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

[bagpuss90]

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

I know I’m being pedantic here as I’m referring to uk state schools where generally school Easter holidays fall one week either side of the Easter weekend. Here’s the Easter dates from my years at school, highlighted are the years I would have gone to school which is why it doesn’t seem to make sense to me. Yes, I’ve too much time on my hands, yes I love a spreadsheet and now I really need to get ready for work.

Wasn't an issue for ds as his birthday is in August, but it was awkward trying to do parties as most kids seemed to be away on holiday at the time. I wouldn't give ds the day off for his birthday if he was in school, my policy is days off if you're ill and that's it.

I never had time off school as a child and couldn't have had anyway as my mum had to work. It was bad enough going in when I felt rotten and I had to go anyway. No fuss made of birthday children in my school either, only knew it was a kid's birthday if they were wearing a badge on their pinafore/jumper.

August baby, never
July baby, sometimes, depending on the end of term.

I wouldn’t dream of not sending DS in. He also likes the fuss- they’re allowed to wear their own clothes.

Tbh I have never went to school or went to work on my birthday 🤣 and never will

my Children go to school on their birthday, as did I. I find it very odd to keep them off for that reason. I loved going in on my birthday

Does your colleague go to work on her birthday?

My DC have always gone to school on their birthday and wanted to - extra fuss!

I did have one colleague who kept her kids off on their birthdays but she would also stay home on her birthday. Tricky in a school! She would call in sick, like none of us knew it was her birthday.

Absolutely went in. So much fun with their friends and they're made to feel so special.

Wouldn't even cross my mind. They go in.

No, but both dc have school holidays birthdays so it would be a bit mean to send them!

Of course. That's real life. My work gives me the day off though so they also learn life is ridiculously imbalanced 🤣

My birthday always feel during May Half term so I never went to school on it. My eldest’s birthday is in August.

my youngest is early May and yes he goes in when it is his birthday.

Absolutely. And I do judge people who keep them off.

Mine was in the holidays and friends always forgot about it. I'd have loved a birthday at school.

Of course children shouldn't have a day off for their birthday!

School staff can't have days off so why should the children? If they want to have their birthday as a holiday they need to wait until they are an adult and get a job with flexible holidays!

My DS's is sometimes in the school holidays but otherwise yes. DD loves being with her friends on her birthday. I send cake into school with her. You can make plans on the closest weekend to their birthday. I do usually book my birthday off work, but I see that as different from school. Was never off school on my birthday.

Absolutely. And I do judge people who keep them off.

😅 Judge them? Ok.

When I was little in the 70's, most children would stay off. My two GC like the fuss, they take in sweet cones and cake. My eldest GC likes to go away for the weekend for her birthday, so if it falls on a Friday, they stay off to get an earlier flight.

Lol. I would never think not to. I mean that is quite clearly a day off skiving. I like our head, I don’t want to get on the wrong side of her. She’s basically Mary Poppins, lovely but uber strict

It's not something I have ever heard of. My siblings and I always went to school on our birthdays-no question, my DC the same.
Celebrations tended to be the nearest weekend to the birthday.

I have done once but it was a one off and kind of tied in with another event.
Two have birthdays in school holidays and wanted to go to school, two have birthdays in term time and wanted to be off.

My birthday is right at the end of the summer holidays. In a time before mobile phones and such it was always tricky to sort birthday parties and I always felt a bit left out. However I now always book my birthday off because it’s something I’m used to!
My girls have term time birthdays and they always go in. They take sweets, they wear a badge, they get a song, it’s lovely for them!

It's not something I've ever come across, of course DD goes in.

Are teachers expected to help them catch up on the work they've missed?

Presumably the children then do an extra day of schoolwork in their holidays (supervised by the parents), just as anyone taking a day of annual leave for their birthday will have one less day of annual leave to use in the rest of the year.

Always.

My youngest is an August baby though, so will always have her birthday at home (she’s only 2 right now), much to the disgust of my 8 year old when she realised.

DS just turned 4 and is at preschool. We kept him off for the day so we could go to soft play but from next year when he's at primary, he'll be going in on his birthday. My mum never kept me and my siblings off either, it would never have even occurred to her.