The OS Doorstep - a helpful and supportive thread in these tough times

fuddle

Good call Mar. Once you have it you will have to buy more top quality yarn in order to make it work hard

No school contact up until pickup. I was really quite cross at my letter not important enough to warrant a call to help arrange something. I had hoped to talk to the teacher when I picked DD up but the teaching assistant handed over today. I got worked up by the time I got home at 3.30 and what do I do when Im worked up? React. I called the head teacher. She hadnt been aware of my letter. I explained the difficulty I had in attending without children and that the bold print on the newsletter telling us that children were not to attend was inappropriate and has effectively been a barrier to home/school communications. The headteacher began sternly "Oh, I don;t think it does, weve done that for years and never had a problem". I paused, kept calm and replied in a low voice "but Mrs ****** cant you see that it has in this instance? Its effectively been a barrier to communication because Ive been told in no uncertain terms that children arent welcome so how can I then feel I can approach the office and ask for help? Because of that I have had to write a letter which for some reason hasnt been responded to, Ive become cross and upset, hae had to call you and now we have a situation that is nothing about my child but about rules and lack of communication. So yes, Mrs ***** I do feel the bold writing, along with the wording of the request, has been a barrier to home/school communications and now has effected our ability to work, in this instance, for the good of the child". I got an apology, a "well leave the statement in but not type in bold" and an invitation to come into school to meet with the teacher with my two children. I also have to battle with the embarrassment that I get when I make a fuss but...

kezlou

Fuddle I'm sure if you explain to them about commitments they should make allowances.

ds2 school allow you to take children with you into meetings and evenings.

Made some progress in the house, its slowly getting sorted. I then persuaded OH to come along to a friend house. So played with tots, they so cute st that age. Like you sq got all broody, but sadly no more babies.

So nervous going to ds1 option event tonight, my dads looking after ds2 while we go. If we take him it will be a complete nightmare. Panicing thinking about it times going to fast.

Well b best make some toast for the kids

nuttyp

Hi all, I have 2 friends on facebook now lol. If anyone else would let me add them please pm and I will. DD still has to add a picture of me, so I am still a mystery!!!


I worked this morning and then came home. I decided that I would wash all the nets at the front of the house. I took them down and then I realised the windows needed cleaning. So I gave them a quick wipe over. All clean and back up. I only have them as we are in a road with nosey people!!!


Tomorrow is ALDI day, and pay day here. I got my payslip today, was expecting more but it seams next month is the 5 week pay. Oh well we will manage. I hope there is a voucher in the newspaper again.


CC I hope things are ok again today. Its lovely to hear from you, and I hope you remember your in our thoughts. x


Take care everyone x

elisamoose

fuddle wrote: »

Good call Mar. Once you have it you will have to buy more top quality yarn in order to make it work hard

No school contact up until pickup. I was really quite cross at my letter not important enough to warrant a call to help arrange something. I had hoped to talk to the teacher when I picked DD up but the teaching assistant handed over today. I got worked up by the time I got home at 3.30 and what do I do when Im worked up? React. I called the head teacher. She hadnt been aware of my letter. I explained the difficulty I had in attending without children and that the bold print on the newsletter telling us that children were not to attend was inappropriate and has effectively been a barrier to home/school communications. The headteacher began sternly "Oh, I don;t think it does, weve done that for years and never had a problem". I paused, kept calm and replied in a low voice "but Mrs ****** cant you see that it has in this instance? Its effectively been a barrier to communication because Ive been told in no uncertain terms that children arent welcome so how can I then feel I can approach the office and ask for help? Because of that I have had to write a letter which for some reason hasnt been responded to, Ive become cross and upset, hae had to call you and now we have a situation that is nothing about my child but about rules and lack of communication. So yes, Mrs ***** I do feel the bold writing, along with the wording of the request, has been a barrier to home/school communications and now has effected our ability to work, in this instance, for the good of the child". I got an apology, a "well leave the statement in but not type in bold" and an invitation to come into school to meet with the teacher with my two children. I also have to battle with the embarrassment that I get when I make a fuss but...

