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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

What did your DC's school do if you couldn't get your DC to school as you are too unwell?

423 replies

UndertheCedartree · 01/01/2022 02:32

Just posting here for traffic.

If you are a single parent and have been in a situation that you were still ill to get your DC to school what did school do? I will probably be in this situation next week. This happened once prior to Covid and some of the pastoral care teachers came and picked my DD up. It happened once recently and they suggested she stay at home and do online learning. That was fine as I had twisted my ankle and couldn't put any weight on it but I could help with online learning. However this time I have Covid and will not be able to do online learning with her.

OP posts:
OnceuponaRainbow18 · 01/01/2022 06:17

It’s pretty mental that school staff are now expected to pick up people’s kids to take them to school, we are under an unbearable amount of pressure, I wouldn’t even ask.

Surely you have one friend/kid has one friend you could ask to pick up yours on the way?

SleepingStandingUp · 01/01/2022 06:18

If you're bed bound, who's caring for her now?

sweetbellyhigh · 01/01/2022 06:21

@Londonlassy

Wow. I live in OZ and I have never heard of schools assisting with transport to school. The onus is on the parents is to make arrangements with friends, neighbours and family to get DC to school. This thread is a bit of an eye opener
I'm in NZ and it happens all the time here.
Itsallok · 01/01/2022 06:27

You must know someone who could pick them up. Any why o you assume it will be a long time?

SleepingStandingUp · 01/01/2022 06:29

If you've got covid though surely she shouldn't be in. She isn't vaccinated, surely she's just going to take it to school with her

DifferentHair · 01/01/2022 06:42

I've never heard of the school collecting children like this. My mind is blown.

Where I am from it is on the parents to sort something out.

DifferentHair · 01/01/2022 06:44

OP do you expect a staff member to put themselves at risk and willingly hop into an enclosed space with your presumably unvaccinated daughter, who is living with an active Covid case, in order to help you out by driving her to school?

Oblomov21 · 01/01/2022 06:48

These are the kind of things that parents should think about and talk about before. If you had a back up plan there wouldn't be an issue. If you thought about it, or asked around, beforehand, you could probably find a nice person to do you a favour. You could talk to your dc about .... if this happened ...

OnceuponaRainbow18 · 01/01/2022 06:52

@DifferentHair

Also raises the issue of car insurance- as it becomes a work car…!

gunnersgold · 01/01/2022 06:53

Can't you ask a friend to pick them up? It's not down to the school to help you really. I took a friends dd to school and picked her up daily for months while she was Ill in hospital . I'm sure someone will help. Do you have covid or something else? I guess that is a consideration too.

Picklesbaby · 01/01/2022 07:02

I had covid they said she must stay at home if I had no one to bring her & set online Learning (primary)

Itonlytakesonetree · 01/01/2022 07:16

Who is helping you now if you are bed bound? Can they help with the school run?

00100001 · 01/01/2022 07:22

I find it hard to believe that there are zero people in the entire planet that could get her to school.

She doesn't have a friend, with a parent that might be able to take her? You don't have a single friend or family member anywhere nearby ish with the ability to drive/walk/cycle with her? You don't have taxis in your area? Confused

shouldistop · 01/01/2022 07:28

You don't know anyone that can take her to school? That's quite unusual I think.
I'd be trying to get to know some other people if that's the case. This could be the third (?) time she's missed school because you've been ill. That's quite a lot.

shouldistop · 01/01/2022 07:32

Good point @00100001 if she's 9 then I'd send her in a taxi if there was absolutely no one to take her

ChimChimeny · 01/01/2022 07:37

I'm also a bit surprised the first thought is someone from school.picking her up/dropping her off. Aren't there any parents of her friends who could help?

Explosivefarts · 01/01/2022 07:37

I’m in Scotland and never once heard of this happening . Maybe if social workers were involved someone would come collect them.

Explosivefarts · 01/01/2022 07:44

Hope you feel better soon anyway OP

cocktailclub · 01/01/2022 07:45

You're well enough to post on Mumsnet so could you possibly do some work with dd? Not being unkind but you could break it into small chunks and set her a task to do while you have a rest then mark it when you wake up.
I'm not a single parent but when my dc were little my partner worked away. I remember a few times being really unwell myself but just doing the minimum with them to keep them out of mischief and sleeping at every opportunity.

CristinaYangismySpiritAnimal · 01/01/2022 07:54

If it’s Covid, we would authorise the absence. If you were unwell with anything else, we wouldn’t. It would really depend on the circumstances how understanding we would be - we tend to know the likelihood of a parent being able to ask someone else for help. In very rare circumstances, we may be able to help for one day.

Emerald5hamrock · 01/01/2022 07:55

After the 10 days you will most likely feel better.
There's nothing you can do until then unless family or friends can help.

DeepaBeesKit · 01/01/2022 07:56

Where I live you would be expected to find someone else to get your child to school - school would help you find another parent willing to help via class reps/pta etc. I've walked various neighbours kids to school with mine when they've been isolating etc.

Itsnotdeep · 01/01/2022 07:58

I asked my school this question - they said they'd pick the children up if they lived close enough.

MadisonMontgomery · 01/01/2022 07:59

Couldn’t you ask one of her school friends parents to take her with their child?

Emerald5hamrock · 01/01/2022 08:00

Tbf I wouldn't take a DC in a car if their parent had covid, likely incubating inside the child.