Can't go to Mother's Day tea with any younger siblings - is this normal?

[Hangingbellyofbabylon]

My dd's are in Foundation and year 2 and have both brought me home an invitation asking me to come to school for a short bit on Friday afternoon - about 45 mins with each child in their classroom. They are doing a little presentation and making food etc 'as a thank you to all of our lovely mums'.

Sadly I won't be able to go as 'due to health and safety regulations.. we will not be able to accomodate younger siblings in the classroom'. I have 18 month old dd3 and no-one to look after her that afternoon. My two older dd's were in tears this afternoon as they really want me to be there and I feel pretty upset about it all as well. As it happens there are not many of us with younger siblings to bring and of those I've spoken to most seem to have someone else around to look after the little ones.

It just makes me sad that I am being excluding from this 'celebration for mums' precisely because I am a mum

well nothing was said and both class teachers were hiding . I spoke to a group of other mums before the children came out and all were horrified. One friend was considering boycotting the event but knew it would upset her own little girl. I wouldn't expect anyone to do that for me.

dd1 in year 2 has actually been teased today by a girl in her class because she won't have a mummy for the afternoon tea. How utterly ridiculous. The whole thing has gone a bit surreal now and I have just had enough and want it all to be over. I do at least feel that I am not going utterly mad because of all of you lot here - we can't all be wrong can we?

Aw. Sorry to read your update. That is really sad, I cannot believe that your DD is being teased.

No, stick to your guns. They are being extremely unreasonable.

End of year is celebrated with massive party in our school with the whole village invited. It is noisy and messy and loads of fun.

Hangingbob, I'm furious on your behalf.

I think I would possibly complain about the bullying teacher. It is disrespectful in the extreme to speak to a parent like that in response to a perfectly reasonable request. I expect she's embarrassed at having organised the event without thinking it through properly.

FWIW at DS school, if there is an event to which parents are invited, but younger siblings are not, the Deputy Head and or some of the TAs look after them in the hall or a classroom or the children's centre. The school consider their relationship to be with the family, not just the child. The younger siblings are likely to be pupils there too someday after all.

Meryl what a lovely school your DCs go to

come to our school, even childminding parents take their mindees, When DD was a pre schooler she used to come in the pushchair while I helped the teacher walk the kids to the local church quite regularly!

hi Hangingbellyofbabylon! it seems u've read my mind and even spoken it out.i ve been through the same cold and curt NO to my llittle one because of which i skipped many occasions of sharing my Dd's activity at school.i mean ,why on earth they are calling in mothers if not paying any heed to what they ve to tackle with at home.how can they celebrate motherhood if excluding the very cause of it from all this.we dont ve any reliable childcare spots or creches in middleeast,what do they expect from me ,to cast a spell and whoosh,disappeaer them all of a sudden so that i can save them from a lil hassle which, i think,can be managed if considered beforehand.i wish the school grow up soon.