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Behaviour/development

Talk to others about child development and behaviour stages here. You can find more information on our development calendar.

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Original poster

Consistently late for School...

15 replies

MrsSpoon · 11/10/2005 16:01

what do you think?

At DS1's School there are a few Mums who are consistently late (most if not all mornings). I'm not criticising occasional lateness the Spoons are guilty of that at times but I can't help wonder about those who are always late.

How does the child/children feel?

What about the teacher? (DS1's first teacher was very strict about lateness)

What about the parents, has it not clicked yet that they need to leave a few minutes earlier?

Just to add again, I am not talking about occasional lateness, I am talking about constant lateness.

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milosmum · 11/10/2005 16:37

my little boy really frets if the others are going in when he gets there- he really hates being late, just as i do. I will do anything to make sure hes there on time.

lots of parents consistantly late at my ds school- my SIL and her 3 boys are never on time.... take this morning, she dropped them off at 9.10 (our kids start at 8.45!). The children are rarely in on a monday or friday either!- Really disgusting in my book.... its the child that suffers NOT you!

YeahBut · 11/10/2005 17:17

At the school my dds go to, they are very strict about timekeeping. They say that it is massively disruptive for the child that turns up late, the other children who have just settled into the class and the teacher if people keep coming in late.
If a child is late, it is marked in the register, several lates will get you a letter from the headmaster, more than that and you will be asked to meet with the headmaster in person. As we are in Holland and, in that there is a legal requirement for a child to be in school for a certain amount of time, in theory a parent can be reported to the authorities if they keep bringing their child in late or keep them away entirely on the flimsiest of excuses!

tallulah · 11/10/2005 17:53

My DH used to get DS3 late to school just about every morning. In his defence he had to first (a) get home from night shift- 17 miles, (b) get 2 other children to school- 17 miles opposite direction and (c) negotiate another 6 miles of heavy traffic.

Used to drive me mad- I can't bear to be late for anything.

perhaps these other people have similar problems/ DHs?

LadySherlockofLGJ · 11/10/2005 18:17

To quote DS's Headmaster.

"A late child is a disadvantaged child"

I tend to agree with him.

Blandmum · 11/10/2005 18:18

And not just that child, but to a degree all the other kids who get disrupted bt a late arrival and delayed in their work as you have to go over things again for the child who was late.

It also sends a strong message that school is not as important as the rest of life.

milosmum · 11/10/2005 19:02

that is so true MB- my nephews now think school is just an awkward pain they have to endure every now and again... its terrible.

Milliways · 11/10/2005 19:15

DS's school have the punctuality cup. School is divided into Lower (Yr1-2) Middle(3-4) & upper (5-6). Every third Friday each group have a "Mentions Assembly" where parents can come & kids are bought to the front for a "Mention" of good work, extra effort etc.

The highlight at the end is the Punctuality cup, awearded to the class with the least Late Marks. The get an extra long special Playtime as a reward. It is fierce competition & anyone late is made to feel bad by fellow pupils.

ThePrisoner · 11/10/2005 21:16

I was asked a very silly question by a fellow childminder recently - she is always always consistently late to collect minded children after school, and asked how I always managed to be there on time. She was completely thrown when I said, "because I leave in time to get here!" Apparently, she hadn't thought of that ...

Original poster

MrsSpoon · 11/10/2005 23:03

LOL The Prisoner!

Tallulah, I think your DH had a very good reason, and yes you are right some of the children may be late for that reason. There is one Mum however that I know fairly well (well enough to know that is not her reason for being late) and I cannot believe that she is late basically every morning. It's a consistent lateness, about 5 mins after the bell, I'm not perfect and being on time is really not one of my strong points but I find myself wondering why this Mum can't just get up/get out five mins earlier in the morning. I really feel for her DD and am surprised that the teacher hasn't said anything, DS1's teacher gave him a rollocking for being late three times last year and although I resented it at the time it has made both me and him very aware of the importance of being on time.

I totally agree with those who say it is disrupting to both the class and the teacher plus I feel it is a lesson to the children that a time schedule needs to be adhered to (although it is always my complaint that I hate the schedule of School as I am not very good at time keeping) and is an important lesson in life.

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piffle · 11/10/2005 23:10

Crikey my ds has never been late once, despite every effort to the contrary - it is the parents job to get their kids there n time
Obviouslyy some circs are excusable though

BadHair · 11/10/2005 23:19

I am late for everything. Late for work, late leaving work, late for appointments, everything. So when ds1 started school in September I was panicky that I'd make him late too. So I've made sure that we left the house at 8.35 at the latest to be there for 8.55. And I chivvy him and ds2 all the way, we don't stop to look at anything (we can do that on the way home). And it works - 5 weeks in and he's only been late once, today, and that was due to a doctor's appointment.
I'm really quite proud of us all! If we can do it, anyone can.

Original poster

MrsSpoon · 11/10/2005 23:21

Brilliant Badhair, I'm just like you and School was a big panic. I don't want to jinx myself but we haven't been late once this term (in Scotland, term ends on Friday) and I will be very pleased with myself if we achieve this.

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Miaou · 11/10/2005 23:27

gosh you still at school, Mrs Spoon? We are in Highland (Lochaber) and broke up last week.

Original poster

MrsSpoon · 11/10/2005 23:43

Miaou, think we broke off in summer later than most of the Scottish school and our schools get two weeks in October which is quite nice as we usually go away (although not going for a family hol this year, just a couple of days away as Mr and Mrs, arrgh! ).

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ScarySkribble · 11/10/2005 23:57

We break up on Fri and only having one week SW scotland. Kids only been late 2 times, I got a new CD, radio alarm and didn't realise I had to have 3 switches in the right place for it to work . I woke up at 8:57 they start at 9:00, they got there at 9:15.

There are 2 kids at school that are late every day they go into the shop at 9:00 for crisps and cans and eat this on the way to school. I thought the woman in the shop shouldn't serve them but she knows this is their breakfast.

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