To feel disappointed with DS's school?

[4boysthatilove]

Like a lot of people we can't afford a holiday this year (our holidays are only ever a week long stay in this country), feel really guilty as my older boys have asked if we can go away and its hard when their friend's are jetting off here there and everywhere. I had kind of resigned myself to spending the summer break at home and then DS(5) has come home from school with a letter from the teacher who will be taking his class when he goes back in September - asking for the children to send a postcard into school from their holidays!! Aaarggh mixture of guilt and anger now, we are in an affluent area so in the minority of families who won't be going away, and so straight away come September my little boy could be feeling a little left out as he didn't go away and didn't send in a holiday postcard.

Can you go for a day trip somewhere and send a card from there?

Send a postcard from wherever you live, bigging up how cool it is to holiday at home.

I'd go along with Bunbaker - go somewhere interesting nearby and send a postcard from there. Or I believe that for a small fee you can get postcards sent from anywhere in the world

That really isn't fair,and I think the new teacher has been thoughtless.

A day trip somewhere is a good idea. You can enter into the spirit of the request by sending a postcard from anywhere. I know my Ds is beside himself with joy when we have a letter to post.

The key is "like a lot of people......................" you wont be the only one im sure. If you go on a day trip, send one from there, or as stealth said, send one from home

We cant afford to go away either but this wouldn't bother me.

You'll find not everyone will bother bringing one in whether they've been away or not.

Ask at your local library if they have any postcards of your local area...or contact you council for info on days out in the Borough and see if he can bring in something about that.

FWIW we wont be going anywhere - we can't afford a school holiday time holiday, you really wont be the only ones

That is really disappointing and they should be more sensitive. But a postcard from a day trip is a good idea. When we weren't going away my mum used to do things like extra picnics, making forts in parks, pancakes for dinner, treats in cafes, whatever - can be cheap but really fun stuff, to get the feel for a 'holiday' even if we were, technically, at home - maybe he could send in a picture from something like that? not sure if yours can camp out in the garden but we did that too (long time ago in a country far far away, though :) )

You just need to be inventive. Either a day trip, a visit to a relative or a fantasy trip - based on a film? to outer space? You must be doing something!

You don't have to go away for him to send a postcard.

1. Most local card shops have postcards of their 'home' town for tourists, he could send one of these. Or from the town that granny/aunt etc live if you visit them at all.
2. A lot of zoos, theme parks also have cards he could send if you are planning a day out.
3. Find a postcard of the planets/solar system, build a rocket out of cardboard boxes & he can send a card from the moon!

I'm sure he won't be the only child not going away, but I agree that it could be seen as a bit insensitive of the teacher.

Sounds like the teacher has hit a raw nerve. It's no worse than writing 'what I did on my holidays' type stuff when they get back.

Be inventive, as others say, and enjoy whatever time off you have.

X-post with almost everyone - bit slow with the typing today!

I wouldn't be dissapointed with the school for this. Even for the children who don't go away, it can be educational in that it will provoke discussion about the various places people have been to, they will get to see pictures and stamps from all these places.

I expect they assume that people will do UK holidays, or at least have a day out somewhere different that you could send a postcard from.

First off not everyone in his class will be going awAy over summer. Some will already have been and some may be going later in the year and like you some won't be going at all. My point being your ds won't be the only one not sending a card and I suspect a few who do go away will forget to do it anyway.

What is the actual wording? Because from what you posted the teacher has said anything about a holiday. The OP states asking for the children to send a postcard into school from their holidays!! Aaarggh. I would take the holiday part of that to mean school holidays, iyswim.
So it could be a postcard from anywhere, to me it doesn't state going abroad, or an actual 'vacation'.

Since the most exciting place I ever got to in the Holidays was Sheffield to see GPs. I'd have been mightily pissed off if I'd been asked to do this. I used to hate post holiday News writing lessons.

We have had this too - and were skint and not going anywhere :(

The teacher might learn something when he sees where they have been.

I remember a teacher telling me I could control my son more if I..
"took away his wii or xbox" - i was like..umm...we don't have those......
Some of them just don't think.....
Just don't send one. She is being lazy in thought and deed, wants to have something to fill that first day back.

Agree, just send a postcard from somewhere local, talk it up!

When DS1 was little we stayed at home . This one year he had to send a postcard to school, like you.
So DS1 & i built a den with chairs and bedsheets, decorated it with leaves,twigs etc. I dressed DS1 up, looking like rambo including muddy face/toy lion and took a photo.
I had the photo printed on postcard photo paper and sent it in. On the back DS1 wrote" having fun in the jungle".

It went down well with the Teacher & DS1' classmates. ( who all wanted to come on playdates!)

oh that sounds like fun muddymooncup (how do u all think of these names?)

I think the summer holidays is what you make it. You don't need much just your imagination!
We can't go away this year as DH, has been ill , and still needs to attened GP/Hospital appiontments.
Instead we are planning on doing day trips weekly,swimming. DD is going to a week long glee/drama club.
Also, DD,DS2 are spending a night or two ( depending on how scared DD is ), in a tent in the garden and cooking on a compact burner with mess tins. ( They will only be able to use the loo!!)
DD has just moved up to Guides and asked if she could practise!
Also, a project on either The Blitz/WW2 or Castles. (or both ). Trips to go with these!

Gosh, i'm not going to stop for six weeks am i!

Agree with DPrince - I would interpret that as to send a postcard into school from their school holidays, i.e. from a trip to a zoo/beach/town/library, or any of the more creative suggestions made.

Unless the letter actually said 'from when you go on your holiday within the next 6 weeks', I think YABU.

DS's school is also doing the postcard thing, but you can also do photos instead.

It's been carefully worded to say they can be from your holiday elsewhere, a day trip out, or from home. The idea is to highlight something different you've been doing, or something different/similar about the place you go to.

It does look like the idea is to encourage everyone to send in something, regardless of circumstances.