To not want my child litter-picking during school time?

[WhistlingNun]

I probably am being a bit U and precious about this, but right now i'm feeling like i'm in the right. i'm sure you lot will sort that out though...

One class in the school is chosen each week (and two children from that class are chosen for the week) to stay in the yard 10 minutes after the lunch bell and help the janitor pick up rubbish. One of the children get a litter picker while the other gets a bin bag.

My 5yo dd was one of the lucky two today. She came running out at hometime all excited about how she got to use the litter picker upper thingy. One of the mums beside me overheard and laughed saying it was her son's turn last month. i was confused (hadn't heard of it before) so the mum explained the class a week (as i've explained above) etc.

I just don't really like the idea of my dd missing out on class time (albeit ten minutes) to assist with something that the lovely janitor is being paid to do. The children don't get rewarded or anything. After it's done, they're sent back to class again.

When i was at school, we only had to help with the litterpicking if caught littering.

I'm sure if a child is set against it and refuses, the teacher would just pick another child. So i don't know why I'm feeling like this since DD enjoyed it. And i make her do small chores at home (tidy up toys etc).

So... AIBU? Would you be happy about this? She's got to do it all week!

[TuftyFinch]

But where does the litter come from? I don't think there's a bin in DC's playground. There isn't any litter either though.

[hazeyjane]

Heavens, give the op a break, she is worried about her daughter struggling at school (does she have sen, op?) she has said she doesn't like her missing her SALT sessions. I think she accepts thahtt there are good reasons for doing it, and that her daughter enjoys it, but would like it to be done at a different time.

[LynetteScavo]

We used to litter pick at school. Our collections were weighed, and the class who had collected the most won. The SN class of 15 kids always won.

Anyway, my point is, I don't think it impacted on my education, but I don't drop litter.

The school probably gets an Eco Award or something because of this initiative.

[whois]

FFS OP, how silly you sound objecting to 10 min missed lessons a day for a week.

DD and school are learning about community spirit, cooperation etc.

She'll only be missing the "settle down, pens out" time anyway! Do you feel the same if she goes to the toilet during class time?

[Hulababy]

We are an Eco School, got awards for it and everything. TBH not seen anything "worse" happening starfish.

[houseelfdobby]

What exactly do you think she will have missed in 10 minutes??? Learning responsibility and how the world works is the best lesson she could have. Chill.

[helpyourself]

OP you're being given a really hard time!
You felt worried about the time she's missing, you've been reassured, you said nothing snobby and still you're accused of bring up a little miss Fauntleroy!

[HecatePropolos]

I think it's bloody fabulous!

I am pig sick of the number of people who think it's ok to chuck their litter about. The more children who are taught that some bugger has to pick it up and that it's anti social and downright minging, the better.

I saw mcdonalds rubbish on a road near me today.

We're 10 miles from a bloody mcdonalds. someone was driving in their car, finished their meal and lobbed the rubbish out the window.



You're in the frigging CAR. A great big metal can with more than enough room for you and a bit of packaging.

Take
The
Damned
Stuff
Home

Where there's a bloody great big BIN

Obviously some people were never taught to not be dirty pigs.



(I am not suggesting your child would litter. I am sure you have taught them to never do that. But generally. The more it's taught, the better.)

[HecatePropolos]

I appear to have gone off on a litter rant instead of answering what you actually asked

[lilackaty]

I think YABU but if I were you I would have popped in this morning and asked them to make sure that she didn't miss any of the SALT time. I imagine that the SALT wouldn't have been impressed either.

[PainForLife]

I would agree with other posters in regards to it teaching your child a valuable lesson. I also understand your concerns about her missing time on her SALT sessions but as other's have said it is just 10 mins so won't be be that disruptive. I think u should be proud that your child is learning something beneficial/positive for the long term.

children with the attitude "it is the cleaner/janitors job" really upset me as it shows they do not have any respect. I would never want my child to ever respond in such a manner.

just as a side note my DD (2.5 yr old) has learnt to put things in the bin when I ask her to but there are times I dnt even say it & she will automatically put whatever it is in the bin. it makes me feel very proud everytime she does it. hopefully she will continue in this manner & not change!

this school sounds like the kind of place I would want to send my child :)

[WhistlingNun]

A lot of you seem to think my negative feelings lie with the actual litter-picking. In fact, it's to do with the class time she's missing. I've already said I wouldn't mind if it was done during lunchtime rather than after.

She's not some entitled child that gets waited on hand and foot. So i don't appreciate being compared to a lazy OH who expects the SAHM to do everything.

And i'm not dismissing the fact children should tidy after themselves by stating the janitor gets paid for doing it. I just mean that the school have means to get the litter tidied already, so they're not using the children because they HAVE to.

And the yard is usually immaculate. It has two bins.

She's in primary one, not reception. I know that at this age, they learn through play etc, but I don't consider litter picking for 50 mins at age 5 all that educational. Her school is very eco-friendly as she's been learning all about waste prevention and recycling in class.

Imo it would be better if she maybe did the litter picking one day rather than 5 days. I think this is far too much.

And she's not going to be in primary 1 forever. This carries on all the way upto primary 7 where the work is slightly more important.

[JustAHolyFool]

YABU

It's teaching children responsibility.

[JustAHolyFool]

You know the children all have little jobs in a lot of schools, right? Like tidying the book corner, being an ICT helper, being the book monitor etc...all stuff that takes up class time, but there is a good reason for it.

[WhistlingNun]

YABU

It's teaching children responsibility.

I know. And i love this. But why can't she be taught responsibility during playtime? Why does it have to cut in to class time for 5 days?

[LeeCoakley]

But there's no point in doing it at lunchtime, children are still around littering! And the reason the yard is immaculate is because the children are proud of their school and enjoy looking after it.

[JustAHolyFool]

Hecate people chucking stuff out of car windows is one of my pet hates as well. It really pisses me off.

I used to work in Saudi and the litter situation there is awful. A friend used to work for a family whose child would literally eat a sweet and drop the wrapper on the floor. When the friend asked him to pick it up, the child said "that's not my job, it's the maid's." Horrible attitude, and one that is implicit in this country every time someone drops litter.

[Sirzy]

Because if they did it at playtime people would say "AIBU to think my child shouldn't miss their playtime to pick litter"

And surely if they are picking up litter from playtime then it needs to be done after playtime?

[Bobyan]

50 minutes over one week in the final year of primary will still have a negligible effect on her whole education.

[hazeyjane]

Well I am probably going to be the only person who says it, but Imo YANBU!

If my child was going to miss SALT sessions, to be part of the litter picking, I would talk to the HT about the possibility of it being done at another time.

[JustAHolyFool]

WhistlingNun you know what would happen if it cut into playtime instead? You'd have parents complaining that they didn't get their full playtime.

Way of the world, schools can't do right for doing wrong.

[TuftyFinch]

I wouldn't have a problem with litter picking and people that drop litter are ignorant pigs.
Hectatent we are also at least 10 miles from McDonald's and there was a what looked like a whole family's litter strewn threw a hedge near me this weekend. It's not difficult is it?
.
I am genuinely wondering where the litter comes from in a playground. The children aren't allowed sweets are they? Or do my DC go to a weird school?