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Step-parenting

Schools and Fathers Day

18 replies

allnewtaketwo · 15/06/2013 22:18

Having my own DS in reception has made me realise that schools tend to stuff for Mother's Day and Father's Day. They've made cards for example for both days. From talking to a number of people this is common across schools. And where the child hasn't got a father around, the teacher tends to help the child instead recognise the grandfather, whatever, instead.

Yet, there was not one single occasion when my DSSs were at primary school and brought so much as a card round, not even once. Is it really likely that this one particular school did nothing ever for Fathers Day? Across 9 years? It has just occurred to me that this is really strange.

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babyhmummy01 · 15/06/2013 22:28

It may depend on how many kids in the class don't have a resident dad - or whether they are a faith school. If there is a large % of kids who are single parent families they may not feel its appropriate, likewise some faith schools don't partake

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mummytime · 15/06/2013 22:31

My DCs school doesn't make cards for Father's Day or Mother's Day, preschool did.
It is only common at Infant schools anyway.

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allnewtaketwo · 15/06/2013 22:34

No it wasn't a faith school, just a bog standard primary in a bog standard village. And across 9 years so definitely can't have been the particular class or teacher, or even head. I'm wondering if the cards went "missing" at home to be honest. Not that it matters now of course. But it seems weird when I see its the norm for schoolchildren to do this stuff. DSS2 only left 2 years ago, so not like its an "era" thing

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Blowninonabreeze · 15/06/2013 22:34

It really does depend on the school/teacher.
At dds school they do Mother's Day but not Father's Day. Despite all children in both dds classes either having contact with/living with dad.

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chickensaladagain · 15/06/2013 22:35

My dcs school do nothing for Father's Day

Really annoys me -I personally know of 3 children in the school who very sadly lost their mothers and are brought up by their dads

I'm a loan parent but my dcs regularly see their dad-this is a common situation at the school

At my brownies we make cards for Father's Day but we encourage them to make cards for granddads, uncles, stepdads etc so no one feels left out but dads still get a nice card

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Blowninonabreeze · 15/06/2013 22:37

I'd be surprised if your dsss didn't make Father's Day cards ANYWHERE though, everywhere seems to do them, play groups, preschools, rainbows, beavers etc.... It's only school here that doesn't.

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tapdancingelephant · 15/06/2013 22:39

dc1's school has done stuff for both mother's day and father's day this year (last year was only mother's day, iirc)

dc2's school has only done stuff for mother's day this year, which surprised me, tbh, as they are a very craft-oriented school, and always making something or other. Last year stuff was done for both, so no idea why it was overlooked this year (will ransack school bag in a minute, in case there is something lurking there which has been forgotten about).

My dsc's schools apparently never made anything for father's day (as in, nothing ever materialised in this household).

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DontCallMeBaby · 15/06/2013 22:44

It's never actually occurred to me, actually, but DD hasn't done fathers' day stuff this year, or mothers' day, and it's entirely possible she hasn't throughout school - I haven't really noticed as she's been a Rainbow and is now a Brownie and we get tons of crap ... sorry, lovingly crafted items ... from them. The school is a faith school.

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Kaluki · 15/06/2013 23:37

My dcs school don't make Mother's Day or Father's Day cards.
The dc make their own here or at my mums though so it's never occurred to me till now!

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allnewtaketwo · 16/06/2013 07:01

Seems relatively common then for schools not to do it. They've never been members of any other groups as their mother restricts outside influences to the bare minimum

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allnewtaketwo · 16/06/2013 07:07

Although DSS2 never brought them home from nursery either

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LtEveDallas · 16/06/2013 07:18

DD has just presented DH with a 'school made' Father's Day card (that she hadn't even told me about). I was pleased and mildly surprised. In DDs class (of 20) there are only 4 kids I think that have parents that are together and around half have no father at all on the scene. Hopefully the teacher got them to make cards for a 'significant' father figure, or even mum doing both roles! I know one of the kids has 2 mums, so teacher should be pretty clued up I'd hope.

DD was sad for one of her friends who won't be seeing her dad today as it was 'Dad weekend' last weekend... Seems a shame, but I don't know the ins and outs of the relationship.

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mummytime · 16/06/2013 10:33

Ltevedallas there was at least one Mum on here who was sad because her kids wanted to see their father today, but when she offered even though it wasn't "his" weekend he refused as he was "too busy". Which is sad.

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LtEveDallas · 16/06/2013 11:29

It is sad mummytime. I know that Fathers Day is just a 'made-up' holiday, but it would be nice to think that all parents would make the effort, just once a year. For the kids more than anything.

Not my place to judge though, and I don't know what difficulties there may be in these cases.

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Xalla · 17/06/2013 16:16

My DSD certainly makes Father's Day at school but if Mum picks her up on the day they come home I'm afraid they invariably go 'missing'.

C'est la vie....

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Xalla · 17/06/2013 16:16

Father's day cards!

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ChasingSquirrels · 19/06/2013 10:46

I don't recall my boys (10 & 7) making fathers day cards at school.
They definitely did mothers day stuff at preschool, can't remember about school!

I got them to make fathers day cards for their dad (who doesn't live with us). It was his birthday this week as well and I said they could make 2 cards - ds1 just wrote happy fathers day and happy birthday in his - lazy child!

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parttimer79 · 19/06/2013 11:14

My DSCs (primary) school made cards and had an assembly for all male caregivers to attend which was rather sweet but I don't think it is the norm necessarily.

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