Let children stay off school when baby born?

[hebri]

Did you let your kids have a day off school once baby was born?

I’m having a baby next Friday. I have an 8 & 5 year old. They will likely have half of Saturday and then Sunday at home with the baby.

I think eldest will want to go to school on the Monday, but 5 year old will definitely want to stay at home with the baby.

Would you let your kids have a day off school to bond and whatnot?

No I didn’t, mine went to school the day after their sibling was born, they have the whole weekend and plenty of time after school to bond.

No, I'd be packing them off so I could have some peace and quiet for a few hours.

Nope.

No chance, I was busy recovering from birth and no sleep, husband was required to be at my beck and call not doing childcare.

Nope, especially if baby is born on the Friday so they will have had the weekend already, it's not like the baby is born on Monday and they have to wait a whole week.

But in general I'm wary of doing anything that can make school seem optional anyway.

The school day is so short anyway, plenty of time for them to bond outside of that.

Mine was still at nursery when his sister was born on a Friday, and he went to nursery as normal on a Monday. Their bond now couldn't be any stronger, absolutely adore each other (7 and 4).

All the best with your new baby!

Sounds like you are having a planned c-section, I think you will be knackered after having three kids around at the weekend (hope your partner will do the majority of it) and by Monday will be sleeping whenever the baby sleeps

I would be tempted and play it by ear.

See how tired you are (you may welcome a quiet empty house for a few hours) and see how your children are adjusting.

In the great scheme of things 1 day off school at that age is not going to have them falling behind.

I would just make it clear to them it’s a one day only thing.

I'd say its whatever feels right for you but I find my kids really benefit from usual routine at times of change. And I thought most kids were the same.

No.

I think I’d play it by ear, you might be desperate for a bit of peace and quiet by then! We didn’t keep DS1 off school, he even had to have a whole day at school knowing his little brother had been born the night before - sounds a bit mean now I say that! He came to the hospital to visit straight from school!

Nope, I had on baby on a sunday evening, older kids went to school/nursery on Monday as usual.

Babies can be a big disappointment for young kids as they don't do anything much when they first arrive apart from sleep- they're so much more fun when they start opening their eyes and smiling and interacting. I didn't see any point in keeping the kids off, they had plenty of cuddles with the baby before school and when they got home as well.

Surely the weekend is enough? It’s up to you maybe play it by ear.

No. Why would you? Better for kids to stay in their routine and for you to have a few hours off surely?

Mine was a little different as I was a single parent having twins so ended up in hospital before and therefore disrupted dc1 routine. However I think routine is even more important with big life events for small dc so I sent dc1 straight back to school. Dc still had lots of bonding time (after school/weekends). It also meant I got some rest and could be more present when dc1 was at home.

Definitely!!! Why wouldn’t you?

We let ours stay off for 6 months when our 3rd was born 😂

(it was start of covid 😄)

Good grief no

for everyone’s sake

routine routine routine as much as possible for children

plus - some quiet time with newborn

but 5 year old will definitely want to stay at home with the baby.

for half an hour and then will want TV and then playground

If you are hom in Sat I would keep them in normal routine for their benefit and yours. Plenty of time to bond with baby after school and weekends.

If you are getting out of hospital on the Monday and they have missed you and have only had limited visits to meet baby I might keep them off.

Definitely not and definitely didn’t with having c sections. They have the rest of their lives to see their sibling

No, routine is important. Realistically the baby is going to be sleeping/feeding the whole time. Make a big deal about them going in telling their teacher/classmates about the new baby.

But in general I'm wary of doing anything that can make school seem optional anyway.

100% this. As a teacher I've seen this attitude is fatal if they have it going into secondary.

As another pp said, routine routine. Your children need to see how an ordinary week looks with the new sibling, and an ordinary week has school in it.

Also good to get into the routine of pickups and drop offs with the new baby (whoever will be doing it, eg Dad).

It didn't occur to me that was something to even consider, why would bonding be affected?

Far better to have time with the new baby quietly

I had a baby 8 days ago via c section. My teenager stayed off school the day off section & the following day.
It was lovely to have him visit us in the hospital once I was moved up to the ward.

Absolutely- also, the older siblings need a break from the baby too (babies do a lot of crying and attention-hogging).

I've never heard of anyone doing this. They go to school as normal. Routine is important and you will need some rest.