both shift workers so which ever of them was off that night went

Lavender14 · 25/11/2025 16:17

Yes my dad went to everything.

WearyAuldWumman · 25/11/2025 16:16

My Dad went twice, I recall - he was a coalminer and on shift work. The twice that he went, he accompanied my mother.

ETA I'm 65. Dad was born in the 1920s.

LottieMary · 25/11/2025 16:16

Yes sometimes but he was also a school governor so involved a lot in that area

CleverButScatty · 25/11/2025 16:16

Always, but he was very invested in our education despite not having a high level l if education himself and being in a blue collar job.
He was a clever man from a very working class background with limited opportunities and was determined we would have better educational opportunities than him.
He is 15 years younger than your dad though, so that mat be relevant.
Fwiw we all did well educationally and took education quite seriously and I do think that impacted it.

ERthree · 25/11/2025 16:15

My ex husband born in the late 60s never went to a single patents evening for our 3 children, in fact a doubt he could name more than two of their teachers or even which house the children were in.

CatHairEveryWhereNow · 25/11/2025 16:14

FIL went to DH parent evenings even coming back just for them as he often worked away - DH did same when he worked away in week if he possibly could - think MIL went but it was FIL more worried about his education.

Chunkychips23 · 25/11/2025 16:14

Yes, he went to as many school things as possible (born 1955) He was very invested in our education as kids.