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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To be irked that teacher wouldn’t open 6-year-old’s water bottle at school?

229 replies

Tabletoppp · 09/09/2020 18:47

Just that really. 6-year-old came home very thirsty and said he has a headache. I took his water bottle out his bag and said, “oh you didn’t drink anything?”

He said he couldn’t get the cap off (It wasn’t on that tight, but oh well!), and that he asked his his teacher to help and she said no, she can’t touch his water bottle because of Covid.

So all day he drank no water.

Aibu that she should have helped him and then just washed her hands?!

OP posts:
yawnsvillex · 09/09/2020 21:45

I'd kick off too about that. How does Covid trump any kind of compassion? I'd question the ability of the teacher! Ridiculous

gluteustothemaximus · 09/09/2020 21:47

Wash hands. Open bottle. Wash hands.

Common sense.

Rules are there but this is a very reactive environment in schools the the moment (I work in one) and you have to go with common sense sometimes. Risk assess. Crack on. It's all shit.

Benjispruce2 · 09/09/2020 21:53

We’ve had several children who have forgotten their bottle, so we give them a cup. I’d hate to not drink all day.

TantricTwist · 09/09/2020 21:56

So OP considering a headache is a symptom of Covid which your DC states he had will you be sending him to School tomorrow?

Will you also be truthful if you decide to call the School to complain about said water bottle incident despite knowing why she did not open it due to School covid rules and state he said he had a headache, and that he really should have had a bottle he could open anyway.

It's a dilemma isnt it really.

It's covid and the DC are back at School, everyone is trying their best to negotiate their way around it, will you be that DM that calls in to complain about this?

covetingthepreciousthings · 09/09/2020 21:58

I work in year one and opened numerous water bottles today so the children could refill them.

My DS's school have said they are no longer refilling water bottles Sad

cassgate · 09/09/2020 22:16

@gluteustothemaximus

Wash hands. Open bottle. Wash hands.

Common sense.

Rules are there but this is a very reactive environment in schools the the moment (I work in one) and you have to go with common sense sometimes. Risk assess. Crack on. It's all shit.

Couldn’t agree more.
diavlo · 09/09/2020 22:18

I wouldn’t be ‘livid’ or ‘fuming’, but I would be irritated at the Teachers lack of common sense. So long as she washes her hands before and after there is little to no risk!

WhatifIfeellikeacat · 09/09/2020 22:18

So OP considering a headache is a symptom of Covid which your DC states he had will you be sending him to School tomorrow?

How about dehydration?

Intrepidintrovert · 09/09/2020 22:38

It sounds like a mistake to me - she's said 'No you need to do it yourself' and never realised that he hasn't actually managed it at all.

ConfusedPanda · 09/09/2020 22:44

YANBU. Teacher was being ridiculous. I'd be furious. Your poor son.

I'm a teacher BTW!

HandfulofDust · 09/09/2020 22:44

I do kind of suspect it might have been a misunderstanding as others have suggested. She might have told him to have a go himself (which is understandable my eldest is constantly asking for things to be opened for him he could easily do himself with a bit of effort) then maybe DC misunderstood and didn't realise he could ask again if he didn't mange it.

Iminaglasscaseofemotion · 09/09/2020 22:45

So OP considering a headache is a symptom of Covid which your DC states he had will you be sending him to School tomorrow?

What are you going on about? He had a sore head because he hadn't had a drink all day. Overall what a patronising twaty post.
OP has no need to keep her child off school, and yes, she absolutely should complain.

laidbacklife · 09/09/2020 23:05

That’s ridiculous. She shouldn’t be a teacher - frankly probably shouldn’t be working at all - if she’s that daft.

Couchbettato · 09/09/2020 23:05

To the PP who mentioned some kid forgot their water bottle and you had no cups, I strongly suggest you learn how to fold paper into an origami cup for emergencies. It's really not that hard, I could probably do it myself from being 5 year old.

CoffeeNeeded2019 · 10/09/2020 00:29

Children must have access to water , so the only question is did the teacher realise he hadn’t got into the bottle
I know you’re sending a new bottle in tomorrow but it might be worth just letting the teacher know that he didn’t have a drink all day & isn’t yet confident to go back for help?

The pic is a screenshot from the govt publication that @GabriellaMontez linked to

To be irked that teacher wouldn’t open 6-year-old’s water bottle at school?
Torvean32 · 10/09/2020 01:58

@TantricTwist

So OP considering a headache is a symptom of Covid which your DC states he had will you be sending him to School tomorrow?

Will you also be truthful if you decide to call the School to complain about said water bottle incident despite knowing why she did not open it due to School covid rules and state he said he had a headache, and that he really should have had a bottle he could open anyway.

It's a dilemma isnt it really.

It's covid and the DC are back at School, everyone is trying their best to negotiate their way around it, will you be that DM that calls in to complain about this?

A headache is not one of the main symptoms of COVID.

Im not saying the teacher was correct. However ppl saying wash hands, open the bottle, wash hands again... Do all classrooms have sinks the teacher could use. Would it also have meant that the teacher had to do it a multitude of times?

WhatamessIgotinto · 10/09/2020 06:34

So OP considering a headache is a symptom of Covid which your DC states he had will you be sending him to School tomorrow?

Don't be ridiculous @TantricTwist if everyone who had a headache demanded a CoVID test there would none left in the country by Friday, it's hard enough to get one as it is without wasting precious resources. A headache on its own is not a symptom of Covid19. A headache "may^ accompany other symptoms such as a temperature, cough, sense of taste or anosmia - surely you are aware of that by.now.

Yarr0w · 10/09/2020 06:48

Blimey with all the huge amount of hoops schools are putting themselves through to get every child an education alongside putting themselves( many of whom will be over 50) at risk I find it sad that some parents choose to make a fuss over something so trivial.

No child died from spending a few hours without water.

Schools have far bigger issues on their hands like you know managing hundreds of kids in the midst of a pandemic.

Send in a better bottle. One of very few jobs you as a parent have to do as regards schooling.

OwlBeThere · 10/09/2020 06:53

@HandfulofDust..erm, no I’m not remembering incorrectly. We were not allowed drinks in the classroom during my entire school career including college doing A levels. It was totally normal then. I’m not saying that I think it’s a good thing, it’s much better to be allowed a drink. But neglect and other such dramatics is over the top.

Bunkumum · 10/09/2020 06:54

Why are people automatically taking the words of a 6 year old as absolute fact?

I presume teacher said at the beginning of term that children needed to try and open their own water bottles. Said child understood that as no adult would open any water bottle. Said child couldn’t open his own water bottle, dutifully vaguely remembered the teacher saying something about having to open your own water bottle and didn’t ask at all. This is exactly what my son would do.

Yarr0w · 10/09/2020 07:01

Water bottles in classrooms were brought in in the 90s. Those of us who had schooling pre 90s all survived. I think 6 hours is survivable and by no stretch of the imagination neglect.

A parent not bothering to check their child could open its bottle could be described as pretty lax though.

TroysMammy · 10/09/2020 07:05

Teacher would have to wash their hands first then opened the bottle then washed her hands again. Imagine doing that for a class of children who needed help to open their bottles.

trixiebelden77 · 10/09/2020 07:12

She should have opened it. But the PPs who’d be ‘livid’, ‘fuming’ or ‘kick off’ sound frankly insane.

As for the comment about imagining not having a drink all day at work.....

😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