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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:
Munchyseeds2 · 04/09/2023 11:16

We frequently went back to school after the summer on my birthday

quietlycontent · 04/09/2023 11:17

Almost every year my birthday is tomorrow so whatever happened it was either on my birthday or close we went back to school.

I have now used this as an excuse to have a back to school bbq which is a nice way to see everyone after the holidays

WandaWonder · 04/09/2023 11:19

No never we make a fuss in the morning and after work then on the weekend nearest that is enough

If kids had every birthday off and sick days and this new 'mental health day thing' and holidays they would never be at school

Changes17 · 04/09/2023 11:20

SockQueen · 04/09/2023 09:31

Snap! Exactly the same exams too. Had A-levels and uni exams most years as well. Just got to get on with it.

Show quote history

Ha, also had maths exam on my 16th birthday!

Changes17 · 04/09/2023 11:21

Though I do now take the day off from working if I can.

MrsJellybee · 04/09/2023 11:23

18th birthday, A level English Lit exam.

30th birthday, literacy Ofsted. I was the school literacy coordinator!

Kids need to learn life doesn’t stop for their birthday.

toomuchlaundry · 04/09/2023 11:25

DS's birthday sometimes corresponds with first day back, has never taken it off. Started pre-school on his birthday, didn't know anyone there, took birthday cake in, made instant friends!

BackToOklahoma · 04/09/2023 11:27

Both my kids have had their birthdays off when they’ve asked, twice for one so far (going into year 10) and three times for the other (starting uni soon).

toomuchlaundry · 04/09/2023 11:27

DH's firm gives employees their birthday off as an extra holiday, makes special arrangements for those who would miss out due to bank holidays eg 25th December, but if it happens on a weekend you miss out on that year

OnlyFoolsnMothers · 04/09/2023 11:29

Of course they go in- that’s where their friends are anyway. My august baby is gutted she will never have a birthday in school.

zingally · 04/09/2023 11:29

I also have a September birthday, and stay off for the day was never once considered. Honestly wouldn't have even occurred to me that it was a thing.

I personally think kids would have more fun at school with their friends than they would have at home.

LakeTiticaca · 04/09/2023 11:31

Don't you get fined nowadays for keeping your child off school?
Does your dc think people get a day off work on their birthday?

StillWantingADog · 04/09/2023 11:31

It wouldn’t occur to me to let my kids have the day off on their birthday

one has an august birthday which means that he will never go to school on his birthday so it’s a bit unfair in this house but tough really

YukoandHiro · 04/09/2023 11:32

Just been reminded by this that I sat my last A Level on my 18TH birthday. Should have been a glorious evening but all my friends were still revising for future exams. I went to see the film U571 😆😆

StillWantingADog · 04/09/2023 11:32

Oh and as a late May child have had many many exams on my birthday in the past.

Singleandproud · 04/09/2023 11:37

DD has had her birthday off but that's because it's at The start of October as the school bugs start flying around and she's been ill and ended up in bed. Her 11th birthday she had covid and couldn't even open her presents or eat anything.

cakecoffeecakecoffee · 04/09/2023 11:39

My 2 both have school holiday birthdays by pure chance but I definitely would have sent them in regardless. They have both had birthdays at nursery before.

I don’t know anyone who keeps their kids off on their birthday.

Toomanygreenbeans · 04/09/2023 11:40

We have a September birthday too which is often the first day of term and has been both first day at Primary and Secondary- he just cracked on !

GertrudePerkinsPaperyThing · 04/09/2023 11:42

Of course you don’t get the day off for your birthday.

Ive only ever seen or heard of it as an idea on MN

GertrudePerkinsPaperyThing · 04/09/2023 11:42

Both of mine have birthdays that are sometimes in half term and sometime not (Oct and Feb). When it’s in term time they go in.

TooManyClouds · 04/09/2023 11:45

I never work on my birthdays so wouldn't send my DC to school on theirs, unless they were struggling academically and in exam years. Fortunately not an issue here though as they have their birthdays in the holidays!

Georgyporky · 04/09/2023 11:51

Curtainpoles · 04/09/2023 09:04

I am born in the middle of the summer holidays so never had to go to school on my birthday - and I was jealous of people that did because everyone sang to them and the teacher would let them wear a badge all day 😁
My friends were always away on holiday over my birthday!

Same here. Everyone got cards, but I was forgotten about.
Not that I was jealous.......

ChaToilLeam · 04/09/2023 11:54

Completely normal! And after school, you go to college or uni even if it is your birthday, and if an exam falls on your birthday you do the exam, like it or not.

Tell him he can look forward to having his birthday off when he is old enough to work and take the day as annual leave.

What a cheek! 😂

PeriwinkleForever · 04/09/2023 12:11

Also in Scotland and was quite shocked last week to hear from school that lots of kids are being allowed to stay off on their birthday and there was a plea to parents to avoid this.

so it does seem to be a thing!

(albeit I now always book my own birthday as annual leave - damned if I’m working on my own special day 🎂)

deveronvalley · 04/09/2023 12:15

Also in Scotland and with an August baby - he's occasionally had his birthday as the first day after the summer hols which he rolls his eyes at but I don't think taking your birthday off is a 'thing' at his school at all?! There are regularly kids going on holiday in term-time so I don't think we have especially strict parents at our school.

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