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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

to not want to pay for other kids to learn to swim?

284 replies

tomdayleymum · 31/08/2012 12:58

DS about to go into Year 3. Got a letter from school saying that from now til next July Year 3 will be going swimming and please can we have a voluntary contribution of £3.25 per week?

He can swim very well thanks to me paying for him to have private lessons. If other parents haven't bothered (or can't afford) to teach their kids to swim outside of school hours then fine, let the school teach 'em. But I don't want to pay for him to go in school hours when he could do with catching up on his reading instead.

AIBU?

OP posts:
MoreCrackThanHarlem · 31/08/2012 13:12

I'm sure he still has lots to learn.
The children will be split into groups according to ability, so if your son can swim he will be with an instructor who can help him with breathing and technique.

Read with him at home if you are concerned.

Original poster
tomdayleymum · 31/08/2012 13:12

He gets plenty of exercise outside of school hours without having to spend half an hour on a coach to get to the pool, getting changed, a few minutes in the pool with a TA "teaching" him and then getting changed and spending another half hour on the bus. Complete waste of time and my money.

OP posts:
Vagaceratops · 31/08/2012 13:13

YABU and a bit fat tight arse!

LindyHemming · 31/08/2012 13:13

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

TeapotsInJune · 31/08/2012 13:14

Don't pay then!!!

NovackNGood · 31/08/2012 13:14

You can let him go swimming and you do not need to pay. It is for the school to provide this out of the money they have been already given for the curriculum.

Vagaceratops · 31/08/2012 13:14

So what would you rather do? Have him stay behind as the only kid that doesnt get to go?

scurryfunge · 31/08/2012 13:14

Poor kid!

germyrabbit · 31/08/2012 13:15

ask if he can sit in lessons reading instead of going swimming with his pals Grin

albertswearengen · 31/08/2012 13:15

Well tell the school you don't want him to go and then he will probably end up sitting in the back of someone elses class doing work whilst his friends have fun on the bus and in the pool. I'm sure he'll thank you for that.

vodkaanddietirnbru · 31/08/2012 13:16

if they get a bus there then the money is probably for the bus hire rather than the swimming itself. DD has started her swimming with the school this year (P5) but we have not had to pay anything towards it (and they do get a coach to the sports centre) - hers only runs for 12 weeks though.

eurochick · 31/08/2012 13:16

Don't pay then and have him stay behind. I'm sure he'll appreciate that.

I hate AIBUs when the OP will never accept they ABU despite being told so many times!

LtEveDallas · 31/08/2012 13:17

a few minutes in the pool with a TA "teaching" him

Now that sound highly unlikely and the sort of thing people say when they have been told YABU and they dont like it.

So why bother posting?

LindyHemming · 31/08/2012 13:17

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

NovackNGood · 31/08/2012 13:18

HE does not need to stay behind. He can go and swim and you do not need to pay. Tell the school you will not be paying a voluntary contribution.

Stinax · 31/08/2012 13:18

YABU. You aren't paying for other children to learn how to swim, their parents are also making a contribution.

There could be a million reasons why parents haven't managed to teach their children to swim. The least likely being they "couldn't be bothered". I hope you aren't really as snobby and smug as you sound in your post.

Why don't you ask the school if your child can be excluded from the swimming so they can sit on their own and read. I assume your child would be ok about being isolated from their friends in this way?

Waitforit · 31/08/2012 13:18

You do realise that if he doesn't go he won't be getting any extra education - he'll be sent to another class with a book for 2 hours. I can guarantee that he won't be happy to sit and read silently for all that time, so it will be a waste of his time staying at school. He may as well be getting a spot of exercise, spending time with friends, and having fun (you know that thing that 7yo should be having).

Original poster
tomdayleymum · 31/08/2012 13:18

I pay for my son to learn to swim and I'm called a tight arse! I do object to being called fat though Grin

OP posts:
OutragedAtThePriceOfFreddos · 31/08/2012 13:18

Why don't you do the extra reading at home and a little less excersise on the days he has swimming?

You are as responsible for his learning to read as you are or his learning to swim and getting exercise.

janey68 · 31/08/2012 13:18

Do you understand what voluntary means? Just don't pay if you don't want to. And if you feel really strongly, withdraw your child from swimming. He may feel really left out, and will resent you, and he will probably end up sat on a computer playing games because there won't be a spare teacher to give him extra maths or whatever during that time- but hey , that'll give you something else to come on here and complain about so all good, eh? Hmm

SoupDragon · 31/08/2012 13:19

You aren't paying for other children to learn to swim.

You are making a contribution for your child.

TeddyBare · 31/08/2012 13:19

If he can already swim but is behind at reading then perhaps it will be good for his confidence to be in the top set and one of the best in his class at something. YABU.

PureMorning · 31/08/2012 13:20

This reply has been deleted

Message deleted by Mumsnet for breaking our Talk Guidelines. Replies may also be deleted.

EcoLady · 31/08/2012 13:21

The cost will be for transport.

They will be grouped and he'll be with swimmers of similar ability. They will improve their strokes and play team games too. It's great fun as well as being part of the curriculum.

I LOVE teaching swimming - my favourite part of PE :-)

alphabite · 31/08/2012 13:22

YABU. I was swimming in competitions by the time I was 8. I still had to do school swimming lessons and I loved them. It finally meant I was the best at something!

To be honest you sound like a snob. Maybe sort the reading at home and let him do swimming at school if you are worried. School isn't just about reading and writing.

Would he be allowed off maths if he was good at that too? No because there is always room to get better. It's the same with swimming.

You need to get a bit of perspective here.

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