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AIBU?

AIBU to think that parents (/carers) should have priority seat at Nativity Plays?

48 replies

mrsjanedoe · 03/12/2015 09:55

Most preschools/ nurseries invite families to see their little ones perform their Nativity Plays. It's lovely.

Of course, every parents would like to be able to see their own children. Would it be unreasonable to let them seat at the front, whilst the rest of the family goes a bit further back? It's perfectly fine for a couple to attend, with 2 sets of grand-parents, uncles, aunties, cousins if they wish but then you see a single parent left at the back.

I don't think it's fair. Thankfully local parents are quite gracious, so no arguments or shoving to get the best seat around here, but reserving 1 or 2 seat with the kids name would be great (you chose who seats where among yourselves and the rest of the family can seat further).

AIBU?

OP posts:

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Wildernessrock · 03/12/2015 09:58

I thought it was onlyparents who went to nativity plays! There might be an odd grandparent but not many!

timelytess · 03/12/2015 09:58

Dd used to take part in Sunday School pantomimes as well as school assemblies. As a single parent, for pantomime (paid for my ticket) I found it incredibly difficult to get the seat I wanted, even if I was the first person to book. I also found that my booked place would be changed without my being consulted, because a 'family' wanted that space.
I am still resentful, 25 years later.

Enjolrass · 03/12/2015 10:00

Tbh with all the organising schools have to do, I wouldn't put anything else on them.

Finding out who is attending and then reserving the right amount of seats is pita.

Then who decides which parents go in the front row and which parents go further back.

Our school have a morning and an afternoon performance and let us sort ourselves out.

No one ever moans or bitches about it.

My mum goes to one performance and we go to another. I stood at the back and watched ds' last year. It wasn't a big deal.

I really don't get all the angst over school plays tbh.

WorraLiberty · 03/12/2015 10:04

Blimey, how small is the school if they can fit granny and grandad in too?

YABU

The teachers have enough organising to do, and it's not a massive deal if you have to stretch your neck to see little Danny the donkey's famous moment.

Plus, how would you organise it, if everyone wanted to sit in the front row?

TheSecondViola · 03/12/2015 10:04

That's ridiculous. If you want a prime seat, get there early, better still offer to help and put the chairs out yourself.

Imagine people bringing their grannies and being told " all the seats are for the mainly young and able bodied parents, Granny, fuck off to the back corner and stand by yourself, see you after!"

mrsjanedoe · 03/12/2015 10:09

oh, I have seen real groups of families attending and taking over the front rows (again, it's very civilised).

There's usually only one of us going (between work and the fact that schools events usually clash, there's no choice), but it just looks a bit sad to have one parent completely at the back.

The very little ones are so happy to see their parents face in the public, it's bit sad when they can't see them. The whole thing is for them more than us.

I suppose putting kids name by alphabetical order on chairs would only highlight when some parents are missing, I don't have a magic solution, was just wondering what people thought.

OP posts:

WorraLiberty · 03/12/2015 10:15

Yeah, a bit of a pisser if your kids's name is Zack.

mrsjanedoe · 03/12/2015 10:15

Don't grand-parents and families attend normally? Sorry, it's the norm here, I didnt' realise. (Mine never do, too far).

It's interesting how different schools are, we can't arrive early, the doors are not opened and no volunteers are ever asked to help preparing.

I only meant reserve 2 seat for "little John" 2 seat for "little Jane" at the front, but again, I was just wondering.

OP posts:

Enjolrass · 03/12/2015 10:18

Our school doesn't open the doors until they are ready. We stand outside waiting to in so we are one of the first.

Some schools only allow parents. Our school only does the Christmas play with the nursery, reception and year 1. They also do 2 performances and so don't need to restrict numbers.

WorraLiberty · 03/12/2015 10:19

It depends on the size of the school.

My local primary has 950 pupils so they have to make it parents only.

They don't open the doors early here either, so the parents who want a front row seat, queue outside the gate.

