Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Child-safe in minutes.

Meet the Other Phone.
Child-safe in minutes.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Going to school on your birthday?

131 replies

DinnaeFashYersel · 04/09/2023 08:47

My 15 year old birthday boy has headed off this morning seething with injustice at being made to go to school on his birthday.

He's never had the day off before but claims "everyone" else does and is full on grumpy teenager 😂about it.

Do people really give their children their birthdays off school?

Am I unreasonable to make him go to school or should I have given the wee snowflake the day off?

(Note for context: we are in Scotland so this is the 3rd week of term and not the first day back)

YABU: unreasonable, wee snowflake should be resting in his bed playing on the xbox
YANBU: get his erse to school

OP posts:
Hopingforno2in2023 · 04/09/2023 09:33

I was fuming on my 18th birthday when I went into history class and the teacher sprung a surprise test on us 😂 However I don’t know anyone who keeps their kids off on their birthday.

AperolWhore · 04/09/2023 09:34

I’ve never gone to school on or worked my birthday and I’m 40! My mum used to keep me off and we would do some fuming fun just the two of us and I’ve carried on the tradition with my daughter.

Its so rare to have a full day about you that you need to make the most of the birthdays 🥳

Unexpectedlysinglemum · 04/09/2023 09:38

I loved being at school for my bday when I was at school my friends and I would always bring in cakes for each other!

gogomoto · 04/09/2023 09:41

Always sent mine, I personally never had school as august birthday

eddiemairswife · 04/09/2023 09:42

Do classmates still give children 'the bumps' on their birthdays?

SisterMichaelsHabit · 04/09/2023 09:43

You're doing the right thing OP.

HunterHearstHelmsley · 04/09/2023 09:46

My birthday was regularly the first day back after Christmas, that was galling! I always went though (unless I was skiving 🤷🏼‍♀️)

My sister's children have their birthday off, I personally find it a bit odd.

I suspect my other sibling may let her eldest have their birthday off when the time comes as her youngest has their birthday in the school holidays. I can imagine the.... It's not fair!

SisterMichaelsHabit · 04/09/2023 09:47

eddiemairswife · 04/09/2023 09:42

Do classmates still give children 'the bumps' on their birthdays?

No one did when I was at school in the late 80s/90s, was it a thing after that or maybe region dependent?

HunterHearstHelmsley · 04/09/2023 09:48

HunterHearstHelmsley · 04/09/2023 09:46

My birthday was regularly the first day back after Christmas, that was galling! I always went though (unless I was skiving 🤷🏼‍♀️)

My sister's children have their birthday off, I personally find it a bit odd.

I suspect my other sibling may let her eldest have their birthday off when the time comes as her youngest has their birthday in the school holidays. I can imagine the.... It's not fair!

I often take my birthday off work now though, that feels different somehow.

A lot of companies give an extra day's leave for your birthday so maybe it was a thing for their big boss!

YukoandHiro · 04/09/2023 09:49

Nobody does it. But I admire his efforts 😂

letstrythatagain · 04/09/2023 09:53

I always went to school on my birthday. My 14 year old didn't this year though. We went on a shopping day and for lunch in the Ivy! 😂

Phos · 04/09/2023 09:53

My birthday often fell in the spring bank holidays but sometimes it didn't. Like the time I had my GCSE music performance exam on my 16th birthday. And my 2nd year at uni where I had 2 exams on the same blasted day. Even when it was on BH Monday in my final year I spent it in the library as I had 2 exams the day after! I don't know of any school age kids who take the day off when it's a regular school day.

My DD has only had one birthday in school so far, her 4th, and it was actually amazing because it was when the schools closed except early years in early 2021 so obviously no parties or anything - but it meant she had the day with her friends, the school cook made her a cake and they had a mini party in the afternoon. This year will be her first "normal day at school" birthday.

x2boys · 04/09/2023 09:56

My 16 year olds birthday is Boxing day so.obviously he's never been to school.on it my 13 year old is in may so.is usually in school unless it falls on a weekend .

