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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Re something teacher said to ds

133 replies

Mindovermatter247 · 26/04/2024 23:34

DS16 came home from school today in a weird mood, usually on Fridays he’s in a fantastic mood b3cause he hasn’t got school for the next 2 days. He started snapping at me, I asked what the problem was and he asked why we chose to go to Thorpe park this weekend when his GCSEs are soo close. (We are going this weekend) he’s not got his first exam for 2 weeks and I told him he can still have a life around his exams. I did and I did alright. Theme parks are his safe haven, he’s autistic and they are his obsession let alone his hobbie. I asked why he didn’t want to go, he told me he was talking to his friends about it and a teacher told him he shouldn’t be going out to places like that this close to his exams. I pressed him for the name of teacher and he said he can’t remember, he knows I will be calling school otherwise as they have made several monumental fuckups over the years and we have them by the balls, but in an attempt to calm DS down back whilst doing the mocks we asked that no teachers mention about how important they are as he was getting extremely stressed out to the point he was threatening not taking them at all among other things. He has an EChP plan, and we have just got him back to a better place where he’s not as aggressive, he’s working with us to better his studies, so he can prepare. Actually shown an interest in his actual real exams. Aibu to think teachers shouldn’t be telling kids what they can and can’t be doing outside of school. I feel like if teachers keep saying stuff like this too him they are going to undo months of work we as parents and the dedicated SEn support have put in to get home this far. DS hates lying, he’s very forwards and blunt so I’m inclined to believe a teacher has said it, he just refuses to tell me who.

OP posts:
ConsuelaHammock · 27/04/2024 14:42

You lost my sympathy at ‘have them by the balls’.
What exactly do you mean and exactly how do you have them ‘by the balls’ ?
Do you think the teachers are frightened of you? Because I very much doubt that and you’re just known as one of those parents! Stop blaming the school and teachers for your child’s issues. That’s on you!

LakeTiticaca · 27/04/2024 15:05

No wonder teachers are quitting in droves

CammyChameleon · 27/04/2024 15:35

Might your son feel a bit less anxious and pressured around exams if he doesn't have holidays and big days out for a bit, so he can do his revision a bit here and a bit there with chill out breaks rather than waiting to do a big cramming session?

If he's hearing other students talk about their revision set ups, the teachers are encouraging the class to revise, and he knows he isn't doing the same while you're being "oh don't worry about it, it'll be fine to do it all last minute"...yeah, I'd be quietly freaking out in his shoes...

worrieddaughter97 · 27/04/2024 15:41

YABU.

I am sitting professional exams soon, and I am (aside from a few hours off here and there) mainly revising all weekend. I have 3 weekends set aside now until July to do things. The rest of the time, I am working.

If your son wants to do any sort of degree or further qualification, he needs to be told he needs to be working. I am sorry but taking away his revision to go to a theme park is selfish.

bioogin · 27/04/2024 17:55

DH (a secondary teacher) is bemused at your thread op. While he spends a lot of his time getting yr 11 students to calm down, take down time and plan their revision carefully to avoid burnout ..well a day at Thorpe park and a week hols are at bit at the other end of the scale. Fucking hell, even we aren't going away for half term so he can support the kids he teaches more (DS is toddler).
Me (ex teacher) is so glad I'm no longer teaching at your 'by the balls' comment, I can guarantee you are 'that' parent and part of your sons exam anxiety will no doubt be attributed to your bizarre anti school/anti exam in the staff room.

Poostickers · 27/04/2024 18:29

You sound way too invested in this. Agree that you may think you have them by the balls but they will see you as a pain in the arse and I doubt you have won all these battles, they probably placate to shut you up. Have you got a job? Friends of your own? Don't let this become your life, he'll be leaving soon then you will be bereft and empty rather than purposeful and inappropriate.

EliflurtleAndTheInfiniteMadness · 28/04/2024 13:02

sleekcat · 27/04/2024 09:34

My son is doing GCSEs this year. I fully expect the teachers to emphasis the importance of revising and doing as well as they can. I don’t see how they can deliver this message to a whole class whilst omitting one student.
Regardless of whether the teacher should have said anything directly to your son like that, I wouldn’t complain to the school simply because he doesn’t want you to and he’s 16. Perhaps he does feel stressed about the exams and that going to the theme park before they start is a bad idea? My older child used to get stressed about having not revised to the point that he was too stressed to do any revision - I know that sounds illogical!

My DD is the same. Lockdown was horrible, she had anxiety meltdowns most mornings because she felt she couldn't get through all the work even though her teachers stressed to everyone that all the work didn't need to be completed and they could pick which activities to do.

JudgeJ · 28/04/2024 21:59

Headstarttohappiness · 27/04/2024 08:50

This kind of attitude from parents is just one of the many reasons why so many teachers are leaving the profession.

Incidentally OP it is As and Bs - plural not possessive so the apostrophe is not needed.

And this approach by a parent is also part of the reason that so many pupils get stressed, it's a problem exacerbated by pushy ball-hugging parents.

I wonder how she tried to extract the culprit's name from her poor son, thumb-screws and bright lights or maybe a truth drug?

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