Meet the Other Phone. A phone that grows with your child.

Meet the Other Phone.
A phone that grows with your child.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

I am not Mary Poppins, and I don't like being put in this position!

76 replies

Peleus · 15/01/2019 14:20

When I take DC to school, we are usually in the playground 10 minutes before the bell goes so as to get a parking space. We are usually the first there, and the playground is unsupervised until the bell goes. Another parent in DC's class arrives the same time as us, bringing with them another child, which obviously they have assumed duty of care for. They then also join the line (school discourages chasing around before lessons.) As soon as we appear, the parent shoots off, and doesn't even ask me if I mind looking out for their child and the one they are supposed to bee looking after. This morning, yet another parent left his DC, but he doesn't do it every day and I didn't mind because he asked! I was the only parent there. All the children (my own DC included) got overexcited while in the line and there was some horseplay. I could see that there was potential for someone to get hurt and so made a judgement call to speak to the children about this. But I don't like being put in this position. I am there to make sure my own DC goes into school safely, not to oversee other people's DCs.

I foresee being placed in this position most days, especially as most parents arrive with their DCs just as the bell goes.
We could arrive later, but then parking would be harder with the potential to actually arrive late.

Should I tell school about this? I don't relish a confrontation with the parent.

OP posts:
Elfinablender · 15/01/2019 14:22

Park. Stay in car and listen to radio. Go in with bell. Job done.

monkeysox · 15/01/2019 14:22

How old are the kids?

Sindragosan · 15/01/2019 14:22

Wait in the car until nearer the time? If you get any comments then you can have the discussion about not being comfortable being responsible for everyone.

Peleus · 15/01/2019 14:22

Aged 5 - in Reception year.

OP posts:
ILoveMaxiBondi · 15/01/2019 14:23

Definitely speak to the school! Totally ridiculous that all the parents sod off and leave you handling oodles of kids. Not your job. The school need to insist all parents stay with their own DC.

Oly4 · 15/01/2019 14:23

How old are the kids? Maybe the other parent thinks they are old enough to look after themselves and that’s why they haven’t actually asked you to look after them.
If it bothers you, get there later? Seems like an obvious solution. Though I’m not sur eid actually mind watching other people’s kids for 10 mins

brassbrass · 15/01/2019 14:23

Why don't you just wait in the car until later?

Peleus · 15/01/2019 14:24

I think we will. DC doesn't like it and loves being first in line. Yet another person I need to stand up to!

OP posts:
monkeysox · 15/01/2019 14:24

Like the idea of waiting in the car.

Or walk to school and get there a bit later.

If kids were older I'd not see a problem but they're leaving a few 4/5 year old with you. Cheeky

Peleus · 15/01/2019 14:24

Stand up to DC that is, not you!

OP posts:
MrsWillGardner · 15/01/2019 14:26

Yes stay in the car. The mother will have to suck it up and your child will also have to suck it up for not being 1st in line haha!

LonelyandTiredandLow · 15/01/2019 14:28

Our school sends put newsletters reminding people not to leave kids unattended. To be fair we have to get there 20mins early to get a parking space (thank you county council for making me drive 5 miles becase I was .01mile out of catchment - still bitter 4yrs on!), so if someone needs to shoot off I understand and thinking the free parking space about to become available for some other poor parent.

Holidayshopping · 15/01/2019 14:28

Stay in the car and tell your child why.

ElspethFlashman · 15/01/2019 14:31

Wait in the car. Tbh if its only 10 mins and you're parked adjacent, I'd probably let him start the line anyway. As long as you were close enough to talk to him out the window. Not if you were at the other end of the car park obvs.

Bloodybridget · 15/01/2019 14:31

I don't understand why parents have to supervise their children in the playground. Surely most parents need to get going to work and don't have time to hang around. Never happened in my day, we were sent through the gate and that was it, I guess there must have been teachers in the playground.

Redglitter · 15/01/2019 14:34

Is she actually leaving the children with you though or is she just leaving because theyre lined up ready to go in. If she hasnt spoken to you i cant see why youd assume you're being left in charge

Acopyofacopy · 15/01/2019 14:35

Stay in the car and do your reading then!
Or speak to the school about parents dumping their children and let them make it clear that kids need to be handed over.

WhatchaMaCalllit · 15/01/2019 14:39

@Bloodybridget - it could also have been a time when parents didn't put in a claim every few minutes because their child got injured (scrapes/bruised) playing chasing or running around in the schoolyard before class begins.

@Peleus - you have two options. Option 1 is to arrive at the same time and start playing Eye Spy or something in car while you wait for the bell. Option 2 is to approach the school and say that you are not responsible for looking after any other children until the bell goes apart from the ones that you look after, and you would really appreciate it if a note or text would issue, reminding parents that they must wait with their child until the bell goes.

Justaboy · 15/01/2019 14:40

Whats the difference betwixt a school playground and a battlefield?

There isnt any;-(

robininbrum · 15/01/2019 14:40

What a cheek, but this kind of thing used to happen to me, and if you LET it happen, the cheeky twats will keep doing it.

Stay in the car. Is it too far to walk? If not, you could walk and just get there a minute before the doors open.

DippyAvocado · 15/01/2019 14:42

I would mention to the school and get them to reinforce that parents are responsible for the children before the start of the school day. If an accident happens on school grounds while the children are unsupervised and they haven't made that clear, there could be some difficulties.

Ihatemyseleffordoingthis · 15/01/2019 14:43

I think in the short term you need to stop "providing the service" ie be deliberately later although they may just palm their kid/s off on someone else.

I would talk to the teacher and say you are not happy with the situation and get them to have a word with the cf under the guise of making them aware that the children are their responsibility.

DippyAvocado · 15/01/2019 14:43

Meant to add, that wouldn't be your issue, but it would probably be helpful to mention it.

blackteasplease · 15/01/2019 14:44

Can you not say to the cfs - excuse me but I'm not minding you child?

mbosnz · 15/01/2019 14:44

Yell out to the CF's as they do a runner, 'oi, come back here and mind your kid, I'm sure as hell not'.

Swipe left for the next trending thread