TheTurn0fTheScrew · 04/09/2023 10:00

One of mine was desperate to have her birthday on a school day. It alway fell in the holidays, and she wanted all the fuss of being a birthday person at school. Basically, you can't win.

Original poster
DinnaeFashYersel · 04/09/2023 10:04

Loving your replies.

Will be showing them to my son when he gets home

😂

OP posts:
Original poster
DinnaeFashYersel · 04/09/2023 10:04

YukoandHiro · 04/09/2023 09:49

Nobody does it. But I admire his efforts 😂

😂😂😂

OP posts:
FreshStart12345 · 04/09/2023 10:20

Nope, never had the day off for my birthday (it's this week too) and my dc have never had the day off either (well, dc4 does but that's because it's during the Christmas holidays).
All their friends would be at school anyway so what exactly would they be doing at home alone?

Ivebeentogeorgia · 04/09/2023 10:23

My oldest is an august baby so always off school, youngest is October and so mostly in school. She always goes in if it falls on a school day but she loooves the attention and getting happy birthday sang to her. Oldest would hate it! So it works well for mine (for now, until the little one turns into a teenager and decides it’s not fair!)

BeaLola · 04/09/2023 10:31

No - my DS always has to go in - only difference is he can have whatever he likes for breakfast - by that I mean cake rather than him choosing bacon bagel or porridge that he normally has and we drive him to school rather than him getting the bus.

Luckily this year his 16th falls on a Saturday

Missedmytoe · 04/09/2023 10:34

DC was complaining about having to go to school on their birthday recently (not that it was their birthday, it was a topic we were discussing).
Of our family, I'm the only one whose birthday falls within the school holiday period. As a child, I hated this as everyone was always away and so get-togethers and celebrations were quite limited on numbers.

TerrorOwls · 04/09/2023 10:49

One of my dc has always had his birthday in the Easter break. He was incensed one year when he had to do something on his actual birthday as he assumed it was a day totally for him to do as he wished.

luckylavender · 04/09/2023 10:59

How will these children cope in the real world?

Gimmethebiggesthat · 04/09/2023 11:07

No way! Imagine if his teacher had his or her day off for a birthday. Or anyone at all, really.

No way. Not unless they’re 80 & still working.

A birthday shouldn’t be a day off school at any age. If they’re in EYFS/KS1, they get to enjoy everyone singing happy birthday to them & they usually get a birthday sticker from the head. If they’re older, they get to learn that the world doesn’t stop for their birthdays, and that celebrations don’t have to be huge to be meaningful. Cake after school with the immediate family & perhaps the grandparents, or godparents, or meaningful person in the child’s life. Occasionally (not every year) a party on the weekend with school friends.

And for heaven’s sake, be kind to school staff & respect the learning needs of your child’s classmates. Sending whole cakes sent into school with the expectation that the teacher will stop lessons not only to sing, (fair enough) but also to distribute 30 imperfectly-sized pieces of cake, wait while children wash their hands, eat the cakex clean up the mess (including carpet crumbs) and then wash their hands again, just isn’t reasonable. That teacher had to spend her lunchtime cutting up & searching for suitable napkins to serve after triple-checking for allergies, because it’s too messy for them to carry home & they’re not allowed to serve it in the dinner hall. Cupcakes aren’t as cute (unless they’re homemade) but they’re a much more considerate option & they can be carried home in paper bags supplied by the parent.

Crunchymum · 04/09/2023 11:12

Mine are all primary age (and all winter born) and have never had their birthday off if it falls on a school day, nor is it something I want to set a precedent of doing.

However I know someone who takes their summer born out for the day to do a theme park / beach day (weather and school timetable depending) and they have done this every year. Siblings aren't in school yet but the mum - a colleague of mine - wants to extend the tradition to all 3 of her children.

StripyHorse · 04/09/2023 11:15

My birthday usually fell the week after half term, so after a week off I was back in school. I did once get a day off because it was a snow day - but never apart from that.

DD2 always moans because she is in school on her birthday - whereas DD1 had her birthday in the summer holidays so is always off. DD2 does not get an extra day though.

Swipe left for the next trending thread