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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To give the DC a day off school for this reason?

207 replies

NeoMaxiZoomDweebie · 05/09/2013 11:32

MIL is over from Oz...she comes once a year and she goes back on Sunday. Shall I keep the DC off school tomorrow so that they get an extra full day with her? It's only just occurred to me to suggest it...I've not mentioned it to MIL or DC yet.

She loves them so much and it's reciprocated....she misses them badly over the year. Also...if I am not being unreasonable, what shall I tell school?

OP posts:
honeybunny14 · 06/09/2013 09:31

YANBU i would do it :-)

ilovesooty · 06/09/2013 09:37

These 'new hardline rules' are the ones the school is judged by when Ofsted come calling. Headteachers have to implement them and high levels of unauthorised absence can have a severe impact on schools.

Headteachers can't win can they? Parents don't want to send their children to schools in special measures but many are quite happy to play fast and loose with attendance rules when it suits them. I don't see why people can't see that headteachers and teachers don't make the rules and why they can't accept that by flouting them they are putting the status and future of the school at risk.

valiumredhead · 06/09/2013 09:45

Wrt Skype-I hate it, makes me miss my relatives even more than without it! It's one day and mil won't be around forever, these times are precious, make the most of themSmile

LilRedWG · 06/09/2013 09:50

I hope that you have gone with your heart on this one. Life is too short to worry about a five year old missing a day at school. Enjoy your last days with MIL.

thistlelicker · 06/09/2013 09:58

Well Skype is better than nothing! Could be worse
We could still be in an era of carrier pigeon!;-)

Thepowerof3 · 06/09/2013 09:59

Life is so short, do it

EuphemiaLennox · 06/09/2013 10:18

Yes, as I thought unauthorised absences are a problem for the school not the parents.

I think schools should just be more open about that. They're presented as if it's a bad thing for you, but in reality they should say we'll be negatively judged if you do this.

jessieagain · 06/09/2013 10:27

Yanbu

Life is too short. Do it!

ilovesooty · 06/09/2013 11:08

I agree that schools should be more
open about it. I suspect parents would prefer to be told about the implications of Ofsted and what a negative report with unauthorised absence would mean rather than effectively being told they can't make good judgements for their children. Schools and parents need to work together not be fighting one another. The fact is headteachers are in a really difficult position.

chocolateicecream · 06/09/2013 11:09

YANBU

TheOriginalSteamingNit · 06/09/2013 11:12

Make sure you let them know you'd still like them to babysit on Monday, if possible.

NoonarAgain · 06/09/2013 11:12

I am a teacher and have let my dds stay off for a day to see their grandfather in similar circus. But... at start of school year it's not great. Missing the settling in time isn't ideal.

devilinside · 06/09/2013 11:19

Lots of tummy bugs around this time of year, just sayin Wink

Ragwort · 06/09/2013 11:21

Update? Grin

Bowlersarm · 06/09/2013 11:22

Posting is slightly irrelevant now - the OP will either have kept them off school today, or sent them in. (I suspect it will be the former.....)

TheOriginalSteamingNit · 06/09/2013 11:22

Sheesh, I can get on board with the fact that some people think it's more OK than others to take a day's leave for this, but people advising that you lie about them being ill really really get my goat.

Do posters saying this really lie to the school about this stuff? Do you tell your children to lie? What an example to set.

Bowlersarm · 06/09/2013 11:23

Xpost with Ragwort (in a way!)

Agree Nit

Ragwort · 06/09/2013 11:24

I know Bowler - I am just mildly interested Grin.

NoonarAgain · 06/09/2013 11:24

Oh and original, I've requested an authorised absence- and been granted it. No need to lie!

TheOriginalSteamingNit · 06/09/2013 11:31

Well good, Noonar!

I think if you're going to sack off school for something else, you should at least have the decency to be honest about it.

FeedTheBirdsTuppenceABag · 06/09/2013 11:38

Op I really hope you did let the children's grandmother have one more precious day with them.

It makes me so sad to hear such vitriolic comments from some posters, against the family. Is this some extreme socialism perhaps being so against the family unit?

TheOriginalSteamingNit · 06/09/2013 11:54

Er, yeah. It's those bloody socialists with their valuing of teachers and schools again...

Sirzy · 06/09/2013 11:58

Its not about being against the family, its about being against taking days of school for no reason especially early in the academic year for a child who has probably only just started.

If the grandmother was only over a for a couple of days i could see the thinking but when she has been over for "a decent amount of time" then no I don't agree with keeping a child off school and giving the message that its fine to skip school.

WeAreSix · 06/09/2013 12:07

My parents live hundreds of miles away, so don't spend a lot of time with my DCs.

I agree with the above about Granny taking / picking up being a bit treat - more so than spending another full day with her when she has already been visiting for some time.

My DCs love the excited chit-chat with friends and teachers about Grammy coming to school, where she lives and then showing her around even the toilets the walk home from school, park visit etc etc. These memories are just as precious as taking them out for the day.

WeAreSix · 06/09/2013 12:07

*Big treat not bit treat!