AIBU to be really annoyed at this family?

[staveleymum]

Every day (and I mean every) one family are late for school. They have 3 children and obviously mum doesn't drive as Dad brings them in the car and drops them off (on double yellows or a no parking area but that's a different rant)! I usually see them as I'm walking back to my car after I've waved my 2 in so I know they are late. It's only 5 - 10 mins but it must be disruptive to the class (their DD is my DD's class).

I know there is a special Mothers Day assembly this morning that Reception class do and one of their children is in this class. They cant even get to school on time for that event (and they didnt seem to be in much of a rush when I saw them either)!

I know they only live a mile away so they dont get caught up in traffic. Is it too much to ask to get them to school on time?

I dont suppose there is a lot the Head can do about it either? It just really winds me up every time I see them!

Chill.

I have a friend who is always late, she always gets her DD to school 10-20 mins late. The school have sent her a letter stating that all times the DD has been late has equated to 2 weeks of missed school and have asked for a written explanation.
Friend now thinks the school is unreasonable
Not sure what the answer is really

If we stick to this particular rant....it's none of your business. Some people are just disorganised, or culturally lateness is acceptable to them. Sad for the kids but let the school sort it out.

Don't waste any brain space on this one.

Are you children early or bang on time?

Eg the doors for my DC open at 845 but school starts at 855, after 9 is late

So if yours go in at 845, and theirs at 855 then they're not really late are they

It's also none of your business and you have no idea what their home life is like

I think you'll have to leave it until the school decide to sort the problem. If they're regularly missing registration etc it will get picked up, I assume.

I get you OP. Especially the disruption element. There is also that feeling of wondering why some people consistently get away with these things when the rest of us manage.

But in the nicest possible way it is their problem not yours.

Up to the school to sort.

I hope the school will start taking that seriously and do something (not sure what, but they must be used to that kind of people). It's not fair to disturb my kids'class, their teacher and being a general nuisance.

I do feel sorry for the kids who have to deal with the consequences of bad parenting when it's not their fault at all. It's the selfish lazy parents who should be punished, maybe they would take notice of a fine?

True Hecate. But if everyone drifted in 5-10 minutes late it would all be a bit crap wouldn't it?

Unless you're the school's attendance officer, it's really not your problem.

There could be many reasons why the family are continually late and I'm sure the school will be working with them, to help solve any problems.

I'd concentrate on my own DC and leave it to the school to sort out.

There could be any number of things going on at home that you know nothing about.

There are a couple of consistently late parents at dds school. Their maniacal and dangerous driving pisses me off most. Fair enough as a one-off, but every day for years...? You would just think they'd set their alarms fifteen minutes earlier!

I think yes it's unreasonable to be so emotionally invested in something that's really not anything to do with you and doesn't even impact you.

Kids come in and out of class all the time, they go to the loo, whatever, I doubt one kid coming in is a major disruption for your daughter. Unless you think all toilet trips should be banned and the teacher or teaching assistant can't nip out for a moment either and no one is allowed to enter the class..

Let he who is without sin cast the first stone etc.

Oh my goodness!
Unless you live with themop you can't possibly know why they are late?
I think you are more concerned about your child and the fact you think they are 'getting away 'with something. After a while the school will flag it , and this family will have to deal with all that *that entails.
Prepare yourself. In secondary school, kids do all kinds of disruptive things. Your child will need to learn how to zone them out!

Whenever i see a thread title like this I always click on it to check it's not about my family.

Phew.

We're always late. Not so late that everyone is in class, but usually after the first bell when the kids are lined up.

My DD hates school. It's a struggle to get her up, fed and ready to leave. Most mornings there are tears. From her and sometimes from me. It's so hard I do my absolute best every morning. DS and I are ready with ages to spare, it's just DD.

Probably not the same as this family, but that's why we're late.

My DH did the school run for a number of years and was late every day. No amount of explaining, nagging or cajoling worked. In his head if you have to be somewhere at 9am you leave at 9am. Some people are wired diffently.

There's a similar family at our school. No doubt there's one - or more - at all schools. I see them every morning and wonder why they don't set off earlier, but I tend to assume there must be deeper problems going on. It must be hard to live like that and they could have more to worry about than missing a Mother's Day assembly, so while I understand your point of view, it's pointless getting annoying. Just thank your lucky stars you're not living a more chaotic life.

Sorry MrsSpencer, your poor dd. I hope things get better

It's not really any of our business but I did have to have a giggle this morning when one parent was rushing in with her little girl gushing about how they weren't late for once but her friend was and how theyre both usually late. Funny part was all the children had actually gone in so they were still late, just not late enough to have to go through the office. Not a great lesson to teach your children imo.

If that winds you up, you must REALLY have nothing else going on
It's nothing to do with you. It is the concern of the family and the school only. You don't know the situation the family is in or the arrangements they have with school. I also very highly doubt that one child entering a classroom 5 mins late is going to cause terrible (or any) disruption or effect the learning of others. None more than any other toilet trips or visitors.

YABU judgemental and nosey af to boot.
You just dislike the mum for some reason dont you?
Why are you keeping taps on them? If they really were late that much the school would've dealt with it.

So maybe we should all start doing that. The days when my kids want to play a bit longer, or watch something on tv, or stop in a cafe for a snack, I should just tell them to chill and that it doesn't matter if we are 5 or 10 minutes late? I would love to see what would happen if all the parents starting to be more casual about timekeeping.