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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Year 3 school play is at 2:15pm

13 replies

Denj33 · 09/02/2012 14:13

There are 3 "productions" Thursday, Friday and Monday, why are they all at 2:15, when I'm at work, why couldn't one be at 9:15 so I could star late or in the evening when I am home from work.
AIBU to be pissed off that the school has made it unnecessarily awkward for working parents.
I have now taken the whole afternoon off as we have to collect the children afterwards, so I can't take an hour off and then go back.

I just think if you are doing 3 separate performances, it's not unreasonable to ask the school that one of them accommodates working mums

Am I wrong in thinking this?

OP posts:
sandyballs · 09/02/2012 14:17

How daft, they should definitely have staggered the times on differents days to acommodate more people.

WorraLiberty · 09/02/2012 14:18

One would think they might have been able to squeeze in an evening performance but I suppose it depends on the teachers and their own childcare arrangements.

Also, there were many MNetters moaning around Xmas that they didn't want their kids performing in the evenings as well as in the day...so I expect there were a lot of half empty production casts.

EdithWeston · 09/02/2012 14:19

The school will have to have one eye on the logistics of the moving parents through the school, and all the other demands on space and staff in the school day.

But yes, I agree that - whilst you can never please everyone - having a greater variety of times means you are more likely to suit more families and that is obviously the most desirable situation.

LondonMumsie · 09/02/2012 14:20

I wouldn't like my year three child to be out late doing an evening peformance. Agree a morning one would be a good idea though.

McHappyPants2012 · 09/02/2012 14:22

The school can't accommodate every working parent, they have there own routines and planning to do ( even though I know that crappy guilty feeling about not being able to go due to work)

YouOldSlag · 09/02/2012 14:23

YABU, the school has to try and suit everyone,as well as maintaining teaching schedules, lessons plans, breaktimes and school hours.

Some parents work, some don't, some are on night shifts, some teachers have kids of their own and can't stay in the evenings.

Hulababy · 09/02/2012 14:26

It's difficult for schools to get it tight. They simply can't please everyone and everyone's working patterns.

At east they have it over three days - so most people can arrange to be at one of them. Many schools have just one performance.

How much notice were you given?

Evening performances have their disadvantages too. Not everyone wants their children having a late finish, esp if school the next day. Plus the teachers and staff have to get home after. This is not their normal directed time. And people will then complain if it is too early (not enough time to get home, fed and bac, still in work time) or too late (children too tired, etc)

It may be the afternoons as that fits into the school's working day better - time to set up, less chance of clashing with other activities at school, etc.

YouOldSlag · 09/02/2012 14:28

Also, the end of a 2.15 concert would co-incide with school pick up so the school are saving a lot of parents two trips. They can't please everyone!

mojitomania · 09/02/2012 14:31

YABU

Sandalwood · 09/02/2012 14:33

Oh no. not the evening.

Original poster
Denj33 · 09/02/2012 15:04

Ok but morning would be better, and as for coinciding with pick up, that makes it worse for me as I do not usually pick up DS2, obviously I will be today as I have taken 4 hours unpaid leave

The performance was wonderful, and I would have gone no matter what time it was, it was just the fact all 3 were at the same time didn't give any parent any options. I could start work at 11am and still work the whole day if it was in the morning, I didn't think it was at all flexible.
I don't see how a 9:15 performance would have impacted the school day
There are not that many parents here today, at Xmas there was a morning, afternoon and evening show so every single parent was able to attend, that is not the case for this performance

OP posts:
Hulababy · 09/02/2012 17:30

You see, for me - mornings are much worse. I work mornings. I work in a school and can't really take take off as such - as parents expect me to be in the class obviously with their children.
So for me, an afternoon is much better.

Told you, schools can't suit everyone.

EdithWeston · 09/02/2012 17:38

But OP isn't saying they should all be in the moorings.

She's saying (and I agree) that times should be varied, thus maximising the chances that one of them will be convenient.

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