To not send my children to school because I need to fly ?

[Paticake]

I have to fly tonight and my kids have been left with my mum, she lives two hours away. Is it ok that they don’t go to school or am I a terrible parent for picking work over the kids?

Blimey, if it's only a couple of days then I don't see the drama. I assume the OP is dropping the kids off on the way to the airport. It would be ridiculous to suggest the grandma gets up at 5am or whatever to drive the kids to school, not a good idea. Then she's got to pick them up again. This will not ruin the kids' lives.

Im sure they will be fine for a day or 2 . Don’t let people make you feel like a bad mum . Needs must, personally I think loosing your job would I make you a worse mum 😉.

You’ve left out loads of details. If the other parent has keeled over with a suspected heart attack and is in hospital and Granny can’t get to you, and you’re likely to lose your job if you don’t attend the meeting then yeah sounds like you’ve got no other option.

But if other parent has a cold and your Mum could stay at yours then it sounds like you’ve e not considered all the options. Ages of the kids is relevant too.

Unreal how some people get their knickers in a twist about this.

it’s absolutely fine, @Paticake - don’t worry about it.

I hope your children have a lovely day with their grandma!

Your partner sounds a bit flaky? Does he(?) need looking after too if he's so ill he's unable to look after kids? If he's that ill do you need to stay to look after him, as well as take kids to school? It sounds like going away at this time isn't going to work, you need proper local childcare.

Where does OP say it's just for one day? Have I missed something?

If she's flying somewhere for work seems unlikely she'll be there and back in one day.

i would have done the same 🤷‍♀️. How Ill is the other parent through? In hospital, you’ve all done the best you can. Has a cold, they are pathetic and it’s entirely their fault the children are not at school.

OP has said it's a 4 hour round trip to her mum's and then has to get a plane .

It's just school, don't sweat it unless they're in an exam year.

Now sick is sick?

YABU. School comes first.

She is flying tonight, presumably for a meeting tomorrow. If it’s in Europe, there is no reason why she can’t fly back tomorrow.

Why can't their father help?

Assuming that

• the sick other parents actually isn't well enough to look after the kids
• the work trip was planned before you knew that the other parent would be sick
• there is a good reason why the grandparent can't travel to the kids
• it won't be for more than a few days

it's fine! These things happen. You can't cancel a work trip at very short notice without inconveniencing lots of other people and the sick parent really couldn't cope. If parent is long term sick and this was your future plan for the kids for this week, then no you should have planned for grandparents of someone else to look after the kids at your house, or planned not to go on the work trip.

Because as op has posted the other parent is unwell..

In case you're not aware, bottom right of op you can click 'see all' to get all of op's posts.

In the school where I work, if it's just for the day and you call the school to explain, it's likely to be an authorised absence (code C)

Anything much longer and the school would want a holiday form filled out and most likely you'd get an unauthorised code - a G or an O.

Surely your mother is staying at yours, what with looking after 2 kids that need to school and her living 2 hours away?

Yes, ok! Let’s just forget that it’s illegal, Not to mention not good for the children!
Perhaps when your child does badly in exams you might remember this.
I think you need to take a good look at your lifestyle.

It’s no wonder kids have such a relaxed attitude to attending school. If you think it’s ok to miss it, then I think you are setting yourself up for trouble later.

What a load of sanctimonious hand wringing and fussing. It sounds like a one off, unforeseen emergency. Of course if they'll be off for several days that would be different, but I don't see what the OP is supposed to do differently at short notice.

Maybe she has to work?

If a child did badly in exams after missing a couple of days off school then they were going to do badly in their exams anyway!

Or perhaps all the PPs saying this have could get their brains in gear and understand that perhaps OPs mother might have other responsibilities too so she can’t stay at her daughters?

I wouldn’t think twice. Its a one off and an emergency. My DD was unwell in year 9 and attendance was 70% and she left year 11 with all top grades. A few days here and there won’t hurt. When you don’t have family nearby, there’s not a lot you can do.

Honestly dc took years out of school for Covid not that long ago.
A couple of days are not going to make any difference.