Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Only the apps you allow.

Meet the Other Phone.
Only the apps you allow.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

AIBU to take son out of school for the day?

26 replies

ChazP · 31/10/2020 11:34

Oldest daughter has an inset day on Monday. I’ve booked to take her to an attraction about 1.5 hours away. We’d planned to go as a family in half-term but read horror stories about queues and social distancing so transferred the booking to Monday instead.

Son is in Yr 2 and is due to be in school on Monday. I’m now feeling really guilty about not taking him with us, particularly since there’s likely to be a lockdown coming so there probably won’t be outings like this for some time. Plus, he’d have to go to after school club which he doesn’t really enjoy.

WIBU to take him out of school for the day so he can come with us? The place we’re going is kind of educational...at a stretch...!

OP posts:
Aragog · 31/10/2020 11:37

This year tbh I'd just let him miss a day of school, if it's something he'd enjoy.

I teach primary and missing one day isn't going to have much of a detrimental effect overall.

But then I also don't have an issue with primary (and to an extent ks3) children having time off for family holidays either.

happylittlechick · 31/10/2020 11:39

Tbh I think he'd be best in school. He already missed so much last year and with lockdowns/bubbles self isolating/self isolating for symptoms he's likely to miss much more.
I also don't think it's fair to take your daughter without her brother but that was your choice.

SavoyCabbage · 31/10/2020 11:44

I also teach primary and I'd take him out.

LindaEllen · 31/10/2020 11:47

This year has been so disruptive for kids, so I can hardly imagine one more day is going to make a massive difference, particularly at his age.

Go and enjoy yourselves before this bloody lockdown.

TheMethodicalMeerkat · 31/10/2020 11:50

I can’t see that one day will make any difference at all. Take him for a fun day out while you have the opportunity.

Mosschopz · 31/10/2020 11:50

I wouldn’t. Of course a day missed won’t hinder his progress (if it did, no-one would ever take a day off with a sniffle) but that isn’t the point. He could be in and out of school this year if there are cases in his year and the school doesn’t need you breaking that routine further. He is getting a message from you that if there is fun to be had, it’s ok to skip school.

Idroppedthescrewinthetuna · 31/10/2020 11:52

Mum of 3 here, strict on attendance. Last year I would have said to send to school. This year I am saying kids need something to be excited for! Have a fantastic day! We are possibly locking down next week anyway so if we fo at least they have had a good day beforehand!

Original poster
ChazP · 31/10/2020 12:03

Thanks all.
I agree I should have thought this through when I booked it. It was all a bit spur of the moment once we decided we weren’t going to go during half-term. I also completely agree that I shouldn’t be giving my son a message that he can miss school when there’s a more fun alternative. To put it in a bit of context, my kids were both in year groups that went back full-time at the start of June and even when some of his friends were not back, or were taking a day off a week, he still went in every day, with remarkably little fuss. We’ve also been lucky, so far, that his year group hasn’t had to isolate (although I know that’s going to happen at some point!).

Many thanks again, everyone. I’m going to mull in it a bit more, but at the moment I think it’s likely I’ll take him with us.

OP posts:
Witchcraftandhokum · 31/10/2020 12:12

I would take him and I work in a school. However I wonder how many others advising you to do the same would be complaining about missed education if the schools closed again.

Annoyance · 31/10/2020 12:14

Yeah this year has been so crap, I'd take him on the day out for something nice to do.

GlittercheeksOakleaf · 31/10/2020 12:15

I work in a school too. Take him and have a lovely day with your family!

Ickabog · 31/10/2020 12:18

Another one here who works in a school, and I agree that you should take him out for the day. Have fun. Smile

flyingant · 31/10/2020 12:31

Another vote for yes, take him. Just wondering, why does he do an after school club he doesn't enjoy?

Mokusspokus · 31/10/2020 12:38

Take him out, life is too short

SavoyCabbage · 31/10/2020 12:39

@flyingant

Another vote for yes, take him. Just wondering, why does he do an after school club he doesn't enjoy?

I think it's because they will be on the day out and won't be back in time.

SwedishK · 31/10/2020 12:47

Definitely take him out for the day. Life is hard enough as it is at the moment. Better enjoy every opportunity we get.

SnuggyBuggy · 31/10/2020 12:50

Do it, it's just a day. There are only going to be so many opportunities to do anything nice in the coming months

Original poster
ChazP · 31/10/2020 12:51

@flyingant

Another vote for yes, take him. Just wondering, why does he do an after school club he doesn't enjoy?
He does after school club (just the usual wraparound care) because I’m usually working. Most days he’s fine going because some of his friends go. He’s never as happy about Mondays because none of his friendship group go.
OP posts:
S111n20 · 31/10/2020 12:56

I would take him out of school for the day tbh.

Pieceofpurplesky · 31/10/2020 12:57

Take him out. This year has gone to shit anyway. Let him do something fun before everything shuts again!

cansu · 31/10/2020 12:57

I would say no you shouldn't. It is giving him the message that you don't value school much. He is also definitely going to mention it to someone. Are you going to lie to school and say he's ill? I also think that it is quite insulting particularly now where people working in schools are worried about their own health at the same time as trying to do as much as they can to deliver lessons and catch up. I am normally someone who supports a family holiday at the end of the school year before the hols etc but taking a day off to go to a theme park or similar is pretty poor.

Iamclearlyamug · 31/10/2020 13:02

Definitely go, it won’t make a blind bit of difference given everything that’s happened this year.

I’ve booked tickets to Harry Potter world for my daughters 9th birthday and purposely booked it for a Monday so I could take her out of school - hopefully less busy and she’ll get more out of it

movingonup20 · 31/10/2020 13:06

I suspect nobody is going on Monday so I wouldn't worry.

Norma27 · 31/10/2020 13:11

You will probably find it just as busy on Monday.
Normally, inset days are the worst days to go as everybody has the same idea thinking they will be quieter.

pastapestoparmesan · 31/10/2020 13:14

I’m a primary school teacher and normally 100% against this kind of thing. I say, take him on the outing! The whole year has gone to shit, have a fun day out.