The parents’ WhatsApp for my children’s school is driving me crazy – but I refuse to give it up
Stock image. Photo: Getty Images
Ping. I used to dread the noise of the class WhatsApp until I muted it. It can happen at any time day or night, announcing a message: a lost sock, a conspiracy theory or a parent rallying against some injustice, such as the children not being able to wear their PE kits to school – “please sign the petition”. It can send me into a panic: “Oh no, they need jolly jars for the school fair by tomorrow!” I yell, thinking, how am I supposed to find jars and fill them with brightly coloured sweets by then?
It can be so random – like a video of a mum singing in a cornfield for the new classical album she’s proudly put together, recommendations for nannies and babysitters, or a copy of a booking confirmation for a restaurant along with a message like “Made reservation inside for 6. Can grab outside tables if available”. Followed by: “Sorry wrong chat – that’s what I get for trying to multitask.” A dad sent an entire Google doc with his work presentation for a top-secret Christmas advert to Class 3 parents.
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