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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:
GoatsareGOAT · 04/09/2023 12:21

DH never went to school on his birthday & always takes the day off work 😃

Sporkle99 · 04/09/2023 12:22

I used to love going to school on my birthday. They'd read out all the birthdays in assembly on the Monday, and they had a 'birthday board' where people could write birthday messages under your name.

Parky04 · 04/09/2023 12:30

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!

I'm glad I was an August baby as I never received the birthday 'bumps' which were pretty violent!

RonniePickering · 04/09/2023 12:32

I hated going to school on my birthday, I felt like it should’ve been a special day 😂
My 2 children’s birthdays fall in the summer holidays and the Christmas holiday so they’re never at school on their day.

TooOldForThisNonsense · 04/09/2023 12:33

My eldest has never been to school on his birthday because they are in the Easter holidays but my youngest’s is in November so when it’s on a weekday he has to go. It’s just tough as far as I’m concerned

Karatema · 04/09/2023 12:46

I've never worked/went to school on my birthday but my DSis and DB did. I was the favoured child 🤣

YetMoreNewBeginnings · 04/09/2023 12:50

We have regular strops about this in our house as of our 6 children only 1 has a birthday mid school term. He gets very miffed about it.

It’s better now that he’s old enough to realise that parties and big days out always happen on a weekend. He used to get very upset as he was convinced “everyone else” got to go to the zoo or have their party on their actual birthday.

IDontLoveTheWayYouLie · 04/09/2023 12:52

My son is born July so sometimes his birthday lands in the holidays - if he's meant to be at school he goes in though!

moresleepthanks · 04/09/2023 12:54

My teens have always gone on their birthday when it's a school day.

SpanielsMatter · 04/09/2023 12:57

I’m a June birthday and spent birthdays of those years in stuffy exam halls.

I would have also sent him in and reminded him it could be worse/ could be taking exams.

Fifthtimelucky · 04/09/2023 13:08

It would never have occurred to me to let my children stay at home on their birthdays.

To get fair, one of them sometimes did, but only when it happened to fall in the summer holidays (her birthday is in the second half of July).

Autieangel · 04/09/2023 13:16

My older two always went in for birthdays. The youngest has only had one year his birthday fell in the term and he was so excited! (But younger than yours) I do take his birthday off if it falls on a work day tho as he isn't keen on holiday club so would feel bad sending him on his birthday

Fizbosshoes · 04/09/2023 13:22

DD never goes to school on her birthday as it always falls in the school holidays. Although when she was younger she really missed not being able to have a party on her birthday as friends were often away. (Usually celebrated at the beginning or end of term)

DS goes to school unless his birthday is on a weekend. More than once there has been a school open eve on his birthday which either I've had to attend as a parent, or he's had to attend to show parents around. It's never occurred to me not to send him

Bigminnie1 · 04/09/2023 13:27

Not a chance!
At primary school, everyone brought it a Kit Kat or something for all the other kids.
At secondary, DD and her friends bring in chocolate to share with their friendship group on their birthdays and all their friends make a fuss.

Birdie8989 · 04/09/2023 13:29

My daughter was cross one year when her brother had an inset day on HER birthday, but she had to go to school. Still sent her in though!

PinkRiceKrispies · 04/09/2023 13:29

I know someone who has a 3rd September birthday. Started primary and secondary school on their birthdays. Must have been horrible.

Original poster
DinnaeFashYersel · 04/09/2023 13:40

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

I did wonder if the rise in employers (private sector, charity sector) giving birthday leave as an employee benefit is in the rise to generation getting the day off school.

But I can seen the vast majority agree with me - that you should go to school - so maybe not.

OP posts:
Boo1321 · 04/09/2023 14:10

I always had my birthday off school

Favouritefruits · 04/09/2023 14:20

My two have always gone to school their birthday! My five year old turns six next week and will be desperate to go to school to wear a hat shaped like a cake and wear a badge! Never take sweets in though

Mamai90 · 04/09/2023 15:10

I never got the day off on my birthday but lots of my school friends did and that was 20 plus years ago.

Nottodaty · 04/09/2023 15:14

Nope - I’ve always had to go in when I was growing up! & so has both my girls! M

It’s not something I’ve heard of before - though my current company you get your birthday off! Not something I’ve ever had before working 25+ years!

Malapataraso · 04/09/2023 15:29

If he wasn’t mad about his birthday he’d be mad about something else. What he is really mad at are the out of control, raging hormones and the insatiable, constant, crippling sexual frustrations of a 15 year old boy. The birthday is irrelevant.

Daisyislazy · 04/09/2023 15:34

I let my DS stay off

ASoapImpressionOfHisWifeWhichHeAte · 04/09/2023 16:00

usernother · 04/09/2023 09:06

I used to do community work in a very deprived area. It was traditional for parents to keep their children off school on their birthday. I'd never heard of this before and I really didn't understand why because most of them had bad school attendance anyway so I didn't think it was much of a treat.

As a teacher who has taught in quite a few schools with wildly different social demographics, in my experience it is a deprived area thing.

My birthday is this week and my parents always made me go to school but always said "when you grow up you'll be able to book it off work". Then I became a teacher! 😂

sezzer87 · 04/09/2023 16:02

My eldest always has her birthday off as it's over Xmas. My 2 youngest don't. One year my middle child wanted to go to school. But we tend to give them the day off and go do something fun.

I don't see the harm because in most jobs you get annual leave and will have the option to take it off for work if you book it off in advance, some jobs even allow you to take your birthday off anyway.
Lifes too short.

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