Ok coming at this from a school point of view.........letters sometimes don't get handed in to the class teacher.........class teacher is exactly that teaching all day.Unless she had PPA time today she would not have time to call you and would probably think it could be discussed at pick up.Also if this is school policy then the teacher would not be able to change it and would need to see the Head....once again only possible after school.
We school people really don't set out to annoy parents .We can't please all of the people all of the time!

[Deleted User]

Well done FUDDLE, you really shouldn't have been put in that position in the first place, but very well done girlie for sorting the problem out for yourself and making the school aware of a problem that you have now solved for any other parent in the same position over childcare as you. Good on you, Lyn xxx.

fuddle

I was a school person for 10 years elisamoose and I know how effectively a good family friendly school can run. The letter was addressed to the teacher because a comment was written in the home/school reading diary last night, by the teacher, asking why I had not arranged an appointment time. As it was a complex reply that had nothing at all to do with my childs learning I chose to write a letter.

Possession

Fuddle if you talk to the school I'm sure your Yr 5 DD will be able to wait in school until you get there. It happens to a couple of children in our school as some couldn't get younger siblings in and they had to go to a different school. As for the parents' evening, do they not say in the letter they can make other arrangements if you can't attend? It's not reasonable to expect everyone to be able to attend if you can't take children with you. Hopefully it has been sorted now. We got a new Head just over a year ago and communication is not her strong point unfortunately, and it has caused a lot of issues. To be fair to her, it was always going to be difficult to follow a much-loved Head who'd been there 38 years. DD has 2 more years after this so I'm keeping my head down as much as possible and picking my disagreements!

monnagran

Fuddle love,
You were not making a fuss you were being reasonable and assertive. I cannot imagine that you were the first parent to have this problem and you won't be the last. Just think of the favour you have done future generations of working mothers with absent or non existent fathers.
And do NOT put yourself down as being somehow inferior to the other mothers. As we all know here, you are second to none in the mothering stakes. If it's any consolation I taught in a private school where most of the parents were titled, millionaires or famous in some way or another. One little girl had a mother who was a dinnerlady and a Dad who was a taxi driver. She invited all her class to her birthday party in their little 3 - bedroomed semi. So Lady Elizabeth, Lady Emily and the rest left their stately homes, rolling acres and ponies and turned up in this suburban street. They had a ball. One child confided that she wished she lived in a dear little house where she could see her mother all the time, (that family had multiple Nannies - the Norland kind). So hold your head up high, you are as good as any and better than most.

Here endeth today's sermon.

Back to the magazine.

x

maryb

Grrr I hated it when my DD's school assumed that mothers' time (and it was always mothers) was limitless and valueless. Like having a meeting at the start of each school year to discuss the curriculum for that year - at 2.30 in the afternoon. DH was so cross about it, he took a precious afternoon off(as did I) to come with me and sure enough he was the only father there. The head trilled "oh we don't often get fathers coming along" and he icily asked her whether she thought fathers were not interested in their children's learning or if she thought it was an unimportant matter. They changed it to the early evening after that and combined it with something else - still too early for most parents who worked in London but at least one of us was able to get there with only leaving work half an hour early

mcculloch29

Wow, so much to follow up on.

I AM ON FACEBOOK AND WOULD LOVE SOME NEW MATES FROM HERE. A LOT OF YOU KNOW MY NAME AND YOU CAN PROBABLY FIND ME EASILY, BUT DO PMM ME IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO ADD ME!

CC, it had passed through my mind that muscular contractions assoc. with you-know-what would cause extra pain, I hoped I was wrong, blast.

Monna, sheesh, wish I was at hand to help, though not sure how. Courage to all in the battles you fight, whatever they are.

Some nice things here - freebies and a small competition win in the post ( a book for DGD). Nothing huge, but a tonic.
I picked up a bouquet of flowers from A!di that sing of spring, yellows and whites, and one solitary iris which looks very exotic as it opens with the others, with its deep purple against the paler colours.

Yes, my mobility and joint/ muscle pain isn't great at the moment and it won't improve, but much to be grateful for.
My A!di had some extra stock in of clearance items, and amongst them was a knee support - I had bought one but I have long, yet stocky legs and it was a poor fit - too small, really.
This new one for the princely sum of £1.49 is great and I think I will be OK to cycle in it too. I will discover tomorrow.