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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Woke up late so gave kids a day off

658 replies

queenjolo29 · 04/02/2020 09:44

I'm feeling kinda guilty not sure why has they are my children after all, but i forgot to set my alarm last night, didn't wake up till 9 which I might add never happens at the weekend lol. So I thought fuck it give kids a day off.. Please tell me I am not the only one who has done this. They don't have days off unless ill but that's rare. I feel strangely guilty 🤔🤔

OP posts:
Straycatstrut · 04/02/2020 11:30

That's a good point. My 3yr old is up at 6 no matter what! What is your secret?!

When my eldest was 4 in Reception, so same age as your eldest, we took him to Spain in term time for a whole week. Told the school, didn't lie, they didn't grant us the absence and we went anyway, we weren't fined. Had an amazing time. He may never get to fly again as a child as I wouldn't take him out YR1+, and I will never, ever be able to afford premium prices, so went for it.

Straycatstrut · 04/02/2020 11:31

^ 5 sorry not 4.

VortexofBloggery · 04/02/2020 11:31

Absolutely nothing to worry about. Have a lovely day off with your healthy, happy kids. They grow up so fast. Enjoy!

Waffles80 · 04/02/2020 11:33

I’d rather my five year olds were in school than watching Disney! What a stupid suggestion.

There are children the world over denied the right to an education and people here who just take the piss.

EmeraldShamrock · 04/02/2020 11:33

Jesus it looks like many of this thread should have had an extra snooze this morning.
Proving why education is important and why you should worry This was mean not everyone has had a middle class education. I learnt SFA in school it was survival.

Dontdisturbmenow · 04/02/2020 11:34

Should you beat yourself up for being such a crap mum? No of course not, there's much worse you can do to damage a child.

That you should think it's ok and nothing to feel bad about? That's wrong. It's not an acceptable response and you should have got them up and take them to school, explaining why they are late.

Just don't do it again.

Lweji · 04/02/2020 11:37

I’d rather my five year olds were in school than watching Disney! What a stupid suggestion.

There are children the world over denied the right to an education and people here who just take the piss.

5 year olds don't actually need to be in school. Many countries only start primary school at 6 and with no worse results in terms of education than the UK, possibly better.

JosefKeller · 04/02/2020 11:37

It's hardly the same to take kids so young out of school to go on holiday or for something special, and to just not be arsed to drop them there on time. That's the point.

I only have a very strong dislike of parents who take kids on holiday during term time ONLY when they then moan that school holidays are too long Hmm

Sirzy · 04/02/2020 11:37

Did both children sleep that long?

And I wish people would stop saying it’s a mental health day for the children. The fact that mum couldn’t be arsed to get them to school is nothing to do with the child’s mental health (and in fact if that attitude carries on long term it’s more likely to be detrimental to the child’s mental health)

SoupDragon · 04/02/2020 11:39

There are children the world over denied the right to an education and people here who just take the piss.

Do you really think missing one day at 5 is going to make any difference to their education? It won't.

SafferUpNorth · 04/02/2020 11:41

They're still young, so no harm done. But don't make a habit of it...sounds like a slippery slope towards poor attendance. Taking them in a bit late would have been preferable.

SidsWife · 04/02/2020 11:42

Meh. I’ve done this quite a few times with mine.

My 5 year old sleeps till 9 if left, is that really so unusual?

JosefKeller · 04/02/2020 11:44

My 5 year old sleeps till 9 if left, is that really so unusual?
so does mine, but my kids are not put to bed at 6pm, so for mine at least their bed time has something to do with it Grin

RhubarbTea · 04/02/2020 11:44

She's 5! It's fine. In some countries they don't start formal education til 7. I'm sure a little 5 year old kid missing one day of school won't matter in the long run. Just don't make a habit of it or she'll get behind. Enjoy your day together and don't feel guilty Smile

Aderyn19 · 04/02/2020 11:46

I think everyone needs an unplanned chill day every so often. Your kids are tiny - it's not like you let them miss GCSE or A level classes.
I wouldn't do this regularly though because you don't want it to become a normal thing. You never know when your DC might really need time off.

formerbabe · 04/02/2020 11:46

Meh. I’ve done this quite a few times with mine

Really?! Quite a few times you haven't woken up in time and couldn't be bothered to get yourself and your dc ready and to school?

Wow.

What would you say if your dcs teacher couldn't be bothered to get to school?

formerbabe · 04/02/2020 11:50

The thing is this isn't about the kids and their mental health. It's because mum can't be arsed.

AnnPerkins · 04/02/2020 11:53

It's not the end of the world for a 5yo and particularly not a pre-schooler, but the school would definitely rather they turned up late than not at all. Why not take them in after lunch?

If they were older though I would say you were making future problems for yourself. What will you say on the days when your DC really doesn't want to go to school if you've taken random days off for no good reason in the past?

Lucky you being able to sleep until 9am though! Envy We haven't had to set an alarm in this house since 2009.

1forsorrow · 04/02/2020 11:54

In ten or twenty years will it make any difference that she had a day off when she was 5? I doubt it. Enjoy the day, I look back at the things I stressed about when mine were that age and wonder what I was on.

SidsWife · 04/02/2020 11:56

@formerbabe are you always so hysterical? That must be really exhausting. Maybe try having a lie in once in a while.

StoppinBy · 04/02/2020 11:57

I would do that for sure. By the time you get her in it wold be 10am then they will have recess and half the day is gone anyway. It feels special to get an 'extra' day together.........they are only small enough to be able to do that with for a few years then a missed day is more important.

Hope you are enjoying your day x

DumboFlats · 04/02/2020 11:57

Again, teacher not turning up for work is entirely different to one 5 year old (out of a class of however many), not turning up for a day.

If I don't turn up for work tomorrow it's a lot different to one of (out of many) my clients not turning up to their appointment. Neither is fantastic but one is definitely worse. I get paid to be there and I'll get paid whether or not that one client turns up or not.

WendyMoiraAngelaDarling · 04/02/2020 11:59

I've done it. I pull my kids out for holidays too. Only at primary though. Not now she's in secondary.

I don't really care what anyone thinks tbh Smile

formerbabe · 04/02/2020 11:59

are you always so hysterical? That must be really exhausting. Maybe try having a lie in once in a while.

Not hysterical at all. I just think it's really shit parenting to not take your kids to school because you can't be bothered to get up.

Roodledoodlenoodle · 04/02/2020 12:00

Yeah I did this once when DC was the same age.
Was no big deal and I used it as a lesson to not let it happen again!

But enjoy your day at home, they won’t remember this anyway and it will have no impact on them! Business will resume as normal tomorrow.

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