To want to scream at school WhatsApp - THANK YOUs

[SpaceOp]

I am being a total grinch, I get it. But last day of term and the 400 Merry Christmas, thanks everyone for being so great, thanks class reps for organising presents, I love this class so much... messages have started. At last count I was on 15 messages in the last 30 minutes.

This, of course, follows the endless confirmations we've had this week such as, "Ooh, johnny didn't get a Christmas card from the teacher, is there a mistake" and then every single person checking in to say that yes, they got theirs.

I know, I know, just mute or exit group. But usually it's actually pretty sensible and v useful. It's just this crazy end of term at Christmas thing!!!!

Schools closed in England today. State ones anyway.

I know this is exactly what you asked people not to say...

But I genuinely don't understand people who get upset with volume of messages. If its all filler just step away from it: I don't see why you can't just let it wash over you?

Let other people have their fun: its been an absolutely awful year and people are grasping for the very few straws they have. Let them crack on.

One of my class groups is up to 36 posts. I just let it pile up on days like this and quickly scan through in a minute.

It’s a useful resource to have but you don’t have to read every post and you certainly don’t have to respond to every post.

Sounds like deleting the group is the best idea. If there is anything important it’s the schools responsibility to let you know.

My favourite is the ‘does anyone have Sarah’s jumper by mistake, she couldn’t find it after PE’ and nearly everyone replies to say that no, they've checked and they don’t have it. Just say if you do, please!

Just mute it for 8 hours or forever.

I've had two work Whatsapp Groups like this.

One person says something and 20 people coo comment. Does my nut in. I really don't care that Linda's daughter's baby has done her first proper poo. It's oversharing on steroids sometimes.

Parent 1: Emily didn't come home with her jumper today. Can you let me know if any of your kids picked it up by accident please.

Parent: No, Molly hasn't got it
Parent: Toby came home with only his jumper, sorry.
Parent: Ha ha, it's usually Lauren who loses hers.
Parent: It can't be Lucy, she hasn't had a school jumper all term
Parent: I hope you find it hun.
etc etc

Parent 1 actually only wants a reply if someone has got the chuffing jumper, no everyone's personal anecdotes.

I hate these as well. I got added into one against my will and its always this sort of bullshit. I left ours

@WellTidy

My favourite is the ‘does anyone have Sarah’s jumper by mistake, she couldn’t find it after PE’ and nearly everyone replies to say that no, they've checked and they don’t have it. Just say if you do, please!

Ha! Sorry.....I posted my little rant before RTFT.

The worst thing about ours was everyone recorded a happy birthday for each child's birthday. Yet when my son was moving class, I asked the parents if they could record their child saying goodbye. I don't care for that stuff but DS does. One person did it. They could all manage to do everybody's birthday, but couldn't say a goodbye and good luck for my son, who was moving to a special school because mainstream couldn't meet his needs. He kept asking me why his friends wouldn't talk to him.

I refuse to be in one ever again after that experience. Bunch of dickheads.

I never joined ours. You'll find out what you need from school. You're an adult, you'll manage.

And if you forget, it's a good life lesson for kidd in taking responsibility.

Those groups are always dominated by parents who think primary school is about THEM not the kids.

Wow imagine having something so petty to get worked up about! Just mute it for a few days.

It’s either useful enough to put up with it or it’s not, in which case mute or leave. Yes WhatsApp groups have their frustrations, but you said yourself you find it useful. You can’t have it both ways.

I left ours a while ago - do it!!!

My DC whatsapp group is great. Is it like everything else you only hear about the terrible/annoying ones? We have had our group for a while and I don't remember one incident of where's Johnny's jumper. Surely if your child is missing his jumper you check the school lost property box? One DC teachers didn't give xmas cards this year and another made named baubles, haven't heard a peep from anyone.

But to be honest even if you were out of the group would you miss anything major? As long as you're up to date with your calendar -and what happens when- the old way, you don't really need a whatsapp group if its annoying.

@PinGwyn our teachers use ours for fairly important updates like “just to let you know we are switching PE to Tuesday this week”, the night before their usual PE Day. One time they even told us they were changing pick up and collection times using the WhatsApp group.

OP I totally agree. Tbh I can’t say I’ve been particularly happy with our school this year for many, many reasons, so seeing all the ‘we have the best teachers in the world’ messages does grate a little. Plus I hate all the insincere ‘let’s hope 2021 is a better year’ bollocks. Come on. We all know 2021 is going to be shit too. Nah. Can’t force myself to participate, although I’m sure my lack of response will be noted somewhere.

God, so glad we don't have this...I can easily contact several different parents if I need to find something out, some parents have my no for emergencies - worked well today when I didn't realise it was an early finish...

Glad there were no such things when my children went to school.it's all a bit over the top silliness.

ours is particularly arse licky towards the school this year i think because the heads kid is in their class this year. I find it embarrassing it's a very average school i don't think they've ever had an original or creative idea between them and very uninspiring over the lock down they forgot they had 200 pupils at home for months on end, but our watsapp is something else on the gratitude front.

I dont have a school whatsapp, my kids are in nursery but I hope theres no whatsapp group when they get to school. I am however in one for work which is purely for extra shifts, we have multiple conversations like

-Boss: Can anyone come off tomorrow dayshift to do tonight?

Replies consisting of

• I can’t do tonight but I can take annual leave tomorrow
• I’m not in tomorrow but I can come off dayshift in February to do tonight
• I can’t do tonight but I can work on Thursday

WTF just reply if you CAN do what’s asked.

Say your phone is struggling for storage / you can’t keep up with the messages or just say nothing and leave. I accidentally left a group like this a few months ago- nobody cared.

I refuse to be in the school WhatsApp or fb group for my kids. I don't even know if there is one for the oldest, but I have a friend with a child in the same class as my youngest and she keeps me posted on anything important (not that there ever is anything important).

Just send the vomit emoji and see if anyone dares to say anything.

I'm so glad we don't have a class group like this and never had one for the older 3 who are in high school either!
PE kits are kept in school for the half term, sports kits sent in on Mondays, club reminders are sent on the school seesaw app and any reminders for payment are sent on Arbor by school office staff.
Phew!