Would you be able to take your child into work?

[ScamTheSchool]

Our school is having a "take your child to work" day next month. It is compulsory and there will be no other alternative program provided. We have to provide the name of the company he will be going to. They encourage girls to go with dads and boy to go with a female relative or acquaintance. [I'm not in the UK]

DS has SN and I'm a SAHM mainly because the school would not allow him in the after school club due to this. DH works in a law firm, and would have had to subscribe him two months ago. It's a national initiative so every large company provides something. We received the info from school today; and had assumed that children not going would be provided with an alternative program at school. This is not the case.

Due to his SN there is no way he could participate in the program at DH's office.
PIL is retired and MIL didn't work post DC.
BIL & SIL live too far away.
No other family.
I have done a bit of freelance work over the past couple of years, but can't give a company name and am not currently employed.
He wouldn't cope with going to one of the large company open days and anyway it seems they were booked out months ago. He's our eldest, so we didn't know about this until recently.

I have to arrange something, but have no idea what or how! Whilst I know some other people, there's no one I could reasonably ask to look after my SN child at their place of work for the day. I could keep him home and explain what my last job was, but I'd have to lie on the form to the school and I imagine he will have to give a talk or write up what he did.

Would you be able to do this?

DHs work wouldn’t even let her past reception (very dangerous chemicals on site).
I work in a school, I don’t think they would allow it either.

I’d kick up a fuss with the school and explain why your son can’t name a particular company on this form. Point out some of the other jobs mentioned on here that would also be incompatible with children roaming around.

To the PP asking - yes, some countries have a church tax. I live in Germany and it’s a thing, not cheap either. Opt out rather than opt in (which is messed up if you ask me). If you were baptised or christened - and declared it on your council registration - you’re automatically deducted an extra X% from your salary, unless you request (and pay a fee) to be taken off the roll. It does stop a few hypocrites organising parties christenings for their children who will never be taken to church anyhow, and using public buildings they’re not contributing to. I don’t pay church tax either before someone jumps at me!

Er no way! I work with radiation! And would having strong words with school about a compulsory programme. As an idea lovely, practically though very short-sighted as many workplaces aren't appropriate for children.

In your situation I'd keep him at home, whether you lie or not is your decision and whether you can be bothered to make a fuss.

My job is something a teenager could do from their bedroom I did start from my childhood bedroom tbf and now WFH. DP I guess could take a child in as hes taken guests in before but you have to stick together at all times and some places in the building guests aren't allowed which is tricky, the nature of his work is sometimes unpleasant and some things are not for public viewing. I did go to work with my dad who was a train driver and I eventually did work experience there but not on the trains and the only place in the depot I was allowed was the car park and the changing rooms so again tricky to work leaving a child at a station or an office somewhere and coming back for them.

I like the idea of him doing experience as a stay at home parent. Company: my family

Although my work would be safe for a child (if boring!) I have a feeling we're not insured to have under 16s in the office - I vaguely remember a conversation about this when someone's 15 year old wanted to do her work experience with us. So no.

Have you considered that you are also a freelance artist/writer/musician and just do that with DS all day?

@110APiccadilly

Although my work would be safe for a child (if boring!) I have a feeling we're not insured to have under 16s in the office - I vaguely remember a conversation about this when someone's 15 year old wanted to do her work experience with us. So no.

That's one of the reasons DD's school just cancelled the week work experience in Y10. Not only are too many companies still either WFH or doing hybrid work, the amount of paperwork/insurance involved is just not worth it. Our neighbour's DD was still 15 after her GCSE exams and didn't get any job either, the primary school she wanted to volunteer (got the place via a family friend) cancelled her.

DD managed to get a place but I think around 1/3 of her year didn't.

Most under 16 here aren't able to get weekend jobs and the few available were snatched up by college students who have more time it seems and with over 18 the employers have even less issues.

I think schools need to rethink these approaches.

What a ridiculous idea!

My dh works with machinery and power tools there is no way they cld even contemplate a child being around for safety reasons.

I cld technically take mine to work as I work in finance. I still don't think I'd be allowed though coz basically u wld lose a days work and the child wld put everyone else off too. They'd be so bored! Also in wfh now so that wld be even worse they'd just want to watch tv or play with their toys.

OK the reference to church taxes makes me think you are in Germany. I've never heard of this, but EU equality legislation applies to them (as it still does in the UK) and so they can bog off with their I'm not a special school teacher" nonsense.

Plus the fact SAHMs are more common in Germany than they are in the UK!

Just tell them he's not doing it. They can come up with a solution if it's supposed to be "compulsory".

@RampantIvy

Church taxes? What country is this?

I doubt that every child will be going to a parent's workplace TBH.

I also think Germany.

Plus the fact SAHMs are more common... than they are in the UK!
On the one hand you have the whole expectation that there is a sahm(p) in the family, or retired grandparents - before school club only once a week, no afternoon school or after school club twice a week, kids supposed to go home for lunch, different timetables for different classes, SN kids not accepted into the after school club because they'd take the space of 1.5 children and yet for one day a year mums are supposed to have a job to take their sons to

I will find something to do with him, whether that be explaining what one of my pre-DC jobs was or researching what he wants to do. So utterly ridiculous to make it compulsory and not have any other provision.

Haha, my 2.5 yo running round an emergency department bursting with COVID. Yeah wouldnt be happening

My DH is military and I work late nights in a bar….so no.
What can they really do if you can’t make it work?