My son has just broke school computer!

[Gatesy007]

Hi everyone.
My son is in his second week of reception and today I’ve been informed that he ‘might’ have been responsible for smashing the screen on an expensive iMac monitor. The teacher was very kind about it and explained she did not witness it but a couple of the other children said it was my son. To say I’m mortified is an understatement!
I have asked my son who is still protesting his innocence but I think he probably is guilty.
So what do I do? I offered to buy a replacement and was told by the teacher not to worry. But I know it’s a new one. I really can’t afford to buy a new one but feel like I should. What would you do??
Help!
Thanks in advance

[Atalune]

SEN issues?? Wtf?!

He has impulse control issues like ALL CHILDREN.

[TheActualLastJedi]

Please don't worry, 4 year olds break things just because they don't really think through their actions.

I mean who leaves a large metal Holt and an expensive iMac in reach of a 4 year old, your asking for trouble.

If it makes you feel better my 4 year old this week has broken his teachers beaded necklace. She bent down to talk to him and he noticed it grabbed it said what's this? She probably explained but he tugged on it again and beads went flying everywhere! 🙈

[Gatesy007]

Thanks everyone.
Yes I suspect just being mischievous and not intending to actually break it. He doesn’t need assessing and definitely doesn’t have SEN issues (I’m a TA myself)...Neither does he have anger issues. He’s no angel though.. he’s a typical boisterous at times 4 year old.
Enjoy your weekend all! :)

[hobblesma]

He may have some SEN issues as this sounds extreme.
How is he at home ?
Have the school monitor his behaviour and get him assessed asap.

Have you any idea how fucking insulting this kind of comment is to parents who struggle daily with SEN?

How about fucking off and stop blaming every single bit of bad behaviour and all accidental damage on SEN.

Sometimes shit happens.

And for your info, not everyone with SEN is fucking destructive.

HTH.

[StitchingMoss]

And equally can we stop blaming the teacher.

Or have you all had experience of working in a primary school and supervising 30 4 year olds?

No thought not.

[Gatesy007]

Hobblesma... of course. Apologies I hope my comments didn’t offend. I didn’t imply SEN children are naughty. I’ve worked with children with SEN and they are very well behaved.
And I’m in no way blaming the staff either. I also work in a school and know it’s impossible to watch all children all the time.... much like it is for parents at home.
Arghh!!! Didn’t mean to cause a debate or offence. Might be my first and last time posting on here !!! Lol x

[hobblesma]

I was directly replying to ophelia OP, it enrages me when something obviously accidental happens and people jump in to suggest SEN. It's really quite hurtful to think that's how people judge children.

Wasn't anything you said

[Oblomov18]

Sounds dubious as to how reception children were left unsupervised with an expensive piece of computer equipment?

[mostdays]

Oh op, the fact that this bothers you so much shows how lovely you are- but please try not to worry. The school will be insured. They know small children well and they know these things can happen.

[Gatesy007]

Thanks. I understand x

[GrimSqueaker]

It will not be the first or the last time the classroom in a reception class has been subjected to sand, playdough, water, paint, kids dragging the windows task bar so large it takes up half of the screen, kids finding whatever setting in the operating system that can cause maximum inconvenience and hunting to fix it from the adults in the classroom or anything else.

When I was last working full time the reception teacher was regularly running up to my classroom in my lovely unofficial role as "The One Who Is Good With Computers" to ask me to come find out what setting the kids had got into on the computer and fix it back that week.

Could usually get half a beach out if you turned the keyboard upside down cos they'd go from the sandpit, badly wash their hands, then go over to choose to be on the computer and it all went between the keys. Try not to think about the grime 30 small children can generate collectively or you'd just want to wrap an entire reception classroom in antibac wipe mummification.

[Norestformrz]

Oblomov have you been in a reception class this century? Most have computers that are used by the teacher to take the register and run the IWB. They aren't just left lying around for children to use unsupervised. Reception classes are full of resources for continuous provision which children are expected to access independently. This is good practice. Unfortunately in the less than perfect world we live in accidents do happen.

[Bobswife39]

TBH OP the teachers probably relieved you haven't gone storming into the Head demanding to know why DS was in a position where he could break a monitor screen while clearly not being supervised. I should imagine his teacher feels just as bad about the whole thing so I wouldn't worry.

[Bobswife39]

And not saying he wasn't being supervised properly before anyone jumps on me - just that's the sort of spin a parent could put on it so the teacher was prob worried too ...

[Norestformrz]

1/ Have you ever tried supervising 30 four year olds while teaching a group of children?
2/ Do you know how long it takes a child to throw an object? (Not suggesting this is what OPs child did but I've seen it happen in a nursery room).

[Naty1]

That is true but if this 'bolt' hit the screen and broke it, it is possible that would really have hurt another child if thrown. And yes you cant remove all objects, but maybe a 'bolt' is not ideal at this point in yr r. .
If 30 kids cannot be supervised safely possibly the objects in yr r should be reconsidered or imo it is crazy sending kids to school at 4yo. As some are still too impulsive. They run off/throw/hit etc. Add in tiredness from learning at school.

[Norestformrz]

So do you suggest schools remove any heavy/sharp/ pointy/blunt objects?

[underneaththeash]

Things happen with small children, I do visual assessments in schools and a year 1 child managed to knock my scanner off the table in July. It was a complete accident and he was just showing me something that he'd done in his tennis class.

It's insured.

[mathanxiety]

Whatever about it being 'good practice' to allow children to access an iMac independently (and I personally would not allow a 4 yo near one with a barge pole) having three inch metal bolts as classroom props is ridiculous.

If the teacher says not to worry then I wouldn't worry. Sounds as if she is taking it on the chin, as she should, because the metal bolt is a terrible idea as a counting prop and so is unrestricted access to an iMac.

[brizzledrizzle]

They have a large metal bolt for counting ?! In reception ?! I'd say the broken computer is the least of their concerns right now.

[Norestformrz]

"Whatever about it being 'good practice' to allow children to access an iMac independently" that's a bit like saying you shouldn't have an expensive TV in your house because a child might accidentally break it. Having a computer in the room doesn't equate to allowing children to access it independently. Have you any experience of a reception class.

[Norestformrz]

"They have a large metal bolt for counting ?! " nuts and bolts are great for developing fine motor skills and are often used for counting ...matching a numbered bolt to the correct number of nuts.

[PhilomenaButterfly]

Oh. Shit. If he's denying it, there's no way of knowing if it's deliberate or not, although I can't see how he could break the screen accidentally, except by throwing something at it.

[PhilomenaButterfly]

hobblesma although tbf, mine is. Poor impulse control. Suspected ADHD.

[Heratnumber7]

I'm I the only one wondering why a primary school needs expensive Mac computers?
No wonder schools have no money for library books and other stuff if that iilk.