honeymommy

Got a call today... Can I come in daughter is hurt. No details just told not to worry, they will talk to me when I get there.

I get there to daughter with blood down her T shirt and skirt and bump on her head.....
The boys got a bit excited and a table tennis bat somehow hit her in the head....
There was nothing hidden from me, noone pitty patted around in case I got some info I could sue with... The child who did it was dealt with straight away. Parents called etc...... No messing about being anal over paperwork and policy.... Just straight forward deal with it...
The other kids had the usual differing stories... Noone looked for someone to blame, they looked for the truth, which was actually boisterous boys getting carried away......

My daughter..... Had a good cry, a hug from mum, some ibuprophen and later chocolate.... The best thing was all the attention from friends and teachers, she lapped it up... Oh and she say's the band aids don't match her skin colour.... LOL vanity or what!!!!

Why am I posting this?
1...
I want more karma... LOL
2...
I felt it was dealt with so efficiently and with immediate closure which alleviated stress for all. Plus the child who hit out got immediate dicipline showing the seriousness of what happened.....
3...
I wanted to show another reason why UK schooling is better than my experience of USA schooling where they are so desperate to exclude themselves from any alligations of liability. I have been lied to or just not informed of anything, leaving me suspicious and negative, and at times just plain angry and ready to sue.....(which I have never done before)
4...
Even though my daughter got hurt, I believe it is a healthy thing for children to learn right and wrong while enjoying games and having fun.... They have choices and stimulating games which help them to learn social skills for the future..... In the USA they were not even allowed to play tag in case someone fell over... No games were played during recess for the same reason, except at one point they were given 1 game per year grade, but restricted to a small box area to seperate each area... If did not want to play the game allocated they had to go and sit down..... God forbid anyone wanted to jump rope!!!!!!!

I left the school feeling satisfied things were dealt with. My daughter got great treatment without it being over the top paramedic, and was fine. Oh and it didn't cost me $20 or $30 in doctors copay's for a letter of good health to return to school, or the $40 copay for the emergency room. It cost me £2.30 for some childrens ibuprophen which I didn't have at home. So I am now ready for the next one...... :scared:

Good to see kids being kids.

Another thing helping me to settle back in here.....

odaat

Good thread and great to read how balanced the situation turned out.

I sent my children for schooling in UK for acedemic excellence and the ability to handle situations without turning them into big drama.

For us the choice was private schooling, both our children are thriving and I cannot fault the school and its professional manner.

IMO, The main factor that makes the school "tick well" is the headmaster - He commands authority and encourages leadership skills in the pupils.

Early days, lets see how things pan out by the time the children discover the opposite sex and all that teenage hood brings along.

JoolsG

Oh, I miss England!

I've heard that here, in Canada, the children are not allowed to have snowball fights because someone might get hurt!!! Can you believe that? It's snow, how much real damage can it cause? I feel they wrap their children up in cotton wool and try to protect them from everything. I think children need to learn lots of different skills to equip them to deal with life...

callé

oh! sorry your daughter was hurt! however, I am very pleased to hear the way it was handled. You are so correct. Sometimes here in the USA, you can not even find out what is going on with your children in the schools. Everyone is so afraid of getting sued, and half the time they are!! and they lack of discipline here really shows. a lot of kids here know that they cant be dealt with or they can charge child abuse! ridiculous if you ask me.
I agree its much better for the children to learn honesty, then deal with the circumstances, learn your lesson and get on with it.

Bob

Yup, crazy over here, having to get slips to be allowed to go to bathrooms and have to sign in and out of them out where mother in-law teaches, just because of "bomb scare" calls and the like...and its' out in the boonies...

jad n rich

What a lovely attitude, schools in australia cannot as much as apply a bandaid or antiseptic cream now, I was amazed, got a call to say son had scrapped his knee playing footie, they phoned us! and I reply just stick a bandaid/ bit of cream on, well no way school policy cannot allow that, the only thing they can hand out is vomit bags and ice packs Neither of which fitted the occasion so they sent him home! I mean this is a kids knee, a boy, a boy who plays aussie rules.

They cannot play on the playground equipment before or after school although lunchtime comes under liability insurance. Its madness here now, toilet is in twos because of perverts, even a paper cut on a pinky required a note of sent home from the school so you cant come back on them legally.

The kids pet show was cancelled incase anyone got mawled by a budgie or guinea pig. Fireworks and truck display had to be cancelled at the school fete as they are dangerous - read expensive liability wise.

Carefree australia hey

DIMO8

Hi Jo
My Little fella fell in school today.. got a nasty cut to his head. Again like you there was no fuss...he was seen by the school nurse ( free of charge) who applied some cream and a plaster. We were given an advise sheet in case he had any further problems once he was at home, he was given a bravery sticker and a big cuddle from mummy. The situation was dealt with so well without the fear of liability. What a great system we have, its only when we have been away from it a while that we realise how valuable it really is.
Hope your daughter is feeling better
Take care
Donna

Bob

That's so true, school system, the NHS, we don't realise how good it really is until we dont' have it anymore....all very taken for granted really.

linda 1

As you may know, our 3 girls are living together in Scotland. Youngest got a bit wobbly with the situation, and the amount of schoolwork she is doing, plus her weekend job. School saw situation and dealt with it very efficiently. Gave her councelling, help with workload, and kept her from going off at the deep end. I thought she was OK knowing that we will be there within a fortnight, but her guidence teacher who sees her everyday saw differently. So thankful to that teacher, but what a shit mother.

callé

and dont dare send your child to school with a cough drop. your child will be suspended and if your child offers it to another child, your child will be arrested. happened quite a few times over here.

Bob

Teachers are there and see different things, kids are good at hiding things at home ain't they... be glad that teachers are willing to help rather than pass the buck which seems to be the case over here...

Bob

Your joking?
I know they ain't allowed aspirin, inhalers or anything for diabetes...have to have letter from doc, and leave it with school office and go get them each time needed....really stupid, yet there allowed to bring guns to school, as long as kept in the boot of the car...use to be able to bring them into schools until a couple years ago :scared:

callé

no joke. a girl was suspended here for just that last school semester. and you are warned about it in the school policy book.

NJ_Dave

This reminds me of a story on the news yesterday, about how teachers in the UK are refusing to accompany kids on school trips, in case they get sued if a kid gets into an accident. My fiancee is a teacher in New Jersey and I know for one that she is terrified of taking kids on trips in case something happens. It's nice to see that all of the schools in the UK have not gone totally mental (yet), and they have not all adopted the USA 'compensation culture' style.

Bob

Blimey, bit OTT ain't it...tho I hear CA is worse...almost not worth bothering with school it seems *l*