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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

To not want to go to shop to get stuff for school science experiment?

88 replies

savetti · 09/06/2020 07:33

I don’t think I should have to do this.
Ds, year 7,following usual school timetable from home. science lesson involves a simple experiment with a red cabbage. I put one on my shopping order, but delivery today says it’s not available.
AIBU to not want to go to various supermarkets looking fur a bloody red cabbage in the middle of a pandemic?
I haven’t been out to the shops( had grocery deliveries)
Yes I’m aware people have to go to work as normal, but I’m not. My ds only has me, so I’m not taking an risks.
Am I massively overreacting, are they going to laugh at me if I say I’m not going out for a bloody cabbage

OP posts:

HPandTheNeverEndingBedtime · 09/06/2020 07:39

I'm a science teacher, don't go. The red cabbage experiment is a lovely one and safe to do at home and will have been sent to try and spice up the work and improve engagement. Your child can watch the same experiment on YouTube and write it up. There are other natural things that can be used as an indicator such as some flower petals which you may have in your garden so that is worth a look.

But do do the experiment next time you can get hold of a red cabbage it's a great one.

YinuCeatleAyru · 09/06/2020 07:39

it's perfectly reasonable not to do a special trip to a supermarket for a cabbage. it's not essential.

I would suggest that DS has a zoom call with a friend who has managed to achieve red cabbage and observes their results remotely.

ZigZagIntoTheBlue · 09/06/2020 07:46

If he needs it then he needs it, I get what you mean but you could always wash your hands when you get back, unless you're under instructions to shield or something? He would then have to join in when he can another time🤷‍♀️

CarrieBlue · 09/06/2020 07:51

The science teacher won’t be expecting you to do a special trip or even to buy one if you wouldn’t normally - they’re just trying to make the work sent home more interesting. There’ll be loads of YouTube videos to watch instead. It is fun though, so do try it when you can, but don’t go out unless you want to.

SnuggyBuggy · 09/06/2020 07:55

I'd just make a note of it and do it when you next get hold of a red cabbage.

Nofunkingworriesmate · 09/06/2020 08:44

I don't have babysitters nearby so I understand your caution,
Don't go out for a cabbage
but do you go out for exercise ? You can now mix with (6? Please check ) people are you planning on doing that ? You don need social time more than s cabbage

GreyishDays · 09/06/2020 08:50

Lots of people won’t be able to go and get it because they are working full time.
I agree, watch it online. Or ask the school if they can supply one?

aussiechick01 · 09/06/2020 12:39

As previous posters have suggested, YouTube will have the experiment in full so they have results for the write up.

You can use other dark coloured fruit/veg such as beetroot, blueberries, blackberries etc. Darker coloured flower petals can also work - I've linked to a website that shows you some types of flowers that will work and how to prepare them www.ingridscience.ca/node/145

HugeAckmansWife · 09/06/2020 12:41

OK, yes you don't need it. There are alternatives. But, unless you are vulnerable, I think at this stage your attitude to going into a shop is OTT. Community transmission rates are v low. You need to start the process of unlocking somewhere.

bridgetreilly · 09/06/2020 13:10

He doesn't need to do the experiment TODAY. You don't need to make a special shopping trip for it. You say, oh that looks fun, next time I'm in the shops, I'll get a red cabbage and you can do it then. And just move on to the next thing.

Comefromaway · 09/06/2020 13:15

Absolutely don't go. I haven't been inside a supermarket for 10 weeks and don't plan to go in one any time soon.

Dh is a teacher. Today he asked one of his students if she had any paper straws in the house for a practical excercise. She said no and he asked if she thought her family could put a pack on their next shopping order. If she'd said it wasn't possible that would have been fine.

safariboot · 09/06/2020 13:20

YANBU.

You ordered one, it didn't arrive. The experiment will have to be delayed until the necessary equipment is delivered.

Brefugee · 09/06/2020 13:27

seems very wasteful if each of the class are buying a red cabbage! what are they doing with the rest of it?

HPandTheNeverEndingBedtime · 09/06/2020 13:40

@brefugee does it really matter, its not an in demand staple food like or pasta. They could eat it, use the whole thing in the experiment or compost it. If you're worried about the waste there are about 300 half written in exercise books in my classroom that will be going in the bin when we get back - that's waste and that's only one classroom.

It's a brilliant engaging experiment that can be done at home. Don't make a special trip but do it when you can.

bookmum08 · 09/06/2020 13:43

Well if I hadn't to do this it would be a 25 minute walk to the nearest supermarket and possibly a bit longer walking back (up hill).
I wouldn't do that for a fricking cabbage.

Brefugee · 09/06/2020 13:48

@HPandTheNeverEndingBedtime does it really matter, its not an in demand staple food like or pasta.

Blimey. Food waste is never acceptable.

wibdib · 09/06/2020 13:58

There will be lots of people that won’t have been able to get a red cabbage - there are nearly 300 dc in ds2’s year at school (y7), all from relatively close by, using the same supermarkets, and if the school sent the same work to everyone in the year (which it does) I’m sure the local supermarkets wouldn’t have an extra 300 red cabbage over and above their usual quota, so some people wil definitely miss out.

Ds had an experiment in his lockdown learning using jelly. We weren’t able to get any so he just emailed his teacher who had a set of data to send out so people could still do the analysis. So maybe get him to ping his teacher and they can send him the results to use.

user1471530109 · 09/06/2020 14:05

Watch on YouTube.

Or, use a red onion.

From a sci teacher.

Why is every fucker on here after an argument with a teacher ffs? What happened to common sense? The teacher was trying to make your child's home learning fun with a practical. I'm sure nowhere did it say this is compulsory.

ListeningQuietly · 09/06/2020 14:19

Get the cabbage.
Use three leaves for the science experiment.
Make 1/4 of the cabbage into cole slaw (with raising, apple, walnut pieces, lemon juice and mayo)
Make 1/4 of the cabbage into stir fry with soy sauce
Make 1/4 of the cabbage into saurkraut
Steam 1/4 of the cabbage and serve with onion gravy and toad in the hole

misses point of thread

Artesia · 09/06/2020 14:22

Or ask the school if they can supply one?

Is this supposed to be a joke??

SummerHouse · 09/06/2020 14:22

In my experience school never expect a parent to get anything. If they did they would be very disappointed a lot of the time.

ForeverBubblegum · 09/06/2020 14:25

Long shot but do you have any radishes, that should work. Or beetroot, but only works well for strong bases (eg. Cleaning products)

SummerHouse · 09/06/2020 14:25

Or ask the school if they can supply one?

Is this supposed to be a joke??

Do they also supply a keen and interested student? I would also be happy with an exchange or loan if they can't just give one.

Thingsthatgo · 09/06/2020 14:27

Does he have any mates near by who have managed to get one? I’m sure they’d gove him a bit, you don’t need a whole cabbage.

Purpleartichoke · 09/06/2020 14:30

We are big followers of the curriculum here, doing every required and every extra assignment offered. Dd really uses the project based work to delve in and do more and when that requires supplies I am lucky to be able to afford to acquire them.

I would still postpone the experiment until you can get a red cabbage in a delivery.

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