Keeping child off school because it's their birthday!

Carmina-Piranha_2

alias*alibi wrote: »

You obviously don't or you wouldn't had said what you did; and there is no such thing as education welfare anymore. What era are you living in? There is multi-agency work yes but you clearly tried to scare monger by stating social services probably deal with children with low attendance than high. It takes A LOT more than just missing some school days before social services get involved.

Please don't post facts unless factual.

I said 'I bet' ... not 'I assert as fact that ...'

Education Welfare certainly exists in my area. It's social services that don't, but so many people still call them social services that it's easier to just go along with it.

What era am I living in? I spoke to an education Welfare Officer two days ago, if that helps.

I am not trying to scaremonger in the slightest. And again, you haver misunderstood what I wrote about social services and attendance. Carry on having a pop at me though, I can see you are enjoying yourself.

tomtontom

alias*alibi wrote: »

You obviously don't or you wouldn't had said what you did; and there is no such thing as education welfare anymore. What era are you living in? There is multi-agency work yes but you clearly tried to scare monger by stating social services probably deal with children with low attendance than high. It takes A LOT more than just missing some school days before social services get involved.

Please don't post things like that unless factual. Social services have enough criticism as it is without throwaway quips being made.

Education welfare teams most definitely do exist!

maman

tomtontom wrote: »

Education welfare teams most definitely do exist!

I think maybe CB just used 'Social Services' as shorthand when it was EWS she really meant.


To be pedantic: Technically Local Authorities now have a Children's Services/Children and Families Department which links Education and Social Services under one umbrella (previously separate departments). Traditionally, EWS would get involved with persistent absence. If it proved to be one aspect of many family issues then the more traditional Social Worker would get involved. I've also worked with EWOs that have been trained social workers.

happyinflorida

Not enough info to give proper answer.

Does the parent and the family involved go big on birthdays? Is it a really big deal and a big party or something special done to celebrate?

My husband takes his birthday off work every year, it's special to him and he wants to relax - so why not, he's happy!

My birthday's on 26th Dec' - so I was always away from school but I can tell you that I hated it. I wasn't with friends, my parents didn't do anything special for me and I was usually alone because all my friends were busy with family, so a horrible day! I once tried to organise a trip to the disco - what would now be a club I think (showing my age here!!) and only one of my friends showed up and she was from abroad so had no family!! That was very upsetting for me but now I don't bother - I've had to learn it's a crap day to have a birthday!

fatpiggy

Look at the children in places like India, Africa who dream of being able to attend school regularly. Kids here seem to thing it is something you can pick and choose to do. No wonder there are so many people on the dole with a rubbish work ethic.

ikkleruby

Your birthday is the most important day of your life, because if you weren't born, then nothing else would of ever happened for you. Thus- it should be the most celebrated day for every individual.

I was lucky in that my birthday always fell during the summer holidays, so i never needed to take it off school. As an adult- i always book it off work, although if i couldn't get it for some reason, i'd celebrate it in the evening.

Children should be taught that their birth is important and thus, celebrating that, if they want to, is also important. Being born IS more important than education or work, so unless something life altering is happening on that exact day, in which case (obviously) celebrations should be set aside, i agree that a child should be able to celebrate their birthday on the day. Let's face it, when they get older, they may not have that option due to other commitments.

Anyone saying 'what about all those children who don't have access to education and these ones are throwing it away?' probably allow their kids to throw away food they don't want, or wear an outfit just once then get rid of it and buy a new one, which is the same principle, but far worse, as that food and those clothes could of been sent to the other children in question. One day in a UK school couldn't of been offered to any children in India & even if it could be- it would be completely pointless.

All that aside, it's just one day a year of school. It's not going to ruin their lives if they catch up later. I find it very strange that people seem to have such strong opinions about how terrible this child's parents must be to let them take one day off a year. I think it's great that they have a family set up that allows them to do it.

Teacher2

It is totally unacceptable. End of.

Tropez

ikkleruby wrote: »

Your birthday is the most important day of your life, because if you weren't born, then nothing else would of ever happened for you. Thus- it should be the most celebrated day for every individual.

Sorry, but really why should it? It might be the most important day to you but it isn't to me.

I don't exist because a mummy and a daddy who loved each other very much decided to be intimate and make a baby. I'm nothing more than an unwanted consequence of a drunk one night stand. And I should celebrate this?

My birthday is just a day, it isn't special, it doesn't mean anything, not to me and not to anybody else.

Hails1309

Personally I wouldn't keep my child off school for his birthday. I always liked being with my school friends on my birthday.


However, at this time of year, is it such a big deal? They're winding down for the hols and the teachers start their prep for Sept anyway. My work friend this morning received a text from her 15 year-old's school saying that they will be having movies and popcorn for the remainder of the week - is this a problem?! (IMO - yes it blimming well is - you're paid to teach, so teach them till the end of term!)


I would try to avoid hols in term time, but if I couldn't afford to go in school holidays, then I'm sorry - my child is not missing out on a holiday.


There are double standards I've noticed - they can fine you for taking your kid out of school, but it's perfectly acceptable for teachers to go on strike, meaning that not only does the child miss out on school, parents have the inconvenience and expense of making childcare arrangements.

jackieblack

Tropez wrote: »

Sorry, but really why should it? It might be the most important day to you but it isn't to me....

My birthday is just a day, it isn't special, it doesn't mean anything

I agree, on my birthday I'm just one day older than I was the day before, and the next day I'm going to be another day older - there's no difference, what's so special about that?!

I'm with the Hofstadter family on this one (Big Bang Theory)
"My parents focussed on celebrating achievements, and being expelled from a birth canal was not considered one of them."