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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:
mondaytosunday · 23/11/2022 00:14

Would never occur to me not to. In their first junior school they could invite two people to join them at lunch (usually their mum and dad but I took my mother to it once) and the kitchen would bake a cake and put a stuffed toy on top. Then the child would stand on a chair and everyone would sing happy birthday! It's one of my children's fondest memories from that school.
Next school you just brought in some cake or cookies to share with the class.

MorningMeditation · 23/11/2022 00:20

My kids have had the day off a couple of times on their birthday when they asked.

trussedchicken · 23/11/2022 00:28

My birthday always fell in school half term. Would have loved a birthday at school though. One of my children is August born, so always has a slightly awkward summer holiday birthday where either she, or most of her friends are away on holiday. Other child is always term time and seems to get a better deal. School as normal on birthday, with unhealthy breakfast and one present before leaving, then proper evening celebration with special dinner and rest of presents and probably something with friends at the wknd. Would never consider a day off school on birthday tbh. Term time birthday wins!

TheCrab9 · 23/11/2022 00:31

I never do. Its personal choice x

thaegumathteth · 23/11/2022 00:34

Dd yes

Ds not always because it's very often the very last day before Xmas holidays and we are travelling. Otherwise yes.

HappyAsASandboy · 23/11/2022 00:42

Mine all go to school on their birthdays, unless they fall on the weekend or holidays (two of them sometimes have a birthday in half term).

UsingChangeofName · 23/11/2022 00:43

Of course.

Well, not the one whose birthday always falls in school holidays. That would have been odd. But the other tow, of course I do / did.

MilkyYay · 23/11/2022 01:09

One of the DC birthday is always in school hols. Mine usually was too and i didnt like it! I wanted to have my birthday at school as everyone made a fuss.

The DC who has a birthday in term time will be at school for it. The only time you miss school in our house is when you are too ill to go.

MorningMeditation · 23/11/2022 01:14

Loving the fake shock that people actually sometimes let their children have the day off school on their birthday. The topic comes up on here quite a lot and it’s not really that shocking anyway. 🙄😂

Appleblum · 23/11/2022 01:35

Yes. But mine are still young so the teacher will gather the children around and sing a birthday song and make a fuss about it. The kids really enjoy celebrating with their friends!

Thomaslovesalison · 23/11/2022 01:40

But what do you say to the teacher? Fake illness? I don't get this at all.

MorningMeditation · 23/11/2022 01:55

Thomaslovesalison · 23/11/2022 01:40

But what do you say to the teacher? Fake illness? I don't get this at all.

👀 People can’t be this naive.

Yes, parents sometimes say their kids are ill when they’re not to give them a day off on their birthday. There’s not really anything to ‘get’. When the kid goes in the following day, the teacher might say ‘are you feeling better?’, to which the kid says ‘yes, thank you’.

I’m not someone that does this every year, I’ve allowed it a couple of times over the years for each child. People may not agree but to not ‘get it’ and act faux shocked is a bit OTT.

NumberTheory · 23/11/2022 04:25

It’s never occurred to me not to. They tend to have a great day at school on their birthday, though I think if I offered them the choice they’d take a day of instead.

LALALUCA · 23/11/2022 04:27

My mum never made me or my sister, but my kids always have. I think it's more fun for them than staying at home, especially as teens.

LBFseBrom · 23/11/2022 04:33

It's a long time since I had a child at school but his birthday invariably fell during the Autumn half term. If he had a party it was generally on the weekend prior to or following his birthday.

I think he would have gone to school if birthday had been during term time. Other children did, that was normal.

WindyKnickers · 23/11/2022 04:44

Yes of course. Both my DC love school and love spending the day with their friends and getting sung to etc. Some presents in the morning cake for tea and more presents, party at the weekend.

sjxoxo · 23/11/2022 05:00

Why would you not go to school on your birthday if it was a school day… my mum would have died of shock if I’d asked for a day off because of my birthday!! Surely no one says yes to such a ridiculous demand??!

LoopyGremlin · 23/11/2022 05:38

Of course my children go to school when it's their birthday, just like I go to work when it's my birthday!

2pinkginsplease · 23/11/2022 05:46

LoopyGremlin · 23/11/2022 05:38

Of course my children go to school when it's their birthday, just like I go to work when it's my birthday!

I always try and book my birthday off but did send my children to school when it’s their birthday.

i like going for lunch with my mum for my birthday hence why I try and take it off.

TimeForMeToF1y · 23/11/2022 05:47

Do the people who do this not work or do they use a days holiday? I wonder if there's a correlation between those children and the adults who post threads about their birthdays not being special to other people

Bananasareok · 23/11/2022 05:50

Mine has always had the day off on her birthday. I just phone the school and say she won’t be in as it’s her birthday. I’ve never had any comments or been spoken to by the school, the teachers have given her a card made by the children the next day.

SockQueen · 23/11/2022 05:51

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!

Same - the perils of an early June birthday! I think I once asked my mum in primary if I could have the day off, as somebody else in my class had. She said no, that was that.

DS2 will sometimes have his birthday in half term, I think, but apart from that I have no plans to let mine have random days off.

LoopyGremlin · 23/11/2022 05:51

@2pinkginsplease
That sounds lovely, but I am a teacher so couldn't take the day off even if I wanted to.

Bananasareok · 23/11/2022 05:52

Time for me - I book the day off too.

Sceptre86 · 23/11/2022 06:05

My dd1's birthday is normally in the Easter holidays. This year it falls on the Friday they break up for holidays so will go. I'll pop a birthday badge on her. My son's birthday is always in the summer holidays. Dd2 has a birthday right at the beginning of September so when she gets to school she will be going too. We live in Scotland. It's harder to do class parties if the kids have birthdays in holidays, as people are away or don't want to commit.

I never got my birthday off and it's just as schools go back in England after the summer. I think it depends on what you are used to. I remember telling the teacher it was my birthday and handing out sweets, the whole class would also sing 'happy birthday'. Mine unfortunately have not been able to hand out sweets at school yet because of rules lingering from covid. Would be nice if they get to next year.