Bunking Off

@gemini_rose (16264)
February 4, 2009 8:26am CST
Monday we woke up to snow and bad weather, watching the news while getting the kids ready for school it said that many schools were shut. I went on my kids school website and was disappointed to find it was open, but no matter I took them. The weather forecast that evening predicted a lot more snow and freezing conditions I thought that the school would be shut and that we could have a lovely day at home. So Tuesday morning I got up thinking it would be snow covered only to find when I looked out of the window that there had been no snow whatsoever it was just freezing. The rest of the country had snow and loads of schools were shut, again I checked the website for my kids school, again it was open!! Well I thought this is not fair, I looked out of the window and the snow that we had was icy, I thought that me or the children could well break our necks on it or end up with hypothermia due to being out in that cold. So I made the decision to stay at home for safety, in other words I bunked!! It was great we had a lovely day at home!! So when was the last time you bunked off something and had the day off instead?
2 people like this
6 responses
@katsmeow1213 (28719)
• United States
4 Feb 09
I did that once or twice when my twins were in head start. Because I had to walk them. Now they take a bus and only my oldest walks, but his school is 5 minutes away. So when schools are open, I send them because it's not a huge deal to us. Sometimes when it's really bad the busses will pick up my oldest too.
1 person likes this
@gemini_rose (16264)
5 Feb 09
Its why I kept mine off because of the fact that I have to walk them and I have a three year old too and she gets so upset with the cold, even though she is bundled up in layers of clothes!!
1 person likes this
• United States
5 Feb 09
When I was walking the twins to head start, my toddler was still under a year old, so that helped my decision making. Even now if I had to walk any of them anywhere I'd probably choose to stay home on really cold days, except now I have the car, so it's not as big of an issue.
1 person likes this
@p1kef1sh (45681)
4 Feb 09
I'm going to make myself unpopular now. I am one of those people that learned the hard way that bunking off can do more harm than good. I did it when I was young and working for an engineering company. I got caught (by the company secretary - talk about unlucky!) and spent the following six weeks signing on! I have never bunked off anything since - although you might say that my breakdown was just a massive bunking off dressed up as a medical issue - some do. The schools here are closed for a third day making life hard for everyone. Children are hardly at school anyway, but it seems to me that at the first sight of a snowflake we go into panic mode and close schools down. I and all my colleagues have made it to the Cathedral for our guiding stints this week - the oldest of us is 92! My view is if she can get there by bus and walking then what the heck are the rest of us doing lounging around! Having said all that. I once suggested at work that we introduce a "Me Day". I think that letting people have say two or three days a year where they can just turn over and say "I'm not going in today" would do wonders. Currently people have those days off anyway, they call it cold or flu. But think how much clearer their consciences would be if the boss simply said "OK. See you tomorrow" instead of pretending to be sympathetic when they know really both know that one is bunking off. Thanks for the opportunity to rant!
1 person likes this
@gemini_rose (16264)
5 Feb 09
Yeah bunking off can be a bad thing but the pavements were so icy and I walk everywhere and I just did not want to risk it or the kids. You are right about our country goes into panic mode, but do you know our school has stayed open all week, it has not shut once through this weather and I think the headmaster should be commended for it even though I think given the weather today he could have made an exception!!
1 person likes this
@p1kef1sh (45681)
5 Feb 09
Good for the Headmaster. It's showing that you won't be beaten that's so important. Thank you for the BR too. Much appreciated.
1 person likes this
@plumwish07 (4057)
• Indonesia
5 Feb 09
i think you did the right thing for your children for their safety. i don't have any idea why the school wasn't shut due to those condition. have you called the school or the teachers? since i have only two seasons in my country then absolutely there is no snow in here but i will be bunked off when there is any bad happened in my country as like on 2007. our capital city (the city that i stay) was bunked off cause of big flood which happened about a week. thats really disturbing situation and the electricity also shut down
@gemini_rose (16264)
5 Feb 09
The reason the headmaster has not shut the school is because the inspectors, OFSTED are coming into school for the yearly reports and checks on how the school is performing. He is going to get a gold star for keeping the school open all week in the face of the worst weather Britain has seen in 18 years!! That is why he kept it open!!
5 Feb 09
Quite a few schools in my area were open I think, I know one closed early in order for the teachers to be able to get home. I think its wrong to close the schools just because of snow, the schools have heating and such should have made it a fun day at school. I would have bunked off with the kids as well, just so they got to enjoy the snow. I don't really bunk off work but I had flu in January and had taken too days off but that isn't bunking off as I was ill.
@gemini_rose (16264)
5 Feb 09
No that was not bunking off, ill is not classed as such!! I think a lot of the schools closed when there was no need too, I just did not want to risk breaking mine or the kids necks because it had all froze over!
@Wizzywig (7847)
4 Feb 09
I think its so refreshing to hear someone saying they actually wanted to and enjoyed spending time with their children!! I think you did the right thing. You kept them safe and spent time with them I get so sick of people whingeing about having to stay home and look after their children when schools are shut...er, hello, if you dont want the 'inconvenience' of taking responsibility and care of your own children, dont be a parent! No doubt there will be a rush of parents telling me I dont know what I'm talking about and that they have 3 small children to entertain etc etc. My reply is that they should have considered the implications of taking responsibility for another human being that they've brought into the world before they renounced celibacy!! Woooo! Sorry gemini... didnt mean to use your topic as a rant... it just happened & I haven't even answered you question....
1 person likes this
@gemini_rose (16264)
5 Feb 09
It was a good day, we played in the garden, ok it was only a few minutes but it was a few minutes that they would not have normally had! I stay home to look after my children because I also believe that I had the children because I wanted too so why should I leave them with strangers. I would love to go to work but I wont leave the kids.
1 person likes this
• Brazil
5 Feb 09
Well, this month I took two days off work. But it was because of two strong sore throats I had and both with lots of fever the first day. Then I sent a text message to my boss telling him I was with fever and stayed home. Well, it was not lovely to stay home with fever but it´s always good to take a day off.
@gemini_rose (16264)
5 Feb 09
No being ill is no fun at all! Hope you are recovered now though!!