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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To consider keeping dd home Friday due to weather?

144 replies

Lovemusic33 · 16/02/2022 13:18

I know I'm probably being over anxious. Dd travels to school by taxi a hour away from home, we live rural so it involves country lanes as well as driving through villages and towns (taxi collects 2 other children on route). We are forecast 80-90mph winds and are on a amber warning. Its the last day of half term so they won't be doing much, dd has sn's so if the taxi route is delayed or has to reroute due to falling trees she will get very distressed. So AIBU to consider keeping her home?

OP posts:
Original poster
Lovemusic33 · 16/02/2022 19:26

@1forAll74

Well I went to school in the war, when bombs were dropping on schools and houses, and in 1947, had to walk through 6 ft snow drifts, in sub zero temperatures, school was about half an hours walk away. There was a farm up the road, and the farmer took his three children to school on the back of his tractor when it was seriously bad weather days.
But it’s not 1947 now 😉
OP posts:
Fuckitydoodah · 16/02/2022 19:29

I can understand why you want to and I think you have to go with your gut feeling. One day isn't going to hurt. You'll only be on edge all day if you sent her.

fairylightsandwaxmelts · 16/02/2022 19:30

@1forAll74

Well I went to school in the war, when bombs were dropping on schools and houses, and in 1947, had to walk through 6 ft snow drifts, in sub zero temperatures, school was about half an hours walk away. There was a farm up the road, and the farmer took his three children to school on the back of his tractor when it was seriously bad weather days.
I bet it was uphill both ways too Wink

It's not a race to the bottom. Nobody wins any prizes for going out in dangerous weather conditions.

Fuckitydoodah · 16/02/2022 19:37

Just seen on the BBC news site that Cornwall Council are advising people against travel on Friday. So, I'm even more of the opinion that it would be the right thing to do.

YoBeaches · 16/02/2022 19:42

Deff keep her home. It's not worth the stress or anxiety or risk for one day of school Before half term.

UserWithNoUserName · 16/02/2022 19:45

I'd keep her off in those circumstances.
Are the teachers likely to get in if its going to be that bad?

Original poster
Lovemusic33 · 16/02/2022 19:49

@Fuckitydoodah

Just seen on the BBC news site that Cornwall Council are advising people against travel on Friday. So, I'm even more of the opinion that it would be the right thing to do.
Just heard they there’s a chance it will be upgraded to a red warning tomorrow 😬.
OP posts:
WonderfulYou · 16/02/2022 19:51

She gets really stressed when the weather is bad

As someone who teaches in an SEN school I would absolutely keep her off if you think she’s going to be distressed.

If the weather is very bad they may have to leave early or be stuck in traffic which would be even more disruptive.

She don’t be missing much on the last day and if she’s so anxious she won’t be able to access the learning properly anyway.

As you say keep an eye on the weather and then let school know.

wheresmyhairytoe · 16/02/2022 19:59

@CannibalQueen

Where are all these kids with anxiety coming from? When I was at school, going to school in a storm would have been adventure and if there was a tree down, well hey, more time out of school while we found a new route. It would have given us lots to talk about (and embroider) once we got to school.
Did you miss the bit about her being severely autistic? Autism and anxiety can be very debilitating.

OP, keep her home.

mogsrus · 16/02/2022 20:19

First it's snow,now windy weather,what next,don't go today because it's raining,soft far too soft

Original poster
Lovemusic33 · 16/02/2022 20:28

@mogsrus

First it's snow,now windy weather,what next,don't go today because it's raining,soft far too soft
It’s not just a bit of wind though is it? It’s 100mph winds 🤔.
OP posts:
amitoooldforthisshit · 16/02/2022 20:28

simple plan if schools closed they stay home, if not they go, be it hail, hell, or high water

fairylightsandwaxmelts · 16/02/2022 20:36

@amitoooldforthisshit

simple plan if schools closed they stay home, if not they go, be it hail, hell, or high water
Yeah, because life is that simple Hmm

Some people can walk to school, others have longer journeys on rural roads that are often blocked by trees or flooding and make it impossible to get anywhere.

mogsrus · 16/02/2022 20:43

Lovemusic33. Like I wrote...soft far too soft, I'm going to work along with thousands of others

WonderfulYou · 16/02/2022 21:19

Like I wrote...soft far too soft, I'm going to work along with thousands of others

Congratulations.

I’m assuming you’re not a 15 year old girl with autism going to a SEND school who struggles to cope with storms?

As PPs have posted above - Cornwall council has advised people to travel only if absolutely necessary. It’s not your average weather.

In Cornwall a lot of lanes will be blocked if there are fallen trees anyway.

saraclara · 16/02/2022 21:26

@mogsrus

Lovemusic33. Like I wrote...soft far too soft, I'm going to work along with thousands of others
I really hope that you haven't read OP's updates about her DD's disability, and that she attends a special school. Because if you have and don't care that her anxiety meltdowns would be a risk to both her and the driver, your post would be beyond obnoxious.
mogsrus · 16/02/2022 21:47

Sarac Lara. No I hadn't seen those details,

Original poster
Lovemusic33 · 16/02/2022 21:57

@mogsrus

Sarac Lara. No I hadn't seen those details,
It ok, I’m guilty of not reading the full threads too. Dd has complex needs, she travels for over an hour in a taxi mainly through country lanes, she has no support in the taxi (council won’t fund it), if her route changes or there’s a delay she gets very anxious and upset to the point she will harm herself, her taxi driver has no SEN training so he can only do what he can to calm her down. It would be unfair for me to put my dd and the taxi driver in a awful situation. There are already trees down here and that’s just the back end of storm Dudley, it’s nothing compared to what’s coming Friday (if the forecasts are right).
OP posts:
balalake · 16/02/2022 22:02

I wonder if the decision might be taken for you and the school be closed in any case.

Lollyfalalalalalalalalaaahhhhh · 16/02/2022 22:05

I think you're right to keep her home. It would be very hard to drive safely in bad weather with a young lady very very distressed, so it's probably best for everyone

Popcornriver · 16/02/2022 22:14

I kept DS off the last time it was really bad. The only way to get to school is a very long pathway with trees either side. Don't particularly care if anyone thinks it's soft because they'll be going to work. The next day 4 trees along that path were down and the path itself was covered in branches. It wasn't worth the risk for a single day of school.

saraclara · 16/02/2022 22:17

@balalake

I wonder if the decision might be taken for you and the school be closed in any case.
I think it will. I taught in a special school until recently. While our head was always determined to keep the school open on snowy days, the transport companies almost always had other ideas, and would make the call that they wouldn't be running the minibuses and taxis that virtually all the kids came in on.

I thin the taxi firm is going to decide that it's not safe for their driver to be taking your DD, OP.

merrymouse · 16/02/2022 22:28

I think it’s likely that lots of schools will be closed on Friday.

Katkincake · 16/02/2022 22:36

I’m an emergency planner and have spent all day prepping for Storm Eunice. It’s still some way off the UK, forming in the North Atlantic so the precise track it’ll take is still uncertain, but the SW is in line for some very strong winds. In your circumstances I’d keep her home, it’s not going to be pretty out there.

SmellyOldOwls · 16/02/2022 22:41

Yes keep her home, because of her additional needs. I don't know if the weather will be as exciting as predicted, is it ever? But if it is then it's fairly like some routes will be changed or she'll be sent home early or something.