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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

putting in a complaint re parents in the cloakroom?

58 replies

laneydaye · 19/06/2007 12:35

My ds is 6 and in last term of y1. He has been hanging his own jacket up in a morning since reception. The last few weeks i have had to bite my tongue at parents taking all the room up and making it difficult for my ds and others to even get in to the coat area!!!! I think 6yrs is old enough to be hanging a coat on a peg fgs!!
If you want to hang your childs coat up then do it after the rest of the class has done theirs...
God i feel petty but its really got my goat today for some reason..(not hormonal honest)
Thanks for listening Rant over!!!

OP posts:
TooTicky · 19/06/2007 13:55

But 5/6 year olds do struggle with the lunch box, water bottle, reading folder and fruit to be unpacked and put away in different places, not to mention hanging up bag, coat/sunhat - sometimes it's quicker to help.

harpsichordcuddler · 19/06/2007 13:58

blimey.
no big deal, really. if parents want to do this for their children, then silent seething is about as far as it should go
MYOB

sandyballs · 19/06/2007 14:01

Mmmm, a tad unreasonable I feel. My DDs are 6 and in year 1 and although one of them is extremely practical and sensible and more than able to sort herself out in the cloakroom, the other is a bit of a dreamer, for want of another word . She still does need a bit of help or otherwise her book bag would end up on her peg, her lunch in the pe bag box and her book bag god knows where. Some kids (even at 6) struggle with all this stuff. Give her a sheet of maths and she's great, but anything requiring an ounce of common and she's lost, bless her.

I don't think it was worth complaining this late in the term to be honest.

CaptainUnderpants · 19/06/2007 14:02

We are not allowed into the school , never have been , not even on day one in reception . Do it from day one and children learn to cope and manage it themselves.

TooTicky · 19/06/2007 14:03

I think it's sad if parents are not allowed into the school - especially at the beginning!!!

CaptainUnderpants · 19/06/2007 14:06

Why is it sad not allowing parents in, we have open mornings so you can go into class and see your child, if able you can be a parent helper . Better ways of seeing your child at school then in a crowded cloakroom .

Original poster
laneydaye · 19/06/2007 14:14

Thanks everyone..x i have taken it all on board and am currently sat here thinking of ways to help the situation rather than complaining (which i did already briefly)..

OP posts:
kslatts · 19/06/2007 14:15

I think the children should be able to hang their own coats up, my dd's have been going in and hanging their own coats up since pre-school, but I think it is a bit of an over-reaction to complain to the school about it, far more important things to get stressed out about IMO.

CaptainUnderpants · 19/06/2007 14:17

Better to tell theschool and get it off your chest than have a falming row with anothe Mum kn the cloakroom, perhaps the school may review their policy on it now.

Helath & safey and all that - too many people in the cloakroom etc etc

Boco · 19/06/2007 14:19

How do you get to not be a packhorse Twig?

DD has to carry a bookbag - usually with 3 books and a box of words in it, drink bottle, packed lunch, PE kit with trainers or swimming kit with armbands and big towel.

She's quits small and just can't do it - she comes out of school laden down with all that plus coat and added bits of junk model / baked things / shoe box houses etc. I find it really hard to carry it plus supervise 2yr old and two 5 year olds along the road. I think school should issue them all with a little wagon.

I may complain, and demand wagons. Red ones.

handlemecarefully · 19/06/2007 14:20

As per harpsichord....

Blu · 19/06/2007 14:20

Laneyday - the class will not get started until they are all coatless and sat down, leave it be. if your DS waits until the Mithering Mums are gone, he can hang his coat in peace and sit down.

You will get a reputation if you pipe up about this kind of thing - save it for the things that matter. My advice is Do Nothing Further!

TooTicky · 19/06/2007 14:20

Parents are allowed into my ds2's reception classroom in the mornings, makes for a gentle start to the day, the atmosphere is friendly and children can show their parents what they have been making/doing/playing with.

TooTicky · 19/06/2007 14:21

Oh yes, wagons would be great!

CaptainUnderpants · 19/06/2007 14:22

too Tricky - what about the mums that have to dash off to work, they cant spend the time in the classroom like that.

TooTicky · 19/06/2007 14:25

It's not a lot of time - just a few minutes - but it makes all the difference. When my dd1 and ds1 were in that class (different teacher) parents were made to feel quite superfluous. I think it is nice if there is a little overlap between home and school, rather than being effectively two different planets.

LIZS · 19/06/2007 14:26

In an ideal world that is fine but dd is still only 5 (also Year 1) and today had her book bag, a swimming bag and a dancing bag . She cannot physically take off her jacket and hang all these up then sort the contents of her book bag without my help while fending off the elbows of other kids doing the same. Theoretically we have been banned from the cloakroom area (actually just in the classroom) since first half term of Reception but in practice it just doesn't always work. If it were just a coat and book bag then ok but it so rarely is for us.

Gobbledigook · 19/06/2007 14:28

Oooh, dunno, but from Easter ds2 has been going into school nursery on his own which involves

hanging coat up
finding name and sticking up on the board
writing name in the big book ('signing in' )
putting elastic band tag on milk carton

they have to do this now - we don't have any choice! they all seem fine with it.

Gobbledigook · 19/06/2007 14:29

True LIZS - it's tricky for them when they are still tiny and have umpteen bags. In the winter it's worse when they have pe bag, book bag, lunch box and are also battling with big squashy coat, gloves, scarf and hat!!

Gobbledigook · 19/06/2007 14:29

Although, our TA 'mans' the cloakroom to help with this kind of thing.

DominiConnor · 19/06/2007 14:32

When DS was 4, he was expected to hang his coat up, and the school was quite militant about it.
Good thing too.
It rubbed off on DS who pulled me up when in late rush I helped him.
I was ordered out.

jenkel · 19/06/2007 14:36

DD started school in September aged 4 years and 3 weeks. I have never gone into the cloakroom with her and no parents ever have as far as I am aware. We leave them in the playground and we pick them up from the playground, I also have a very clingy dd, the teacher has had to more or less carry her in some times. But, I am happy with the system, she would cry the whole time I am there so its better I just leave her quickly, she soon recovers. So, dont think you are being unreasonable but not sure they will do much so late in the term.

Original poster
laneydaye · 19/06/2007 14:39

tootricky the parents are allowed into the class also... its not pleasant! too noisy lots of bodies my ds finds it a bit too much some mornings. I remember when they started y1 they were sent home with a letter asking parents to encourage children to come into class alone. That was last september!!

OP posts:
handlemecarefully · 19/06/2007 14:47

Bring back National Service

Original poster
laneydaye · 19/06/2007 14:50

i agree..........lol

OP posts:
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