Mums setting up class wattsapp groups?

[Glitterzzz]

Hi

My little one has started reception in September. It’s been a while since I’ve dealt with schooling for this age group as my eldest is much elder

Anyways I have been notified a mum from each class has set up a wattsapp group for each class.. just wondering if this is the norm? With newsletters, emails, texts and the x2 daily school run what is the purpose of the wattsapp groups ?

Would you recommend joining or avoid ?

Thanks

Definitively useful and common

BUT

I am strongly fighting against whatsapp groups in favour of a FACEBOOK group.

I like my phone number to be private
and my whatsapp reserved for private things

facebook has a "search" option, it's easy to find information

facebook allow you to make one post, and all comments are attached to it. It's easy to ignore.

Whatsapp is a nightmare as you need to scroll through endless nonsense to find the information you need and you cannot save anything.

If I was you, I would set up a Facebook class group instead. It makes your life so much easier!

It's normal. I hate it but it's incredibly useful for the 'don't forget you need to bring in a quid today for Children in Need' type stuff.

I mute it and only go into it if I need to look something up.

Ours is useful for reminders of non uniform days.

Also when a child tested positive for coronavirus we had a place to send love and reassurance to the family who were feeling guilty that the class had to isolate It was good to see everyone rallying together to be nice.

I dont join them personally.

Ours is full of twats anti-vaxxers

It can be useful for some reminders etc, but a lot of "sorry to ask again, but is it PE on Friday?". YES. Same as last bloody week.

Word of warning: don't EVER be tempted to join in with bashing the school on any of those threads.
our HT has got sight of many of them

I think, unfortunatley, this is normal now.

Personally, I'd avoid this like the plague. Anything important will be sent via note from the school.

I don't belong to ours but have heard it is mostly used for gossiping.

They're very normal these days to be honest and quite useful.

Whether you like them or not will depend on your personality and how communicative you are. Some people are on them all the time about every tiny detail and concern and it can get a bit waring. Some people find them quite bitchy and exclusive.

But they are useful if you want to check something with someone in a hurry (ie uniform etc).

I'd join it and maybe mute it if it gets too much.

I've found the class whatsapp group pretty useful.

Yes, there were a few try-hards showing off their amazing crafting over lockdown but for the most part it's Mums firing quick questions at each other about things they've forgotten, eg when HW is due or the date of an event.

Just join it and don't contribute if you don't want to.

If it gets annoying mute notifications.

I'd join it. It's useful for things you don't know about or have forgotten. And it's a nice way to connect to the parents of the other kiddies on your class.

Join it

You’ll never screw up on homework,
Odd sock day or charity events ever again! Invaluable!

I would avoid. Phone number should be private. A parent who becomes anxious and desperate about something and does not have the same time boundaries for contacting others could start contacting you, and ignoring them might seem callous.

We have Facebook groups which I think work better. Never any drama just kept to generic stuff about homework and non-uniform days really.

Wasn't a thing when mine was younger but I can imagine it being handy for reminders especially if you work full-time. Personally I would mute though as I am in a WhatsApp group for a friend who is having treatment, great for her re updates and silly memes, but not so great whilst I am at work. Just means I can catch up when at home.

I haven’t got the brain space for our one, so I’ve not joined.

I was dreading joining ours (reception child too) as I’d heard nightmares but to be honest it’s been fine so far and useful. Especially at the moment whilst we can’t hang around at the school gates or really chat much to other parents.

I hope there is one when my son starts school. I'm not going to be around much at the school gates due to work so it'll be handy for reminders and also seeing what the culture is like.

@sauvignonbonk

We have Facebook groups which I think work better. Never any drama just kept to generic stuff about homework and non-uniform days really.

Agreed. I’m happy to be part of my son’s class Facebook group. A WhatsApp group will just send me demented though.

We have a Facebook message group and it’s brilliant, have the usual school stuff but it’s also a great place of support. It seems to be a really good year of mums so much so we have done a few mums night out.

@PeggyPorschen

Definitively useful and common

BUT

I am strongly fighting against whatsapp groups in favour of a FACEBOOK group.

I like my phone number to be private
and my whatsapp reserved for private things

facebook has a "search" option, it's easy to find information

facebook allow you to make one post, and all comments are attached to it. It's easy to ignore.

Whatsapp is a nightmare as you need to scroll through endless nonsense to find the information you need and you cannot save anything.

If I was you, I would set up a Facebook class group instead. It makes your life so much easier!

WhatsApp does have a search function (I mean, there are other problems with it but this is not one of them)

I'm in one each for my kids and one is factual info and the other is chatty so I mute it!

It’s more grief trying to avoid being In them so just accept and mute. It’s always the same 5 parents that chat in it.

What’s worse is when you get added to kids party wassap groups send out invites like a normal person

Klaxon!! Avoid! My sons class doesn't have one but my daughters does and the batshit parents all wind each other up. There's weekly hysteria over rubbish like school dinners or non uniform days. I ended up leaving it because they're all quite mad.

I find them to be useful for logistics and last minute reminders which somehow give a sense of connection and support.

It definitely depends what the group is like, luck of the draw I'm afraid. Our class group chat is great, but we've all become good friends.