We’ve all been there – running late and scrambling for an excuse that sounds at least somewhat reasonable. But when it comes to students, their creativity (or sheer honesty) can turn a simple tardy into a comedy show.
Over 200 Teacher Tappers shared their funniest and most unusual excuses they’ve heard from students arriving late to class, and the results did not disappoint!
1. The Unexpected Events
Sometimes life just throws curveballs that no one could anticipate:
- “They had a snake in their bag and needed to take it home.” 🐍
- “They got sprayed by a skunk on the way to school. I had to send them home because the smell was unbearable.” 😭
- “An iguana was chasing me in the hall.” 🦎
- “My dad hit a deer.” 🦌
- “The bus got rear-ended.” 🚍
2. The Priorities That Just Couldn’t Wait
Who says breakfast and shopping aren’t more important than being on time?
- “Stopped at Dunkin’ Donuts.” 🍩
- “Went to Starbucks.” ☕
- “My student decided that he wants to go to the dollar store every day before class, but class starts at 7:45, and the dollar store doesn’t open until 8.” 💰
- “I went to get brownies (from the teacher down the hall).” 😆
- “Needed to put my basketball in my locker.” 🏀
3. The Brutally Honest Kids
When in doubt, just tell the truth:
- “I didn’t want to come because it was my birthday.” 🎂
- “I didn’t want to come.” 🙃
- “My mom didn’t feel like getting out of bed.” 😴
- “My mom said we could sleep late and go to school late.” 😆
- “We just felt like sleeping in.” 🛏️
4. The Bathroom Chronicles
It seems the bathroom is a frequent source of tardiness:
- “Had to poop for the doctor!” 💩
- “In the bathroom twisting his new earring.” 🧐
- “They were in the bathroom pooping.” 🚽
- “Broke a tooth in the bathroom.” 🦷
- “My hair was wet.” 💁♀️
5. The Family Dramas
When your relatives are the reason you’re late:
- “My big brother stopped to hug every girl while he was walking me to the classroom, so we were late.” 😘
- “My mom had to run errands.” 🛒
- “My mom was tired and didn’t want to bring me to school.” 🛏️
- “My student had a hard time waking the parent up to bring them to school.” 🙄
- “His parents went to the casino last night, and he went to sleep after 1:00 am.” 🎰
6. The Absurdly Specific Excuses
Some excuses are so specific, you can’t help but wonder:
- “Because of Daylight Savings Time changing, the student needed to sleep in.” ⏰
- “Had to go out of state to pick up dad.” 🚗
- “My shoe fell off.” 👞
- “They had to print out SparkNotes for our class discussion. These were not allowed.” 🤦♂️
- “I couldn’t walk faster or I’d crease my new shoes.” 👟
What do all these excuses tell us?
After sorting through all 200 responses, some clear patterns emerged:
- Oversleeping & Parents Sleeping In – The number one reason kids are late.
- Bathroom-Related Issues – Whether real or just an excuse, it’s a classic.
- Food-Related Delays – Starbucks, Dunkin’, bakeries—breakfast is a priority.
- Sibling & Family Issues – Parents oversleep, siblings take too long, and in some cases, parents just don’t feel like getting up.
- Honest & Hilarious Excuses – Some kids just say it like it is.
Teachers, what’s the funniest excuse you’ve heard for being late? Let us know in the comments! 😊
