To request that a parent be asked not to bring her dog onto the school playground?

[nodogsallowed]

My DD started back at school this week and I noticed that there is a new mum at the gates who has a visual impairment and has a guide dog. The general school policy is that dogs are not allowed past the school gates, but this mum brings the dog right up to the classroom to drop off her DS. My DD is terrified of dogs and has had a panic attack both mornings as even if she sees a dog it makes her histerical. I understand that the mum must need the dog, but the school playground is one place that children can be assured that there will be no dogs. Ibu to request that the mum not bring the dog in?

Yes I agree - a wind up.

might be given op's name

Sorry, in any other circ I would say not unreasonable, as my DS3 is also petrified of dogs - but a guide dog is different.

I think you will just have to work gently with Dd to get her used to it. At least a guide dog is nice and predictable, it won't be dashing everywhere and barking and being generally unpredictable.

Really? Oh bugger. I'll just put my dander away again....

At the point you realised you had to namechange for this, is when you should have been left with no doubt that you are being utterly unreasonable. And selfish.

Yes OI - this is no place to be waving ones dander.

Yes, YABU. The woman needs the dog to get around. It is nonsensical to put your needs above that of a woman who is visually impaired, for crying out loud. For your daughter's sake you need to give this lady a wide berth, in order to avoid the dog.

Can you imagine even going up to that woman and saying this? How on earth would you even phrase such a request?

Would it actually be leagal to ask her to leave it outside? Could be classed as discrimination.

This is a piss take surely

Yes you ARE being very unreasonable to expect this lady not to bring her guide dog (her disability aid), to bring her son to school.

I think YOU need to work on ways to get your child over her irrational reaction to dogs.
Dogs in all guises are everywhere in the world, most of them utterly benign, many are working dogs essential to their owners (not only guide dogs, but there are increasing numbers of 'dogs for the disabled' and hearing dogs for the deaf around in our society. If your dd can't cope with seeing them in the street, then it will cause her problems for many years to come.

I suggest you talk to her about her fear, and try asking this lady if your daughter can meet her guide dog a few times.

If you can't go that far with your dd, then maybe you need to consult a psychologist to help with combatting the fear.

No it's not a wind up, but I can see from the responses that I am obviously in the minority so will not be requesting this. Have never really had any dealings with the visually impaired or guide dogs before, so please excuse my ignorance.

actually I think taking it at face value when one sees one's young child going into a phobic meltdown one's judgement could easily be skewed

it is easy to sit behind a screen and be condemnatory

it is just as easy to advise how else to get around the problem

I don't think anyone in this day and age would purposefully make someone else's life more difficult

I think you should, if real, take the good advice on this thread and work with it

Does anybody else feel like they're being played? This is about the fourth bizarre thread I've noticed today that appears to exist purely in the hope of inciting lots of weirdo reactionary responses... does someone want us all to look like freaks?

I don't like dogs, but I do think YABU.

Guide dogs are of course very well trained and behaved. Perhaps you could use this opportunity to show DD that not all dogs are dangerous or fierce? I do feel sorry for your DD, I have an inkling of how she feels!

nodogs didn't watch Blue Peter in the 70's then I take it

She wouldn't be able to walk with confidence without her guide dog. YABU.

I know it is upsetting to see your son scared, but this is an assistance dog and not a pet. Her need to have the dog there is far greater than your need for it not to be there.

In fact this is an ideal oppertunity to show your dd that this fantastic dog helps the woman get around.

I don't like pet dogs at the school gate, as DH is a dreadful dog allergy, but I would never object to an assistance dog, that is a whole different issue

Is this real? I don't think I know anyone who would be so naive to post something like this. Is a bit odd.

sorry, your dd . my ds has a dreadful dog allergy

Going mad emoticon

ffs have you heard of the DDA? (disability discrimination Act)

This lady has a permanent impairing disablility, your dd is scared of dogs. Your daughter can keep away from it and be given help and counselling. This lady has to live with her disability every minute of her life.

you are being unreasonable, BUT i do understand your worries re DD. Maybe you need to tackle your childs fear with her. Very often children "inherit" their fears from their parents. This is clearly an issue for your DD as you cannot possibly expect this woman to have to drop her children at the school gates because she needs a guide dog. Now this dog will obviously have been assessed and trained to behave well around children and should be pretty bomb proof. The perfect dog IMO to help overcome your daughters fear. It is not nice being scared of dogs, they are everywhere, i keep my dog on the lead at the beach but do not do so in the woods, your DD could be missing out on some fun activities. I think you should raise this issue with yoru childs teacher, with a view to maybe getting your child to meet the dog in a controlled environment where she can realise that the animal doesnt pose a threat. how old is your DD?

nodogs ....
"Have never really had any dealings with the visually impaired"

Erm.. I think you mean 'People who are visually impaired'

This lady is a mother, who is working under difficult circumstances to do for her child what you do for yours.

Now think about this.
Lets break your ankle, so you need crutches to walk. Take your child to school. A parent says "sorry my child is scared of crutches, will you stay outside please".

How would YOU feel?

NDA, maybe some sort of therapy might be helpful for your daughter, has she ever had a scary experience with a dog?

given the fact that the guide dog will be super well-trained, why don't you ask the woman when you're leaving the school if she might be able to help your daughter a wee bit with her phobia? i'm not sure how you'd do that, right enough, but maybe she'd have an idea? she may have come across kids with dog phobias before. either way, it might be nice for you to explain that you might have to work round her presence for a wee while.

I have experienced instances where people have commented that guide dogs should not be allowed in shops/taxis/restaurants, so this not beyond the relms of possibility. However, as a guide dog owner, it would be nearly impossible for me to navigate through the school grounds, and the hundreds of children, if I didn?t have my dog with me.

But I have encountered many children who have been terrified of my dog, and there is even an assistant (adult) in tesco who won?t help me because he is so scared of dogs.

My advice would be for you to talk to the owner of said dog, get to know her and get to know her dog. If you personally don?t have a fear of dogs, this would be a good opportunity for you to show your dd that not all dogs are scary, and in time she will come round to the idea that this particular dog isn?t scary and will then hopefully become less scared of other dogs. I?ve seen it happen with children time after time so you are definitely not alone. Maybe the mother could also arrange to go into the school and talk to the children about guide dogs?

YABU