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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

...to be a bit annoyed with DD's school for this...?

29 replies

misspollysdolly · 14/06/2010 16:57

DD's class are going on school camp from this Friday for the weekend - returning home next Monday afternoon. I have just received a letter from school which contains details of the kit list and timings etc, but also tells me that her class are then not in school next Tuesday...because they will have been at camp all weekend . Which now means I have to rearrange my work day etc etc. Now I'm sorry, I accept that DD may be a bit grumpy and tired after her weekend away, but AIBU unreasonable to think that it does not actually a warrant a 'recovery' day away from school...?! Whatever happened to coping with real-life...?! The class teacher is not going - the children are going with the head, LSA and parent-helpers.

OP posts:
Lulumaam · 14/06/2010 16:59

YANBU

and it is too short notice really for working parents

DS had a residential school trip last year. 2 days away of intensive activity.. got home at 4pm, back in school the next day. as they should be !!

early nights all round when they get back and yes, they'll be a bit tired and grumpy, but it's worth it surely ?

clam · 14/06/2010 17:03

My kids' school has always given the option of them coming in late after a lie-in, or normal time (when they will be supervised) to help working parents.

I agree. Far too late notice.

hairytriangle · 14/06/2010 17:06

YABU but they should have told you sooner that there would be no school on Tuesday next week.

3littlefrogs · 14/06/2010 17:10

Ahh - but did you not realise - schools have this notion that if you are a mother, you do nothing else in your life, but cook, bake, sew costumes for the school play, assist your children with homework and projects (particularly projects that involve loads of trips to art galleries, libraries, museums) every half term and holiday???

Have you read "I don't know how she does it" by Alison Pearson?

ChippingIn · 14/06/2010 17:11

YANBU

It's pathetic. There's no reason they shouldn't be at school the next day.

It's also ridiculous informing the parents now. Lots of parents both work and need time to make other arrangements.

However, count the posts until someone tells you that the school is there to educate children and not act as a babysitter (Yadda yadda yadda).

MrsGangly · 14/06/2010 17:12

YANBU. A week is just enough notice for working parents to sort things out. I like what clam's children's school does.

MrsGangly · 14/06/2010 17:12

Aargh, that was supposed to say "just NOT enough notice"

Sal321 · 14/06/2010 17:19

I'd be surprised if this is legal - schools can't just give pupils days off when they feel like it. What about the children not going on the trip?

If you took your children camping for the weekend and didn't send them to school the next day as they were tired the school would no doubt call this an unauthorised absence.

MoreCrackThanHarlem · 14/06/2010 17:19

Yanbu wrt the period of notice which should have been longer

yabu in expecting normal service to resume immediately
they will be shattered
they have been in the school's care all weekend

dc are your responsibility, not the school's ( yadda yadda yadda)

GloriaSmut · 14/06/2010 17:26

YANBU. A week at camp doesn't require convalescence, ffs!

LIZS · 14/06/2010 17:31

When dd (by then 9) goes away Fri- Mon she'll have an optional day off on the Tuesday. However dc school recognises that many parents work and plan an easy day for those who choose to attend. But we've known this since they booked it, to plan ahead. ds was one of only a few (out of 60) when he went in on the optional day after a similar trip but he was fine and I just picked him up early.

MaamRuby · 14/06/2010 17:31

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Original poster
misspollysdolly · 14/06/2010 17:55

Thank you good people of Mumsnet! I didn;t think I was being unreasonable. To be fair, the letter does say that parents 'are reminded' that there is no school for her class next Tuesday so somewhere along the way I've perhaps missed this, but even so I think it is so silly - they just need an early night and a quieter day on the Tuesday, not a day off. And I do agree with Sal321 - it does seem a bit of an about turn since they have recently made much more of a big deal about children being taken out of school during termtime and how they will not be tolerating or authorising holiday leave, etc etc. Fortunately I have a fairly flexible job (though cannot compromise on the morning of next Tuesday so she may well have to come with me) but I do have three children and seriously value my work days as they are the only two days of the week when I have the head space and personal space to connect with myself as well as get my work done IYSWIM. Part of my irritation is that I will lose some of my precious 'me time' - and no, I don't consider school to be a babysitting service, before someone say anything to that effect - I just really value my work/space days...

OP posts:
JackBauerDeservedAHappyEnding · 14/06/2010 18:13

YANBU.
I went on holiday with school, plane was delayed on way back and we landed at 6pm on a monday, got home at 11pm after a coach journey.
I was in school the next day and everyone that wasn't (most of the rest of the class) got reported and a major bollocking.

StayingDavidTennantsGirl · 14/06/2010 18:56

If you took your children away to camp over the weekend, and decided to give them Monday off to 'recover', I doubt the school would approve/sympathise.

pointydog · 14/06/2010 19:04

Sounds like everyone was informed of this way back at the beginning so yabu. You should have either complained then or not allowed your child to go. Your fault if you overlooked it.

EcoLady · 14/06/2010 19:09

If my daughter and I go on Brownie pack holiday (I am a Guider) she & I are back at school & work on Monday as normal.

EL

PuppyMonkey · 14/06/2010 19:20

I would turn up with her on Tuesday and pretend you didn't see that bit of the letter.

Original poster
misspollysdolly · 14/06/2010 20:43

Point taken (already actually if you see my last post) pointydog, but my objection is not so much being taken by surprise by this day off - it's the fact that it is a totally unnecessary day off and as stayingdavidtennantsgirl so rightly says, if we got back late on a Sunday night from a full-on weekend away (as we often do as our families live four hours drive away - a weekend with grandparents is literally from Friday afternoon pick up to late Sunday), the school would NOT be happy if my DCs missed the Monday to 'recover'.

OP posts:
Original poster
misspollysdolly · 15/06/2010 08:25

FWIW I am considering just gently challenging the headteacher today with the point above...not with any expectation that things will change, but just so that I've said my piece....

OP posts:
HSMM · 15/06/2010 08:34

Presumably the rest of the school is open, so maybe she could go in anyway?

MintHumbug · 15/06/2010 08:49

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

weetabixwhiner · 15/06/2010 09:36

Well, the teachers worked that one good, didn't they? They could have had the trip Thurs and Fri and then they would have recovered by Monday. My DS2 is going on a similar trip, going on Wed and coming back Fri. No, I would be annoyed at your situation and I would tell them so.

gagamama · 15/06/2010 10:17

It sounds like they just don't want a classload of tired, restless, tetchy pupils on Tuesday. Or that the teachers themselves feel owed a day off, having worked the weekend. Either way though, YANBU.

pointydog · 15/06/2010 18:28

I doubt the teachers have 'worked it good' . It can be very difficult to get a residential trip booking. I doubt the teachers are rubbing their hands with relish at the thought of spending a weekend at camp.

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