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AIBU?

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Original poster

AIBU to think that people don't do this?!

68 replies

nearlytime · 03/02/2018 12:19

We're going out with DH's sister and family today. SIL announced that now DN is older she can no longer get away with "making up" stuff for the nursery weekend diary. She has to put what they "really did" because DN is old enough to talk about it now.

I asked her what she used to put and she said things like going to the local farm place (that's what we're doing today, animals to look at, birds of prey, fruit picking in season etc.) and swimming and the park... so she wasn't putting ridiculous things.

This isn't normal is it?

OP posts:
Topseyt · 03/02/2018 17:23

What's wrong with admitting you did jack shit all weekend? That would be what I would do given the opportunity. Mine are teenagers now though, so providing the taxi service of Mum and Dad takes up a fair chunk of it.

If more people did admit to doing as little as possible then maybe that would knock some of these ridiculous ideas on the head.

Thankfully mine never had to keep a weekend diary at nursery or preschool, though a couple of times we did end up with the bloody class bear once they got to primary school.

Changednamejustincase · 03/02/2018 17:28

I wouldn't have thought people would have done this. It models lying to kids and would be confusing for them so you would think people couldn't just make something up even if they wanted to. Imagine being asked at circle time 'so what was your favourite animal at the farm Sophie?' Poor Sophie sitting there wondering what to say.

SundaysFunday · 03/02/2018 17:31

I cringed when reading my DS School book (he was 5 at the time) the title was 'what i did this weekend' he had drawn a beautiful picture of himself lying on the sofa (complete with remote control in his hand) 'this is me, I watched tv this weekend' Grin

Ironically we had also visited the zoo that weekend but it hadn't made that much of an impact apparently.

LinoleumBlownapart · 03/02/2018 17:34

I've never made it up! I remember a few entries of "went to vauxhall city farm with daddy", "climbed the monument with nana", "looked at bones in the natural history museum with grandpa", followed by "went to Primark, Poundland and McDonalds with mummy". - I'm well good as this parenting lark Grin

gillybeanz · 03/02/2018 17:48

They have enough of this when they start school, nursery is to play, even pre school year is too soon for homework.

Pengggwn · 03/02/2018 17:58

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

EllaHen · 03/02/2018 17:59

Bloody hell - a weekend report?

Both of mine were in ft nursery from age 1. Never were we asked to do this. Thank fuck.

We didn't even fill n or indeed hand back the feedback sheet from their annual report

Too much like school.

Nursery is for playing.

LemonScentedStickyBat · 03/02/2018 18:02

The very point of this exercise is to chat to your child about what you are doing/ have done that day and decide what to write in the book. Why on earth is anyone making it into anything more?

Original poster
nearlytime · 03/02/2018 18:11

Thymeout That's a bit random! Had someone else been building a porch?

I honestly thought lots of nurseries did the diary thing. And yes, it is every weekend, except for holidays. I don't mind it though, it gives the teacher a prompt because the little ones might not be able to answer the question "What did you do at the weekend?" but they can answer "Did you feed the ducks?"

Not all the parents do it, I didn't know why but some of the posts above may answer that. It only takes a couple of minutes though. For today I'll put something like "We went to the farm and saw the chickens and pigs. The pigs were called pinky and perky." Not difficult!

OP posts:
RNBrie · 03/02/2018 18:14

I don't know what is more crazy... asking parents to do this or them lying!!

Original poster
nearlytime · 03/02/2018 18:14

Oh, and I'll use capitals for "Pinky" and "Perky" obviously lol!

OP posts:
Original poster
nearlytime · 03/02/2018 18:14

Why is it crazy?! I don't get it! It gives them something to talk about.

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LookMoreCloselier · 03/02/2018 18:15

We have never had to do this, but no I wouldn't outright lie, anything can be made to sound fun, even if it is 'a trip to the shop' to buy wine

raindropsandsunshine · 03/02/2018 18:18

I'd hate to do that weekly! It's like homework for parents and completely unnecessary. Occasional ones would be fine like the class teddy visiting, but every weekend? Sod that!

Original poster
nearlytime · 03/02/2018 18:23

It never occurred to me that people think they may be judged. Is that why people wouldn't want to do it? I'm a confident person and just get on with stuff be it the diary or the bear or the Christmas card competition...

Tomorrow will probably be chopping vegetables for Sunday lunch or pulling the wishbone of the chicken. Doesn't have to be big stuff.

OP posts:
BlueMirror · 03/02/2018 18:24

Recalling past events is good for language development so I can see why they do it. I doubt the nursery care if you put that you visited museums and galleries before collecting vegetables from your allotment and preparing a wholesome soup or simply that nanny visited.

AJPTaylor · 03/02/2018 18:32

My fav entry was bear went for a spin in the washing machine. Bear then spent saturday on the sofa watching the rugby and having a beer.

WingsOnMyBoots · 03/02/2018 18:35

I can't believe this. If more people were honest about what they did then there would be less pressure to lie and eventually most people wouldn't feel the need to lie. If this caused comment or complaint from whoever then that's their problem. Don't they live in the real world and realise that weekends are often spent either doing boring mundane stuff or not much at all very interesting for whatever reason? If so, they need to be enlightened don't they?

Supermagicsmile · 03/02/2018 18:36

I've had 4 go through 3 different nurseries and never had to do a weekend diary!! Shock

BlueMirror · 03/02/2018 18:37

They always need a spin in the washing machine 🤢
One of my dc was un lucky enough to be chosen to take the class bear home to keep at the end of the year as they were replacing it due to it being a health hazard

Original poster
nearlytime · 03/02/2018 18:42

BlueMirror Exactly.

"Fed the dog" would suffice!

I have no problem with it. What I do find odd is that SIL made it up. We don't lead a particularly exciting life and it never occurred to me to write something that wasn't true because, well, it's a lie, it would confuse the children!

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Original poster
nearlytime · 03/02/2018 18:43

^^^ Exactly. "Recalling past events is good for language development..." I mean.

OP posts:
Pengggwn · 03/02/2018 18:48

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Originalfoogirl · 03/02/2018 18:51

We never got nursery weekend diaries but I do love the biohazard germ ridden class bear which always is thrown in our washing machine

The first five or six pages are full of wondrously expensive or wholesome weekend activities, then we get it and go out of our way to have the laziest, unhealthiest weekend always involving slobbing and take away. But the time we get it back, it seems the parents after us engage in a race to the bottom. 😂

The Facebook pictures we post of the bear drinking and generally doing very unbear-like things are even more fun. One day I’ll gather the courage to actually put them in the book.

RainbowGlitterFairy · 03/02/2018 18:57

We send weekend books home (year R) they are just for things your child wants to share, I actually prefer the ones where the child has drawn a picture or tried to write by themselves, or told us about a game they played at home to the we went to this expensive place entries that were clearly done by an adult.

Class bear diaries however are fine to lie for, but only half lies, so for example Friday night chuck the DC in front of a DVD with junk food because you are bloody exhausted and want 5 minutes peace becomes 'we had a family film night'.

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