to keep DD off school because she's knackered and it's going to be hot?

[ladymontdore]

She's in reception and exhausted. They are also meant to be going for a walk and a picnic, forecast is for 31degs!!
Also think she could do with a bit of mummy time, last chance tomorrow when dd2 is at preschool!
I would present it as 'I'm not letting you go' not 'it's a treat'. and she may really want to go on the picnic anyway!

Teachers tell me that it is pretty hellish trying to teach in this weather, the children just can't concentrate. Mostly they're giving up and just reading to them or letting them do stuff like art and watching DVDs. So in educational terms dd would miss nothing by staying at home.

OP, you seem to think school is optional! If she's well then she should go and that's it. You are behaving very childishly if you keep your child off school to spend some "mummy time" ffs. You have six weeks off, now! You are doing this for your own sake, not hers. She's going to have a lovely couple of days; the end of term is always great.

Do what's best for her. Don't feel guilty. It brings to mind the thread - one of the loveliest on MN - about parental kindnesses... (Read it and weep.)

As for "manning up" - er, no, she's a small child. That's inappropriate.

Russians, I am in England, but I genuinely don't think it's that hot. Yes, a bit hotter than usual for this country but it's entirely manageable if people are sensible about it. We need to be teaching our children how to cope with warmer weather, not telling them that everything grinds to a halt when the sun comes out.

Jinsei You can genuinely think something and still be completely wrong, as you are in this case. It has been exceptionally hot, and for a long string of days. Children who are susceptible to the heat, as mine are, can certainly be taught how to cope with warmer weather. The key thing is avoiding situations that may lead to heat stroke. Kids understand that, after the first time they have collapsed. Schools however don't, especially primary schools. The picnic described by the OP seems extremely ill advised. If the school won't look after its pupils properly (as DD2's school utterly failed to do for her last week) then it is up to the parents to take matters in their own hands. Because it isn't, in fact, the school who have to sit beside their child's bed in hospital for 8, 9, 10 hours or however long it takes for them to be OK again.

I think it depends where you are. We are in South Yorkshire. It is damp and miserable outside and the current temperature is 16 degrees. London at over 30 degrees must be horrible.

I wish I was in South Yorkshire. (This is not something you will usually hear me say).

Yanbu. Everyone's quick enough to bang on about how we start school to young and other countries start at 6/7, every time someone posts about a child who isn't coping or still hasn't learnt to read. Yet when someone suggests keeping a knackered burnt out 4/5 yr old off one day all of a sudden it's "schools not optional. Man up. What are you teaching them if you do this...."

Do what u see fit op :)

As a primary teacher I´m going to sit on the fence and say do what is best for YOUR child (provided she is not desperate to go on the picnic) Academically, she wont be missing anything but socially, those type of fun days are the most memorable and enjoyable (not though if ruined by 30+ temperatures and heat/sun stroke). I have to agree though that ALL the kids in the class are probably feeling exactly the same way, all exhausted and hot and bothered. It would be a very brave teacher to take them all out all day in that weather unless they have somewhere cool and shady in mind.

As for the "it´s not that hot" argument, it´s all relative really and 30+ temperatures are hot for the UK. I live in Spain and luckily we are not even having those temperatures where I live at the moment. But it really is all relative. Here it hardly ever rains or is windy, and when it does authorities are so quick in closing the schools - imagine schools closing for rain in the UK!!!!!!

OP, just do what you think is best in your case (without telling the little one to "man up" ffs!).

"OP, you seem to think school is optional!"

Well, for a 5-year-old, on the last day of term in 30+ degree heat - I'd say that's a more than reasonable position!!

All this crap about manning up and not setting a bad example etc. Let me say again: she IS 5 (possibly 4), it's the LAST day of term, and it's the hottest day of the year. If OP makes school optional today, I categorically promise you it won't affect her GCSE results...

I thought "man up" was a joke.

The OP wants to keep her daughter out of school for her own reasons (mummy time) rather than because the daughter couldn't cope in the heat. That makes it a completely different situation.

I was tempted this morning I have to admit.

My eldest finished on Friday, year 6 leavers finished earlier than the rest of the school for some reason, but the rest don't break up until Wednesday.

My youngest really didn't want to go in, it's hot, she hasn't been sleeping too well so is absolutely knackered. They aren't really doing much other than clearing out their drawers, playing games, watching DVDs and painting pictures.

She decided that she wanted to go in in the end, but it wouldn't have taken much for me to have allowed her to have the day off to be completely honest

OP, I think if you had missed out the part about "mummy time" you may have got a different response.

Personally I wouldn't keep a 5 year old off school because it was too hot to go on a picnic and she is tired, it's nearly the end of term.
But she is your child. So ultimately up to you.

I let my ds1 and dd go into school at 11am last Monday because they had been to the wireless festival and didnt get home until 12.30am.
I'm quite sure that makes me a shocking person and will teach my DCs that school is optional and unimportant.

However they are 14 and 15 so hopefully missing 2 hours won't impact on them too much

YABU. I'm normally all for taking children out for a day but she's going to really enjoy the picnic with her friends. My dd also has a little picnic planned today and was very excited this morning. I would never pull her out if it meant missing out on time with friends and fun in school. I hope you sent her in.

My DS said that the last 2 days of term when they had a whole school picnic and watched a DVD were the "best days of school EVER". No way I'd have kept him off!

31 degrees. Really? 31.

Over here, school finishes early if it's over 38. If the school hasn't got air conditioning, obviously.

31 degrees is JUST NOT THAT HOT. Sunscreen, hat, shade, sorted.

I took my DDs out in 44 degrees earlier this year. Admittedly only until 10am, and in the shade, but still.

It IS JUST THAT HOT if you are English. Especially if you are extremely fair skinned. And none of the schools here have air conditioning.

Tortoise - I've been to places that are a LOT hotter, for work. I've been in Nicosea and Valletta when the temperature has been high 30s, 40 even. And other, even worse places. But I'm not a small child. small children who are not used to the heat are often very badly affected by it. This isn't an opinion, it;s a medical fact.

I am English, and both my children are fair skinned, and I was talking about non air conditioned schools, which are common here as well. But alright, okay, acclimatisation, you're absolutely right; they're Australian born.

I think I just didn't realise that the last two weeks of MN (so, adults) complaining about the heat was actually complaining about...30 degrees. I get teased over here for being a lightweight about heat, but 30 degrees!

But ok, OP, you keep your DD off if she wants to stay off, it probably is different for her.

Of course yabu.
Imagine if the teacher said she was taking the day off because it was hot and she was tired.....

starfish Imagine sitting with your child for > 8 hours in hospital after being blue lighted there from school with sever heat stroke. I don't have to imagine it of course, because I've been there. The people at her school who allowed DD1 to become so sick she ended up in hospital had the same attitude to this heat as you do. Many can take it. Some can't.

The teacher isn't 4........

DD2 not DD1.

I can't see a problem with the OPs proposal. I have lived and sent my DCs to school in warmer climates, DD started school in Cyprus but they were much more geared up for the warmer weather. All year round the school starts at 7.20a and is finished by 12.30. The uniform is lighter weight, the schools are air conditioned, there is much more shade in the outside areas. I'm just relieved we broke up last week as my DCs are shattered.

its not that hot

It is when your five and you haven't slept properly in days because its muggy and sticky.

Give the poor girl a break, most of us are struggling at the moment. Ask yourself how hard you are finding it to concentrate, have energy to rush about and relax.

Then remind yourselves that the girl is five and its her first yr at school.