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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

… to be annoyed my son is missing break for yawning?

144 replies

DameBaggySmith · 14/05/2025 21:55

My 7 y o is missing break tomorrow for yawning in class. He can be prone to being distracted and the child sitting next to him was already told off. However, he informs me on this occasion, all he did was yawn. The teacher then asked him if he yawned, rolled her eyes at him then put his name down to miss break.

AIBU to think this is insane? Especially as a) they are only allowed access to water at break time which he often forgets and yawning can be a sign of dehydration and b) he's waiting for an ADHD assessment so giving him less chances to burn off energy isn't going to help.

Obviously there is a chance that my son isn't telling the whole truth… which I will investigate, but if he is, I think this is ridiculous.

OP posts:
CleverButScatty · 15/05/2025 11:10

HouseFullOfChaos · 15/05/2025 11:03

Children have the right to play. It's rule number 31 on the UNISEF rights of the child.

If he was doing it in a disrespectful way implying the lesson was boring or whatever then there can be other consequences which don't involve removing his rights.

He's 7 and may have ADHD, I wouldn't be happy and I'd ask more about the context and exactly what happened. Then ask why they think that removal of playtime is a suitable consequence for a child who very possibly needs the chance to run around to be able to focus.

Please tell me these other effective methods are that you would use in a class of 30+ often with no other adult in the room.

I would love to learn from you...

BatchCookBabe · 15/05/2025 11:11

YANBU @DameBaggySmith Not like he was talking over the teacher, or swearing, or squirting water over people. It was a yawn! 😴 OTT of the teacher.

SENNeeds2 · 15/05/2025 11:12

do you have a Sen person you could speak to? Having adhd myself a genuine yawn is lack of oxygen and if he’s impulsive he’s prob started to yawn without much thought anyway so I would think teacher being too harsh. My concern is when kids have did they start to rack up detentions for their adhd symptoms and it’s not good for their self worth.

SENNeeds2 · 15/05/2025 11:13

CleverButScatty · 15/05/2025 11:09

To be honest, from my experience it's probably something like this.

Child is messing about not doing work. Teacher asks them to focus

Child starts messing with equipment, distracting others, teacher tells them to stop.

Child talks when the teacher is teaching, teacher warns that they will lose break time if this carries on.

Teaching time is lost, they are not going to get through everything, teacher knows the head will have a hissy fit when they check the books or walk past and see kiddies off task.

Child does a loud exaggerated yawn making classmates giggle and once again disrupting the flow of teaching and teacher says they have lost some minutes off break.

The day passes and, being 7, the child forgets all that has happened except that they yawned and lost time off break.

So they feel like they are telling the truth to their parents who unquestioningly believe it.

Then 3 months later said parent (not saying this is you OP but there are plenty like this) will be in whinging to the head that their child hasn't made progress and behaviour in the class isn't well managed.

You will start to see why there is a recruitment and retention crisis in teaching...

He’s on an adhd pathway so yes likely has not been focusing

CleverButScatty · 15/05/2025 11:20

SENNeeds2 · 15/05/2025 11:13

He’s on an adhd pathway so yes likely has not been focusing

Show quote history

It's usually not malicious either on the side of the child or teacher.

If he has ADHD he is likely coping with a lot of movement etc and it's probably worth exploring strategies. You can get elastic bands round chair legs that you can kick in a bouncy way, fidget toys, movement breaks me ghr be helpful.

It sounds like it's worth a conversation, not because anyone has done anything wrong, but just to move forward.

Neemie · 15/05/2025 11:22

I imagine there was a bit more to it than that. Children often muck around in class for half an hour, annoying everyone, and then when they chuck a pencil across the desk (or something similar), it is the last straw so they get in trouble. As a form tutor all I will hear is ‘Miss Soandso put me in detention for passing a pencil to my friend’. Of course the teacher may be giving up her break time to supervise a kid for yawning, but I would keep an open mind before going in all guns blazing.

twoshedsjackson · 15/05/2025 11:27

As many other posters have emphasised, none of us were there to see the incident, but consider this from the teacher's point of view for a moment; if somebody in my class has done something warranting a missed break, somebody is lumbered with missing their own break to supervise said miscreant, and guess who that might be?
I have on more than one occasion pointed out to a pupil that I would far rather be in the Staff Room having a break myself, etc. etc.
If indeed it was a single, quiet, involuntary yawn, I doubt many teachers would react in this way, as many posters have said, that would be quite OTT. If I saw a child yawning, I'd be more likely to consider opening a window.
However, it is possible that you are getting the edited highlights; either the final act in an escalating sequence from one child, or the umpeenth child joining in with an undercurrent of silliness.
I can remember, at a similar age, being reprimanded for a rather theatrical yawn (genuine but excessively vocalised for effect) but all I got was a sharp word, and Mrs Graham was no slouch........

WhatATimeToBeAlive · 15/05/2025 11:27

The teacher then asked him if he yawned, rolled her eyes at him then put his name down to miss break.

If she had to ask him, presumably she heard him rather than saw it. If so, it would have been a loud and unnecessary yawn.

BobbyBiscuits · 15/05/2025 11:35

MyDarlingWhatIfYouFly · 15/05/2025 11:07

Wow, constant yawning is one of my auras as well - never heard of anyone else having this until now!

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I'm glad I'm not the only one! I used to get it all the time. That and Alice in wonderland syndrome, where everything looks like it's in miniature. Did you ever get that also? Migraines are weird aren't they?

Spirallingdownwards · 15/05/2025 11:42

latetothefisting · 15/05/2025 10:01

I'm not entirely sure how communicating to children that involuntary bodily functions are now forbidden works in practice???

