AIBU to think our school office staff .....

[MissSunny]

Message withdrawn

even if she was "in the wrong" its not for school receptionist to remind her of this by shaking their heads or giving looks. and nor is it the receptionist's place to lecture on returning p.e kit. the receptionist is entitled to politely remind the parent to return the kit. and as for never oversleeping, congratulations those of you taht never have, but we dont need to be made to feel bad by other adults when we do. really, get over yourselves.

OP yanbu

"not the receptionist's place"

Think it's you that needs to get over yourself - you sound like you consider yourself "above" a humble receptionist

absolutely not, i know my place, it seems the receptionist in this case did not.

Get over yourself and get an alarm clock. It's not difficult.

Get over yourself and get an address book.

Is there really any need for us to all talk to each other like that? Does it make for a happier place?

WTF?

the office lady shook her head she didn't give the OP a dressing down and a detention. OP did something wrong wrt the lateness and should accept that.

I'm simply responding to booyhoo in the same manner that she posted in [shrug]

DD was late once when I locked my keys in my car and so had to wait for dh to drive back from work with his keys. But I rang at 8.30am to let the school know, and got there 5mins late.

We only wash pe kit half-termly. Doesn't smell (yet - dd in year 1, not sweaty, and not that much exertion).

I think that from reading your OP, the office staff are reacting to you a) being late and b) wanting to get your dd's pe kit at an unusual juncture (when couldn't she bring it out herself at the end of the day?).

I don't think they were rude as such. But obviously wasn't there.

Our office staff are lovely.

not difficult but sometimes things go wrong, it happens, she didnt intend to oversleep. perhaps she had a really cr*p night last night and had things on her mind and forgot to set the alarm, she doesnt need adults to make her feel bad about it.

Is there really a need to make out that all school office staff and GP staff are miserable? Does it make for a happier place?

So a few of us have never slept in and we are therefore perfect . Thank you so much . Has the OP said how late she was?

So how would you define a receptionist's 'place' booyhoo?

LOL. They are famous for it. So yes, it does make for a happier place, except if you are a doctor's receptionist or school office staff.

The OP wasn't asking if she was reasonable to be late, she was asking if it's reasonable for another adult to make her feel worse about it.

to note on record that the child was late, not to shake her head an "hmm" about it.

Famous for it? Not here they're not. I've never had a problem with any of them.

If you are in the wrong then yes, it is acceptable for someone in an official position to make you feel bad about it. Anyway, all the woman did was shake her head^ FFS. If that makes the OP feel bad then that is her issue. The woman didn't give her a full on dressing down in public or anything and did not treat her like a child.

What Soupdragon said.

Why shouldn't she hmm about it. It's disruptive to have children turning up late into class. A little 'sorry, we overslept' isn't beneath the OP is it. If the OP said I apologised and explained but still got an sttitude I would be saying YANBU. However, the OP became defensive on being asked for a reason (which they write down in the book) and so I think YABU.

Agree with soupdragon. She didn't tell you off, give you a detention or a slap on the wrist.

I hate lateness in myself and in others. And I have never been late for school. Doesn't make me perfect but it does make me bloody good at being organised in the mornings. I expect the slightly huffy reaction was more aimed at the parents that are regularly late and who, let's be honest, disrespectful of the teachers and the other pupils.

Agree with SoupDragon.

As I said before our office staff are great. I'm also fortunate to have lovely GP receptionists too!

What are the staff supposed to do? Look excited and impressed when someone rocks up late? They are in a position of authority within the school.

Yes but why would you shake your head at someone who made a mistake? It's just passive aggressive and naff. Why do it?

How's it a mistake - has the start time altered overnight. You know what time you gotta be there and didn't organise yourself.

Because it might have been the 4th person who had come in late. And the OP didn't apologise or seem in the slightest bit regretful for being late.

It is a mistake because you didn't deliberately not organise yourself.

I can understand giving short-shrift to regular offenders. But giving short-shrift as a default - unnecessary IMO.

Agree with Soupdragon, and really, the office staff are in charge of the school and its daily runnings, as much as the teachers. The HT and others may give the orders, but it's the backstage staff who organise the smooth running of the school on the non-teaching side, in the same way as receptionists in a doctor's surgery. There's no excuse for rudeness, of course, and you'll get officious people everywhere.

YABU - I'm with Soupdragon et al. You're blowing it out of all proportion. You were late, yes of course you get 'told off' and you have to just suck it up and move on. AS for the PE kit - why on earth should a receptionist, at one of the busiest times of the school day, personally go and find your dc's PE kit for you?

Lol @ "They really do act as though they're in charge of the school and its running". Er, yes, that's their job. Would you care to do it then?