not attending parents evening?

[GreenLantern53]

I told my child teacher I wouldnt be able to attend parents evening and she didnt look impressed. aibu not attending?

Thesnobby, we have appointments from 3.30 until 7ish on two different nights, occasionally in 2 different weeks.

3-5 is unreasonable, especially as 30 or so 10 minute slots + 2x loo breaks = 320 minutes, so over 5 hours - can't be done if the school only offers 2 hours on each night.

In all the schools we've been involved in they always publish the parents evenings at the start of the school year - so youmake sure you don't get a clash.
The appointment's list ususally comes out just beforehand - so it sounds like you didn't know when it was.
I can't see if you have mentioned which year your child in, which I think makes a big difference. It sounds like this is an early year.
These meetings can be pointless. or an ordeal, given the amount of time they spend with your child every day - its an opportunity to find out that everything is OK or what help they might need.

As a teacher, if a parent in my class couldn't make it I would try to a3a time before oe after school when you could come a speak to me. How old is your child? If it's a Sat's or gcse year it might be especially important to the teacher to see you. I teach Y2 and always try to see all parents so that they are aware of the expectation for their child and how the Sat's will be administered.

child is reception age.

Not being funny but the reason you’re not going is the whole point !

Fucksake im like screaming at you telepathically "WHY CAN'T YOU FUCKING GO AHHGGH STOP BEING SO COY!!"

Oh and by the way unless you are physically not around (ie on holiday) YABU to not go, teachers should not have to reschedule around you what could possibly be more important.

YABU if
a) you didn't explain why
b) you didn't attempt to make a separate appointment.

Actually YABVU in how uncommunicative you are, just on this thread. So NO, I'm not impressed either.

Have a

Reception? Not sure you would need to go. I would just try and catch the teacher one day and ask 'Everything going ok?' If yes, great, don't go. If not then make an appointment to see them.

Parents evening can get quite tiresome, years in with a few kids. At the end of the day it up to the kid and the school to sort that part of the education.

In these situations, the easiest thing is to say you'll get in touch with them later. "Unfortunately, I can't be there on Tuesday; I'll email you with details and see if we can meet at another time."

There will be no weird faces to that.

Just read the whole thread to see if they OP gives us the reason why she can't attend. If it was a good reason (work, medical appointment, caring commitments, etc) she would have mentioned it in the OP, why wouldn't she?

I think that if I was a teacher I would find it disappointing that you didn't want to attend.

Actually it's can't not cant, So you've just pulled up someone messing up an apostrophe and got it incorrect yourself. Maybe there's a lesson there

My parents never went to my parents evenings and it always made me sad. You should go.

Last year, I had only 16 parents out of the whole class who made appointments for Consultation evenings. Is anyone seriously suggesting that I should have made further arrangements to see the other 14 sets of parents before or after school in the following days?

YABU. You don't have a good reason not to attend, or you would have given it and the teacher would have understood. Saying "I can't make it" without feeling the need to explain or rearrange just looks like you don't give a shit. So yes, YABU for not attending and YABU for seeming surprised at the teachers reaction.

I’d cancel pretty much anything to attend parents evening. But I prioritise education over most things. I wonder if the OP does?

Dd’s school send out the dates for parents evening at the start of the school year. They offer two sessions, one day straight after school for a couple of hours, the other day tea time til late. I think this is reasonable, you have months of notice and a range of possible times. Most children also have two parents so at least one should be able to go given 6 months notice of the date. If schools are giving short notice then that’s a different matter.

Ha. We got 3 weeks notice for parents evening which this year is on an inset day! Not easy for all parents to be able to attend. It’s also the start of half term so not everyone will be able to take leave from work.

Doesn't really matter if your kid is "doing fine" or not (which you will already know anyway). What matters is building a relationship with the teacher so that the team of people around your kid are singing from the same hymn sheet.

Plus don't you want to share in your kid's successes and try to understand a bit more about what goes on in her life? See her world from her perspective a bit better? You will learn more in 10 minutes from the teacher than from the daily "can't remember what we did today" response.

Is anyone seriously suggesting that I should have made further arrangements to see the other 14 sets of parents before or after school in the following days?

Some people are probably hoping that you'll drive over to see them at home, bringing a takeaway and chocolates while you're at it.

We always go to parents night and really appreciate the time the teachers put into making it possible.

Maybe your childs school did that Sara107, mine didnt.

OP have you accepted yet that without further detail, YABU?

My mum gave up going asbit was boring. My maths teacher was annoyed and cockily called her up and told her how important they were. ‘Why, is fluffy having problems?’ ‘No’ ‘so let me get this straight young man. You think you can order me about like one of your students? I have a full time job, a disabled husband and two children and my daughter is performing well academically! You want me to walk down to the school in the dark (always winter evenings) leaving my children and husband so you can say everything is fine! STOP WASTING MY TIME AND GO AND TEACH KIDS TO COUNT!’ He never called any parents again.