Keeping child off school because it's their birthday!

Domayne

I think celebrating birthdays is stupid in general - always have since I was about 10-11.
In my school, on your birthday they used to do cake and sing happy birthday to you which I found really awkward and embarrassing - I still do, so I used to have my mum take me out of school that day which she did and even now I always book it off of work so I can sit at home and be anti-social ^_^

Tropez

I don't really see the point. It's not as if this is something that can be kept up all the way through to the end of their education.

I can understand why they might let a young child have the day off school but I believe it creates an unrealistic impression of the value of their birthday and may fuel even more unrealistic expectations in the future.

ska_lover

catkins wrote: »

In over 40 years of working I think I only ever worked maybe 2 or 3 birthdays. I always took them as holiday. My OH is self employed and always takes his birthday off too.


We both think birthdays are special days and either go out for the day or even away for the day and night.

I would never work on a birthday, nothing special about another work day, is there?

System

FBaby wrote: »

No way what is that teaching them? Most people who work do so on their birthday. You still have the evening to celebrate. Totally unacceptable from my perspective.

I always book my birthday off

I'm pretty sure as a kid once or twice we went to theme parks for my birthday, it was obviously a lot quiter with everyone else in school, this was years ago before they got strict about it though

ska_lover

catkins wrote: »

What do people think about this?


Someone I know kept their child off school yesterday because it was their birthday (15). Although I didn't actually make any negative comment I did express surprise which didn't go down well!


I think birthdays are special days at any age but you can't just not have to go to school on that day. Why could they not do something at the weekend to celebrate it? Also what is it teaching the child? They start work and ask for their birthday as holiday and if refused they go sick?


Irresponsible parenting in my opinion

I think the family in question probably thought it was none of your business - hence it not going down very well. They would be correct, it really isn't anyone elses business

Sticking the 'irresponsible parenting' label on is a bit OTT and judgemental.

I think you should try and not judge people so harshly. There is no such thing as the perfect parent - and we can only do the best we can, at the time.

Jojo_the_Tightfisted

It's a unauthorised absence - or truancy.

We've still got kids taking controlled assessments, some are recording gcse performances early because they can't afford music lessons next term and those who were ill (or truanting) during exams are having to take them. There's still work going on in every class, the only days it won't be are sports day and the last day of term.


Oh, and there are about five members of staff on strike tomorrow. So school will be open as usual.

ska_lover

No one on this thread ever taken an unauthorised absence from work - pulled a sickie?

According to reports last year, something like 131 million work days were lost in the UK with a large proportion of them being for minor 'illness' like hangover, or people just fancying a day off

Clearly millions of adults don't think pulling a unauthorised absence from their own responsibilities is a big deal - with clearly a lot more riding on it such as mortgage payments etc, rather than a missed sports day or something

moomoomama27

peachyprice wrote: »

Firstly it's nobody else's business but the family concerned.

Secondly, this time of year they are doing nothing at school. Monday our school was closed for the Tour de France, yesterday my daughter spent the day spectating a teachers tug of war (yes the entire day, it was a knock out competition). Tomorrow the school is closed for a teachers strike. Next week she's out on school trips from Monday to Wednesday, Thursday is sports day, Friday is half day end of term clearing out classrooms and EOT assembly.

Would I take her out for something special that fell over these two weeks? Yes, I probably would.

Wow that sounds like an awful school!! We are on timetable til the bitter end, although we do have sports morning for each key stage.

I would take issue with the above, it's very lazy, and would be questioning if it were the right school for my child.

As for birthdays, no, if their birthday should fall on a weekday in school time, they should attend. That's what the weekend before or after is for surely, to host a party, etc.

peachyprice

moomoomama27 wrote: »

Wow that sounds like an awful school!! We are on timetable til the bitter end, although we do have sports morning for each key stage.

I would take issue with the above, it's very lazy, and would be questioning if it were the right school for my child.

Nope, it's a fantastic school, consistently in the top 5 in our LEA, they just use time efficiently the rest of the year. All of my children have done brilliantly there.

Perhaps your school should plan better if they're still trying to cram in curriculum right up to the bitter end?

I don't get the lazy bit? Please explain.

Buzzybee90

moomoomama27 wrote: »

Wow that sounds like an awful school!! We are on timetable til the bitter end, although we do have sports morning for each key stage.

I would take issue with the above, it's very lazy, and would be questioning if it were the right school for my child.

As for birthdays, no, if their birthday should fall on a weekday in school time, they should attend. That's what the weekend before or after is for surely, to host a party, etc.

Sounds standard to me, we had sports day and then a week for out if school activities.