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Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Unaceptable taking a "snow day" when schools are open

409 replies

Creambun2 · 28/02/2018 11:28

It really annoys me that the vast majority of schools are open in my area, yet many, many children have been taken out of school by parents "to enjoy the snow". Talk about lack of respect for the staff and other pupils who bother to turn up. We only have a couple of cm of snow!

OP posts:
PerfectlySymmetricalButtocks · 28/02/2018 14:37

Hundreds they can enjoy the snow in the playground, they have childcare/playscheme this afternoon, they can enjoy the snow there, they enjoyed the snow on the way to school this morning and they'll enjoy the snow on the way home.

beepthemeep · 28/02/2018 14:40

No, Bumbler. You can think it all you want of course, just as your posts on here give me a view of you!

tinkywinky2018 · 28/02/2018 14:40

that wasn't the point of the thread... but the replies are that kids miss out if they are sent to school, which is simply not true

Actually it WAS the point of the thread. Did you even read the title?

EB123 · 28/02/2018 14:41

Meh it's a rare thing that this happens here and childhood is so short, so I don't see an issue. It's lovely to see and hear the children playing out.

Mine have been out for a couple of hours this morning and another hour or so after lunch. They are home ed so no big decision about sending them in we just had to skip our book club.

Bimbler · 28/02/2018 14:42

No, Bumbler. You can think it all you want of course, just as your posts on here give me a view of you!

You're a very petulant thing, aren't you?

IpreferFrieda · 28/02/2018 14:44

My sister is a head teacher and has no children.

Dam right I know more about parenting my own children then she does she agrees.

I have the greatest respect for good teachers but I don’t feel the need to arse lick every teachers crsck!

You have no school sge children so you have no experience of parenting one.

What your brother has to do with snythingbud beyond me.

I was a nurse back in the day but never ever had that arrogant attitude that I knew best to my patients

rocketgirl22 · 28/02/2018 14:44

perfectly

But you and I both know part of the real fun of snow is staying at home. Glorious feeling of knowing you should be doing maths, but you are not, you are doing snow angels. Knowing it would be English now but you are snuggled up in front of the fire watching a film warming through your frost bitten toes.

If you can not afford to the take the day off then that is one thing, but for those being shunted into school for any other reason (unless they are desperate to go) well that is just so mean!!

It may not snow for another five years!

london1971 · 28/02/2018 14:45

Deary me. More to life than school. I'm sure the teachers are happy enough with less pupils, they'll still be paid and have a chance maybe to catch up on things.

user838383 · 28/02/2018 14:46

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

ScattyCharly · 28/02/2018 14:47

My kids are hugely excited at the thought of playing in a reasonable quantity of snow. We don’t go skiing so they hardly ever see snow, it’s really exciting for them. We aren’t close to school, others live round the corner from school. We will stay home!

beepthemeep · 28/02/2018 14:48

Me? I suggest that some parents always think they know best and that the comments on here about what to do on a snowy days is an example of this. Most posters ignore it. But the same 2 or 3 get rather - erm - yes ok, petulant about it. Now. I do wonder why??! Wink Wink

tinkywinky2018 · 28/02/2018 14:49

I suggest that some parents always think they know best and that the comments on here about what to do on a snowy days is an example of this

We do know best about our own children and that includes what to do on snowy days. How arrogant are you to think you know better?

Bimbler · 28/02/2018 14:53

beep you’ve made a few rather rambling posts about the careers of various relatives. You then ramble on about your ‘point’, a point you actually failed to make. And then you had a hissy fit.

So yes, I would say you’re rather petulant. May I suggest you try and be more clear and concise on the next thread you participate on? You might find it less frustrating.

ginswinger · 28/02/2018 15:00

At 8pm last night, we got a text saying school open.
At 6.30am, school may be open, maybe not, will tell us at 7.30am
At 7.50am, not open
At 7.55am, Open at 10am for pupils needing to go in
At 8am, not open at all, boiler broken

Just had an email from the Head saying 'whoops', let's see what happens tomorrow.

