Cancelled Afterschool Activity

[CancelledActivity]

Hard hat on, I've been on here for years but don't think I've ever braved an AIBU post before.

DD1 is 4 and started school in September. DH and I both work FT, and she goes to an afterschool club everyday. They're the same company as the nursery she went to for years and are thankfully very accommodating. They collect from many schools in the area and run a fleet of cars and do a huge amount of work to make sure everyone is picked up when they need to be.

Once a week DD does football after school - outside company, held at school, advertised through school but paid directly to the company. Afterschool club very nicely put on a car to collect DD and a few others from football, and when the day changed at one week's notice recently they adjusted as well.

It's miserable here today, and we got a text at noon that football was likely cancelled and they would confirm at 1pm.

AIBU to think that two hours notice that DC have to be picked up an hour early is taking the piss? I was embarrassed asking the after school club to make a change to their schedule at such short notice, which thankfully they can do as it would have been difficult for DH or I to make it on time.

Surely an outdoor activity in November needs a contingency plan?

That's fairly typical for an afterschool activity. These aren't childcare settings and I remember seeing several short notice emails about clubs being cancelled.

DD stayed at her OOSC most of the time unless I had a period of part-time work or later when she was older and club times moved to 5.30/6pm and DH was able to collect her and drop her off (around Y3).

I get that it is frustrating, but it's just one of those things that happen with afterschool activities. Especially if they're outdoor, or are just run by one or two staff who may go sick at short notice etc.

Speak to your childcare provider about their policy on changing arrangements at short notice going forward, I expect they're quite used to it!

WHY aren't these clubs childcare though? They're collecting 30 four year olds from their teachers and then an hour later they are collected by after school clubs/childminders/family. WHY don't we view that as childcare. Working parents aren't unusual.

If it was a true emergency, illness, power cut etc then of course these things happen but rain in Northern Ireland in November is not an unforeseen event.

Yes, yes, I know, IABU.

You’re right OP, it’s not on. Know for the future that they are not reliable.

Because it's not. It's an after-school sports session run by groups like P E partnership. They run sporting opportunities for pupils who are interested in sport. They are qualified PE instructors. When my kids did it I used to go by and watch, many parents did. If you want child care just use that. It's not designed for working parents in mind, its purpose is to give children sports training

So as others have said - activities are not childcare. I have had this happen so many times - including with after school activities run by the school - it happened just last week - text at lunchtime that the activity my 8 yr old does isn't on - that's it no warning!

However - after school 'childcare' club will never be cancelled.

It's a total pain in the arse but you can't reply on activities for childcare.

I have found the older my kids have got the more of a nightmare it is to try and work! It was easier when they were with a childminder from 8 til 6!

Because if you wanted childcare you would be paying a hell of a lot more than the few pound a session you pay for an activity.

No they are not. The after school activity is not childcare. It is a club. There will be times that it is cancelled due to weather or illness. Your arrangement with the after school club is not the club's problem really. You and your husband need a contingency plan that will work if the arrangements change.

YANBU.
They provide paid activity for unaccompanied children, not a volunteer-lead training group. They should have plan B in place, even if it was just colouring in a classroom.

I'm curious now what is their plan for the winter season.

You do have another option. She doesn't do the club and is picked up by the after school club every day at the same time.

No they shouldn't. They provide sport, end of story. If it's cancelled it's the parents responsibly to collect them.

I couldn't get worked up over this to be honest. Lots of working parents seem to forget that after school clubs are not compulsory and to have them and access to them is almost a luxury.

I hope you wasnt too rude when you told them that 2 hours notice was unacceptable

I would have liked the football company to have a plan in place with the school for inclement weather.

That's daft OP. I know you say you accept YABU but later posts say why can't this be seen as childcare - well, it isn't. It's an activity, they are not contractually obliged to have your DC if for a variety of reasons the activity can't be run.

I get it, it's annoying & sometimes impossible if you are a working parent, as I am too. But it's the way it is.

Those after school clubs are always subject to cancellation at short notice. Personally, I wouldn't use them unless I could be available to collect DC at normal finish time.

If the OP wasnt impressed she was given two hours notice that a club was cancelled, I cant see her being thrilled that her daughter would be taken to a classroom to colour for an hour.

Parents need to stop treating after school clubs as a baby sitting service. She needs to save the sports clubs for weekends and just use the whatever nursery she is using that pick her child up after school in their fleet of cars!

It's really stressful juggling work, after school club and activities, OP.

I remember it well and very glad it's in the past. There will inevitably be bad weather, power cuts, sick child situations etc.

Unfortunately these things will happen occasionally. Sounds like the after school club are good, which is great.

You might find a fellow parent over time who you can both be back up for?

Maybe football club for your 4 year old could be done on a Saturday in future - often indoors at Lesiure centres?

After school activities at DC school are cancelled by 1pm if there’s inclement weather. Agree with PP’s; they’re clubs, not childcare.

It sounds like shitty behaviour from the school in my opinion

not surprised, ‘coz covid’ seems to be the standard excuse from schools still
bef anyone comes for me, I work in education

what do you want the football coaches to do, magic up an indoor 5G pitch from no where ??

if you can’t handle last minute changes like this sack off the after school activities and just do the one after school club. Sounds like a load of faff anyway and I’m sure a 4 yo doesn’t get that much out of it especially after a long day of school
take her to little kickers or diddikicks on a weekend

To be honest, OP, on dark winter rainy nights, the thought of 30 4 year olds being transported around scares the life out of me.

They don't need this after school aged 4.

Replan it for a weekend when you're around.

It sounds like shitty behaviour from the school in my opinion

But it's nothing to do with the school? It's a private activity

I would have been absolutely fine with colouring as a stop gap, it would have inconvenienced far fewer people.

I know it's not The Way Things Are, but if you're going to collect thirty four year olds, accept payment for doing so and not allow parents to attend - why don't we as parents have enough power as consumers to say actually, that is childcare as well as football.

@CancelledActivity the 'After School Club' is childcare the Football After School is not.

They're transported ten feet from their classroom to the playground, and it's bright at 3pm when football ends.

@EarringsandLipstick the school invite the company in to provide the service. They then won’t provide an alternative space in case of inclement weather, such as a classroom for some ‘footie themed colouring’ or whatever they would do. The reason given is covid, which makes no sense

Because it's not childcare. Do you really want your 4 year old in the rain and muck? It was cancelled for safety purposes. It's a sport club not a colouring club.