is this o.k?

[linzoid]

My ds will be five in a few weeks, his birthday falls on the monday he returns to school after half term. I was thinking of asking the school if we could keep him off that day. I want to spend the day with my son and i know i will have hell trying to drag him to school on his birthday morning. Anyone else done this and am i within my rights?

What harm can it do with so young a child? I would ask (since I am a rubbish liar), but I think it would be most unreasonable if they say no.

I can understand why you want to do this, but I can't help thinking the school won't be too impressed. Of course it's not the nicest place in the world to spend your birthday, but everyone's got to do it at some point.

Won't he miss all his class singing Happy Birthday and the possibility of sharing birthday cake at lunchtime? Then you could make a big fuss of him after school - have some of his friends round or take him for a pizza as a surprise? Hope you all have a great day whatever happens

The problem is, if you do it this year will you carry on and do it every year?. I think that you may find that they make a fuss of them at school on their birthdday especially in reception, at my childrens school, they can take cake, wear their birthday badges and get sung too. Ask the teacher if they do anythig like this at school?

FWIW, linzoid, they usually have quite a fuss made of them at school, especially in KS1 - 3 of my kids' birthdays have almost always fallen in the Easter holidays and they have always been quite peeved about it. (They do a job lot of "happy birthdays" at the end of term but it's not the same!)

You are within your rights, no reason why they should refuse one day off, but he might enjoy having his birthday at school.

I haven't done this before but have considered it. I was going to keep my dd off on her 6th birthday but she wanted to go as they get treated extra specialy when it's their birthday

Not really anything to do with it, but we moved my dd's birthday once. Her birthday is on 12/12 but I was still in hospital having just had ds3. It was her 3rd birthday but she hadn't a clue when it was so we had it on the 14th when me and ds came home and made alot of fuss.

great minds, lilibet!

Mine enjoy school birthdays as everyone makes a fuss of them. They get cakes and special treatment and I really don't think they'd be happy about missing out. Ds2 has a summer birthday so was never at school. We were usually away on holiday on his birthday, which peeved him no end! 16 yo dd1 is a May birthday which is bad wrt to exams but she wouldn't dream of not going to school in case she missed out of pressies.

I know what my childrens school would say. To be honest if you really want to do this you shouldnt give a reason for it just ask for the day off. I have never done this on my girls birthdays, purely because its fun for them to be at school with their friends on that day anyway. In their school its a tradition to take a small sweet in for the other kids in their class. They also have a birthday assembly.

This is one problam I won't have to deal with when DD (18 months old) starts school as her birthday will always be in the Summer Holidays

No! Don't do it!! You'll set a precedent and it will give her the wrong message about school. I've had kids in my class who've taken the day off for grandparents' birthdays. I understand that you want it to be a fun day, but birthdays with your friends at school are fun!

My dd's birthday falls in the summer holidays and she is most definitely not chuffed that she misses everyone singing happy birthday to her.
Why not celebrate his birthday over the weekend?

I did it once when we had a trip to Paris for Disneyworld (FEB 10 his bday is) but after that he preferred to go to school and be made a lot of by his teacher and friends!
Bizarre

my poor dd2 will never celebrate her bday at school as she was born the 1st sept and its highly unlikely they go in on the 1st.

Linnet that's what we do with our kids (celebrate over weekend). Even DS2 who's 2nd bday fell on a Wed in 2003, although he is at home all day. We did this because 1. I was working and couldn't get day off, and 2. his brother and sister were at nursery, so they would miss out on all the fun.

I can remember back in 1984 (ish) our school started back from summer hols on my bday That wasn't the best really cause everyone was hyped up about returning to school and didn't really notice it was my bday (everyone feel sorry for little me ) lol

At our school they make a big fuss over birthdays in reception, and ds2 would not be impressed if he missed his 'moment of fame'! Also our school would definitely not approve it, and it would be unauthorised absence, and set you off on the wrong foot with the school.

As a tip - depending on how chaotic your school mornings are - postpone all present opening until after school, or just open one present. Or alternatively open them all the day before and celebrate then ... or even open them all at the beginning of half term so he has time to play with his new toys!

My dds birthdays are on the same day and i wanted to keep dd1 off but she wanted to go to school for all the fuss made there. It did ruin it for me, seemed wrong to be rushing about getting dressed etc when it was her b.day but she was happy enough. dd2 was not happy about having to up and leave in the middle of opening her presents but not many people will have that problem.