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Original poster

Annoyed at son's school

131 replies

sneezeybreezey · 10/02/2025 20:10

Hi,

My son ( 14) is having some issues at school - school are concerned that he is being disruptive in class etc, and affecting the learning of others kids. I am not making excuses for him, but I think that they are too quick to criticise rather than look at what is making him behave like this.

I have contacted the school and have asked for meeting. My work commitment and younger kids etc mean that I am only available to meet at either 7.30am or 5.30pm. Someone from school has called to say that they can't accommodate this as it's outside of their normal hours, and can I make a meeting between 8 and 4.30pm!!

I am not happy - surely they have a duty to support working parents?

OP posts:
Elasticatedtrousers · 10/02/2025 21:18

YOUR son. YOU adjust for it.

Hdjdb42 · 10/02/2025 21:19

You are being massively unreasonable. You book it during lunch or use half a day's holiday. It's your child, you should make the time for the meeting.

Soontobe60 · 10/02/2025 21:29

sneezeybreezey · 10/02/2025 20:10

Hi,

My son ( 14) is having some issues at school - school are concerned that he is being disruptive in class etc, and affecting the learning of others kids. I am not making excuses for him, but I think that they are too quick to criticise rather than look at what is making him behave like this.

I have contacted the school and have asked for meeting. My work commitment and younger kids etc mean that I am only available to meet at either 7.30am or 5.30pm. Someone from school has called to say that they can't accommodate this as it's outside of their normal hours, and can I make a meeting between 8 and 4.30pm!!

I am not happy - surely they have a duty to support working parents?

Surely a parent has a duty to support their DCs school?
You want to meet about your DS, who’s struggling to behave in school, and you are putting your job before his concerns. Imagine if your job was, say, a bank clerk and your hours were 9 - 5. Would you be ok to stay at work, unpaid, for an hour in order to accommodate a customer who can’t get into the branch during normal working hours?

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Frustratedmumpleasehelp · 10/02/2025 21:30

sneezeybreezey · 10/02/2025 20:10

Hi,

My son ( 14) is having some issues at school - school are concerned that he is being disruptive in class etc, and affecting the learning of others kids. I am not making excuses for him, but I think that they are too quick to criticise rather than look at what is making him behave like this.

I have contacted the school and have asked for meeting. My work commitment and younger kids etc mean that I am only available to meet at either 7.30am or 5.30pm. Someone from school has called to say that they can't accommodate this as it's outside of their normal hours, and can I make a meeting between 8 and 4.30pm!!

I am not happy - surely they have a duty to support working parents?

And this is one of just many examples of why I quit teaching!

CatteryCatss · 10/02/2025 21:32

sneezeybreezey · 10/02/2025 20:10

Hi,

My son ( 14) is having some issues at school - school are concerned that he is being disruptive in class etc, and affecting the learning of others kids. I am not making excuses for him, but I think that they are too quick to criticise rather than look at what is making him behave like this.

I have contacted the school and have asked for meeting. My work commitment and younger kids etc mean that I am only available to meet at either 7.30am or 5.30pm. Someone from school has called to say that they can't accommodate this as it's outside of their normal hours, and can I make a meeting between 8 and 4.30pm!!

I am not happy - surely they have a duty to support working parents?

Surely workplaces have to accommodate parental leave? Can’t you at least ask?

Lemonademoney · 10/02/2025 21:34

I work at a school and stuff like this is so depressingly familiar

MumblesParty · 10/02/2025 21:34

My son has to attend hospital appointments every couple of months. Sometimes they fall on my day off, other times I have to book a day of annual leave to go. I wouldn’t dream of asking the hospital outpatients clinic to stay open later just for me. This is the same. You have to take annual leave.

WithOneLook · 10/02/2025 21:35

Ha! And this is why I no longer teach. You want me to work outside of my working hours, unpaid, so that you can tell me how to do my job because your child can do no wrong. Yeah. Literally. Thanks but no thanks.

