to consider giving the DDs a day off on friday because they will be tired and i really don't want to have to get up early and fight with them.

[DisasterArea]

we're off to the theatre thursday eve. will be back very late (about 1am-ish)
would it be shockingly lax to consider not getting up friday morning?
after all a theatre trip will be educational.

For those who are of the "school is a duty" etc bunch...When did parents stop being in total charge of our children, and the school/local authority take over?

Yes education is important, it is a privlege,but it should NOT become a stick to beat children and parents with.
Parents should, and ALWAYS should be the ones in charge of their child. (Unless there is abuse, etc obviously) We should be allowed to excercise our judgement, as we are the ONLY ones who can see the whole big picture of our childrens lives.

Sometimes you have to weigh up the pros and cons, and PARENTS are the ones who are most able to do that.
Sometimes kids need a treat (like the theatre etc) for whatever reason.

Personally, it scares the hell out of me that more and more power is taken away from parents.

It's nothing to do with parents not being in charge, it's to do with exercising that control responsibly. I don't think it is responsible to allow your children to miss school for this kind of reason, even if the dancer consider is, ahem, buff.

I was under the impression that allowing your children to truant was a criminal offence. People have gone to prison for it.

Yes children need a treat but not one which means they miss school for spurious reasons.

I think that a precedent could easily be set...I had a late nigth ebcause of the theatre, I don't have to go to school...

well whats the difference between the theatre and an education trip to the cinema...

And then a not quite so educational trip to the cinema etc etc..

And so on

Personally I'd say no - they go to school - their "job" is to go to school.

Yes we all like a lot of sleep, yes we all get grumpy when we are tired but tbh its one of life's little lessons that you have responsibilities and duties whether you are tired, feeling a bit off colour, grumpy etc...and going to school is their primary responsibility, and not getting 11 hours sleep no matter how much they "like" that.

I took ds to see Oliver this week and he got to bed at 11ish, he managed school fine the next day.

"I was under the impression that allowing your children to truant was a criminal offence. People have gone to prison for it."

That is exactly my point.

I appreciate that not all parents are sensible, but (from my possibly limited experience) I think most parents are responsible. As I said,some things have to be weighed up. Sometimes a treat (like a trip to the theatre) is just the ticket to boost morale or whatever. I would really hate some nameless "authority" telling me that the only part of a child's life that is important is their school career.

you should all go to the theatre, have a lovely evening, and have the day off tommo. It is a one off treat, they won't miss anything much.

Exactly, Bollockbrain.

I would send them. They can lay in on a Saturday. Its about teaching children a sense of duty. It is their responibilty to go to school

your question should be 'am i being unreasonable booking a theatre trip on a school night,that we wont get home from untill one am?'

my heart says 'whatever...lighten up...that's fine '

but my teacher genes say 'unbelievable..absolutely unreasonable to expect children to function at school on too little sleep...what were their parents thinking...the excuse that the children are tired is beside the point...blah blah rant '

You should do whatever you want.

There are often posts like this. Do people feel really guilty about it? Is it so hard to come to decisions on these matters?