Re father's day cards in school?

[malificent7]

I am probsbly being a bit unreasonable here.
Dd has never met her dad.. he ran off when i was pregnant. She has just started to accept my dp who i have been with 18 months but understandably its been a struggle.

She was upset the other day as they were making fathers day cards in lessons ( year 4).
She felt left out although she is sadly not alone in her school.
She will give the card she made to my dp which is a huge step ( she chose to do this) and has touched me.

But what about kids who dont gave a dad or step dad?

If i pointed this out ti the school would it be the same as an atheist parent complaining about the school nativity?

Im atheist and i gavnt ever compkained about the Christian etjos of the school btw! I do think the father's day card thing whilst well meaning is a bit insensitive.

Id rather she concentrated on the curriculum.

Did you mind when thet did mothers day cards?

YABU a little bit.

I never met my dad.... It would be good if your school gave the option of them making something else. Your dd needs a clear story she can tell about not having her father around. I never really did and got incredibly defensive about it mainly because my mum didn't really explain it to me in simple terms.

I see your meaning. I admit I think it's a lovely gesture but I can understand how it could also seem insensitive.

I would hope that if the teachers are aware of any without a father that they would be encouraged to make a card for someone else special. Grandparent, mum, uncle. Whoever.

I never make Father's Day cards with my class (Y2) for this reason.

Do the teachers know about your circumstances? I just wonder because I've seen children making a card for other family members on Mother's Day and Father's Day. When I worked as a nursery nurse for example I helped one child make 2 cards for each day as she had 2 Mums.
Mentioning it won't make you one of those parents at all, they will probably come up with a way of including your DD in the activities.

YABU. The school would be moaned at whether they made cards or didn't.

It's tricky isn't it? A lot of schools don't do fathers day as a lot of children don't have a dad around - but I think they then need to not do mothers day stuff either in that case as there are children without a mum around. The school could make a statement that it's a family celebration rather than a public one and celebrate its own 'parents or carers day' if it wants to do cards and a cute assembly

My nephews dad split from my sister when DN was two, then died a few years later. My DN addresses his 'father's' day cards to his Granddad instead. I understand your concerns but it would be the same as an atheist complaining about Christmas. There's always going to be something that isn't suited to everyone or could be classed as insensitive.

I wouldn't expect a class to be making Father's Day cards in year 4. Definitely a reception/key stage one activity.

I don't think it's unreasonable yo makes cards in school but the teachers need to think really carefully about what those children who have lost a parent/don't have them in their life for whatever reason do.

Father's Day isn't a Christian thing by the way so there's no reason a faith school needs to do cards.

The option to make a card for a grandfather or uncle ought to have been there really! I feel your pain though, my Dad passed away two years ago and my DD's father isn't in her life.

My dd1 always made father's day cards for her grandad when she was younger. Does she have a male relative who plays an active part in her life?

How did you feel about cards the children would have made for Mother's Day?

It's a fact that some children only have one parent. There's no way around that. I would hope that the suggestion of making a card for another family member/friend/pet would be made though.

I don't think they need to stop making cards completely, but it needs to be clear the card can be made for dad, grandad, uncle, stepdad etc.

It's something I've only really done in infants rather juniors as by the time they're in year 3/4 they are not really learning how to make a card, use scissors, glue carefully anymore etc so I agree with you on that.

That said it'd be a shame to stop doing cards and other nice things completely. I always choose a card template that is quite generic (for equality reasons primarily, not all mums like flowers, not all dads wear ties) and discuss that they can make a card for anyone in their close friends or family that they want to thank.

Again I think infants take this better as they accept things at face value more easily. If anything I think year 4 is a bit old to be marking cards. Not sure it's worth pointing out to the school in all honesty though. Sounds like your DD dealt with it well after the initial upset.

DSDs school dont make fathers day cards for this reason, and every year she gets upset that she doesn't have a card and homemade gift to give dp. I get her a card and present to give him, but she feels guilry that shes spent time making something for her mum but not for her dad. YABU

We made cards in school on Friday. I told my class that they could make the card for anyone who was special to them such as a dad, grandad, uncle, friend, etc, as it was about celebrating the grown ups in our lives who help us.

I didn't see my dad from the age of 6 onwards. Making Father's Day cards never bothered me at all I just used to make them for my grandad or even my mum!

When I was at school there were several kids in my class who would make a Father's Day card for their mum or grandad etc.

I think that children should make fathers day card in school, after all they always make Mother's Day cards. In my dd class unfortunately two mums have passed away however they all made mothers day cards and though all children have dads who live with them but they didn't make cards think it should be either make for both occasions or neither. Fathers are just as important in children's lives as mothers

msmarvel your school makes cards for Mother's Day but not Father's Day?

My DS doesn't have a dad. He doesn't make a father's day card and does some other craft instead.

I just have always told him that families come in all shapes and sizes and he's never got upset. Some children don't have mums. Or have two mums or two dads.

I love the mother's day card he makes me every year and would not want him to stop doing them which is what would happen if they banned father's day cards.

I volunteered in my children's school to help make a Father's Day gift. We said they could make the gift for their dad/grandad/someone special.

The school should offer alternatives like making a card for someone else.
Banning Father's day cards is not the solution, or we will end up with no Mother's day, no Christmas, no Easter, etc If the celebration means something for a large majority then I am all for marking the occasion.

Yabu. Yes lots of children don't have Dads around but lots do. You don't see this debate about making Mothers Day cards at school yet some children don't have a Mum around.

My ds who is 2 has never met his dad as he left when i was pregnant. Fair enough he doesnt know any different just now. His fathers day at nursery is addressed to his grandpa

I think the children should be able to have a choice
A card for someone special
A card for grandad / uncle
A card for mum

I got a present from dd today with a note saying 'who needs a dad when your mum does both'