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Original poster

Do you send your kids to school on their birthdays?

523 replies

charliecat · 12/11/2005 10:24

My dds have the same birthday and this year I am planning on keeping them off so they can enjoy their birthday.
The alternative is sending them, them not having 5 mins to open their pressies let alone play with them and then with a heavy heart sending them off crying. Not for me.
If they got up at 5am and had chance to play I wouldnt mind but we barely have time for anything in the morning as it is so it would be chaotic...anyway...how much trouble am I going to get in for this? Do I lie and say they both had tummy bugs or what? What do you do?

OP posts:
cod · 12/11/2005 15:07

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cod · 12/11/2005 15:07

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Original poster
charliecat · 12/11/2005 15:07

Thats my birthday too lol

OP posts:
cod · 12/11/2005 15:07

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dazedandconfusedmum · 12/11/2005 15:08

I agree hercules, it' not just about missing out on the work although if they miss school work because they are ill it's NOT their fault!! It is about the example you are setting, lets face it, it is a form of truancy. If they are off school you have to write a note to explain why. If you lie then that tell the children, it's ok to lie if it benefits you and if you don't lie it will be put down as unauthorised absence and goes against the school and your childs record!!

To say they are in the top set/on the top table etc is just silly. If that makes it ok then that is like saying all bright kids can afford a day off for their birthday but all the children at the bottom of the class can't!!

Original poster
charliecat · 12/11/2005 15:09

No what I was trying to say is that when they have had days off for illness and not asked for catch up work it doesnt seem to have affected them.
Stepping away now. Im sure we will have a great day

OP posts:
cod · 12/11/2005 15:10

Message withdrawn

hercules · 12/11/2005 15:12

If they dont grass all the other kids will for sure!

What excuse will you give or will you get them to lie?

Enid · 12/11/2005 15:14

at PILs

she'll probably have a lovely time I know but she'll be gone all day until 7.30 so no tea and cake.

suppose I could send a cake in but then I wont get any

Rhubarb · 12/11/2005 15:15

I even send my kids to school when it's NOT their birthday! How mean is that!

nutcracker · 12/11/2005 15:15

Dd1 had her birthday yesterday and she went to school. Yes it was a bit of a rush in the morning but she was ok with that.

Once she got to school all her friends made a big fuss of her and she had lots of cards and a couple more pressies.

I put a note in her lunch box with a Happy Birthday message on which she loved.

She would have had a much more boring day at home.

LadySherlockofLGJ · 12/11/2005 15:16

Good God no, the very idea.

cod · 12/11/2005 15:16

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jalopy · 12/11/2005 15:17

I judge send 'em in.

dazedandconfusedmum · 12/11/2005 15:18

LOL Rhubarb!! That had me chucklin for ages I have to say, I have adopted my mum's philosophy on the whole school thing.... unless you are dying you go to school!!!!

Blandmum · 12/11/2005 15:20

and if you are breathing you are malingering!

Do you know I have had girls ask to leave the lesson to go to the school nurse because they have split a fingernail?! (I kid you not!)

I bet they got to stay home on their birthday!

dazedandconfusedmum · 12/11/2005 15:21

To those of you who DON'T send them to school on their birthday, do you let all of them stay off for the day or just the one with the birthday??? Either way, I think it's wrong (my opinion) and that would mean me keeping 4 children off everytime one had a birthday, and then do I let the 3 Stepkids have the day off too?? Then I would have 7 children all at home!!!!

LadySherlockofLGJ · 12/11/2005 15:21

Sorry

That should have read Good God, the very idea of keeping them off school.

How are the schools supposed to educate the adults of tomorrow to have respect for routine and rules, if the adults of today are undermining it.

Totally mad.

nutcracker · 12/11/2005 15:23

Dd2 was grumpy enough as it was on Dd1's birthday. If i'd have let Dd1 had the day off too then Dd2 would have comitted murder.

We'd have had even more 'but it's not fair mooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooom'

doormat · 12/11/2005 15:25

no chance dazedandconfused
my kids even when they have a cold want to go to school

mugface · 12/11/2005 15:27

well, i aggree with charliecat. ds1 has his birthday in the hols so not an issue for him.

But, when ds2 started in reception and it was his birthday, i wanted to take him out for the day and spoil him.
I figured that lots of kids had been granted time off by the school for holidys abroad, we had a letter that said up to 2 weeks term time hol would be considered.
We never go on holiday in term time, so i did the right thing and put it in writing asking for that one day and they said NO
my kids have excellent attendance, ds1 100%.
i think, charliecat, that if the school allow for holidays then i don't see the difference and you could ring in and say they were ill

Blandmum · 12/11/2005 15:31

But the school doesn't want you to take the kids out at any time! It is a total pain in the arse and they only say that because of the uproar it would cause if they point blank refused. They would much prefer that children didn't get taken out of school at any time, except for real reasons, like illness etc.

I get royaly sick of kids missing important work for no reason and then expect me to give up my time to get them to catch up! The example I gave was real. A sixth form student missed a lesson yesterday and it will be impossible for him to catch up alone. He did it to go to a gig. He then asked me to tutor him in my lunch break. I told him no!

LadySherlockofLGJ · 12/11/2005 15:32

I will not p..................
I will not pa..................
I will not par..................

Oooh that was close.

kama · 12/11/2005 15:32

This reply has been deleted

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Blandmum · 12/11/2005 15:34

Lady, I'll parp myself now and get it over with!!!!

PARP