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AIBU?

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Original poster

Do you/ did you send your child to school on their birthday?

218 replies

bagpuss90 · 22/11/2022 23:37

Light hearted thread no I’m not having a whinge before anyone asks 😂No -I’m just curious. Was chatting to a work colleague and she mentioned that her children have never been to school on their birthdays. They don’t fall within school holidays. She was a bit surprised when I said mine all went to school on the day -business as usual. Don’t get me wrong -they had pressies before school, lovely parties and so on . Never really thought about it before but just wondered if its school or not on the big day

OP posts:
blubberyboo · 22/11/2022 23:39

Mine usually do but in recent years they have sometimes pressurised me to let them have it off.

Allywill · 22/11/2022 23:42

Yep. Never entered my head not to tbh. Mine was always slap bang in the middle of exams. I had O levels (yes I’m that old) on my 16th, A levels on my 18th and one of my degree finals on my 21st birthday. So my kids had it easy in my opinion!

Luredbyapomegranate · 22/11/2022 23:43

Of course, that way they get to have a birthday at school, and then we do something that evening and something bigger at the weekend.

But that apart, the school would have something to say if they noticed a pattern of sickie pulling on birthdays

middleager · 22/11/2022 23:43

Of course!

Allsnotwell · 22/11/2022 23:43

Yes they go to school - and have a nice time being sung too and getting presents.

I can’t have my birthday off so why should they?

Original poster
bagpuss90 · 22/11/2022 23:47

All fair comments

OP posts:
ErrolTheDragon · 22/11/2022 23:47

Yes, of course. My DD would have been horrified if I'd suggested she didn't go to school.
My birthday is always in the holidays, I felt I missed out as a kid.

Japanesejazz · 22/11/2022 23:47

Mine was born Easter time
she never went to school on her birthday because of the Easter holiday
the one year Easter was so early that her birthday was in school time
she had chicken pox
i suppose most English children born in August don’t go to school on their birthday either

DuplicateUserName · 22/11/2022 23:47

Yes, always.

Some of their friends never went in on their birthdays though and my DC found that strange.

Remaker · 22/11/2022 23:48

My kids’ birthdays always fall in the school holidays so we don’t have this issue. But my birthday also falls in the holidays and I always felt a bit ripped off - I would have liked to go to school on my birthday! I imagine my kids would be the same, happy to be with their friends.

DrLecter · 22/11/2022 23:49

My birthday falls in the middle of August. I am an academic so have never been outside of schools then universities (bit sad really!) Itbmeans I have never had to work on my birthday in my entire life!

Changingmynameyetagain · 22/11/2022 23:49

One of my DC was born at the beginning of September and his birthday is usually an inset day, one of them always has a birthday in October half term and only the 3rd on has a term time birthday so he always has to go to school, poor thing, definitely not an option to stay home!

When he was in year 6 his birthday fell the week they were away at PGL so the teachers threw him a party when they were away and we celebrated when he got home.

1994girl · 22/11/2022 23:50

I was always made to go school on my birthday and I'll be doing the same with my son.

ironingboredrefusal · 22/11/2022 23:50

What the heck? Of course! Especially as that's the day they bring in sweets for all their class - oh and yes and not missing out on education. Do people really keep their children off school because it's their birthday?

Ottercave · 22/11/2022 23:53

2 of my DC have birthday’s that are always in the school holidays.
2 have birthday’s that are always term time.
1 has a birthday that has been both (can be around Easter depending on when Easter falls). She has always said that she prefers it when her birthday falls during term time. It means she definitely gets to spend it with her friends as they're all at school.

toomuchlaundry · 22/11/2022 23:53

DS started pre-school on his birthday. Took in cake and made instead friends!

Enko · 22/11/2022 23:54

Dd2 is early January so often had her birthday they day they returned to school.. never occurred to me to let her have it off.

elp30 · 22/11/2022 23:54

When I was a child, the birthday children were treated special.

The class sang to them, the lunch ladies would make the birthday children (they had a roster) a special dessert, they got to choose the games at playtime.

My birthday was during the summertime and most of my friends were away at their grandparents or on holiday. It sucked.

I always made sure to send my kids on their birthday so someone could at least acknowledge them. 😂

Coasterfan · 22/11/2022 23:57

I always send mine, they have their presents in the morning then a meal out and cake in the evening and then we do a weekend away the weekends before or after depending on what is going on and their choice.

Saying that, DDs was a Saturday this year which was nice and DS is currently being homeschooled so was home even though it was a weekday, we went to play footgolf!

tulippa · 22/11/2022 23:57

Yes DD will always go to school unless it's a weekend. DS is very early September so his birthday has always been an inset day so far. It's good to go in so everyone can wish you happy birthday etc.

Original poster
bagpuss90 · 22/11/2022 23:57

I’ve no strong feelings either way tbh - I wouldn’t have given my three the day off -but certainly not judging anyone that would

OP posts:
MrsMoastyToasty · 22/11/2022 23:59

Hell yeah! Mine had a GCSE exam on his birthday.

PastMyBestBeforeDate · 23/11/2022 00:00

Mine go to school.

Ihatethenewlook · 23/11/2022 00:02

Of course

plinkplinkfizzer · 23/11/2022 00:06

Strangely enough both my two were born on what would always be school holidays in England . Then we moved to Scotland and one had to attend on their Birthday for the last few yrs of school . Holiday babies are not so good for parties , people are busy .