People older than 35; did your dad go to school parent’s evenings?

[Farrings]

I asked my parents to look after our daughters for an hour (they’re primary age) so DH and I could both go to parents evening.

Both kids are at the same school so it’s no bother, and we care equally about their education, so we both want to go.

My dad (born 1943) asked ‘What’s parents evening?!’ He denied any knowledge of the concept, and said he’d never been to one. He has 3 kids who were all in school in the 90’s/early 2000’s.

To be fair, I’m not sure my mum went to many either… they’re not great with supporting formal education…but I was still surprised to hear my Dad say he didn’t even know what one was!

Then I thought, was this normal for the time maybe?

if you’re over 35, please vote -

YANBU - ‘My dad didn’t go to parents evenings either, (or maybe like, one time)!’

YABU - My dad DID GO! Or a few times anyway!

(Obviously whether or not Mum’s went is a whole other question, I will have to save that for another vote)

P.S This is Just for fun! X

Well no. Neither parent went as we had parents' afternoons and both my parents were teaching in different schools from me and couldn't get time off.

My dad went to everyone he could attend. He was a university professor and education was really important to him. I used to be so proud of him because he was more educated than all my teacher so they always gave me preferential treatment after they’ve met him 😂.

My Dad never went! That was women’s work🙈 he is nearly 80 though

My Fad was born 1913 and I don’t remember him
coming to any of my parents evenings, but my parents had a farm when I was in primary and wouldn’t have wanted it left unmanned, and then at grammar school my parents ran a shop so again they probably needed one person staying on the job.

My dad didn’t go because they were always between 3.30&6 when he was at work, kids waited outside on benches. Same for my own dc (born around 2000) very few dads, the appointments were mostly between 3.30&6 pm their dad maybe made one or two school things ever, i didn’t miss any.

My parents were born 1929 & 1930 and yes, they both went to ALL our parents evenings (as did just about all the other parents).
A single parent there was the exception, not the rule and usually because the other parent was working (shift work).

Going off topic only ever so slightly, I genuinely cannot remember any of my friends coming from a 1-parent family.
Shows how things have changed.☹️

Yes he did but I wish he hadn’t as he would come back and tell me off for everything slightly negative and never compliment the positive. I would sometimes be grounded if I didn’t meet his high standards. Same with reports. I could have 8 excellents and 2 x acceptable and all he would mention were the acceptables 👎🏼
My mum was much kinder but what my dad said went

No, never

My dad went to primary school ones but at my secondary school he was a teacher , so he was there but seeing other parents

I remember one junior school parents evening where my dad embarrassed me because he knew my teacher, he was also a teacher, and kept calling her by her first name. I can't remember parents evening in secondary.

Mine did but I didn't have a mom so he didn't have much choice 😂

My mother strong armed him. Dad was born in 1922.

I went to school in the 70’s/80’s.

Neither of my parents attended anything organised by either the junior or secondary school even if it was something I was taking part in.

Both my parents worked full time and didn’t get home until around 6pm. I used to go home about 4pm and start dinner.

It really wasn’t a big deal back then, as far as I can remember. 🤷🏻‍♀️

However, as older parents, both myself and DH have attended every parents evening or other school event as we’re more invested in ensuring that DS has a good start in life as we know we don’t be around for ever.

I don't think we knew. My immediate friends, obviously I knew their families but many years later I met someone from my class who was a child of a single mum who went out to work cleaning in the evenings. In school, I'd have had no clue.

Over that age and yes, it was a thing right the way through primary and secondary for me. As a teacher now we have to actively chase parents to offer alternatives and still we can't catch them all. Some parents. Just. Aren't. Interested. 🥴

My dad (born 1943) definitely went to parents evening. I distinctly remember the feeling of worry & anxiety waiting for my parents to get home from it, in anticipation of hearing yet again how crap I was doing and how disappointed he was (even though I was trying my best, school just wasn't 'my thing'). I used to go to bed before they got home just so I could avoid yet another soul destroying lecture!

My father was born in 1937. He was a child psychologist so he went to every single one of the parents evenings for the 3 of us right up to A levels. He cared hugely about our education.

Same here. Or he was looking after us.

Im in my 50s, DM late 80s, DDad no longer with us but would have been 90. Both parents went to all my senior school parents evenings.

I’m 39, yes my dad went. But, he was a teacher and a school governor…

eta: he was born in 1935

Yes my dad did but they did not both go to the same ones

Even now DH and i often can't both make it, so one of us does - sometimed dh, sometimes me

My father went or they both did. My mother (French) was of the opinion that a woman's greatest asset was to be charming, well liked by everyone, and desirable to men. A very French 1950s attitude. I suspect the nuns at the convent found her rather frivolous and were therefore more respectful to my father.

The nuns could be quite cruel. Certainly my first early lessons on witnessing how women can be nasty to other women.

My Dad was born in 1950 and never went to any, although he would have known what they were. He never really paid any attention to school, not sure if he even knew what options we’d picked or anything like that.

ExH, born in 1976 has been to a grand total of 1 parents evening and we have 2 DC who have both left school now! He says he doesn’t do meetings 😂

My fathers family were catholic and they all utterly loathed the nuns. They were instrumental in my father turning away from the church. As he said, how can these women claim to be working for God and Jesus when Jesus himself would be disgusted with their behaviour?

My dad (born 1943) was a teacher so very well aware of what a parents evening is! He didn’t really need to go to mine as I went to the school he taught in.