To think school isnt a childminding service

[Xcountry]

So many posts about schools closing half day for end of term and god forbid you have to be there for your child.
Teacher strikes so you have to be there for your child.
School holidays so you have to be there for your child.
Child was ill and got sent home so you have to be there for your child.

Am I the only one who reads this and thinks well yes your career is probably important but you chose to have your children and this comes as part and parcel of being a parent? A school is not a childminding service. Yes it can be a pain in the backside to juggle and work around but that is what happens when you have children, they impact on your professional life and your social life.

Depends who they're whinging to and why though. It's annoying to be whinged to about not being able to find affordable/available holiday care in the hopes that you'll take the hint and kindly offer your services... for free. Because you'll be looking after your own kids anyway, right? Noone's ever whinged to me about being taken by surprise about the holidays though..

From what I have read mimi yes, and a halfday before end of term, and in service days, and the school calling to say your kid is sick please come and collect them. Rufus I didn't mean checking the actual timetables but were you unaware that schools had holidays? long long holidays? and half days before term ends? what did you think you would do with your children then?

Of course people can moan about it but can I not moan about having to listen to them moan about it? Its not just here, is it? its on the news, in the papers, everywhere and particularly right now with the English holidays coming up. I don't know anyone in real life who goes on like it is portrayed and asked the question partially to see if this was actually how people thought or if it was blown up and made to look more dramatic than it was.

The economy requires that there are more households where all able people (relative to their ability ) work - it also requires children to be produced to provide for the future and best if they are born to productive parents where the household provides for itself. So childcare is a requirement and school is part of that for working parents and while you plan around the school holidays and illness is unexpected as is bad weather sudden new days that have to be accounted for can lead to loss of earnings as parental leave is unpaid so these actions can mean that a family has less money for food etc

So you don't know anyone in real life who moans about it OP? Then they're probably all getting on with it then..who cares what the papers publish, they just want to sell them.

xcountry

I was being a little silly I admit and I am a SAHM of a 15 year old and two younger so actually I didn't give a shit about holidays

And of course you can moan about people moaning!! You crack on love

I do think it has more to do with the pressure some mums feel under to work and be there to see as many of their children's events and give their children lots of attention. It's very hard to do all that and sometimes school events do catch you by surprise when you have made other plans

Not the summer holidays obviously but we were never told when my children started secondary that they would have half days for Christmas and summer.

YNBU OP. I think the same.

Our school has a half hour difference between infant and seniors finishing at the end of the day.

We have parents who expect us to mind their little ones for free so that they aren't inconvenienced by having to pick them up at different times.

We've all had to make arrangements so they can do too.

Half an hour difference seems a lot when people will have to keep younger children hanging around. Why does the school leave so long between times?

Infants have a shorter day. It's been like that forever and people have just got on with it, but you will always have those who think the school is there to childmind.

It's either that or finish 15 minutes earlier at both lunch and hometime.

Why can't they finish at the same time? That would annoy me too having to hang around until the older one was out..

That's interesting. I think the local school here has a 15 minute gap and I always thought even that would be annoying for tired littlies waiting for siblings to come out. Having to wait around for half an hour seems to defeat the point of them having a shorter day really. Is there an after school club they could be using instead of expecting it to be done for free? Because that would be even more cheeky!

In Scotland the infants day is 30 minutes shorter than the older pupils. Schools can arrange to arrange it how they like. For most it's half an hour less at the end of the day.

The vast majority of kids walk home after school so it isn't a problem. The ones who complain are the ones who are out of catchment and bring theirs by car.

I don't really understand the car vs walking comment and how it relates to young siblings waiting around. Do you mean older children walk home alone?

If they walk home then they don't have parents waiting around with them. The ones who come by car have to wait around to pick their older ones up as it's too far for them to walk, as they live out of the catchment area,

Sorry if I didn't explain that very clearly

Ah, I get you now! I see what you mean.

If most of the teachers I know had to work a full week, they would get nosebleeds.

What's a full week, windchime?

Exactly, Most of the parents I do know 'just get on with it' as do I. I accept that it is a pain in the arse but the lengths people go to on here, in the papers, on TV about it - I genuinely don't think its that bad.

I keep my mouth shut on the whole catchment thing because that seems to be specific to London areas and I don't have any experience of it as it doesn't happen where we are but we do have the usual gripes about work and holidays, half days etc but it doesn't seem to impact as much.

My solution was to take a low paid job because it fits around the kids and there is little to no childcare options here (except MiL who is a supply teacher and college tutor). The point I was making with that is I knew I would have to juggle accordingly and adapted for it. I knew that before any of my DC went to school.

windchime I'm guessing you've never worked as a teacher.

Yes we work from 9am from 3pm and then have 13 weeks' holiday a year.

In your dreams.

I would have got a nosebleed I liked school hours and holidays. Fellow teachers who complained about marking and lesson planning (hazard of the job!) in their own time used to get my goat.

"Career is probably important."

Yes, probably. Y'know, to pay bills and keep roofs over heads and all those other little indulgences.

Sorry, but I do think schools organise days/half days willy and just expect everyone else to fall into line like its easy to take time off or arrange alternatives.

God forbid a parent wants a child out. Then it's detrimental to 18yrs education.

Willy nilly blooming phone