How important is it for both parents to go to parents evening?

[Adikia]

DD is 5, She's had her first written report today, its pretty positive, there are a couple of things she needs to improve (handwriting and remembering where she put her belongings) but we already knew about those and have been working on them with the teacher all year and she is improving. The only negative comment is she has to be reminded when she shouldn't be talking occasionally but again we knew that and she is getting better at remembering (it is usually vaguely relevant to the lesson chattering, just not always at the best time.)

So, as there is nothing on the report that suggests the teacher has any major concerns and neither me or DH have any concerns we need to bring up with them, do they really need both of us or would it be ok if 1 of us goes whilst the other stays home with the DC? We could probably get a babysitter if really necessary but it will be difficult.

Perfect fine for just one of you to go. Some parents don't bother at all!

Many parents go alone even with major issues.

I go alone and drag my children with me there as no-one else to look after them.

It's nice if you can both go but not essential at all. I think most people send one parent while other stays with children unless you have grandparents on hand to babysit.

Definitely fine for just one of you to go. This happens a lot, mainly for childcare reasons. Sometimes both go, which is nice, but it just isn't always possibly.

At my school at least one parent should go. If parents don't attend they are chased, initially by the class teacher and eventually by the HT.

I don't think DH has ever been to a parent's evening. Not that he doesn't care, just that they tend to be at odd times and it's never seemed worth the bother of taking time off work. If there had been issues maybe, but for a bog standard 5 minutes chat with the teacher...

I didn't even go to DD's last one (there were good reasons!) but it didn't worry me as by Yr 5 of the third child you pretty much can guess word-for-word what's going to be said...

We set out toys/games/colouring in the hall and a member of staff supervises the younger children whilst the parents have a chat with the teacher, the older children child-mind too until it's time for them to go in with their parents.

At DS's school generally both parents go if they can & the kids play in the playground

my DH has never been to parent teacher interviews. He is interested in her education but is fine with me reporting back what was said. Just one parent attending is what usually happens at our school, I don't often see two parents together.

I think it's fine either way, whatever works for you both.

Dh has never been to one and Dd1 has just finished her gcses.

Perfectly fine for just one of you to go. And in my experience as a primary school teacher, is what the majority of parents do.

And thinking back to my own school days, I don't think my dad EVER went to a parents evening... And as a teacher himself, he was interested in education, but generally anything school-related was mum's business.

We've both gone to both of DD's YR parents' evenings and taken the DC with us or swapped with friends who also have YR DC. Lots of other parents have gone alone though, because one of them can't make it due to work (DH has just continued working at home afterwards - they do tend to be early!), so it's not an issue. I don't think there's been a problem with DC there, there's usually someone available to distract the children (a TA, often) and at our school they've shown videos of classroom activities on continuous loop on a laptop, which the DC love watching. Generally they just sit at a table and draw... Most parents take the DC, whether both of them go or just one.

Sorry, it didn't really answer the question! It's not necessarily important but it is helpful - getting another person's take of the conversation is good, but more importantly, my DH is never around for pick-up and drop-off so he really valued the two opportunities to meet the person who spends considerably more time with his DD than he does... So re: importance, from the school's POV probably not at all, from the least involved parent's POV, probably very!

DH has been to some, but he can't always rearrange his work schedule, whereas I can, so I often end up going alone. I don't think it makes any difference tbh, as long as one interested parent attends!

Thanks all, we aren't allowed to take kids, even to play in the playground (not sure how single parents are meant to manage) and the appointment is after DD's bed time so it wouldn't really be an option anyway. Typically its the one day all of my huge family are busy (which has never happened before).

My Dad always went/goes to parent's evening (youngest 5 siblings are still at school) so was worried it was expected.

DH has only ever been to one parents evening and that was only because ds2 was 3 days old at the time.

There's really no need for both of you to go. I missed my DCs last parents evening as I DH was working and I didn't have anyone to babysit the DCs so I just asked the teacher if there were any concerns with ds1 when I dropped him off in the morning.

If you don't have any concerns and you've just got the report then there's not much point in going at all as the teacher won't tell you any more then what's on the report.