Child being 'punished' for a choice I made

Lifeisbutadream

fedupnow wrote: »

You appear to be arguing with anybody who suggests your son should face up to the fact that he can't have it all his own way.

Though I suspect, like others have pointed out, this is more about you feeling you're 'backing down' if you send him back to classes. You won't be.

Arguing? or answering questions?

Again, please let me know what is my decision, as you appear to think that I have 'made up my mind' and I would quite like to know what it is?

I dont think I have anywhere said that I would be 'backing down' if I send him back to classes, nor have I decided whether to do that or not!

ETA: you perhaps should read my posts more carefully, as you read the one where I said I thought school swimming was rubbish, you read as 'the school team is rubbish' even though I have said several times there is no school team. Just a thought :-)

fedupnow

Yeah okay.

I've re-read and my opinion still stands.

He needs to learn he can't have all his own way.

Have a good day.

Lifeisbutadream

fedupnow wrote: »

Yeah okay.

I've re-read and my opinion still stands.

He needs to learn he can't have all his own way.

Have a good day.

Thanks for your opinion still dont know what I have decided yet, wish you would tell me, it would save me an awful lot of time !

balletshoes

Idiophreak wrote: »

So it sounds like the whole affair's a bit of a waste of time...it's an event they won't train for, will pick a fairly random and weak squad for and will ultimately lose against the schools full of club swimmers. So what are you so bothered about? Sounds like your son's best off out of it...

I agree with this - I said at the beginning of the thread that with his club he will get far more opportunities than with the swimming lessons, he doesn't want to take the school swimming lessons as they confuse him, and the school doesn't apparently take the school swimming galas seriously either. So your son is better off out of it.

I would just say to the Head, thanks for informing me that my son isn't eligible to be selected for the school galas, he's doing well at his club, so we'll just leave it at the status quo.

Lifeisbutadream

balletshoes wrote: »

I agree with this - I said at the beginning of the thread that with his club he will get far more opportunities than with the swimming lessons, he doesn't want to take the school swimming lessons as they confuse him, and the school doesn't apparently take the school swimming galas seriously either. So your son is better off out of it.

I would just say to the Head, thanks for informing me that my son isn't eligible to be selected for the school galas, he's doing well at his club, so we'll just leave it at the status quo.

Thanks. I am not specifically seeing the head for this, but was going to have a chat with her about it. That sound like quite a good thing to say, I dont really want to just leave it with nothing said at all. I still have 3 hours before I see her !

3v3

A dedicated swimming club (outside of state education) will have different motives, aims and objectives to state education "swimming lessons". Likewise with any competitions/gala's.

One is aimed at training for the sport and competitions will take a priority and be taken more seriously; the other is aimed at providing the basics of being able to swim (slowly, makes no difference) and a bit of harmless "competition" in the mildest sense of the word.

I think, once you get your thoughts around that, your decision will become clearer.

Lifeisbutadream

UPDATE

Went to school yesterday and before I even got a chance to mention anything the head did. She said that she considered DS to be a valuable 'sportsman' who she would hope could represent the school wherever possible and that she hoped that we could work something out.

I told her (again) my concerns about the school swimming lessons and she has promised to look into it.

Still think that they were just trying to get a reaction from me, we will see what happens.

bestpud

Lifeisbutadream wrote: »

UPDATE

Went to school yesterday and before I even got a chance to mention anything the head did. She said that she considered DS to be a valuable 'sportsman' who she would hope could represent the school wherever possible and that she hoped that we could work something out.

I told her (again) my concerns about the school swimming lessons and she has promised to look into it.

Still think that they were just trying to get a reaction from me, we will see what happens.

Why would they want to get a reaction out of you?

I'd have thought them too busy to play games with parents...

barbarawright

3v3 wrote: »

A dedicated swimming club (outside of state education) will have different motives, aims and objectives to state education "swimming lessons". Likewise with any competitions/gala's.

One is aimed at training for the sport and competitions will take a priority and be taken more seriously; the other is aimed at providing the basics of being able to swim (slowly, makes no difference) and a bit of harmless "competition" in the mildest sense of the word.

I think, once you get your thoughts around that, your decision will become clearer.

Yes indeed - I find it extraordinary that anyone thinks school swimming for 9 year olds should be about more than getting everyone to feel confident in the water and enjoy themselves. Why shouldn't kids swim slowly if that's what they want to do? Sadly the obsession some teachers (and parents it seems) have with competition is what puts most kids off sports for life.

poet123

Lifeisbutadream wrote: »

UPDATE

Went to school yesterday and before I even got a chance to mention anything the head did. She said that she considered DS to be a valuable 'sportsman' who she would hope could represent the school wherever possible and that she hoped that we could work something out.

I told her (again) my concerns about the school swimming lessons and she has promised to look into it.

Still think that they were just trying to get a reaction from me, we will see what happens.

I think it far more likely they view you as a "difficult" parent and that they contacted you to try pre empt or diffuse the expected furore when you found out that your son could not swim for the school because the team was being drawn from those who attend school swim class.

The fact is that in this area you have seemingly voiced a lot of opinions and your son has stopped and re started the lessons. The school may view the reasons you gave as unreasonable. I am thinking here of your objection to them subsidising the swimming lessons for children of those on benefits.

Personally I suspect that is why they rang you....and you haven't disappointed! No offence, it is your prerogative as a parent, but it does mean the school will see you as someone to be "placated" rather than someone who is onside.