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

Yes. He did a lot of evening activities because my mum sometimes travelled for work or worked late, whereas he did 7-3 hours.

For your dad not to even know what they are is pretty bad tbf!

I’m 41 and my dad came to mine if he was in the country (he worked away a lot).
DH goes to all of our 3 children’s parent’s evenings.

My dad did, pretty much all of them. He was born in 1920 so would be 105 if still alive. Education was incredibly important to him (his was cut short by world events) and he very much wanted to know how I was getting on. I was a teacher years ago so did many parents evenings. As a parent though I don’t find them particularly useful, the reports and assessments are more useful. Maybe teachers reported differently in the 1970s/80s when I was at school.

Yes, he went and was on various PTFAs along the way,

I had the opposite experience of a PP in that he turned up to my prep school in a leather jacket and jeans (uni lecturer) and I so wanted him to be suited and booted like all the other Dads. I’d recovered from that by secondary school. Mum tried but she was the one who commuted so couldn’t always be there.

Never, not once. Didn’t think it strange either until seeing this post 🤣

My Dad born in 1950s went to my Brothers and my Mother went to my ones. Different schools.

My dad went to all of mine, from the early 1980s right through until I left school. His dad, born 1912 was really interested in his children's education as well.

Mine did parents evening but not plays or special assemblies etc because he was working during the day. Mum was a dinner lady so she was always around school.

My dad (B1936) went to most parents' evenings. He worked locally and by secondary school my mum was working a fair commute away so it was easier for him than her. They both tried to go, but sometimes only one made it.

my 1949 vintage dad did. My 1976 dh doesn’t

My dad didn’t go because he was working and my mum was not.

But I think you dad is being a bit obtuse to act like he’s literally never even heard of them.

I’m 46 and yes, every single one. Then all of my secondary ones alone as my mum had died by then. He came to everything (he was born in 1936)/

I'm 39 and I don't remember my dad (born 53) going but its certainly possible that he did. He was also a parent governor of every school I went to so was quite involved anyway and always took an interest in our education.

Mine did. I was at primary from 1989 to 1996. My dad was born in 1956.

I'm late 30's - both my parents went to my parents evenings (one of them may have missed the odd one or two but generally they both went). DC1 has just started school and both DH and I went to parents evening, and we both went to their nursery ones as well.

One of my favourite Dad memories is my suddenly saying at breakfast " I had a fight with your Latin teacher last night at Parents Evening" (verbal,not fisticuffs). For context, my Latin teacher was a small man in his 70s, and a bit of a pompous twit, stuck in the past, and my dad is tiny and very mild mannered.

These two, quiet non assuming men had got into s loud argument over the arrangements for Parents Evening. He knew then why I enjoyed Latin but really didn't like my teacher.

Yes - I imagine op's parents call op's dh "hands on" and were impressed whenever he changed a nappy.

(Like my DM...)

I'm 36 in January and my Dad definately did as much as possible (he worked more hours than my Mum) but I don't remember him missing that many

Same with my DH and if he can't make one we usually have him on video call when I meet the teacher

Born 1975, my father never went to a single parent event as far as I remember. Always my mum.

Always went. Remember him putting a tie on to go 🤣 (I'm 40)

I can't really remember my mum going to them either and she was very involved in PTAs, school governors etc. She has no real idea about what I've achieved in education. My dad was supportive in other ways (taking me to music rehearsals, concerts etc).

My dad was born in 1941. At primary school he went to parents ' evening with my mum, at secondary he went once, got into a theological/philosophical argument with my RE teacher and didn't go again.

Nope my father never went, he simply wasn’t interested

Yes because both of my parents were quote a few times asked to attend😂
He did go couple of times by himself as well to argue about random stuff. I don't think it was that he wanted to go for the info itself, he just wanted argument with some of my teachers and mum was not partaking usually