I'm only 5ft 3" and some of my fondest memories are of standing at the back on my tiptoes

The kids always look out for their parents, as they come in. They give them a quick wave and just get on with the play.

TheJiminyConjecture · 03/12/2015 10:22

At the school DD goes to it's 2 free tickets per child. No chance to buy extras. If you can't use both tickets then you have to give them back to the school. Works well (they have a no children in the audience policy also).

AnonymousBird · 03/12/2015 10:25

We get a maximum of three "tickets" (free by the way) to prevent this happening. There are usually two performances, so extras can generally get tickets off the waiting list once every family has been allocated their three.

Littlecaf · 03/12/2015 10:26

Season of goodwill? Just get there early and sit where there is a seat. Hardly something to get upset about.

PerspicaciaTick · 03/12/2015 10:27

Two tickets per family only here to nativity plays (Three performances and they are all packed). One adult only to all other assemblies/performances. No siblings.

MidniteScribbler · 03/12/2015 10:28

Oh god, can you imagine the nightmare if Mrs PTA president got the front row two years in a row? Or should it be based on the roles? The parents of Mary and Joseph get front row of course. Parents of angels in the second row. If you're a sheep, we'll your parents are in the back of course?

Naturally, if you feel this seating arrangement has merit, I'm sure you have offered your services to the school to be the one to coordinate such a thing?

howabout · 03/12/2015 10:28

Our school restricts to 2 tickets per family which works well.

Makes me chuckle how much angst there is to get tickets for infant school performances. By the time they are teenagers they come home with a whole pile of tickets to sell and might actually be worth seeing in action. Untold effort goes into selling all those tickets in our house as I have 2 teenagers and most of their family live far away and have work commitments.

SocksRock · 03/12/2015 10:29

We are only allowed 2 tickets per child, so it's not usually a problem. We do have to pay for them though!

SanityClause · 03/12/2015 10:30

YABU. Schools have enough to do, without having to run a reserved ticketing system for a nativity play! You just need to get there earlier, or alternatively, stand at the back, to get a really good view.

PerspicaciaTick · 03/12/2015 10:36

However, I do think that people wanting to video the entire performance by holding their giant tablet in front of them (A4 size tablet, plus open case so approx. A3 size in total) should have to stand at the back where they can't block anyone else's view.

SanityClause · 03/12/2015 10:38

DD1 (16) is currently in a school musical, howabout, with six sold out performances.

As parents of the cast, we get one day to buy advance tickets (as many as we want, though) and then it's first come, first served, and waiting lists operate. Seating is reserved, or else if a family of 6 came in just before the curtain, they might have to all sit seperately.

BarbarianMum · 03/12/2015 10:39

It's quite common for working parents to send a grandparent to performances so the child has some family there. Not very nice to make them sit at the back. At our school it's done by ticket allocation - 2 per child.

DownstairsMixUp · 03/12/2015 10:42

I don't mind not being at the front at all, as long as i am there, what DOES annoy me though at any school things is

the parents who DO get to the front few rows and INSIST on standing or holding their bloody camera phones above their head so then you can't see a fecking thing! DS is year 1 now but last year he did a nativity (this year its xmas carols at the local church) and I had the most irritating woman two rows in front of me who kept standing and taking a gazillion photos, blocking the view for all the parents behind! I wish they'd stop allowing parents to do that.

Rant overr.

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gamerchick · 03/12/2015 10:43

I don't care how many family members go or who sits where. I do mind the sea of fucking screens held up to record the thing. Hard to concentrate when you want to grab and smash stuff from selfish people.

Really wish they would ban them.

DownstairsMixUp · 03/12/2015 10:44

Oh don't get me started the fucking ipads the size of a cinema screen! Sit the feck down!

howabout · 03/12/2015 10:53

Yes they should definitely ban all the filming and photo taking!

Sanity that would be my ideal. We have a very vibrant professional Arts scene locally and in the nearby City and also lots of children performing outside the school environment. There is a lot of competition for audiences. OTOH I am never stuck for a night out.

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