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

I'm on the fence - I was in one for DD's class in primary school and it was really helpful for homework - DD's dyslexia and ADHD meant quite often she'd lose the homework on the way home/leave it behind and it was brilliant for that. We didn't have any drama llamas in the group so it kept itself to school matters. There was a separate Friday coffee group but that was just 'who's coming and where are we going'-type messages.

I now work in a school and they are the bane of my existence. A certain %ge of parents don't bother looking at the website, emails or newsletter, they literally just make shit up and then get cross with us when we tell them it's nonsense.

"It said on the class whatsapp that all the children are going home at lunchtime today'

• erm... no.

"But it said!" - Well, it's wrong. "But I want to pick up little Billy at midday, I promised him!"

• Well, I'm sorry about that, but school is a full day today.

"He's gonna cry! Do you want to make my Billy cry?" This x 5 or so when you're trying to get on with your job.

Don't get me started on Covid rumours, school trips and flu jabs...

Plus I don't like having people then requesting to be added on my FB

I have created a FB account just for the "school" and kids clubs/sports stuff.

I like a peaceful and efficient life. I appreciate it might be a bit extreme for some, but I like my private social media... private!

Totally normal and very useful

There's one for my sons class, I find it useful for information, the parents in it aren't gossipy or annoying, it's just really used for class information etc

I've been in a few in my time and I've found them polite and mostly filled with helpful and purposeful info. Yes, all the important info you need to know comes from the school in the form of newsletters and letters home, so you could do without the whatsapp . . . . but honestly, there's so much info it's hard to stay on top of it all, especially with multiple children. When you realise over breakfast that your child is supposed to come into school dressed as an Amazonian rainforest animal; or with a scale model of St Pancras Station made out twigs; but you can't remember which day, it's much easier to ping the question on the whatsapp than to go back through the multiple comms from the school to find the relevant info. A parent on the whatsapp might say 'sh*t, I forgot that a shoebox is needed for art' and someone will say 'don't worry, I have a spare'. Also, there are times when parents want to pull together to do something (perhaps organise a party and hoodies for Yr6 leavers, or to fund and plant a garden in the school) and it's quite handy as a channel of communication to see who's interested. It is in vogue on mumsnet to despise the school gate, the PTA and class whatsapps . . . but my experience having put a couple of DC through primary now is that a) they tend to be peopled with nice people and in fact a below-average numbers of idiots, and b) the parents who opt out are to some degree opting their DC out of a link to the school that could benefit them: their's are the kids who come in wearing the wrong socks on PE day, their's are the kids who turn up to the summer fair and realise that they are the only children who aren't helping on the stalls because their parents never knew there was a rota etc etc. I would go on the group and mute it if you fancy, what is there to loose?

We have them, it’s just used for things like ‘does anyone happen to have milo’s jumper at home?’

Useful for reminders (non uniform days etc), teacher collections, arranging social events (not at the moment!!) and sharing info about homework (although less relevant for reception probably)
But there are so many irrelevant messages, people who don’t seem to be able to read newsletters, and a bit of gossip which can clutter up the group.

@PeggyPorschen

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

do you mean the search function through the entire app, or is there a search function specific to a specific group?

You can do both.

You can search the whole app or you can search in an individual group or chat

I’ve been part of two, both of which have started great, but we’re quickly muted when they turned in to a bitch fest towards the school. I haven’t got time or the inclination to be part of that and am generally organised enough to remember when non uniform days are by putting everything on the family calendar as it comes in.

You will very quickly learn that some parents get quite over invested in their child’s friendships and schooling and that type are best avoided!

I started one at the beginning of lockdown. For selfish reasons I wanted to be able to keep in better contact with other mums, be able to easily organise things like zoom calls for my son (especially because he had a birthday over lockdown). We mainly used it for sending happy birthday messages to children whose birthday it was, occassional posting of child holding a craftwork/cake/random item they were particularly proud of. Information sharing about the school, new lockdown rules, ideas for keeping children occupied. Sometimes silly memes. It was nice and not bitchy. It is used a lot less now that they are back at school but someone will still sometimes message asking for info about something school related. I havent deleted it/left just in case it is needed again if we have another lockdown etc. Also its helpful being able to cntact any individual member of te group in case you want to sugest a playdate but dont have the parents number (more of an issue now because the school dates are socially distanced)

One of my groups has just helped me find a replacement missing Lego brick! Within 5 minutes of asking if anyone happened to have this particular block I had an offer

They are great and when the couple of drama lamas in another group I'm in get started, everyone just quietly ignores it so they blow themselves out before everyone else gets drawn in.

Don't get me started on Covid rumours, school trips and flu jabs...

Oh god yes. Had a few priceless ones on that.

fingers to head in the shape of gun blowing own brains out

I think I can genuinely say, few things wind me up more than the stupidity on the class whatsapp group. I would rather deal with the 5 and 6 year olds myself than their parents. 5 year old reasoning is more advanced.

