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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To be pretty p'd off?!

93 replies

Whyisitalwaysblue · 16/05/2015 07:51

I haven't posted before but this really gets my goat!! I know a mum who phoned her kids in sick for a week so she could take them on holiday. I know it's expensive during the school holidays and normally it wouldn't bother me but one of the children has exams the week after. AIBU to think that this is bad parenting??!!

OP posts:
fanjoforthemammaries7850 · 16/05/2015 07:52

Her kids her decision.

parsnipbob · 16/05/2015 07:58

....and it's your business why?

hamiltoes · 16/05/2015 07:59

Not bad parenting no. Just not whats thought of as acceptable these days.

DD is 4 but I can guarentee at least once i'll do the same. Family holidays are such an important experience, and I can't usually get time off during school holidays as thats when we are buisiest.

Gileswithachainsaw · 16/05/2015 08:04

Well if there are exams next week then it would do the kid bloody good to get away and not have it rammed down his or her throat at school. that child will be relaxed well rested and have had a ton of fresh air and exercise. be in a better position to sit it that the rest of the kids tbh.

learning happens everywhere it's not confined to school. If they are abroad there will be many cultural sites to see and foreign language practicing and learning about the currency and what the locals do etc.

yes how dare kids have a holiday.

Pyjamaramadrama · 16/05/2015 08:06

I think yabu. It's none of your business and I think the nanny state is ridiculous.

Family holidays are amazing experiences.

parsnipbob · 16/05/2015 08:06

Also what exams are we talking about here?

My mum had a job where she could never get time off in the holidays so we had to go away in term time. I left school with four A grade A levels and a first class degree from a RH university. It didn't affect my education one iota.

Bunbaker · 16/05/2015 08:09

Well, I think it is bad parenting. What does it tell the child?

Lying is good?
Exams aren't important?

We normally go away during the May half term, but as DD has a couple of GCSE exams this year we are staying at home. Her first exam is on the first Monday back and I am not prepared to take any risks with flight delays etc either.

Superexcited · 16/05/2015 08:09

If you are talking about GCSE or A level exams then the mother was a bit irresponsible.
If you are talking about Sats then YABU. SATS are not important and the timing of the holiday is therefore irrelevant.

Superexcited · 16/05/2015 08:10

But yes - she shouldn't have phoned them in sick, she should have just told the school she was taking them on holiday and paid any resulting fine. I don't think it is fair to expect children to lie about their whereabouts.

parsnipbob · 16/05/2015 08:11

Bun is it nice on your high horse?

JemimaPuddlePop · 16/05/2015 08:15

I don't think it's great tbh, if it's an important school time/exams coming up.

I'd probably don my judgy pants in private and it's not something I would do...but 'gets my goat' and 'really p'd off'?

It's someone else's kids, their choice...I don't think I could force myself to care that much tbh.

Original poster
Whyisitalwaysblue · 16/05/2015 08:16

I think it's just the fact that she lied. As I said normally I really don't care people do as they please with their own children but to expect the kids to lie to teachers and miss the revision week is irresponsible. I think the main problem is holiday companies taking advantage of parents and charging obscene prices in peak seasons.

OP posts:
MidniteScribbler · 16/05/2015 08:16

I think she's pretty dumb if she thinks the school won't know she's on holidays. Kids will always let something slip, or they come back from being "sick" with a tan. Or the one I had who was terribly ill coming back the following week with henna tattoos and hair wraps and a new school bag with the holiday location on it.

DaysAreWhereWeLive · 16/05/2015 08:17

Oh, who honestly cares? So they had a week off; how badly is that going to affect their entire educational experience?

HomeIsWhereTheHeartIs · 16/05/2015 08:19

Are you involved in attendance at the school in any way? If not, back off.

BitOutOfPractice · 16/05/2015 08:19

What exams are we talking about?

HaloKelly23 · 16/05/2015 08:21

None of your business you nosey arse. Their children, their choices.

And quite frankly school & learning does very little in life for some people and maybe they'll be the same. Either way it's not your place to judge!

Bunbaker, my mum often kept me off sick when I was in school for various different family things, I currently do not think lying is okay. Idiot.

Idontseeanydragons · 16/05/2015 08:22

Not feeding your children is bad parenting, stop over reacting.

It's not what many people would do and it's not looked on kindly by schools but it's her business not yours.

pictish · 16/05/2015 08:22

Yabu to be annoyed about them taking a holiday and lying about it....none of your concern really...that's their lookout.

Yanbu to be annoyed at the prices shooting up in the holidays.

Gileswithachainsaw · 16/05/2015 08:23

miss revision week ?

Don't you mean "miss being constantly reminded about the exams, re doing old papers getting hot tired stressed and ignored by teachers week" ?

she did him a favour tbh. He will learn more on holiday and come back in a far better position.

VelvetRose · 16/05/2015 08:25

I disagree with the overly stringent holiday rules in general (and I say that as a parent and a teacher). The vast majority of families do not take the piss and kids only have occasional days off. I do disagree with the lying though. I think it puts the kids in an awkward position and sets a poor example.

FarFromAnyRoad · 16/05/2015 08:30

My DS went through school before all this hyper-attendance bullshit really kicked in and was absent due to term time holidays pretty much once a year. He's just gained his Masters in his chosen subject. So I suppose what I'm really trying to say is extract your sticky beak from other people's business and try to address why it is that you feel your opinion on the matter has any weight at all.

VelvetRose · 16/05/2015 08:31

The children I work with find it really uncomfortable being made to lie about their holidays to staff and friends. Bun is not an "idiot" for making that point! How rude!

ThroughThickAndThin01 · 16/05/2015 08:33

I agree with Bunbaker

It's a terrible lesson to teach your children to lie to get what they want.

Yanbu OP

BitOutOfPractice · 16/05/2015 08:34

I'm taking dc away at half term. Dd1 has a GCSE paper the following Thursday. Would you like to slip your judgey pants on for me op?