Mothers / Fathers Day Cards

[bro101]

Hi. My kids are 12 and 10 (y7 and y5) I've noticed for probably the past 3 years (so before lockdown). They don't make cards at school. I used to help out at school and we used to make lots for all occasions.

They haven't done Easter or Christmas cards either. Although they did do an Eid one.

Anyone else noticed? I wonder why??

You could say teachers have too much work on but I know other schools still do them.

Why would 12 and 10 year olds make such cards at school?

They aren't young children and their teachers will be actually teaching them.

Is a 12 year old not in secondary school? Why would they be making cards at that age?

Not sure about y5 but why the hell would a y7 child be making cards at secondary school?? No one has time for that

My kids school don't do anything.

Your kids are old enough that they should be able to make their own cards at home, themselves without prompting if they wanted to.

Yes, I agree with pp. This is usually an activity for younger children. Definitely not Y7!

They are to old for that sort of avtivity.

I certainly wouldn't expect a y7 in secondary school to be making cards and never known them to.

Surely they're too old for this? DD has made some this year and last but that's Reception and Y1 where they want any excuse for them to practice writing!

I meant they stopped when they were 8 and 10.

That is about the right age, may even be on the older side.

Yes I thought that too but other schools around her still do them at that age. I was just curious. Maybe they only ever do them in the infant classes.

I wouldn’t expect it to be done in secondary, but it’s a shame they don’t do it in primary.

My school didn’t do them this year because there have been a lot of extra curricular activities arranged for this term and what with the jubilee at the end of last term, there just wasn’t time.

I expect some schools avoid it because enough children either don’t have a dad or don’t have regular contact with their Dad and avoiding it is easier than opening up that can of worms. Sad for the good Dads though.

Oh really, they don't do any cards except Eid?

I have three in primary school. Tends to just be the reception age child that makes cards. So Father’s Day just one card made.

Presumably they are doing more learning than crafts the older they get.

Fathers' day cards begin to become problematic as soon as you have children without (or without contact with) fathers. With the best will in the world, even if it's "we're making cards this week" with no mention of fathers, if half the kids make them for fathers' day then the it raises questions for those who might have tricky home situations. Someone on here was struggling with what to do about the card her young child was desperate to send to their dad, with whom the child had no contact.

The Eid card might have fitted in with learning about Islam, and therefore been an educational activity.

I think i remember that post.

Come to think of it I think they did study Islam around that time.

For the other poster. I wasn't being racist btw just pointing out they did make a card.

Sounds about right. I wouldn't expect them to be doing such activities beyond age 7-8.

As well as the issues around family structures, also curriculum development. There used to be a tendency to have "make a card doing exactly as we tell you" as the Art lesson for the week. Nowadays it's more about planning, creativity etc - a bit of colouring and sticking, albeit neater than they managed in reception, isn't going to cut it on your progression map in KS2 when Ofsted come calling.