Archaic societal norms that need to change

[Autiebibliophile]

For me it's the 6 week holidays. It worked well in a time where the majority of families were one income families. Where village communities were much more present. Grandparents typically lived close by and could help with childcare. When we had typical seasons before global warming kicked in.

I grew up in the eighties, summers were playing out all day. If my mum needed to go somewhere I went to my grandparents or a friends house. It was simple. Now it's just 6 weeks of childcare hell. Spending a fortune on childcare, expensive holidays, activities. It costs a fortune and I'm not convinced children get much out of the break anymore.

I think it needs cutting down to three weeks, And give parents two weeks they can use at their choosing (at certain time periods in the year)

What societal norms do you think are outdated?

go for it. I'd love to see what you think is more important than what children are studying now

What do other countries do in the school hols ? Work less? Use childcare?

I don't really see the point in taking children out of school and sticking them in another facility. If parents could have more autonomy in when they take holidays with their children. They could do it at a time convenient to their workplace and affordable for them if they want to take their children away. It could also incorporate customs/festivals/special occasions so children can share in those events.

Everyone is saying it wouldn't work. In my school district up until about 7/8 years ago parents could take their children out of school for up to 10 days without consequence providing attendance was above a certain number. It was commonly done and didn't cause any major problems for the schools.

your bank card says whatever you specifically asked for it to say.

I love being Miss, and it is always what I choose for cards

I find this bizarre. It's not something that's forced on you. No-one cares if you don't live like this. It wasn't the norm in my group when we were having our kids in the 1980s. Its always been the norm for some and not for others. It's not something you have to just accept.

You do this by choice. Own your choices. Don't choose to have kids with useless sexist men and if you find you accidentally did, leave.

@curtaintwitchersannonymous what you said!
don’t know any school that doesn’t run holiday clubs during the summer so staff don’t get a six week break here. Also preparation and meetings take place during the summer.

It's not about free childcare. It's about the pressure on parents, the fact that children often go from school to wrap around care so they are still in a system with expectations and social requirements. That's not a proper rest. Parents often can't afford a holiday in the six weeks or struggle to get time off so they don't actually get quality time with their children. If a child's summer holiday consists of 8-6 childcare 5 days a week what rest are they getting. ?

Definitely cancel the clock change!

But what about the staff?
Look at the bigger picture!
Can't you see this would not work?
Look outside your own little life!

@Autiebibliophile
They use childcare such as summer clubs, use their holidays, just like most people do in the UK. the issue would be with the fact that childcare is so expensive and that’s down to the government cutting funding for youth clubs etc, not that the holidays are 6 weeks.

how would it work for school staff and there children.
Do they suffer because some parents can’t be bothered to plan ahead for the summer? Does my child have to suffer because we wouldn’t be able to afford to go on holiday in the three weeks summer compared to her friends you can go whenever they want.
Do staff also get this time off which would mean cover for ten days and loss of learning because if you’ve been in a cover class you’d see how little learning is done.
Also you can tell it’s coming up half term because behaviour drops due to tiredness from students.

You’ve not really thought it over as it honestly would not work and wouldn’t be able to cater for all -

@Onethingatatime23 can you share this info about the monks?

Just thinking about what we teach and a lot of it wasn't about in medieval times!

Yes! Although I wonder if as a society we like tradition and that's why we continue with a lot of these outdated customs.

I’d get rid of GCSEs, and not replace with any aged 16 qualification. Most of the rest of the west manages with a qualification at 18 that covers the range of subjects. (like the IB or high school diploma) Or leave at 16 to do vocational courses.

if we absolutely need something at 16 to prove ability (or not) for those wanting to do vocational courses, a maths and English paper only. Everything else moves on to years 12&13 and can be done in a combination of exams and course work. Ideally exams being run January and summer throughout those 2 years and the points being added up to your final score, not all focussed on a 2 week period in the summer of year 13.

Secondary school days should start and end later. 10am - 4:45/5pm instead of 8:45/8:40 to 3:30ish.

Group childcare Should be free and paid in line with teaching wages.

elderly care should be made part of the NHS not social services. (And funded better)

Na I don't agree with yours, 6 weeks is a good time to switch off, it doesn't last forever, we are almost out that stage now, it has flown.

But for me, Sunday trading laws, so old fashioned and unnecessary.

I’d end judgment of people use use their knife and fork entirely properly, but find it more comfortable to use cutlery in the opposite hand to what it’s meant to. It’s the one social judgement that makes zero sense to me.

The price of holidays during school holidays is the price. So what if you can’t afford to take your kids on holiday, don’t go.
Do other things with your children. Take them to parks, the seaside, museums. Stay home and bake with them, paint with them, get them to help in the garden, have friends round.
Moving the school holidays Just shifts the price.
Holiday companies will charge as much as they can get, that’s basic economics. They are not a charity.

I think we should go back to allowing young people to leave school at 16 and start apprenticeships - proper, paid, working apprenticeships, not internships.

I totally agree with this 👆 we are not preparing kids for the world they will actually be adults in.

I think two weeks’ paternity leave for fathers/non-birthing parents is incredibly dated. Thankfully that is slowly changing, which is great, but only via employers in certain industries.

You do this by choice. Own your choices. Don't choose to have kids with useless sexist men and if you find you accidentally did, leave.

🤣 it must be quite nice to have such a simple mind.

There's still a lot of memorising and regurgitating in a lot of subjects. Some kids seem very bright until you ask them to be creative, and they struggle because they've just drill learnt info. Others struggle with the drill learning but excel at the creative subjects. Of course some are good/struggle at both.

I do think it could do with some adjusting. England dates mean the kids are off til 1 Sept usually, but the weather is so much nicer June/early July than it is late Aug.

I'd love for it to be something like:-
Middle of August start, then 6/7 weeks on 2/3 weeks off, on repeat, for the year.

This is the case in Scotland.

@Skyblue92 if parents had more choice in when to take their children on holiday. You wouldn't need to go in the summer hols. What are children benefiting if the spend 40 weeks in one institution and six weeks in another due to parents not being able to get time off. Or four or five of the six weeks.

Education/attainment would suffer and it would be a nightmare for teachers to have to constantly re-teach different topics to different pupils.

This was in addition to the existing school holidays though, not instead of. It didn't cause major problems for the schools because it didn't impact staff terms and conditions, so there were no knock on effects on recruitment to consider.