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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To not want to send children to school when there’s a storm

184 replies

Bestofbothworlds19 · 23/10/2025 07:52

It’s rotten today where we live. Throwing it down with rain all night and this morning, set to continue all day. Winds are strong too, I can see one of the trees along our road has lost one of its branches (not a small one either) which has snapped into the pavement and is partly in the road. I then worry about anything like that happening close to us when walking to school. Fairly certain my youngest won’t even be able to hold her own in this wind anyway lol. I’m not talking about a typical windy rainy autumn day here, it’s far worse than that where we are. Would you keep your children off or not? (Mine are primary school age but question applies for any age really)

OP posts:
KimHwn · 23/10/2025 08:04

xla · 23/10/2025 08:01

I’m in the area where it’s the worst, with weather warnings. it’s fine. OP is just being dramatic.

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Though you might be predicted the worst weather, that isn't necessarily the reality- the met office can't always get it exactly right. Some of the worst weather we get isn't predicted.

xla · 23/10/2025 08:05

KimHwn · 23/10/2025 08:04

Though you might be predicted the worst weather, that isn't necessarily the reality- the met office can't always get it exactly right. Some of the worst weather we get isn't predicted.

Show quote history

It’s a bit of wind and rain. Certainly not life threatening.

MinnieMountain · 23/10/2025 08:09

I grew up in Pembrokeshire, which is known for windy and wet weather. We were never off school because of the weather.

Iwanttoliveinagardencentre · 23/10/2025 08:10

Christ on a bike.

At the risk of coming over all Monty Python, we used to walk 3 miles to school through heavy snow on our own from age 8/9.

Children need to develop some resilience. Keeping them home from school teaches them the very opposite.

Shoxfordian · 23/10/2025 08:11

Its a bit windy and rainy op, not an apocalypse
Yabu

Lanzarotelady · 23/10/2025 08:11

This reply has been deleted

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Allthecoloursoftherainbow4 · 23/10/2025 08:12

Theres an orange weather warning where i am today due to the storm.... Its absolutely fine, the kids have just set off for school and had to be reminded to put a coat on!

Lanzarotelady · 23/10/2025 08:13

I can't imagine ever looking out of the window and not being able to make a decision and thinking I will just ask on mumnset if I should take my children to school

RedRec · 23/10/2025 08:13

I always worried about storms and falling trees too, OP, but still let them go. Had to tap into the rational bit of my brain that told me that incidents like this are very, very rare. But it was hard.

Bagsintheboot · 23/10/2025 08:14

The storm has gone much further south than was predicted. The weather forecast where I am has been really downgraded. Yesterday we were predicted heavy rain and strong winds all day, now it's just a bit of rain til lunchtime.

Original poster
Bestofbothworlds19 · 23/10/2025 08:15

Borethefuckoff · 23/10/2025 08:00

Are you usually a worrier?
Not sure where you are but it’s fine in the South East… just a bit of wind and rain!

I am indeed! Seeing the snapped branch set off anxious thinking about branches falling while we’re walking underneath them. Then the thought that my four year old is so small she might get swept off her feet and hurt started to set in. I thought I’d ask on here for some clarity and help squash the anxious thinking and some of the posts have helped I’m glad to say 😅 some of them are just plain rude but that’s mumsnet for you I guess! We’re right on the coast in the south with lots of trees around so various warnings around high tides too which doesn’t help my anxiety. It’s something I’m working on and getting better at but sometimes the anxious thinking gets to me.

OP posts:
MyDeftDuck · 23/10/2025 08:16

If the weather was to be so extreme then surely the Environment Agency would be recommending that people stay indoors and not venture out. As far as I can see, that hasn’t happened…….take the child to school.

rainbowstardrops · 23/10/2025 08:16

Are you my neighbour because I’m fairly sure she did this exact same thing fairly recently when we had 50-60 mph winds. We live pretty much opposite the school! If it wasn’t because of the storm, it was an incredible coincidence that all three kids were off on the same day!

TartanMammy · 23/10/2025 08:17

You can't keep children off school every time there is a bit of wind and rain.
If the weather is severe enough then the schools would be closed there would be a no travel warning.

Meadowfinch · 23/10/2025 08:18

It's a bit of Autumn wind & rain, not storm force 10.. We could have months of this.