A giant clusterbuck

MaisyPops · 28/02/2018 15:01

london1971
In all honesty it's the same amount of work whether I have 24 or 30 students. Not much catching up happened yesterday. Smile

The snowball fights were funny to watch though.

Lots of catching up has happened today though.

MaisyPops · 28/02/2018 15:03

ginswinger
It's hardly a clusterfuck.
This is why schools shouldn't give updates the night before.

It sounds like they did their best to open the school but when the boiler went they had no choice but to close. Hardly their fauly.

ReanimatedSGB · 28/02/2018 15:08

Actually, there are many, many cases of parents (and people in general) knowing better than professionals. When your child is being bullied and the school's response is that your child should be less sensitive, or try harder to fit in. When you have a pre-existing condition which the new doctor ignores, and gives you advice or a prescription that you know perfectly well won't work for you.

Of course, the bulk of the time the person who has studied hard and trained for a specific job does know better than some random on the internet, or the Bloke in the Pub, but it's a good idea to inform yourself as much as possible rather than sticking to the mindset of respecting the people who tell you they are in charge.

For instance (and what is most relevant in this case) the Government declares that children should have as little time off school as possible, even when they are tiny, because they need to Make Progress and Pass Tests. Yet every expert in actual child development knows that UK kids start school too early and the constant surveillance and testing and 'interventions' is bad for their mental health, while the insistence on being at school even when unwell is bad for their physical health and that of others around them.

Valentinesfart · 28/02/2018 15:08

It's your body - do you assume you know better than your dr? It's your house - do you assume you know better than your architect? It's your will - do you assume you know better than your lawyer?

Teachers are highly trained professionals, trained to deal with children within a school setting. If I wanted advice on how to get thirty five year olds dressed and into their gym gear and then trained in mathematics I'd ask a teacher. No doubt. As a parent of three, I am not qualified and would not pretend that being a parent of three children made me qualified to teach children in a large setting. Home education works very well because parents are capable of teaching their own children. It's a specialist skill they learn on the job.

The teachers I know will tell you having their own children was a totally different experience to being an educator and unfortunately being a teacher still didn't prepare them for it as the two things are unrelated (despite both involving children). Being a paediatrician or a lollypop lady doesn't make you a more knowledgeable parent either)

KennDodd · 28/02/2018 15:10

This whole issue (and Gibraltar) makes me so angry, Leave voters and politicians really don't give a shit how much damage they do to both this country and our neighbors.

KennDodd · 28/02/2018 15:10

Sorry wrong thread!

BitchQueen90 · 28/02/2018 15:11

Although I don't think it's as rare as people are making out. We had snow in January last year, I remember thick snow when I was pregnant in 2012 (because I was worried about falling) and also in 2010. We do see it every couple of years or so.

Valentinesfart · 28/02/2018 15:11

Me? I suggest that some parents always think they know best and that the comments on here about what to do on a snowy days is an example of this. Most posters ignore it. But the same 2 or 3 get rather - erm - yes ok, petulant about it. Now. I do wonder why??!

I don't know how old you are but you honestly sound like a know it all teenager.

Valentinesfart · 28/02/2018 15:13

I remember thick snow when I was pregnant in 2012 (because I was worried about falling) and also in 2010. We do see it every couple of years or so.

No, it's not every decade, but when you're 6 it might be the first time in your living memory!

MaisyPops · 28/02/2018 15:22

BitchQueen90
We get snow similar to this most years but it dumping snow on top of snow and the associated issues means we have closed.

I can't think the last time my school had a snow day. We normally open and adapt the day (e.g. postpone registration / start late / end early) etc.

tinkywinky2018 · 28/02/2018 15:24

Although I don't think it's as rare as people are making out. We had snow in January last year, I remember thick snow when I was pregnant in 2012 (because I was worried about falling) and also in 2010. We do see it every couple of years or so

You might. Where I live it is incredibly rare, we've had snow like this twice in my lifetime and I'm not young.

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