To take my child out of school to see Santa...?

[Mooey89]

He’s 4, one of the youngest in the class. This year he’s at his dads for the first time for Christmas, so trying to over compensate a bit probably!

There’s a big special Santa event arranged by the local radio station, it’s supposed to be incredible, travels around the country so not available next year.

I booked our tickets back in august(!) and the only available non day time slot left was 3:30... they’ve just emailed saying we need to be there an hour early so need to pick DS up from school at 2:30!
He’s in year R... it’s the 18th Dec. I figure he won’t miss much...

AIBU?!

@Mooey89
Oh and yes it is Narnia!!!!!!!! Don’t tell me it’s crap!
I don’t know we’ve booked for next week I’ve received that email too. I think the hour early suggestion is just a guideline to ensure you don’t miss your slot, I don’t think it’s an essential requirement. I hope it isn’t crap they’ve made such a big thing out of it. They’ve sent me the same email about 12 times its getting annoying now

Id check with school if that's when Santa's will be visiting / carol singing at the old people home etc but otherwise he's 4 - enjoy Santa and a special afternoon. Ad pick him up lunchtime though so its less distracting

Bah Humbug - he’ll always be Father Christmas to me

Take him and enjoy, make the memories.

@Iwantamarshmallow
I’m going to pick him up an hour before so will be at Gunwharf probably 40 mins before by the time we’ve parked and things..
I’m hoping it’s as good as they’ve hyped it up to be!

Have a lovely time visiting Father Christmas, Santa, st nick or whatever you call him in YOUR family.

When you're old and laid on your death bed and your son is holding your hand I am pretty fucking sure neither of you will say 'oh I wish she/I hadn't taken me/him out of school for an hour that time to spend a bit of magical time together'.

FGS take your FOUR year old to see the big jolly man. Yanbu

He's 4 of course yanbu! Go and have a lovely time and report back.

Don't make anything up just tell them. They can't stop you if he's 4.

Go, and have a wonderful time!

YANBU in the slightest! GO, enjoy, have a wonderfully festive time!

Absolutely not being unreasonable. Take him and have a fab time.

I've taken mine out for the odd day here and there for various reasons over the years and they got fab GCSE results this summer. Now studying for A levels. School isn't the be all and end all of education!

MovingOn:
"I’m feeling quite happy thinking of how lovely a time you will have and I know I shouldn’t, but I’m enjoying it all the more knowing just how much you’ll be pissing off the sanctimonious nitwits on this thread"

Where is the Like button again?

Wow, I didnt realise mumsnet had so many sanctimonious twerps - of course you should take him, what a lovely fun thing to do.

To the twerp brigade, maybe you should think about what your DC will remember when they are grown up and gone.

OP have a fab time

Nice to see another thread devolve into Santa vs Father Christmas lol. Although in the Lion The Witch and The Wardrobe he is referred to as Father Christmas.
Another vote for going here. Can I come too?

YANBU he’s only 4 he will only be missing crafts or something to as it’s the last week of school before Christmas! Enjoy

YANBU. He's four.

I honestly do not understand the obsession with attendance. Like school isn't painfully repetitive enough anyway.

Requesting to leave early for a prebooked arrangement wouldn't be unreasonable.

If you plan to keep DC off all day and lie about it then you would be massively unreasonable (and in my head you'd be lile the parent at my friend's school who kept the kids off the day the new Fifa game came out 'because it was a nice day with Mam and a treat for them')

Good jobs are getting harder and harder to come by.

Taking your 4yo child out of school to see Father Christmas could be the difference between your DS eventually becoming a top surgeon or unemployed.

I'm a teacher and I say go!

YANBU - he's not even at the statutory age for education.

I wouldn't hesitate at the end of term to take him to something lovely.

taking your 4yo child out of school to see Father Christmas could be the difference between your DS eventually becoming a top surgeon or unemployed

Yes. He might miss the hour that Reception class work on thermodynamics.

Taking your 4yo child out of school to see Father Christmas could be the difference between your DS eventually becoming a top surgeon or unemployed.

I was off school A LOT I didn’t go to school at all in year 8. I study medicine I think this FOUR YEAR OLD will be fine - his anatomy lessons probably won’t be on that day anyway

I work in reception and say take him out, he really won't be missing anything at school. At 4 some things are more important!

I'm a teacher and I wouldn't bat an eye at this. He is only missing an hour and I am sure being so young the experience will be fab for him.

Christ at 4, that close to christmas, all he'll be doing is watching christmas films hardly detrimental to his education!