Dress them in full wet weather gear and let them jump in puddles, lean into the wind, kick up leaves and generally have a good time.

rainbowstardrops · 23/10/2025 08:18

Bestofbothworlds19 · 23/10/2025 08:15

I am indeed! Seeing the snapped branch set off anxious thinking about branches falling while we’re walking underneath them. Then the thought that my four year old is so small she might get swept off her feet and hurt started to set in. I thought I’d ask on here for some clarity and help squash the anxious thinking and some of the posts have helped I’m glad to say 😅 some of them are just plain rude but that’s mumsnet for you I guess! We’re right on the coast in the south with lots of trees around so various warnings around high tides too which doesn’t help my anxiety. It’s something I’m working on and getting better at but sometimes the anxious thinking gets to me.

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I get it because I’m a worrier too but they should be fine. Can you avoid the trees at all? I’m in the south too and it’s a bit windy but we’ve had way worse before. Take care.

xla · 23/10/2025 08:19

Bestofbothworlds19 · 23/10/2025 08:15

I am indeed! Seeing the snapped branch set off anxious thinking about branches falling while we’re walking underneath them. Then the thought that my four year old is so small she might get swept off her feet and hurt started to set in. I thought I’d ask on here for some clarity and help squash the anxious thinking and some of the posts have helped I’m glad to say 😅 some of them are just plain rude but that’s mumsnet for you I guess! We’re right on the coast in the south with lots of trees around so various warnings around high tides too which doesn’t help my anxiety. It’s something I’m working on and getting better at but sometimes the anxious thinking gets to me.

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My god

PollyBell · 23/10/2025 08:22

Bestofbothworlds19 · 23/10/2025 08:15

I am indeed! Seeing the snapped branch set off anxious thinking about branches falling while we’re walking underneath them. Then the thought that my four year old is so small she might get swept off her feet and hurt started to set in. I thought I’d ask on here for some clarity and help squash the anxious thinking and some of the posts have helped I’m glad to say 😅 some of them are just plain rude but that’s mumsnet for you I guess! We’re right on the coast in the south with lots of trees around so various warnings around high tides too which doesn’t help my anxiety. It’s something I’m working on and getting better at but sometimes the anxious thinking gets to me.

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You wont want to hear this but this thinking will affect your children more than any storm

BadgernTheGarden · 23/10/2025 08:24

We used to love going to school in the wind, open our coats and see if we could fly (we couldn't).

baroqueandblue · 23/10/2025 08:26

PollyBell · 23/10/2025 08:22

You wont want to hear this but this thinking will affect your children more than any storm

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You've had the satisfaction of pointing that out and alarming the OP, but do you have anything actually helpful to say?

Borethefuckoff · 23/10/2025 08:26

Bestofbothworlds19 · 23/10/2025 08:15

I am indeed! Seeing the snapped branch set off anxious thinking about branches falling while we’re walking underneath them. Then the thought that my four year old is so small she might get swept off her feet and hurt started to set in. I thought I’d ask on here for some clarity and help squash the anxious thinking and some of the posts have helped I’m glad to say 😅 some of them are just plain rude but that’s mumsnet for you I guess! We’re right on the coast in the south with lots of trees around so various warnings around high tides too which doesn’t help my anxiety. It’s something I’m working on and getting better at but sometimes the anxious thinking gets to me.

Show quote history

I think it’s about thinking of the actual likelihood of something bad happening. It’s so very slim. You’ll not want to pass these anxieties on to your children either. I had terrible health anxiety so I can relate. Pushing yourself through these things will also help. You’ll feel proud of yourself. If there was an actual likely risk to life, you’d be advised not to leave the house.
I mean try and take the easiest route away from trees? Walking in the road if no cars and low trees near pavement?
But also remind yourself of the actual chance of a tree falling whilst you are there.
Good luck!

QueenStevie · 23/10/2025 08:26

Maybe all the teachers have decided they can't face going out in the storm so have taken the day off? Oh, hang on...

BMW6 · 23/10/2025 08:27

Great opportunity to start teaching your child how to navigate Life during bad weather OP!

Dress appropriately, be alert for danger from loose stuff being blown about etc

Storms are a normal part of life. This is not a situation like a tornado or hurricane where advise would obviously be very different.

samones · 23/10/2025 08:30

The UK only has yellow weather warnings, I would just carry on about my day as normal unless things escalated massively.

rach2713 · 23/10/2025 08:31

that just sounds Like a normal day in Scotland and my kids go to school. the school don't tend to close unless its a danger to life or really bad snow up here.