Guess what? I was the last man standing in my department. I set the work not only for my own classes but also the 2 classes who were being taught by long term supply because the two other former staff in the department had already left the profession and couldn't be replaced. Oddly enough nobody wanted to step up and take my job so my department was closed down when I went 4 years ago now. That's 4 years of students who have been denied access to the subject I am a specialist in and is a story being replicated in schools up and down the country. The curriculum is becoming narrower as a result. Well played OP (and others like you!) well played.

Halycon · 10/02/2025 21:40

Haha, jog on, OP.

Take a day of AL or rearrange your schedule. Fucking obviously. Or better yet, get a hold of your kid’s behaviour.

I wonder if this is the same poster who had a thread on here recently and was demanding meetings with their son’s teacher because he failed a test.

TheMoth · 10/02/2025 21:40

I'm a working parent too. In a school I set of for work at 7 and get home at 530 or 6.

Therefore, if I want a meeting with my dc's teachers, they'll have to be available at 630!
To be fair, I would meet a parent before 8 if that was the only time they could make it. 530 at a push and if I really needed to see them.

My ds is a year older. He's beginning to play up. It's not his fault though, it's other kids.

Except, he's got free will. He's making a choice. He's making a choice to be a knob. He's also learning the consequences of choosing to be a knob in school.... when his own mother is a teacher. Idiot.

DoggoQuestions · 10/02/2025 21:41

Your poor DC.

Imagine your mum being such a self absorbed twot, that they can't even be bothered to make a reasonable appointment at school to help you when things are going wrong.

#NC kids of the future

AngelicKaty · 10/02/2025 21:41

Hmmmm @sneezeybreezey did you get bored with your earlier thread https://www.mumsnet.com/talk/am_i_being_unreasonable/5271417-tutor-canceled-lessons?page=1 and decide to start a new one under a different name? The entitled tone of the posts sound SOoooooooo similar ... 🤔

Harrumphhhh · 10/02/2025 21:42

OP’s not been back then? What a surprise…

ILoveLeopard245 · 10/02/2025 21:45

Get a grip OP.

NeverDropYourMooncup · 10/02/2025 21:46

I'm sure they're very sorry that they can't work a 12 hour day specifically to accommodate your timetable and that the site team, two members of SLT and a spare person for the very real risk of physical attack from two or more people showing up to an out of hours appointment that your demand represents.

You want the appointment, you make one during normal working hours.

Vallmo47 · 10/02/2025 21:49

Nice try OP 🥱

Halycon · 10/02/2025 21:50

AngelicKaty · 10/02/2025 21:41

Hmmmm @sneezeybreezey did you get bored with your earlier thread https://www.mumsnet.com/talk/am_i_being_unreasonable/5271417-tutor-canceled-lessons?page=1 and decide to start a new one under a different name? The entitled tone of the posts sound SOoooooooo similar ... 🤔

Edited

That is 100% the same poster.

BigSilly · 10/02/2025 21:51

Wind 'em up and watch' em go! It's an obvious troll!

AngelicKaty · 10/02/2025 21:52

Halycon · 10/02/2025 21:50

That is 100% the same poster.

Show quote history

What on earth do they get out of it? 🙄 I'll report both to MN.

Anywherebuthere · 10/02/2025 21:54

You don't want to make yourself available at more suitable times for the benefit of your son but you're expecting them to make themselves available out of their timings for you? Why are you being so unreasonable?

They will need multiple staff to work outside those times in order to accomodate you.

You really need to prioritise your son and make yourself available within school times given.

ChristmasPudd1990 · 10/02/2025 21:57

Surely you can work through your lunch break and finish early. Your poor son 😔 Do you not want to help him?

Cardamomandlemons · 10/02/2025 21:58

Ask for a zoom meeting

ChristmasPudd1990 · 10/02/2025 22:00

Ok. You got me. I fell for it. It has to be a joke right??

clary · 10/02/2025 22:00

Yes I agree with everyone else.

It’s you who is saying the school should be looking at why your son is behaving badly – you who wants a meeting – I think you need to accommodate it. Take a half day or work through lunch. You must get AL – use it for this. Like everyone else does.

vipersnest1 · 10/02/2025 22:04

If this is real, the apple doesn't fall far from the tree.....