I was in the class chat group when my youngest was in primary school

It was really helpful for years (lost property, forgotten dates and stuff like that) but then got really bitchy and unpleasant

One evening my phone kept pinging as someone was having a rant and i got so sick of it I left the chat.

I didn’t realise whatsapp would post

“SPRINGERSROCK HAS LEFT THE GROUP”

I got so much grief over it, I’ve refused to join every group chat since

We have them - they're strictly business only though, and it's kindly enforced, so it's not a pain. Can be useful for those 'DS2 is telling me he needs to take in 10 toilet rolls this morning - is that really true?' moments.

My son has just started Reception and pretty much all of the parents have joined the class Whats App group. As PP have said, useful for reminders about INSET days, odd socks day, art projects etc, plus messages about lost jumpers etc. Also used by the PSA reps to share messages. Plus lots of "Child x is going to (local park) this afternoon if anyone else is around" sorts of messages.

There was one parent who tried to start a fight with the school about school dinners and attempted to use the Whats App group to rally other parents, but that was quickly squashed. I think it is a shame though as I am sure that plenty of parents rolled their eyes and muted the group.

Really handy for not forgetting events including swimming, school trips (which will happen again!), spelling lists, school photo day etc.

Realistically it all depends on the other parents...
If they are going to be a nightmare on whatsapp, then they are probably also a nightmare in the playground, at the school nativity and on any facebook page.
You'll never know unless you try it and see how it goes.
Our Year 3 one is lovely - not massively active but when someone needs to know something/some help its very responsive.
Video messages to kids having birthdays during lockdown was a high point...

Do 1 and put it up for auction so as not to miss the stamp duty holiday and not rack up many more months of bills. Please don’t try and strip the wallpaper in case plaster comes off too.

I was an executor for a relative’s estate. The property was a mess as they had been a heavy smoker and hoarder and it took 6 months to sort by weekly trips. After a very long sale that collapsed, it sold at auction painlessly.

Wrong thread!

@wingsandstrings

I've been in a few in my time and I've found them polite and mostly filled with helpful and purposeful info. Yes, all the important info you need to know comes from the school in the form of newsletters and letters home, so you could do without the whatsapp . . . . but honestly, there's so much info it's hard to stay on top of it all, especially with multiple children. When you realise over breakfast that your child is supposed to come into school dressed as an Amazonian rainforest animal; or with a scale model of St Pancras Station made out twigs; but you can't remember which day, it's much easier to ping the question on the whatsapp than to go back through the multiple comms from the school to find the relevant info. A parent on the whatsapp might say 'sh*t, I forgot that a shoebox is needed for art' and someone will say 'don't worry, I have a spare'. Also, there are times when parents want to pull together to do something (perhaps organise a party and hoodies for Yr6 leavers, or to fund and plant a garden in the school) and it's quite handy as a channel of communication to see who's interested. It is in vogue on mumsnet to despise the school gate, the PTA and class whatsapps . . . but my experience having put a couple of DC through primary now is that a) they tend to be peopled with nice people and in fact a below-average numbers of idiots, and b) the parents who opt out are to some degree opting their DC out of a link to the school that could benefit them: their's are the kids who come in wearing the wrong socks on PE day, their's are the kids who turn up to the summer fair and realise that they are the only children who aren't helping on the stalls because their parents never knew there was a rota etc etc. I would go on the group and mute it if you fancy, what is there to loose?

I feel the same. Im probably one of the people that some of the other MN roll their eyes at because (horror) I don't put everything on the calendar or remember every odd sock/dress up/ charity day.

Our school (i imagine similar to others) doesn't publish various event dates on their website so sometimes you get an email at the beginning of term telling you when roman day and dog trust day are, (weeks in advance) some are added throughout the term on a different email, or changed date.
Our whatsapp is quite helpful that usually someone prompts the class before anyone asks...followed by 5 people saying thanks I had totally missed that.

Noooo! Work of the devil!!

I was at the shite posted on the one that somebody somehow included me in when my kid was in reception.
I gracefully bowed out of it.

But then I’m an antisocial, introverted, rude bitch who turns up, drops off kid then pisses off with headphones, face mask and 20foot social distancing space.

I don’t do people in any shape or form.

Avoid. I’ve just left the WhatsApp group. Too much moaning going on and not asking their kids what’s going on as well. ‘Why has no one from the office messaged us?’ ‘Mrs X said this, but I’ve not heard anything’, ‘I can’t buy little X’s Christmas cards’ (when they’ve only that day handed them in), then a mum starts advertising her services 😴

I've found them massively useful, for reminders, questions, favours,and social stuff. Why not join, and then either leave or mute notifications if you don't feel you benefit?

I don't think there was one for DS (now year 6) unless I was never asked to join.
I'm in one for DD who is in year 2, sometimes things don't apply or people do go on a bit, but I just mute the group and will check in if I need some info.
I only do the school run once a week so don't really know anyone so do find it quite useful.

I find them really useful.

However the parents on the ones I’m on are mostly competent and sane, which limits the amount of bullshit. In fact there aren’t that many messages past reception, maybe a handful a week.