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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

to think there was no excuse for over half of dd's class not being in school today?

19 replies

stormforce10 · 23/01/2013 16:55

School was open and sent a text message and email to confirm at 6.30am. True there is snow on the ground and its cold but the main roads were clear and traffic was moving freely. I managed to get DD to school and we live about 15 minutes drive away though that turns to 25-30 minutes in heavy traffic whcih it always is in the morning. I don't drive so use the bus and had to take 6 month old ds in the pram. DD was there 15 minutes before the registration bell yet the majority of her class did not appear and it was the same yesterday. Yesterday we were 15 minutes late because I'd booked a taxi which didn't turn up so we had to go and get a bus at the last moment

AIBU to think a lot of parents were just being lazy and using the snow as a convenient excuse? Lots of the children who didnt turn up lived in easy walking distance. I accept some of them could be ill or their parents could be frightend of going out in the snow because of disablitly for example - but over half the class?? DD is now saying she does not see why she should go if all the other parents aren 't making their DCs turn up

OP posts:
lockets · 23/01/2013 16:58

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Poledra · 23/01/2013 16:58

stormforce whenever my DDs use the 'but no-one else does' whinge, my reply is 'I don't care what everyone else does, I only care what we do.' I then try to follow up with the reason behind why we do what we do Smile

And yes, sometimes people do use it as an excuse. I know that a child in one of my DD's classes missed school on Monday as her older sister's school was closed and it 'wasn't fair' for one child to have to go to school while the other stayed home, apparently...

noisytoys · 23/01/2013 17:02

DD's school have sent letters to all the children who didn't attend and if they don't have satisfactory reasons why people weren't there they may fine for unauthorised absences

Twattybollocks · 23/01/2013 17:03

It depends on location, I'm lucky enough to live on a flat culdesac, it's sheet ice right now, and has been for 3 days. If it was on even a slight incline I wouldn't fancy my chances of getting onto the main road without sliding into someone else's car or worse, sliding out into the main road!
Some people may not be walking distance, others may be pregnant, disabled, have younger kids in pushchairs, all of which would seriously put me off leaving the car and walking on icy footpaths to school.

manicbmc · 23/01/2013 17:04

Lockets, if school is open, and a child is fit and well, then there is no choice. Child goes to school. It is the law and it is their right to receive an education.

whiteflame · 23/01/2013 17:05

Well 6.30 am is hardly a lot of time to organise (or unorganise) child care is it?

It rarely snows. If you are able, surely it is better to take the day to enjoy it with the DC than heroically battling on the bus with a pram etc.

Your choice, but why are you surprised that others chose differently?

lockets · 23/01/2013 17:08

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Psammead · 23/01/2013 17:09

See it as an opportunity for your DD to get much more attention from the teacher. And don't concern yourself about the rest - it's really not your business.

WilsonFrickett · 23/01/2013 17:10

Half a friend's school class was off today. They don't even have snow. What they do have is a sudden epidemic of Noro.

HerRoyalNotness · 23/01/2013 17:13

Depends, if half the class is missing, do they continue with the curriculum and leave the absent children to catch up the missed lessons on their own, or do the children present have a doss day, or do it twice etc...

DialsMavis · 23/01/2013 17:13

So they decided to have a day off, so what? Your DC will have had much more 1-1 attention than when the class is full, so it's a bonus!

Most of my 10 year olds peer group play 18 rated games and got iPads for Christmas. It makes him do sad face at me. It doesn't bother me what other parents do. I hope they all had lots of fun in the snow

pregnantpause · 23/01/2013 17:16

my dd goes to a school where 80% come in on school bus. school bus was cancelled on Monday, but school was open, so those of us who walk to school did. dd spent the day with the other three pupils, two teaching assistants, a teacher and the nursery nurse. I bepive the assistants went home at lunch timeShock (she had fun, but what was the point?)

dayshiftdoris · 23/01/2013 17:16

Well done OP - you are teaching your children to have a positive work ethic... I would be suggesting to school that they reward the children who have made it in with a certificate or something... after all if there is talk of fines who don;t attend then I cant see the issue with praising those who turned in!

Wheresmycaffeinedrip · 23/01/2013 17:16

I managed to get my dd to school but then I did have to walk on paths which were pure Ice and I'd have sever trouble getting a buggy through it. Who wants the kids at home killing eachother? But if they can't safely get there... Roads may be clear but side streets aren't and the paths are an accident waiting to happen. Saw four ambulances by nine o clock yesterday morning!!!!

fedupwithdeployment · 23/01/2013 17:18

Yesterday my DS didn't go into school - he went to an awards ceremony at the council....for doing well in KS1. I thought it lasted all morning, and actually it was over in an hour (very badly advertised).

2 parents from DSs school took kids back to school, we (and one other parent) went out for lunch with our DSs. And by the time we got home it was 2pm, so little time to take him into school.

Maybe I was wrong, but seeing as he is doing ok at school, I don't think so! He hasn't missed any other days.

fedupwithdeployment · 23/01/2013 17:19

Sorry meant to add that otherwise we make every endeavour to get them to school...but we do live about 300 m away and walk every day anyway.

Ragwort · 23/01/2013 17:19

Dials - I said exactly the same to my DS - he said out of 34 Shock in his literary group (secondary school) only 14 were in school, I told him that was good as he would have got a lot more attention Grin.

I also get the usual moaning about the 15 rated films/iPads/designer trainers etc etc - I just stand firm and repeat endlessly 'this is what we do'. Smile.

DontSweatTheSmallStuff · 23/01/2013 17:36

Alot of our school have been wiped out by a nasty bug going around. Both ds's (at the same school) have it which I'm sure looks a bit suspicious given the lovely snow outside.

I don't see how Noisytoys school can enforce the fine. All people will do is say the kids were ill. School can't prove otherwise.

thebody · 23/01/2013 17:37

Have to say the odd snow day with littlies is lovely. Spending time sledging then home for hot choc and toast. Off day though not all week.

Have to say though if the school bus is cancelled they don't go. If its dangerous for it it's too dangerous for me.

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