General Chat

That's a real bonza rhyme, Michelle. We'll all come and join your class! Big hug, Philip

Angela -- I too have a five year old and work a 4 day week. My son attends a small school and yes I often feel like an outsider collecting him on "my day". Many of the Mums are very nice, but others clearly don't approve of working mums. I do rearrange time at work to attend school functions whenever possible, but this isn't helped by often being given only one or two days notice. Personally, I'm not too bothered what people think of me. I'm proud of the job I do and the example I set my children. But I do worry that my son gets left out and/or picked on. Some of his classmates were taunting him for being poor. Now firstly, those children have been taught an appalling set of values. And secondly, its not even true, both my husband and I are lucky enough to have good jobs, we just don't choose to spend our money on designer clothes, flashy cars and indulging our children with every latest gismo. Ann

I too have problems in the playground. Your right, it is very clicky. In my little boys playground the majority of mums do where tracksuits or jeans. When i go to pick my little boy up i am in my smart work clothes and they look at me like muck. I always make a point of saying hello or general chit chat to break the ice to show that i am normal. A lot of the mums don't go to work and this gives them the opportunity to be 'helpers' in the class room during school hours, because i am at work i dont get this chance, i am singled out because of this. I get awkward looks for not letting my little boy 'run on ahead' like they do, where there are busy roads. Because i say no to icecream van on cold rainy days and they say yes,they look at me as if i'm mean. At the end of the day, i love my little boy and want to look after him to my best ability and if they want to look at me awkwardly for this, then thats their problem, not mine.