To tell DD's school that if they won't let her watch the solar eclipse, I'll keep her home until its over?

[listsandbudgets]

I asked today what they were doing about it and the head said they were just carrying on as normal.

I want DD to see it. DD is desperate to see it. Its 90% here so worth seeing. We can easily make a pin hole projector though I will try to get some eye protection.

AIBU?

My sons school has sent letters out inviting parents to come and join their children at the school to watch it and they'll provide the glasses for 50p per person so can look at it safely. They've put a time grid on the letter for when it's on and said they'll be activities on too, keep the kids entertained I guess, hoping it will be related to it. My son who's 10 is excited about it and wants to watch it, so I've said I'll join him and we can watch it together and hope it's a clear day! Schools should be making the most of it as it doesn't happen often at all

I've just heard that our school is planning to sort something out to let the kids watch, which is good news.

YANBU

I've ordered solar eclipse glasses for me and DC. If the school aren't planning anything, we'll watch it from home.

YANBU! I've been worrying about this! My daughter and her friends wrote a letter to the headteacher and gave it to him yesterday - he hadn't heard about the eclipse. I will try to find out in advance whether he's going to let them watch it and if not I will take her in late. She's in year 6 and science has been banned (permanent SATS prep only) but if they say no to this one ...

It's a shame. I just Googled it and it wont be visible in the UK. The next UK one wont be until 2090 :(

Sofarris, It will be visible in the UK

Sofarris - Totality won't be visible from the UK, but the eclipse will! Just not a total eclipse. Should be pretty good anyway, weather dependent.

She's in year 6 and science has been banned (permanent SATS prep only)

WTF?! That makes me hopping mad.

I've emailed the HTs of my DCs' schools, asking what plans they have but had no reply. I'll definitely be sending mine in late if they aren't doing anything.

Our whole school (primary) is very excited about the eclipse.

The school is putting on breakfast for families and all are invited - porridge, cereal, pastries etc all on offer from 8am. I've volunteered to help serve breakfast.

The school is providing glasses for all the children and we will watch it together - I think it is fantastic

Carrying on as normal? And that's ignoring fantastic opportunities to engage with the world around them in unique learning opportunities is it?!

Will have to look into what's the best way to watch this before next Friday. I'm sure my DC will want to see it, but sounds like they could do this just as they're going into school from the timings of things.

Maybe I can get a few eye protectors and they can give a few to their friends and watch it together from the playground before they go in?

It will begin during our walk to school, and as the school is eastward, going to school will be the easiest way to experience it.

I suppose we shall make a pinhole camera this weekend, and if he ends up late to school, for science! then he just will.

Or maybe I will just declare a family holiday. He has gardly been sick this year, so 1 missed day could hardly matter.

I can't find any eye protection - all sold out - so won't be able to watch it anyway.

The maximum amount of darkness will be at 9.30am, so that's well into school time here :(

Vicarscat there are plenty on ebay, the cheapest ones I can see are £7.89 with free postage, expected delivery next Tue: solar eclipse glasses

I ordered some yesterday that arrived today, unfortunately I paid a bit more as I didn't find that listing then!

Or you could pay £1010.99 for 2 pairs

YANBU. You have prompted me to check DS's school will let him watch it.

DH (science teacher) is very excited about it. He says you can view the eclipse through a crisp packet.

Watching the reflection of the eclipse in a bowl of water isn't safe, and is likely to be unsatisfying. It's likely to be too bright to comfortably look at, and if the water is moving at all you might not get a good image.

I'm not sure that viewing it while walking to school is such a great idea. It's not safe to walk in an area where there are likely to be any hazards while wearing eclipse glasses. With the glasses, you won't be able to see much of anything other than the Sun. You won't be able to see light poles, cars, curbs, etc. If you don't have eclipse glasses, it might be tempting to look directly at the Sun while walking, which is not safe. Watching the eclipse while driving would be even more dangerous- people have been killed doing that. Even if you did arrange a safe way of watching the eclipse while walking or driving, it's still a significant distraction, and walking or driving while distracted can be dangerous.

Even if you can't find eye protection, I'm sure you can find a couple of index cards. You can use them to make a simple pinhole projector to view the eclipse. Or you could watch it on the internet.

Oh the 1999 one I remember everyone in the office went outside to watch it and I spotted a group of people in strange garb wearing matching gowns so I thought they must be druids or similar.

Turned out that they were customers from the hairdressers downstairs who had all come out to watch too. It was only when I spotted one with tin foils in her hair that I twigged.

Just went into my ebay purchase history as I really wondered why the £7.89 listing wasn't there yesterday, and the ones I bought were no longer there. Turns out it's the same vendor but the listing (price and picture) has been changed! I paid £12.49

Oh well, at least they did arrive the next day if anyone else is thinking about ordering them at the cheaper price! They probably cost about 10 p to produce... Oh well, no regrets as DS is very excited (school is allowing them to bring glasses in and will be using pinhole projectors for those who don't have any). It had better not be cloudy!

Haven't read the whole thread, so apologies if it's been said before - but the current issue of "the sky at night" magazine has free eclipse glasses with it. Only cardboard ones, but at least you can look at the sun instead of faffing with pinhole projectors etc. My newsagent didn't have any in yesterday, but when I asked, he phoned up his supplier and got some delivered in today, so it's worth asking. Think it's £4.99 for the magazine.

I watched the full eclipse we had maybe 20 years ago. Took the ferry to France, and the clouds cleared for long enough to see it. Very exciting. The ferry gave everyone free eclipse glasses.

fact time:

the total eclipse will not be visible from the UK. We will be able to see a good partial eclipse, up to 90% coverage in the north. Even the south will see good coverage.

the Sept 28th total eclipse is OF THE MOON.

it may be cloudy of course. But even if it is intermittently cloudy, it will still be quite a spectacle as light levels drop, animals react and shadows show the part-covered sun.

do not even think of using sunglasses, smoked glass, camera film or any other daft ideas. Proper eclipse glasses will not let you see anything else so you can't walk about in them. Driving is serious Darwin award stuff.

supervising children will be challenging - they must keep their proper eclipse glasses on throughout the eclipse (over 2 hours) while they are outside, unless you can trust them not to look at the sun. The reduced brightness will stop the normal inability to look at the sun, but there is still plenty to cause eye damage.

If the school isn't doing anything, I'd send them in late if you can get the time and supervise yours with pinholes/colanders etc. This is science and nothing is more important.

animation; set for your location

www.timeanddate.com/eclipse/solar/2015-march-20

can you just remind me, so I dont panic if the glasses fall off etc, what is the actual risk of eye damage? is it a theoretical risk, is it more likely from a sustained look etc etc.

I was wondering this forago.

Unless I keep them home, DSs will be on the bus when it starts. They're going to look, even if it's just a glance. Surely people through history have done that. How much actual damage has been done?