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

My dad didn't go. One parent had to stay at home to look after the kids and I think my dad may have felt uncomfortable at the thought of talking to teachers. I remember him asking my mum what had been said. This was the 70s and 80s.

No, he never did. He stayed at home with my siblings. Not sure why him and mum didn’t take turns because they were both very attentive parents. Maybe he just didn’t like schools!

My dad did the school concerts and plays when I was secondary age.

Ditto. (Except my Dad born 1938…)

My DDad went to nearly all of mine and my DSister’s. We were born in the 1980s, he was born mid 1950s. My DM never missed one.

I'm 47 and don't think my father (born early 1940s) went to either mine or my sibling's primary parent evenings. Sibling died before secondary school age and father and I were estranged and living in different countries by my teens so no attendance at secondary parents evenings.

My mum was a teacher though so I don't think for a minute my father would deny knowing what they were! I'm not 100% certain he didn't attend any primary parents evenings but also not inclined to take anything he says on faith even if he were to swear blind now he was at them all. 😂

Nah. My parents went to my eldest brothers once, apparently brother complained they went and they didn't go to another. None of the rest of us kids. The last one of us to leave secondary school education was 1988.

this is really interesting, and says a lot about how seriously or not different cultures take education. Certainly, the stats show children of Asian origin do much better through school because there is parental buy-in.

The kids most in peril today? White working class boys. Slipping behind

Why aren't you taking the kids?

Yes, both parents came and my grandparents used to babysit.

My Dad is 89 and he went to all my parents' evenings!

Straight through the pearly gates! 😇

My mum in primary and no one in secondary. My dad was a teacher and thought they were a waste of time.

My dad was born in 1953 and I think he went to both primary and secondary ones for me and my younger brother. My mum sometimes worked evenings so often only one of them would go, sometimes both. He always took an interest in our education I still remember practicing my spellings / times tables / reading with my dad as well as my mum.

No, but he worked abroad. Would he have gone if he was at home? Probably not before I was 16, he only really got interested in my education around the time proper exams hit.

Mine didn’t but he wasn’t a great dad. I did well at school so it wasn’t an issue. Mum was very active member of PTA throughout.
However DH’s dad was the same age as mine and he did. DH’s mum had more senior job and was busier so schooling issues were left to his dad.

Oldest of 4. One car in the family. Mostly just got school reports I think. Maybe different in exam years

Yes but I was living with him not my mum

Yes. He was a widower and believed strongly in education so always went to parents' evenings.

My dad was born in 1936. I was at school in the 70s/80s. Parents evenings ran from 330 when school finished to as soon as the teachers could get away, so probably 5ish. I remember my dad being at one or two in secondary school, because he was on mornings (shift) so available. If he was on 'noons it wouldn't have been possible, if on nights he'd have been in bed. My DCs dad was similar in the 90s. He went if work allowed. I'd take time off.

My parents never went . My dad was a teacher and get would phone the school direct to find out my progress. This was 1970

My dad was born in 1930, and he absolutely did go to parents' evenings with my mum when I was at school in the '70s and '80s. Only time he didn't was if he had an evening shift.

I'm 49 and my dad (born in 1942) went to all of mine. He went to most of my secondary school ones on his own. My mum values education as much as he does, but my dad was just much more confident talking about secondary level stuff and better at asking questions and arguing with teachers than my mum was.

I can't actually remember whether he went to any of my school plays or not. I feel like he probably would have done, but I don't have any recollection of him being at them, only my mum.

My parents both always went to all mine and my brothers parents evenings - after primary school we were at different middle and high schools so the evenings were on different nights - I am mid 50s

Dad never. Mum not after Primary school. Very hands off and disinterested.