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Original poster

Keep DD off school or send her in late?

22 replies

octon29472 · 13/01/2022 08:17

DD has had a terrible nights sleep (up for 3 hours between 3-6). Through no fault of her own as DH has got food poisoning and unfortunately the toilet is next to her room. Sorry for tmi .

Anyway I tried to get her up but she is exhausted I can't send her to school like that. So I've let her go back to bed. I'm not sure whether to keep her off for the full day and just say she isn't well or be honest and send her in when she gets up. I suppose I'm overthinking it but she has been off a full week recently and school keep going on about poor attendance. But I get the feeling if I send her in later they would mark this morning as unauthorised.
WWYD?

OP posts:

Whatayear81 · 13/01/2022 08:18

Age?

Why was she off a full week?

The school “going on about poor attendance”… specifically of your daughter or the pupils in general?

Atla · 13/01/2022 08:20

How old is she? If in primary I'd probably keep her off and explain to school, if secondary maybe let her sleep for a bit and send her in late ?after morning break? If school close enough.

Whinge · 13/01/2022 08:22

How old is she, and why has she been off for a week recently?

Although a disturbed night isn't great I would probably send her in. Is she likely to get any more rest if she stays at home with normal everyday noise and your DH who is still sick?

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wonderstuff · 13/01/2022 08:23

I’d explain the situation and send her in a bit later, after first break, I have a dd who really struggles with sleep and I have very occasionally done this. I feel unfair to send in utterly exhausted but also think dd needs to know she can’t get a whole day off for being tired. Mostly I only keep them off for sickness or temperature.

elelel · 13/01/2022 08:26

Age is kind of vital here?

At 5 I would keep her off. At 15 I would send her in.

Original poster

octon29472 · 13/01/2022 08:29

Thanks everyone DD is 5. She was off due to a sickness bug a few weeks ago that lasted 3 days and really took it out of her so we kept her off all week. No the attendance was aimed at the whole school not DD. Apparently there is a lot of unauthorised absence I think a lot of people are taking children out for holidays.

OP posts:

Geom372 · 13/01/2022 08:31

I'd keep her off and do a bit of reading and some maths with her later on. She's so young.

Atla · 13/01/2022 08:34

Oh at 5? Definitely keep her off. I feel your pain OP, my DD was off for a week before Christmas with tonsillitis, really poorly but if they are sick they are sick and she's so little still.

Let her sleep

scaredsadandstuck · 13/01/2022 08:34

If she's 5 keep her home 🙂 And schools always talk about attendence A LOT (because it is obviously very important), but they are really targeting families who let their kids take a day off every other week for any little thing/ because they can't be bothered to take them in/ to go for a day out etc. The very fact you are worrying about it shows that you aren't like that.

MoiraNotRuby · 13/01/2022 08:35

Keep her off, unless you have to go to work...

Whatayear81 · 13/01/2022 08:35

5 years old
School has no specific complaint re your child’s attendance

I wouldn’t hesitate to keep her off

Thirtytimesround · 13/01/2022 08:36

I’d probably do full day off but it’s up to you, depends on her timetable. Like if she has rugby all afternoon that’s very different from storytime… At age five she’s unlikely to be learning much at school anyway, most of tbe world isn’t even at school at that age.

Well done for not sending her in, taking a child to school on 3 hrs sleep would be very cruel.

Schools worrying about attendance is pressure coming down from the department of education. It’s about bad leadership and you shouldn’t take it into account when making welfare decisions for your child.

Havilland · 13/01/2022 08:40

Lack of sleep or disturbed sleep makes most adults irritable and emotional the next day so a five year old child is bound to feel upset at school so yes of course keep her off.

JugglingJanuary · 13/01/2022 08:41

I'd keep her off, no point in her being at school if she can't stay awake!

elelel · 13/01/2022 08:43

At age five she’s unlikely to be learning much at school anyway,

wonderstuff · 13/01/2022 08:46

Oh at 5 I’d keep her off all day and do a bit of reading and maths at home.

Original poster

octon29472 · 13/01/2022 08:49

Thanks everyone I have rang the school telling them she isn't coming in. I will probably keep her off for the full day but will see how she is and what time she wakes up.

OP posts:

Moonface123 · 13/01/2022 08:55

Attendance figures are right up there with oxygen according to the schools, yet not so keen to record and make public their own staff attendance records. Mine are now thankfully done with school system and this mindset but, and this was well before covid, couldnt help but notice alot of staff often abscent.

Sprucewillis · 13/01/2022 09:00

You could just tell school exactly what you told us. And say if she has a nap and is less sleepy you will bring her in later?

WhaleSnail · 13/01/2022 09:37

Keep her off. It’s not her fault her sleep was broken and being up 3-6am will have really exhausted her. A day of long lie then lazy activities would benefit her especially is she was ill herself last week or so as that takes a while to recover from anyway.

Hoppinggreen · 13/01/2022 09:40

I kept DD off when she was 5 nice because her baby brother had been a nightmare all night and as DH was away she had got up to try and help me bless her.
I was in no fit state to drive her to school and she was in no fit state to go.
As a one off it will be ok

INeedNewShoes · 13/01/2022 09:54

I'm surprised by the pretty much unanimous replies here!

Loads of kids have terrible night's sleep for various reasons. My DD doesn't love school and if she thought a poor night's sleep would mean a day off she'd probably make very good use of that!

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