I lied to school about children sickness and went on holiday

[kgabe]

So before anyone decides to go hard on me, I have never ever lied about kids sickness before. I don't know why I did it this time, I guess money is tight, we worked hard to be able to afford the holiday, but still could not afford the holiday in half term, so we decided to take kids out of school for 3 days. I reported my children to have sickness. And off we went.
But unsure why, probably based on their hunch, school called me the next day. I did not answer, just sent them a message instead. But they replied they got an international ringing tone....ooops... i did not even reply to that. When we got back I got a letter suggesting I lied, that kids were on holiday instead of home poorly, etc. I don't know what to do, I hate lying and I regret not telling the truth, but has it gone too far now to just admit I lied? I can also expect the fine for my children, well tough I suppose. But I feel like a criminal, like I did something unspeakable. But I only allowed for my family to have a wonderful time together, we has such a great time, it is really priceless. My kids are both doing great academically and their abscence was above 95%. What is everyone's take on it? Should I own up now? Or deny it still.... And are they allowed to question my children without my permission about it?
Thank you

Are Dads on this thread totally useless then? Are we not allowed to expect them to be able to take their own children to school?

I don’t get why you lied

I’ve taken dd out of school for a holiday - and doing same next year

it’s not fair to make kids lie about it

and if abroad , and yes phones make a diff long ringing sound , then likely to have sun and a sun tan so obvious been away

and as under 5 days /10 sessions you won’t be fined

just be unauthorised absence

. If there was good reason for the head to allow them a day off they'd be absolutely gutted to know that parents were gossiping and slagging them off behind their backs without knowing the full @CurlyhairedAssassin

you have read something into my comment that was not there. I did not ‘slag off’ the teacher in what I wrote. I neither said it was a bad thing or a good thing. Just that she was off. On holiday. These things happen, for teachers as well as pupils.

And again - on @LovelyIssues behalf -

LovelyIssues · Yesterday 13:22
You were away, kids were home with Dad 😏
Are Dads on this thread totally useless then? Are we not allowed to expect them to be able to take their own children to school

@CurlyhairedAssassin The comment is a suggestion of how to explain why one parent was abroad and the kids were at home sick as per the phone call with the international failing tone. You are reading in issues that are not there.

I dialing tone not a failing tone, though the slip is Freudian as much as predictive text.

I would stick to the lie and just keep going with it. How can they prove anything? Even if your phone rang like that who’s to say you didn’t go abroad and your kids were “sick” at home with Dad and he didn’t realise the school rang or whatever?! The school can’t actually prove anything.

We are going away for a week in June. I wouldn’t take the kids out if it was an exam / GCSE year but anything else, sure. Otherwise we just can’t afford a holiday - and foreign / “big” holidays are really important, special memories for children. My eldest is at university now and we’ve always done it. Hasn’t done her any harm whatsoever.

Thank you. The day off would have been unpaid as well!

It's no biggie. Tell the truth next ti e, all that will happen is the school will say it has to be an unauthorised absence. By the time your dc are in gcse years, you'll realise a week in primary just doesn't matter.
Glad you had a nice time. Fill in the form, style it out by saying 'glad you've sent me this, I hated lying to you about this, I just didn't know what else to do'. Give them a big grin and all will be well.

and foreign / “big” holidays are really important, special memories for children.

WHAT! I never had a foreign holiday until I went away with my husband! My children didn't have foreign holidays for many years and then only self catering and during school holidays. “Big holidays” are NOT important - time together is what is important…..

Children don't need foreign holidays. It's just an excuse for their parents. We had all sorts of holidays with our children, foreign and at home. Now they're adults, the one they remember with most fondness was going round the Cheshire Ring on a narrow boat.
I'm not saying they didn't enjoy their foreign holidays. But they didn't NEED them.
That's part of a middle class fantasy about our darlings engaging with local culture.

