Guess OP would go if they offered valet parking and served wine and cheese.

What? No hands on activities to keep you engaged?

OP sounds like a spoiled brat.

How is meeting your child's teacher and hearing about their school a waste of time?

I personally thought the volunteer sign up sheet was the most important part of back to school night. The teacher brushed upon a few upcoming events and volunteer opportunities. I would not have known about this if I had not gone to back to school night.

You said the 30 minute presentation was worthwhile. So, no, it wasn't a waste of time.

Either hire the babysitter for less time, have only one parent go, or go out to dinner after. Don't assume your time is more valuable than the teacher's (which is what you'd be doing if you asked for a private run-down of what you missed).

So, you want a private run-down of Back to school night from the teacher?

What makes you think the teacher has time for that? That's the whole purpose of the BTS night. If you don't go, you miss the information.

Only book the sitter for an hour next time.

My kids' school has two nights--but it is for different grade levels. Your school has two separate ones? I don't understand why a K parent would go two nights.

Open house is not a two parent event. One of you can go and the other can stay home.

Why would you get a sitter for this event when you have one parent who can stay at home with the kids.

Open House is not a two parent event.

Some of my friends said they get a babysitter for the whole night, stop in to meet the teacher and then pop out early to get drinks before heading home. I'm curious, myself, at how worthwhile it will be. Both of us are going, but I suspect that kindergarten night (the next night) will be more useful.

Private school is better suited for you.

Forty thousand and will hold your hand.

So, you want a private run-down of Back to school night from the teacher? If you don't want to spend the money, then why don't you stay home and let your spouse go?

No, I have always enjoyed the facetime with the teachers and the parents.

We attended back to school night last year for DS's kindergarten class with APS. I thought the teacher's 30-minute presentation and Q&A session was worthwhile, but other than that there wasn't anything else to check out. We did go to the computer class and music classes (once we found them), but those teachers really had nothing prepared and were just there to answer questions. We stayed almost an hour, which is probably 20 minutes more than we needed to. Since we wanted to get our money's worth from the babysitter, we went out and had dessert and a drink.

So now we have back to school night again next week and I'm seriously thinking about not going and trying to catch up with the teacher afterwards by e-mail. We do have parent-teacher conferences coming up in early Oct., which for me is more worthwhile in getting to talk one-on-one with the teacher about DS. From all indications, this year's event will be as unstructured as last year's.

Just wondering if anyone else shares my sentiments about back to school night.