to refuse to drop DS into the reception classroom?

[SmallShips]

I cannot do it again. I will grind my teeth down to bloody stumps if I have to set foot in that room again.

28 kids plus 28 mums (several kids have entourages of Dads, Grandmas, Aunties, Great Uncles twice removed, Cousins and neighbours it seems) plus siblings. Must have been about 90 people crammed in there today.

My 2yo screams loudly and at length because she doesn't want to leave her brother "I WANT TO GO TO SCHOOL TOO MUUUUUUUUUUMMMMY" and the 5mo cries, again loudly and length because she doesn't like people looking at her .

I was told by my friend that we are expected to do this until year 1! He doesn't need me to hang his coat up, he is more than capable. AIBU to want to shove him through the door and run like the wind?!

We have been told that from Monday the children in DS class are to go in by themselves for exactly the reason above.

That is quite unusual ime. 90 people, teacher must be going loopy. What are you all doing?

YANBU - parents should be encouraged to deposit them at the door after the first week.

If you haven't already done so, talk to the head about dropping off with 2 younger kids. Sounds a nightmare

We always were expected to go in, but there was always a TA around to help out.

Good luck

Yanbu. Who does this chaotic arrangement benefit exactly? Sounds like a nightmare for all involved! The more fuss the more likely the poor kids are to freak out surely? You'd love our school - we have to leave them at the gate right from reception!

I have not taken my DD into the class at all, they are met in the playground by their teacher and they line up and walk in together then they are collected from the playground! so much easier!

Everyone is just milling around yelling the names of their kid.

I don't how the teacher copes.

Unless you need to go in to speak to teacher or drop money off etc. just say goodbye at the door and leave.

Lots of parents did go in at our school, but we weren't encouraged to do so after the first couple of weeks. I had to get off to work, but I was baffled by what parents did in there! Surely after the first few weeks children know the routine?

DDs school allow parents into the classroom up to October half term but strongly encourage children to go in alone. They get a special sticker if they do. Its not chaotic though as children go in over 25 minutes from 8.20 to 8.45 which helps things stay calm. On Fridays parents come up so they can see what the children have been doing that week but otherwise they stay out of class!

YANBU. What you describe would send me loopy. Take heart that the grandparents etc. will hopefully fade away as the novelty of school wears off

YANBU-just get out as quick as possible!

one parent even brought a great big horse dog into the playground this morning. That helped.

Ds1's school does this but it is up to the parent how long they stay (10 mins is allowed before the bell goes). I quite like it, it is helping ds to settle but it can be a bit manic at times!

DS1 started school this month, and is 4. They go in through a gate at 8.45 onto the playground without their parents and play on the playground until the teacher comes out 10 minutes later. By that time I am long gone and almost at my desk It feels wierd, and I have only seen inside his classroom once back last year when we viewed the school, but it seems to have really helped the kids all settle doing it this way.

YANBU, I would hate to have to do this too!

My ds1 started this week. On the first day he raced into the classroom without a backward glance to me! After that he said he wanted to show me his classroom which he did but once hed done this he told me to go! Today I only went to have a quick chat with his teacher he put his book bag in his tray and sat down on the carpet without a second glance to me I seeked him out to say goodbye! On the first day we asked whats expected and the teacher said its up to yourselves and your child. If this week is anything to go by I think I'll leave him to go on in on his own tomorrow! Your situation sounds a nightmare!

Why don't you just send ds in and stand in the playground for a few minutes to check the teacher isn't go to run out screaming your name insisting you go in and help, and if she doesn't assume all is well and go.

YANBU

we had one week and then were told in no uncertain terms that we were to drop at the gate of the playground, about 20 foot from the door inside and leave

the playground is supervised

I was doing it on day 4 lol

some parents are still going right in and dd2 is asking why the parents arent doing what they are supposed to be doing

what do you say?

everyone else always piles into dd's classroom too, i can't imagine why... i went in on the first day but have left her at the door ever since
(now i've seen this though, i'm hoping thats ok, i never thought to ask about reception class etiquette)

I feel your pain, Reception and Year 1 were v similar at our school - hurrah for year 2 is what I say.

My coping strategies were:

Be first in. Stand by the door before the bell goes and leap in immediately it does go. Beat the crowd.

Encourage dc to hang up own coats etc so you can concentrate on younger dc.

Don't go into the actual classroom. If you need to speak to the teacher try and do it after school instead.

You'll probably find it calms down as in the next week or so and as the year wears on more and more parents will get as fed up as you and sneak their dc in alone.

YANBU, I would hate that.

At DDs school you can only go in on the first day of reception, after that it's to the door off the playground (which leads straight into the cloakroom)and no further, the TAs are there as crowd control so you can't sneak in.

DD already happily/confidently walks in by herself (we are only on day 6 today and she has already told me I don't need to come ALL the way up to the door ) as do virtually all the other kids - and with a lot of those that don't their Mum's (and it is all Mum's I think) seem to be in a right flap themselves & definitely not helping their kids to stay calm

Oh gosh, We have something similar-the two reception classes are divided by a foyer where the coat pegs and toilets are, and the main entrance for the two classes. Bearing in mind there's at least one adult per child, 60 kids all going in at the same time and before they can go into their class they have to
1: Put water bottle in class water bottle box
2: put snack in class snack box
3: hang up coat
4: put bag/lunch box on lunch trolley ready to be wheeled into the hall at lunch time (lunch trolley is huge and blocks entrance to toilets)
5: use toilet (optional)

It's like a scrum in there most days. This is the point when DS starts getting all teary,because it takes ages to actually get to the classroom!

I can't see why us parents have to come into the foyer at all. We could say our goodbyes at the main door, then the TAs and teacher can help the kids inside to put their stuff where it needs to go, it would be much quicker. The TAs and teacher are milling about in the scrum trying to help anyway And They want to encourage the children to do it themselves, so the parents staying outside would be much better.