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I am sure there is no rule about yawning but am equally sure kids know there are rules about pissing about in class and being disruptive. HTH.

CleverButScatty · 15/05/2025 11:43

WhatATimeToBeAlive · 15/05/2025 11:27

The teacher then asked him if he yawned, rolled her eyes at him then put his name down to miss break.

If she had to ask him, presumably she heard him rather than saw it. If so, it would have been a loud and unnecessary yawn.

It was probably a rhetorical question

Swiftie1878 · 15/05/2025 11:48

Trust the teacher. They’ll know what sort of yawn it was. Your DS will learn from this.

Everanewbie · 15/05/2025 12:07

Yawning theatrically when someone is talking is disrespectful, and it is a good lesson to tried his best to stifle the yawn and/or limit its visibility to others.

There are people on this thread quoting human rights legislation for goodness sakes! The kid lost his break, probably one of 3 at primary school. He wasn't tied to a post and flogged.

If he was attempting to be discrete and the teacher threw the metaphorical book at him, then yes, you might have a point. But I'd be more inclined to believe that the teacher is attempting to manage a class and teach the boy some manners, and I'd support her if it were mine too. I think losing a breaktime is appropriate in this case by the sounds of things.

PiggyPigalle · 15/05/2025 12:27

DameBaggySmith · 14/05/2025 22:08

Yes good point so i’ll check. He absolutely hates having attention on him, to the point that he won't raise his hand in class when he knows an answer, or do any activities involving him being on stage (nativity etc) so I doubt it was the latter.

Show quote history

Just back the teacher and also show him how to yawn discreetly, preferably with his hand covering his mouth.
By encouraging a child to break rules, you are either setting them up to be a narcissist, unable to hold down a job or a law breaker.
If you won't trust teachers to discipline your child, home educate him.

I don't know any teachers, but feel so sorry for them. Not only having to cope with bad behavior and lack of respect from their pupils, they have to do battle with parents as well. We could do with a "Back the Teacher" campaign.

Happyeachday · 15/05/2025 12:41

Im a yawner always have been.
I got told of loads at school for it.
I suffered migraines still do awful ones and it was and still is a symptom of my migraines.

PruthePrune · 15/05/2025 12:43

I think it was the eyerolling that did it.

Sera1989 · 15/05/2025 12:47

The bit I would take issue with is that he will miss break time and that's the only time they're allowed water. Surely kids will all need to pee suddenly during lessons if they're drinking a lot at once because they're then not allowed to drink anything for hours. I thought it was bad enough that kids are only allowed to go to the toilet twice a day

Snorlaxo · 15/05/2025 12:47

I think that is a need an update from OP now.

Either the child (he’s 7 so not judging) has left out some details that he didn’t realise was important like the yawn being a last straw or it being loud and dramatic (on purpose and disruptive) so everyone turned round to look or the teacher overreacted because this isn’t the first time that she’s told off the child and this was the last straw for her.

Missing break is a punishment for the teacher as well as the child since she probably uses break to go to the loo etc and now can’t do that until lunch.

Op if your son yawns, sneezes etc dramatically (no mouth covering etc ) then it might be time to advise him to start for manners sake. If things happened like he said then the yawn must have been very loud as it caused her to turn around in a classroom.

Whatafustercluck · 15/05/2025 12:55

I agree with you that missing breaks when a child has adhd is counter productive, yet secondary schools persist with this via detentions where a child just has to sit down for even longer!

This being said, it depends on how your child yawned and whether it was genuine or not. In either case, some other form of action would be appropriate: "I can see you're struggling with tiredness, perhaps a movement break will help. Could you please hand out these books/ sheets?" or whatever.

SipandClean · 15/05/2025 13:07

I was helping in a school one day with another mum and her daughter came rushing in saying she needed to bring a certain item to school but had forgotten and would have to miss break because of it. I started looking around the room - wondering if there was something the girl could use. The mum just shrugged and said that will teach you to be more organised. Taught her and probably me a lesson. You can't solve all their problems.

28Fluctuations · 15/05/2025 13:11

Just ask the teacher why he missed break.

midsummabreak · 15/05/2025 13:13

That’s a ridiculous consequence for yawning and removal of break is not a good option for both his wellbeing and education. If it’s a good option why aren’t working adults who yawn having their lunch breaks removed ?

KurtShirty · 15/05/2025 13:14

Personally I would talk to the teacher about it, it sounds unfair and unreasonable. One break feels like a big deal to a little kid, not only that but he’s been shamed in front of the whole class for possibly doing nothing. This sort of nonsense just makes kids unhappy at school.

Tripadvisor101 · 15/05/2025 13:16

The 'dehydration' isn't relevant given that he won't be dehydrated because he doesn't have constant access to sip a bottle.

Presumably he has 1-2 drinks before school, 1 at break, 1 at lunch, 1 after school and then several over the course of the evening. That's not dehydration.

Highlighta · 15/05/2025 13:28

Tripadvisor101 · 15/05/2025 13:16

The 'dehydration' isn't relevant given that he won't be dehydrated because he doesn't have constant access to sip a bottle.

Presumably he has 1-2 drinks before school, 1 at break, 1 at lunch, 1 after school and then several over the course of the evening. That's not dehydration.

I had to laugh at this. Dehydrated as haven't been able to have a sip of water for an hour.

I think back to our school days, and we had a plastic bottle which probably held a maximum of 200ml, to last us the entire day. And I went to school in a hot country. To be fair we had water fountains which of course, could only be used at break anyway.

I can only imagine how many trips to the toilet there must be when children are sipping on drinks all day and throughout class. Surely liquids are not allowed near books anyway?