to think this woman is either badly organised or bone idle?

[Rosieeo]

My eldest went back to school yesterday, to reception class. She attended the nursery last year. A woman whose eldest child is in the year above my DC was complaining to us at the gates.

Last year this woman, who has three DC, was consistently late for school. At the earliest running up as the bell went (fair enough) but more often than not 10-15 minutes late. In the end the school gave her a bollocking (they're very hot on timekeeping), wrote to her, had meetings, but it never made a lot of difference.

Yesterday (first day) they were just over 5 minutes late and she said that the teacher had already pulled her up on her timekeeping. She felt that the teacher was out of order and that no one appreciated how difficult it was to get to school for 8.50am with three DC. Her younger ones are about 3 and 1.

I don't have a lot of sympathy, I'm afraid. I know it can be difficult and frustrating getting out of the house in the morning, I honestly do! Plus, I only have two kids. But at the risk of sounding like Miss Smug, I have NO problems getting to school for 8.50am (we're normally up at 6.30/7am) and when I have to be at work we're out the door at 7.45am. That's hard work, but still! This woman lives a ten minute walk from school and doesn't work. I'm not trying to start a SAHM/WOHM debate, just saying that she doesn't then have to get somewhere else.

I didn't say anything, because I don't really know her that well, but AIBU to think that she's either badly organised or bone idle and totally unfair to her son who gets into bother almost every day because of such bad timekeeping?

At one of the local schools somebody had a home help type person arrive on her doorstep at 8am every morning to get the 4 children to school on time, I'm afraid I did laugh when even the so called professional was late too.

You're right. It has nothing to do with me. What does? If we never discussed anything that 'wasn't our business', Mumsnet would be a pretty boring read, wouldn't it?

YANBU.

I don't think that having 3 children is an excuse. I have 3 and manage to make it on time. Was late once when car keys were lost and pram was in car so couldn't walk - had to get dh home asap to open car.

But then I am rather anal about lateness - I cannot bear being late for anything. Not convinced it is a bad thing, though sometimes wish I could be more laid back.

It's nonsense to assume she is just bad at timekeeping!
This is a grown woman ffs, not a child.
Yu just get organised and leave 10 minutes earlier, it's not rocket science

I don't understand what was funny Rosie.

It sounds as if your kids are older FioFio. This child is only 5.

Mama....erm who are you to decide what is important in the class room? What if her being late means that the register is interrupted or everyone is late for PE or she gets a roll of the eyes from everyone everyday? I think it's quite shitty. A six year old not sleeping until 11 is pretty outrageous....how about ensuring she has enough physical exercise so she's tired?

I also think that if you choose to send your children to school then you choose to abide by the rules. It is disruptive for the whole class if a child is late every day. That is why schools take it so seriously

It disrupts nothing important? The parents of the other children in her class might well disagree or they'd be late all the time too, instead of making the effort to get there on time.

I thought you were being sarcastic with lateness being a 'condition' and hoping the children weren't treated differently. Sorry!

You are right FioFio they have to learn to do it themselves otherwise you ended up with an 18 year old who isn't self motivated and then you are buggered. The thing is the schools don't impose any sort of penalty the kids care about, when we were late at senior school you got detention.
These days they don't seem to hand out detention for anything short of murder.

Mamatomany- are you for real? Seriously?

You do the school run twice because you cant front up to a six year old? PMSL

OP I wasn't joking, but I can't be bothered to discuss it further with someone so completely juvenile.

Good luck.

This made me laugh;
'Her kids should be treated with great care so as not to make them feel different.' Posted by Flight Attendant I think

Lol
Yes, by the mother-getting them to school on time is the very least you can do to ensure your child has the best start to their school day

me neither.

I have two dc the youngest is 5 months old and since he has been born I struggle to make it on time. Usually we are around 3 minutes late which isn't a lot but I would prefer it if we could be on time everyday.

I probably am disorganised but I don't know how to do things differently. I am up at 6.30, the boys are up at 7.00 and packed lunches are made the night before so we don't have to faff about with them. We need to leave the house at 8.40 to make it there on time. We are usually all ready at 8.30 but nearly every day without fail ds2 will do an almighty poo and then when I change him he will pee all over me and we are then scrabbling around looking for clean clothes and end up being delayed.

I always find that the really organised people who always make it to school on time and never forget to send their dc in with the required egg boxes etc are the ones that are always late to pick their children up from play dates/birthday parties. Why is that?

I can front up to a six year old but i'm not prepare to pour water over her as somebody suggested
Until it matters to the child nothing will work, end of story, she's been to school in her PJ's, put to bed in her uniform, gone without breakfast.
Her body clock just isn't the same as my older two kids and i'm not going to give myself the grief of trying to change it.
When she gets in trouble at school then maybe she'll shift herself.

MrsRuff, yes ideally but if the mother can't and won't you can't punish the children for it.

Flightattendant your post was so far removed from reality and, well, common sense, that I assumed you were making a funny. Sorry if you feel offended by that.

Mama... i believe letting natural light in and forcing her to wake earlier will ensure her day changes.

Which is why the school are tough on latecomers

Mama - really?

You can't impose your will on a child? They miss nothing important?

So basically you let your child do what they hell they like and school doesn't matter.

Thanks for the apology. not offended at all. I don't like your tone though.

Over and out.

Rosie your posts are so removed from reality and a sense of proportion that I suggest you go and do some volunteer social work and then you will see how competant this mother is. She does take her children to school after all.

I am not sure what this lady was expecting if she was standing at the school date moaning about it to other parents. The school clearly care that her children have the best start to their day by being on time for the start of lessons. What's her issue with that? Is she trying to paint herself as some kind of victim in this? She obviously has time to hang around complaining after drop off. Very odd.