To think that school is not optional?

[StuntNun]

I have been fretting about this for a week so I thought an AIBU would clear things up for me. I had a baby last Thursday night and my in laws very kindly looked after my DSs aged 9 and 6 while DH and I were at the hospital. My MIL picked them up from school on Thursday at 1 p.m. and my DH was home late Friday morning so he was available to have the kids back and bring them up to the hospital after school to visit me and their new baby brother.

Okay here's the AIBU bit: my in laws didn't take the kids to school on Friday. They live about ten miles away from the school so I had said to MIL not to worry if they were a bit late as the school would understand. But I can't believe they didn't take them at all. Poor DS2 missed out on computer club which he had been looking forward to. I have never kept my kids off school unless they were sick apart from one day for my SIL's wedding which was on a weekday.

So AIBU to think that it isn't acceptable to keep your grandchildren off school because you can't be bothered to take them? Obviously I appreciate them looking after the kids but it never crossed my mind that thy wouldn't take them to school.

Well, if that were the case, they could have have said, "OP, do you mind if we keep them off school to make a fuss of them?"
That might have been reasonable.

and if they've got almost perfect attendance, why does one day really matter so much? Will the gp's be doing the school run again anytime soon? If not, why is one day so important?( unless there are deeper issues with the gp's you're not disclosing)

Some kids really like school. Is that so odd?

I can see why you'd be surprised if you had expected them to take your sons to school. But in the greater scheme of things, it's not really worth getting over-heated about. Especially when you've got a lovely new baby.

It's one day. Don't sweat the small stuff...congratulations too

Very odd I think, especially not checking with you first.

My DCs' school would count it as unauthorised absence and probably would have rung the parents in the morning but then, they are very strict about attendance.

My mum kept ds1 home from school the day I had dd, I was having a planned CS and ds1 was a bit upset in the morning. Mum kept him home and it meant I could phone him at 10.30am and tell him he had his longed for sister, so he heard at the same time as his brother and my parents. I didn't see the problem.

YANBU, my Mum managed to take DD1 to school and DD2 to nursery when DS was born.

the thing is, its not as if they assumed it would be what the OP would expect to happen, if it was then it'd be okay if that makes sense

However, they KNEW the OP expected them to go to school (as lateness was discussed), said nothing to OP about their intentions and kept them off anyway - THAT is the worrying bit for me!

You gave birth on Thursday, and you are here on Fri

You are strong!

I'd be pissed off too.

Was the SIL their daughter? Perhaps they (wrongly) thought it would be ok as you've already set the precedent.

I would thank them for looking after the kids but ask that next time they make sure the kids go to school as planned.

Thanks for all the responses. I do appreciate my in laws looking after the kids (and bringing me yummy chocolates in hospital!) I'm not going to say anything to them; in the grand scheme of things it's not a huge deal. It just got to me because it would never have occurred to me that they wouldn't take them to school. They only live 10 miles away so they see us at least every weekend and they would have the kids to stay over sometimes so it's not as if they had to make the most of their one day with the boys. I think AIBU is great for working through these issues that niggle away at you because other people's perspectives are so useful.

I wouldnt be amused, school isn't something you have a choice over whether to Go to or not. It's certainly not ip to GP's to decide if they go or not. But I wouldn't say anything, they probably didn't mean any harm
By it.congrats on your new arrival!

Yanbu