School payback punishment

[user1474462227]

My Dn who is 6 goes to junior school. Her school punishment for not listening etc is too clean lunch plates and do cleaning.This has to be done after lunch during their fun clubs. Is it me or this is terrible punishment !!! I've never heard of this. Do you think my Sister should complain to the school and governors etc?

[Post edited by MNHQ to remove name of school]

You need to ask for your post to be edited to remove the school name. You have heard this story 3rd hand and are bad-mouthing the school on a public forum?!

Good idea to name and shame.

Children of this age require time to play and let out energy. Not letting them do so during their breaks is counterproductive. The cleaning of lunch plates should also be done by professional staff, not a daft six year old germ machine. She will either be making more work for someone to supervise her doing this, or getting in the way of someone's paid work. Neither are acceptable, however she might have misbehaved.

We've also had threads about this in Japan before and posters have explained why it isn't a very good idea. The kids aren't allowed to use the cleaning chemicals necessary to get the place done properly (understandably, but obviously isn't going to do anything for the general hygiene standards).

No, that isn’t an appropriate punishment at all.
She is 6 and who is to say she wasn’t listening.....perhaps she just didn’t process what was said and didn’t understand etc.

If this post is true, I’d certainly speak to Head and tell them that it isn’t a suitable punishment.

Why yes I can, Smartie. A 6 year old could be inattentive for a number of reasons- they might be tired or feeling a bit poorly, maybe they have ADHD and it's hard for them, maybe their teacher is not engaging them, maybe they don't understand what is being said. They're only 6, you don't want them to associate school with punishment at such a young age. How about trying to support rather than punish?

This used to be one of many duties voluntarily undertaken when I attended junior school in the 1980s. There were rewards for this kind of voluntary service such as being first up for dessert, receiving certificates and having ‘lunch monitor’ badges.

Using it as a form of ‘think about your behaviour’ for those who aren’t doing as they should during lessons isn’t necessarily a bad thing. Why should they be rewarded with fun time when they haven’t behaved themselves?

Does your DSis know you are on her naming the school and talking about her DD?

I love the idea of community payback, but not as punishment.

Paying back to your community/school/neighbourhood/club should be a positive experience, it should be about helping other people in some way and understanding that giving back or helping out is rewarding, good for your health & wellbeing as well as making a contribution to the wider society you live in etc - NOT a punishment for a 6 year old child!

Junior school at 6 OP? Odd post

I don't believe 6 year olds have to do the cleaning if they don't listen. They'd have OFSTED down on them like a ton of bricks.

6 year olds aren't always that accurate with facts. Your dsis needs an informal chat with the teacher, if a 6yr old was indeed cleaning as punishment at school, then no of course it isn't appropriate

Agree with pps ask mnhq to edit your op to remove the name of the school.

A 6 year old would be in year one or year two. Juniors is year 3.

Cleaning plates & cleaning-domestic chores as a punishment!

She's probably just scraping the scraps into the compost bin.

Can I just point out that the OP says 'for not listening. etc..'
The punishment mentioned will not be being used in these scenarios - 'they might be tired or feeling a bit poorly, maybe they have ADHD and it's hard for them, maybe their teacher is not engaging them'
And children need boundaries as part of their support.

Punishment doesn't bother me. I think as long as what isn't acceptable is clear and that certain behaviours have consequences is clear children should learn from a young age.

But I hate the idea that everyday chores that need to be done and that people do as perfectly valid employment - is deemed as something you do as punishment.

Back in my day (lol I actually can say that now) the schools had to teach good manners etc when they kids weren’t being taught them at home. It was a good idea because somebody had to do it.

'A 6 year old would be in year one or year two. Juniors is year 3.'
Tbf if you don't have DC then infants/juniors/primary etc is all a bit interchangeable. It's the ops dn so perhaps the y3 bit doesn't mean much to her.

They clean plates? I doubt they're allowed in the kitchen?!

A lot of people use the term 'junior' school to differentiate between primary and secondary/high school.

Yes they're now called 'primary' schools but I think we all knew what the OP meant. Silly to pick up on that and be pedantic.

Just wondering why it's such a big drama the school name is there. Is it against talk guide lines. Sorry if I'm missing something. Thanks to anyone who can educate me on this.

I'm sure the have a dishwasher anyway.

How do you know that, Smartie? My daughter was punished when she was 5 for putting a Numicon block in her mouth. It was done unconsciously- when she was tired she used to put things in her mouth-to-mouth fingers, sleeves, a little plastic maths block. No intention to be naughty at all- just distracted and a bit tired. But teachers can be irritable and irrational and punishments can be unfair.

@Nandoshoes because there are laws against libel and defamation.

*mouth. Damn auto-correct.

'Just wondering why it's such a big drama the school name is there'

It just may be not be 100% accurate if they are going on a 6yr olds version, then the school might get pissed off and claim defamation. It happens. This'll be in the DM tomorrow.