I would come clean

the reason it’s bad to keep the lie up is that the kids are involved, they will have to lie for you and pretend they were sick

what you are teaching them is dishonesty. And they will remember and kids do as you do, not as you say, so every time you try to tell them about being truthful they’ll think: yes ok mum, but you are also a liar when it suits you

i don’t think it’s a big deal per se, but making your kids part of the lie is not a good idea

Working class here. Single parent and I take my child abroad yearly we have been twice this year. I was born here but my grandparents on my dad's side were not. I want my child t know about his heritage and also mix with other culture's. UK is expensive nowadays. If we was in the 90s I would agree.

In your opinion big holidays are not important.
Many would disagree including myself. It’s a great experience showing your children parts of the world and spending time with them out of the typical day to day calling of life.
Some of my best memories from my childhood are my big family holidays.

that's fine, each to their own. But, IMO, what children need for a holiday is for you all to be together. It doesn't have to be abroad, it can be anywhere. and anytime.
I do not believe that children have any interest in foreign culture, no matter how much you dangle it in front of them. And I know from experience. They're interested in where the next ice cream is coming from.
I think a lot of parents want to go abroad whenever they choose and are looking for validation from their children. So, when they go away, they (the adults) are happy and relaxed, so, obviously, their children mirror this. But that's all it is.

Talk about your own kids wants but don’t talk about mine. Not ever kid cares about where the next ice cream is coming from and shock …but some do want to see other cultures. Your experiences are your own and you can’t talk for other people.
I don’t need validation from my children 😂 Bizarre.

It's cheaper to travel abroad than do a holiday in the UK.

And, just to clarify, "And I know from experience" - it's your own personal experience, it doesn't apply to others. People are entitled to their opinions, and it's great to share. But, it doesn't mean they translate across to everyone. Every child and family are different.

I never had a foreign holiday until I went away with my husband! - LOL

MY SON is half African his dad wasn't born here. So please don't be so ignorant it's important I am not dangling anything. Like I said we have done Butlins it was expensive and as DS is nearly 8 we relied on good weather and it's aimed at younger kids in my opinion. Validation from my child? Your making no sense at all.

You sound very undecated tbh about travelling and the benefits.

@Sausagenbacon your name suits you too!

Sorry? What’s funny about that? My first foreign holiday was when I was 19 and DH and I went to Corfu for week.

Family holidays growing up were self catering U.K. holidays. I had been on a day trip to France with school.

Why the LOL @LoveLifeBeHappy ?

Well you have now made them aware that you are a liar and it is a horrible position to put your kids in. Who cares what your reasons are for doing this, imagine if everyone did it. Be an adult and own it they know you are lying and easy enough to get it out of your kids . I can't believe you were that stupid to keep 3 kids off who were perfectly fine the previous day and use illness as an excuse. Now you have come across as a liar and a stupid one at that to the school.

You sound very undecated tbh about travelling and the benefits.
I don't think so. I've travelled all over the world, and loved it. Sometimes we went abroad with our children. But I don't believe there was any special benefit to them going abroad. It just happened to be where we wanted to go.
But hey, that's me. I'm sure everybody else's children are ingesting local culture at a miraculous rate. Not.

I can see the benefits of going abroad however I’m always confused when people say it is cheaper than a UK holiday. Yes, there are expensive options but I’ve never paid more than £900 for a week in a cottage sleeping 4 in August. This year I had £150 of groceries delivered to the door then spent another £250 on activities and £60 on petrol. I’m pretty sure I’d not get a week abroad for 3 coming in at under £1,400 (total)? Yes, I know even that is unaffordable for many but more than a trip abroad, even a trip outside term time?

We went to Turkey in may AI , 3 of us for £870. It can be done, and you definitely get good weather. This summer was unusually hot and dry for UK.

What are you talking about now? I've explained it's apart of my child's heritage how can you be so ignorant and engage on a forum. FFS it's embarrassing 😳 just don't even bother replying I can see its falling upon deaf ears. Also it's the cost factor and the piss poor weather in UK.