Thanks Teachers!

[GarethB]

To add to a bad week, I got to work, got half hours work done when I got a call asking me to go home!

My daughters school has been closed to day because fo the herendous weather and deep snow

All of 2 inches.

I know the teachers can get to the school because most live quite lcoally and having spent this morning going to and from work none of the roads in our area were closed or passable with care. All the roads were clear bar a bit of slush!

As much as I like time with my daughter I still feel her education is equally as important.

Why, when I were a lad 30 years ago when it snowed I would push my bike the three miles down the B roads clambering through drifts until I reached the main road and cycle the other 3 miles.

Yup this did happen, about 18 times in total over 10 years, but I was living in North Yorkshire at the time.

My daughter told me the few times it has snowed here, (about 4 in the last 7 yeares) they are not allowed to play in the snow incase they slip over. No snowballs as someone may get hurt and no snowmen as one might fall on a child!

The schools I went to the teachers and dinner ladies joined in. Morning break was building a wall of snow to hide behind ready for the lunch time snowball fight or you could go and make a snowman. With the teachers joining in, they could keep an eye on the children to ensure things were done safely. My daughter says none of the teachers join in with their games.

To me when it snows, playing with the kids is all part of growing up. Kids round here could not beleive you could roll snow into a huge snowball! They were using shovels to pile up the snow, soon educated them in the old ways

There are now several snowmen in our village with 6 foot tall snowmen and women

The parents of some of the kids could not beleie how efficiently making a big snow ball can clear snow off the footpath and the garden!

The snowman in the back garden is waiting for branches to be added for arms and the face to be put on.

Here is the snowman in the back garden;

[jayuk]

Gareth

I agree...when I was at school and it snowed we still went and the school was open!...I dont think we ever got sent home!

I sent the little one to Nursery this morning..its the first time he has seen snow so he was a little puzzled lol....but then at 2 years of age....he must be!

What I find even more odd..is why the country stops when it snows! Or more over, London!...Its crazy! Airports were closed, Motorways were lane restricted, etc etc. Crazy!

Oh and youll be happy to know that in some school Snow Ball fights are banned as they class them as Bullying?!?!

J

[GarethB]

Just like some schools ban sports day because it is competative!

They need to understand about competativeness and team work ready for when they get a job.

It is a major problem when I recruit people, they have no concept of teamwork.

Problem solving is a nightmare as they have been spoonfed all the information they need to pass exams at any level.

Several times we have had complaints for refusing to take people without experience. I had 12 people last week for an analytical chemsitry job and they all had either a degree or MSc in analytical chemistry and not one could explain the basics or recognise common instrumentation in the lab!

[Anne B]

Well i have to say that i was going to keep my kids at home even if the schools were open we have had great fun playing in the snow made a huge snowman been over the fields sledging and had snowball fight with neighbours.
My five year old manage to work out how to roll snow all by her self!!!
Don't moan about it we don't get snow very often i think its lovely.
And before you say it i was meant to be working today so i have lost a days pay!!

[GarethB]

Anne,

The choice my wife and I had were we either loose a days holiday or a days pay.

When I called the school, the teachers are getting paid as if it were a normal day!

Being fair my wife and I flipped a coin amd my workmates will verify that I genuinly lost

Plus my wife works part time so her holiday is prorata, after Bank holidays she only gets 10 days leave.

The first time I saw snow was in 1979, the first year I moved north, until then I lived near Aylesbury and had never seen snow.

[jayuk]

Gareth

Your pushing on an opening door there with me mate...totally agree!...PC crazy!...thats what it is!

Anne : That musta been cool! Neighbours kids were having snowball fights since 9am this morning!...and in the proces took all the snow off my wifes car lol....so dont need to clean that!

J

[Lesley Foster]

I only remember being sent home from schoolonce when I was about6 or & and I think that was due to pipesbursting or something, pretty certain it wasn't snow. I don't remember being off school during the winter of '63 (I was 7)

I thnk most of Southam's kids and parents were in the local park with sledges and teatrays this morning so the dog had to stay on his lead or he would have joined in

Hubby left for Luton at 6.15 this morning but was back by 7.15, he only had made as far as Daventry. Silly s*d worked from home for a bit and then left about 10.30 to get to Luton. I don't know if he got there or what time he is likely to be home tonight.

Gareth, I agree with you about the lack of team building andcompetitiveness these days it really is pathetic the way children are not allowed to have a childhood these days.

Lesley

[Anne B]

Jay, i didn't have a snowball fight with the neighbours kids i had one with the NEIGHBOURS!!!!!
And as for the teachers and school etc both my neighbours are teachers and i got them with a few snowballs So i've done my bit

[Pat A]

Gareth - that's a cool snowman - is it the version with the dog poo - or the all over white one! Can't quite make that out!

I remember 1963 all too well when it snowed - I was in bed with really bad scarlet fever and they simply would NOT let me go out in it! But I remember my kind older brother bringing a snowball indoors for me. .............!(little s*d!)

But we often used to get snow "in the old days" and we never got the day off school - nor did the teachers - could be something to do with the fact that most of us walked to school in those days - most mums simply did not have cars! In fact it was great being in school because we were usually allowed a longer playtime if there was snow around!

Sounds like you had good fun Anne - wish I'd joined you! I must live in a miserable place as I've hardly seen anyone all day long! And I live in a cul-de-sac where it's pretty safe for kids to play - where are they all? They aren't at school!.

My husband walked to work today ( i reckon he's scared of driving in the snow hehe!) - but it's only just over a mile and I told him he was lazy & should do it more often!!

Agree with all of you about lack of competitiveness - I think I am lucky that my son (now 24) just missed all of the crazy PC stuff - he was allowed to come last in the egg & spoon race even though he was the youngest kid in the race by a long chalk! But just made him try harder next time!

Make the most of the snow today - it'll have melted by tomorrow.. :

[Anne B]

I was just thinking about what Gareth put about teachers not getting out in the playground and playing with the kids.
Well my eldest goes to a junior school (no primary bit) in each class there are about 30 children and 2 classes per year, and 4 years from year 3 to year 6.
Well thats 240 children roughly in the school so would you really want to go on playground duty today? 240 children throwing snowballs at you trying to dodge the ones with stones in!!