To have taken DS into school late as couldn’t be arsed to sit in traffic?

[FrostyFreda]

Whole town was gridlocked this morning due to knock on from a bad crash on a nearby motorway which was closed. DS (12) and I were sat in standstill traffic in the road next to ours from 8.10-8.30. He needs to be at school for 8.45. I could see that we weren’t going anywhere and DS would be extremely late anyway (further 15 min drive to school in normal traffic).

So I turned around and went back home. Told school DS had an appointment and I’d take him in for Period 2 at 10.00am. Motorway was cleared at 8.45 but traffic was still heavy although moving at least at 9.30 so I think I was right to turn around rather than sit emitting fumes for an hour.

DH does not agree and thinks I should have waited in the traffic or made DS walk - 40 min walk, he’d still have been late and he is getting over that horrible monster cold virus that’s going round.

So was I BU?

I think lying sets kids a bad example. If you think in all the circumstances your actions were reasonable why not just say so to the school?

YANBU for turning round, however how you have framed it on here and to your DH as well as lying to the school isn't great. The school will know the traffic was dreadful and therefore would have expected people to be late.

It isn't often a motorway or arterial route is completely shut, but when they are gridlock easily occurs in the surrounding routes, schools will then adopt a get here, safety, when you can approach.

That's my guess, total mayhem.

He should have left the house on foot earlier so he would be on time. It’s not good to miss classes.

Why isn't he walking anyway ? Unless it's absolutely pouring with rain, my DS does this twice a day.

I mean, you’ve used the phrase “couldn’t be arsed” in the title of the thread which says it all to me.

OP ignore all these martyr parents.

Your school run was a nightmare, he was going to be late anyway.....you did what worked best for you both.

No big deal as a one-off, but I don’t think the way you went about it did your child any favours. Just tell the truth about what happened?

You don’t need to preach to me so save it thanks.

Ah, I don’t think you realise how discussion forums work. You asked for opinions. You’re now getting them.

Why have you asked for opinions, by the way?

What does it matter what a bunch of randoms think?

If you weren’t going to be happy getting negative opinions - then don’t post on a discussion forum that’s open to the planet.

I think the lie was ridiculous. Can't work up a sweat about the rest of it.

I don't see any problem with taking him in later because of the traffic, but I do think lying to the school is an issue. I'm sure the school were aware of the accident and if you said you'd bring him in for P2, I don't think it would be a huge deal.

A last minute appointment on a day with heavy traffic sounds odd, and if your DS slips up, the school know you lied (but not why) and it can all become a bigger deal than it needs to be.

Lmao give over

YANBU.
Deciding to skip one lesson is totally within the parental authority. In this case it was combination of special circumstances in traffic and special circumstances in his health status.
If DH isn't totally on board, you can discuss potential scenarios for future, but not a big deal.

About "lying"... In my area (elsewhere in EU) parents don't have to provide an explanation in case of a rare minor absence, they just confirm it is a parent approved absence. If the school needs to write down some reason, it is kind of logical to just pick some of the official simple ones, we can see in this thread how many people don't get the full explanation.

YANBU for arriving late, but lying about an appointment and going home because you couldn't be bothered to sit in traffic is unreasonable

A major accident on the road is absolutely not an excuse to keep your child off school. You just bring them in late.
No doubt other parents managed.
Don't set him up to wuss off obligations just because.

CBA parenting at its finest

Why the lie? Just tell the school your were stuck in traffic

YABU and setting your son a bad example.

Let him walk each day. He's 12!

She did bring him in late. He was there at 10am.

Yeah OP. Sod his health. Teach him a lesson...

OP ignore all these martyr parents.

Why do people like you think you're in charge of who should be ignored?

It's a discussion forum.

wow what an ableist thread, i can't imagine forcing my 16 year old to walk 40 minutes early in the morning whilst feeling ill and also having a medical condition i do wonder about parents on here sometimes

Yabu for regularly driving what is a 40 minute walk. It's terrible environmentally. It would be worth looking at sustainable methods of getting to school, including a scooter or bike.

I think if the OP had been phrased differently, mentioning the medical condition making the journey on foot differently (not just recovering from an illness) and not using the cba line she would have got different responses. I've had a similar situation before, lived 50min walk from the Primary school and they have walked. The one at Secondary school now... lots of children do a similar walk daily and dont have an option of a lift But obviously medical conditions do change that.

Sometimes medical conditions mean there is no choice.

i have to drive Ds to school which is a mile away. On mornings like today I really wish I could just kick him out the door to walk but it’s not an option for him. His primary school was 0.5 miles away and even then it was hit and Miss when he could walk and certainly never on a day as cold as today.

No I didn’t but one hour isn’t going to make much difference is it