School WhatsApp wildness…

🤣

Thankfully there isn't one for my daughter's school. I am friends with a handful of the parents and check things with them if I need to. There's no way I'd join a class or school one, even they existed.

Oh be that mum, remove yourself 🤣

never understood these WhatsApp groups set up by parents. Honestly it will give you nothing out headache

Ping!
Happy birthday!
Ping!
Happy birthday!
Ping!
Happy birthday!
Ping!
Happy birthday!
Ping!
Happy birthday!
Ping!
Happy birthday!
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Fuck that.

There is a core group of Mums that always complain about the smallest thing or a nothing that they blow up a huge thing. Their kids are usually a pita to boot.

Friends are on Reception Desks in schools and the abuse is unreal. Usually the reason they sound robotic.
Mine go to a good state school and heavily oversubscribed. Parents fall over themselves to get them in, then As soon as they get confirmation it’s like the knives come out.

I’ve been on primary and secondary what’s app groups and there’s never been any drama; just useful things. With the secondary group, it’s just every day things like school trip/sports fixtures pick up times, road closures affecting parents driving in, tutor recommendations etc. I have never seen anything aggressive or negative. I would definitely leave ridiculous groups!

I removed myself from a class W’app group for about three years and it was great. Some class W’app groups are civilised though. There is no class W’app group for secondary school - bloomin’ fantastic.
if you have some bonkers parents on yours, just leave, don’t engage.

Because much of the time they aee set up by parents, hence not using a formal school app.

They have their uses in primary, I can't read the spelling words, or I've got Bob's jumper, along side the party and play date stuff, esp when kids aren't necessarily dropped of or picked up by parents.

But I'm stumped to what secondary parents say to each other.

Primary, we are talking about WhatsApp groups for secondary age. Entirely different. The children should be taking responsibility for their own admin.

Not all schools have these. We are at a small village primary who communicate via email - often class reps will share an update via WhatsApp several hours before these arrive so it's genuinely useful to be in the group.

Why not remove yourself from Whatsapp and use a dedicated school app instead?

Secondary has WhatsApp for parents..omg....

But I remember 300 messages in one day.... COVID times but I muted and then when I needed a laugh I caught up with them

@MellowSubmarine Rivalry and bullying by some of the young girls meant that there were tears in the classrooms. And mothers wanting their daughter's class moved . Lunchtime problems like my mother said your mother was a bitch ! Outrageous stuff and these girls were only 11 . My poor Dd was one of the uncool girls so wasn't involved thank goodness.

Our school had a hilarious one for Bronze DofE a few years ago. Honestly, you’d think they were going trekking in Alaska or the Sahara for a month rather than the Derbyshire Dales for 2 days.

Some parent anonymously summarised all the complaints and made a hilarious post on the group calling out the nonsense. That caused a twittering! Best WhatsApp group I’d been in in a long time.

Clearly I lead a dull and boring life.

Argh read the thread!! All these posters talking about birthday invites and trips to the park! Yes they can be useful for primary kids when mummy is fully I. charge but are flat out weird for secondary! Try arranging a park met for 13 year olds and their parents - it will not go well!!

This, I’ve had 2 kids through primary and secondary and never been on a school what’s app group.

At my DC secondary school the WhatsApp groups are a hugely successful fundraising vehicle for the PTA. They raise tens of thousands every year. This is much harder when you’re not at the school date every day.

Ours is a wholesome mix of arranging an open invite weekend at a holiday park (and the equivalent end of summer term camping), exchanging second hand uniforms, clothes and shoes, and arranging playdates.

It is a very middle class local primary school, most of us are professionals and thus well drilled in never slagging anyone off in a way that can be screenshot!!

Me too I find it loathsom. I immediately remove myself from anything like that, no real accurate information is exchanged, just silly bitching and mindless chatter.

My kids are secondary age now and I know a handful of parents in their year groups. I have never even considered the need for a parent WhatsApp group past my son’s primary one, which was lovely. We’ve coped just fine without them at secondary.

Ours is really nice, both mums and dads equally contribute too which is good to see.

God so lucky with ours, bar the odd annoying question that could be answered if they read they emails, it's pretty tame and everyone is pleasant. It's mostly just full of helpful reminders.

Tbf I have been lucky in general with youngest ds class. Parents and children are on he whole pretty nice

I was in work on Wednesday and when I checked my phone there was about 40 messages, this was the day before our children were due to go back in.

It isn't a bitchy chat (thankfully) but there are a lot of pointless messages and it is generally the same mums asking the questions and answering. It was great for the first few years as all the party invites were sent to the group, but being 4 years in, class parties aren't a thing anymore.

We have a rep who does a weekly reminder of stuff

eg first day tomorrow, PE kit needed on Tuesday etc

one mum who predictably asks the question that she can a) find out for herself on the school website and b) read the rep’s newsletter

every bloody time

People need to leave these groups and stop being afraid of FOMO. There is zero reason for anyone to be in a secondary school whatsapp.