Headteacher issues warning about parent WhatsApp groups
Charlotte Grant-West
Netmums contributorA concerned headteacher warned parents to avoid class WhatsApp groups, saying they could be bad for children's development as they encourage 'micromanaging'.
This page contains affiliate links, which means we may earn a small amount of money if a reader clicks through and makes a purchase. All our articles and reviews are written independently by the Netmums editorial team.
They're a total lifesaver and the bane of our lives, all at once.
One minute your kid's class WhatsApp chat can make you feel slightly sweaty and frantic, as pointless message after pointless message pings in. The next minute, the very same chat saves your skin yet again as you're reminded tomorrow is 'wear a funny hat and wellies' day.
And how else would we ever have survived homeschooling during lockdown?!
But have you ever stopped to think whether those WhatsApp chats could be affecting your child?
A London headteacher spoke out about the impact she believes WhatsApp groups could be having on children's development and said they lead to parents 'micromanaging' their kids and so not letting them learn to think for themselves.
Jane Lunnon, who is head of Wimbledon High School in southwest London, advised parents to avoid turning to WhatsApp to check when kids need their PE kit and when homework is due.
In a message to parents, she touched on the perils of parent WhatsApp chats, saying: 'As parents we could all probably still learn a thing or two about backing off from micromanaging our children’s lives, from smoothing their paths and fighting their battles.
'We know how tempting it is – but what is that teaching our children? That they can’t manage their own lives? That problems can only be solved by grown-ups?'
She continued: 'Stay off the parents’ WhatsApp chat ... Don’t join the group. Embrace FOMO (fear of missing out) and let everyone else work themselves into a frenzy. What’s the worst that could happen?'
Coming out in a cold sweat at the mere thought of leaving the group chat?
Before you exit the conversation, its worth bearing in mind that Lunnon advised secondary school should be the cut off point for parents using class WhatsApp groups to prompt their kids.
She urged that, from the age of 11, it should be up to the child to organise their day-to-day lives. If they forget something, they learn to deal with the consequences.
Why not buy your child a weekly planner so they can see clearly what homework and activities they have coming up? We like this magnetic version that you can buy at Amazon. See all the details here.
What do you think of the headteacher's message? Are you in a school WhatsApp group? Do you think they're frustrating or a lifesaver? Tell us in the thread below.
Related stories
30 struggles every mum in a WhatsApp group understands
CHAT: Are mum WhatsApp groups as bad as everyone says?
10 things every mum in a WhatsApp group knows
