Behaviour of adults at Nativity play

[Lydiaatthebarre]

Headmistress stood up at start of play and asked that young children be brought outside if they became disruptive to the children on stage. She also said no videoing or photographing during the performance. A school video would be made and sold for £2 which would go towards play equipment, and parents could take a group photograph at the end of the play.

We still had toddlers running around and making noise, parents standing up and blocking people's views while they took photographs, not to mention the mother who answered her phone during the play.

Yes, I know it's not the RSC, but why can a bunch of adults not do as they're asked for 20-30 minutes?

[Awwlookatmybabyspider]

Unbelievable isn't it. How do we expect child to do as their told when adults, can't or rather won't.
Just down right rude cuntiness.

[TeenTimesTwo]

I'd be furious re the filming / photographing.

Those parents will probably bung it up on open social media next, tagged 'St Sweet's Our Town nativity play'.

Apart from the distraction to the children and blocking others' view, there are children who do not have pictures on SM for very good reasons, eg domestic violence or in care/adopted.

[JustABetterPlayer]

The taking pictures, some parents will take the view that there is no rules whatsoever about taking photos of a play, nor any way of us enforcing it.... they’re right really.

Answering phones and rampaging kids, welcome to modern times.

[Awwlookatmybabyspider]

Yes as pp says. Many parents may bot want their child on Facebook. Not only because they just don't want it which is fair enough in itself but also for safe guarding reasons

[Lydiaatthebarre]

But surely it's not just about 'rules' and 'laws'. Does consideration and respect for other people not come into it?

[hibbledibble]

Yanbu

I had the same this week. Parents told not to film, and that school would be filming. Yet parents stood with a camera, blocking views of people behind them. Really selfish behaviour.

[JustABetterPlayer]

To a lot of people sadly not.

[hibbledibble]

Miss 'Im going to stand and film' also clapped and wooped everytime her child.spoke. It was totally inappropriate.

[MamaLovesMango]

I was having a grumble the other day about the same things OP. YANBU.

From the same old cliques getting there waaaaay in advance, getting the prime positions and saving seats for all their buddies, to having to watch the majority of the play through someone else’s phone screen, to having to sit next to a bored and pissed off 2 year old that could’ve been left at home or put in the staffed crèche the school lay on, it wasn’t the best experience.

[JustABetterPlayer]

Actually I take that back... it’s not a LOT, they’re in the minority it’s just that they are obviously the ones you remember

[TeenTimesTwo]

A school could stop it, though it might be drastic.

Announce at the start, no photos.

First time a camera is spotted, stop the performance and warn the parent. Second time, stop and eject the parent. (The cast could even 'rehearse' for these random stops in advance).

Other parents would soon be deterred I reckon. You'd only need to do it once every 3 years or so.

[BartholinsSister]

You'd think the one place there would be some respect would be witnessing the birth of the baby Jesus.

[WhoGivesADamnForAFlakeyBandit]

We had this ... but we also had guard dog teachers patrolling and asking parents to sit down, stop recording and suggesting they take Tarquin outside. Even knowing the SLT are going to be policing it, people still do it.

[90mammasophie]

I think parent rudeness is a big problem.

In a local Library baby rhyme time on Monday, poor librarian had to stop the session twice to ask parents to stop chattering / having phones out. Even then they carried on nattering. It's like that every week. I wouldn't be surprised if they stop doing the class, the parents have no respect for the lady trying to help them engage with their babies. It's a lovely free session for the little ones, Ruined by inconsiderates.

[cjt110]

Thanks for this thread... It has just reminded me to check out the "rules" for my son's nativity tomorrow.

[shearwater]

YANBU, but...DD1 was Mary in her nursery nativity. Much fun the other day looking back at an old video we'd taken nearly ten years ago (the school didn't film it and there were no rules about filming/taking photos then).

[twosoups1972]

Did you challenge the people who were filming/taking photos?

We had similar at my dd's school show - someone was sitting near me taking photos when the Head had asked parents not to. I told him to stop. I had to ask a few times but he did stop eventually and had the grace to look a bit embarrassed.

[Greensleeves]

YANBU. So inconsiderate and selfish. Am still nursing a grudge towards the woman who stuck her arm in front of my face so she could film her dc during ds2's first nativity, thus obscuring my view. He's 14 now

[BreconBeBuggered]

They should get some lively kid with an accurate aim to stand at the sides with a water pistol watching for inconsiderate behaviour in the audience. Fuck, I'd do it myself.

[Mia1415]

We are luckily allowed to take photos and film at my DS's school and I'm so grateful for this.

We are even allowed to put them on social media as long as we have permission from anyone else in that photo/ video.

Everyone seems to follow the rules.

I have pictures and films of my school plays and its so nice to look back.

[twosoups1972]

That's brilliant Brecon! Yes definitely get the kids involved.

[twosoups1972]

We are luckily allowed to take photos and film at my DS's school and I'm so grateful for this

I don't think that's 'lucky' at all. Just sit and enjoy the damn thing without faffing around with your phone.

And I bet people don't get others' permission before posting on SM

[twosoups1972]

I bet half these films never get watched again. I recently got some old video tape transferred onto DVD from when my dds were small. The bits they love watching the most are not the 'formal' events - school shows, even birthday parties etc.....but just the casual ones taken of them pottering around at home. It captures their personalities much better.

[Auntiepatricia]

I got a couple of lovely videos and pics. I snuck up the side and didn’t block anyone’s view. My DH couldn’t be there, or my mum and sister who live 4+ hours away. They loved seeing the little video of her part. But the whole thing was quite relaxed. Yes there were little brothers and sisters dancing in the aisles and copying the movements. Meh, it’s a nursery nativity play. With little kids. And an audience filled with little kids. And many loved ones not able to be there for various reasons.

[sunglasses123]

Mia - really - you think that allowing people to film, take photos and expect people to go around to everyone in the pictures asking for formal permission to put on social media is a good idea? The last point - in nearly 15 years I have never seen anyone do that. There are often pictures and videos galore and my kids will be in some of them. Never have I been approached for permission.

I have seen all the bad behaviour over the years, seat reserving by a family who uses Granny to sit in a whole row and who spends the whole time saying the seats are already taken.

The people standing up and sometimes putting up tripods to get the best view (and then blocking other people's view!) but most of all the toddlers with the parents insisting that they have NO ONE IN THE WHOLE WIDE WORLD to watch them or who say they get upset if they are left with others. They are also the people who want the front row for Precious to ensure that they can see everything. When they get bored of course they are allowed to wander around and shout out.

I am glad it is all over for me.