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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To take the DCs out of school for a day and lie about??

42 replies

BigMomma3 · 21/01/2010 20:26

Probably am but ho hum!

DH is jumping out of a plane tomorrow from 13000 ft (got a tandem skydive as an Xmas present) and the DCs want to see it! Also if I want to watch, they have to come as we will never get back in time to pick them up (2 hour drive away).

I was going to call their schools tomorrow and say that they are unwell (may be a bit odd as 2 are at the same school)but hate lying as I'm always afraid it will come true! They are rarely off school so it won't really hurt and I would never normally condone it but it's a once in a lifetime experience for DH (hopefully he will not get a taste for it) and will be family day out for all of us.

AIBU?

OP posts:
Baileysismyfriend · 21/01/2010 20:28

You can have a certain amount of days as authorised leave so you could have just asked for that instead?

Alambil · 21/01/2010 20:29

I went to see my mum jump out of a plane

You see NOTHING

Well, you stand around for ages whilst they do their "training" and you see them walk off to the plane

You see the plane go up and then it disappears

The next thing you know, they're practically on the ground and you again, see nothing as they land miles away and drive back to wherever you are (well, by miles I mean a neighbouring field!)

They'd do better to watch a dvd of it (do you have that option?)

Slartybartfast · 21/01/2010 20:29

don't lie,
they will let the cat out of the bad.

let them see it, tell the school, bit late actually. i am sure you would have school's agreement.

tispity · 21/01/2010 20:30

should be OK - ds' school allow the odd day off even if you are upfront about why you are doing it ..have to be shhhh about it, that's all. we were considering giving ds the afternoon off tomorrow simply because the kids menu at a particular restaurant only applies during the weekdays

Original poster
BigMomma3 · 21/01/2010 20:30

Oh really Bailey - never knew that. In that case I will call the schools tomorrow and tell them the truth then!

OP posts:
insertexpletive · 21/01/2010 20:30

YABU to lie, but not to let them share the experience with you.

How old are DC? If primary age, would have thought that you would be able to swing it as an educational activity if you promise to work in learning about flight and gravity

Slartybartfast · 21/01/2010 20:31

i dont think a kids menu applies, but seeing a ballet or somethign going to theatre, would be fine, imo

Hassled · 21/01/2010 20:31

Unless your DCs already are very accomplished liars, or you want them to become accomplished liars, don't do it. Because otherwise they will stroll into school on Monday, someone will say "Feeling better?" and they will crumple.

PixieOnaLeaf · 21/01/2010 20:32

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn

Baileysismyfriend · 21/01/2010 20:39

Im sure the School will allow them one day off, it would be a great experience for them to see. Just call them in the morning and let them know, you can send an official letter in on Monday for their records.

Have fun!!

piscesmoon · 21/01/2010 20:50

I would never lie-it sets a bad example to DCs. I would just tell them the truth. Don't ask-just inform.

cory · 21/01/2010 23:24

Not all schools allow leave for things other than serious emergencies: ours doesn't and hasn't for the last two years. Then again, there is only so much they can do about a single day's unauthorised absence.

But if you tell your dcs they have to lie to the school, you'll have a job telling them off for truanting and lying about it in years to come.

Pikelit · 22/01/2010 01:31

Tell the truth. That you'd like everyone to share in a special, one-off experience. Apart from anything else, if you lie to the school you have to tell the DCS to be deceitful when they return. Not a good lesson and not fair since they will be bursting to share such a thrilling day out.

Mmmcoffee · 22/01/2010 01:38

I took my DD to the Antiques Roadshow at a local National Trust house. Told the school well in advance, and they said as long as I worked in something about history they would mark it as an Educational Visit.

Ditto for a performance by the Reduced Shakespeare Company - they said it would count as an English field trip.

I bet your school will be reasonable.

nappyaddict · 22/01/2010 01:51

tispity hope you're ready to get flamed

Trifle · 22/01/2010 08:53

Tispity - sorry I know this is off the subject of the original op, but am I right in reading that you would seriously take your child out of school to make use of a cheap restaurant deal !!!??? Unbelievable that you place more value on some cheap nuggets and chips over education. Your poor kid, what is that teaching them.

MrsVidic · 22/01/2010 09:04

you will be setting a really bad example about lying to be off school. You need to be the adult here- be honest with the school

GetOrfMoiLand · 22/01/2010 09:11

Have no problem with taking your kids out of school for something like this on occasion - just don't lie about it. Ring up the school and tell then what you are doing. As fearsome as some school receptionists can be, they are not the stazi and will not be able to actually stop you.

Anyway, it is best not to lie.

Don't think I would bother to take dd out of school in order to get a cheaper meal, however I don;t think Tipsity's kid's education is going to be in jeopardy so don;t flame her fgs.

IckleJess · 22/01/2010 09:12

I second what someone else said - you won't see much at all tbh.

My best friend's DH bought her one of these for her birthday back in July and we duly went along to watch - spent ages hanging around whilst she went off for her training, did see her being loaded into the plane and it take off but they went up into the clouds and landed off course so didn't see them coming down.

They also landed about 2 miles away so again lots of hanging around whilst the Land Rover went out to collect them 6 fields away!

I think it will be good to take the DCs but just warn them that they most likely won't see Daddy falling through the sky I'm afraid.

tispity · 22/01/2010 09:53

oh i wouldn't lie, i tell them quietly - but my son wont be 5 until august anyway so i know (and they know that i know) that it is up to me atm. we only spend an hour or two there anyway and we get up to a lot of worthwhile stuff once we are back home. btw it is not nuggets and chips but a £19 kids menu - we could not go to that restaurant otherwise as we never delegate childcare. it is not the sort of place where you would display a Ben10 lunchbox and ds is just not going to do the caviar and gold leaf menu etc.

if i felt his schooling was worthwhile, i would not do it. however, even though ds' school is rated as "outstanding" on every count, i am fast beginning to realise that this is meaningless. i wish i could name the school but i probably can't - i have a vvvv low opinion of it atm and i think his NQT teacher is as dumb as a bag of hammers and completely lacking in warmth and understanding. i have told them that but they refuse to switch him to another class with a stronger teacher and i sorely regret him no longer being in nursery where they were big on pastoral care and he did not tell me how much he disliked going in every day.

Original poster
BigMomma3 · 22/01/2010 10:09

Well that was a waste of time because it's been bloody postponed due to rain (they knew it was going to rain yesterday but said it would still be on ).

Hopefully will go on Sunday so no problems with the DCs going?? We will be able to see it apparently so should e worthwhile!

OP posts:
OtterInaSkoda · 22/01/2010 10:39

tispity - can you not wait until there's an inset day? Or half term?

We're pretty fortunate in that ds's school have arranged it so that half a day a week is for activities and isn't official school time. They still do the required hours but they've managed to compress them into 4 1/2 days. You can either take the dcs out or they stay and do clubs, swimming lessons or go on outings. These groups are run by parents and local volunteers (artists for example) or professional sports coaches. This half day is the teacher's non-contact prep time (can't remember the proper term for it).

Anyhoo - there's a Michelin starred place that we've wanted to go to for ages but there's no way we could afford it in the evenings or at the weekend so you've inspired me to consider taking an afternoon off and all three of us going for a rather special lunch. Thank you

OtterInaSkoda · 22/01/2010 10:40

ps hope the rin holds off for Sundat, BigMomma

OtterInaSkoda · 22/01/2010 10:41

rain. Sunday.

nappyaddict · 22/01/2010 11:23

I would take them out for a special lunch if it was for an occasion like birthday or whatever.

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