Alien/space creature day at school

Don’t blame you at all. Me too probably. I’m quite time poor and the least creative person going. But I like to think I can appreciate other peoples efforts and have empathise with other mums feelings without feeling that their intent is to make me feel guilty or less worthy.

More landfill waste and pressure on those of us that maybe can't afford to buy a one-off costume but then felt pressured into it. I'm dreading book days really. No creativity, just lazy wasteful spending.

This. I find it very sad. Costumes don't have to be great, just a coloured T-shirt and a paper plate for a mask or something.

@10ThousandSpoons errr they do that every single school day.
Uniform rules
Homework
Rules about food in lunchboxes
Start and finish times.

Who are the school to order parents around like that

Sorry but I'd have bought something as well. I've not got a creative bone in my body. I work full time in a stressful job. I've pets to look after. A house to maintain etc.

Brilliant 🤩 on a par with the old Smash adverts

I saw this the other day.....😂

Probably extra curricular extra terrestrials at the moment

Yes, OP did do it better. She stuck to the spirit of what the school asked, involved her child in making the costume and they had fun doing it. That isn't a debate. Whether anyone agrees whether the school should ask such things of parents, and whether other parents have the time or ability to match OP, well, that's a separate, valid debate.

But what I'm getting at is that saying OPs disappointment is valid acknowledging her feelings, giving words of comfort is not the same thing as criticising others. Its praising her, not dragging others down.

...but come on, she didn't put a tenth of the effort or thought in and she's the hero.

@Everanewbie But isn't that just like saying you feel unappreciated because you did do it better (more thought, more creativity, more time given)?

This, and these type posts are so stupid and wrong. OP doesn't think she's better than you, but in her private thoughts feels that she made a huge effort and received a bit of a gut punch in her childs reaction.

Posts like this seem to trigger some people to see this kind of post as a dig at them rather than a private expression of unappreciated effort.

If I spent hours cooking a beautiful nutritious meal from scratch for a children's party, maybe a new recipe, something creative, and my child and their friends all said that it was rubbish and I should be more like Oliver's mum who did a McDonalds run, I think feeling unappreciated and a bit deflated would be a valid feeling. That's not having a go at Oliver's mum, fair play to her, you don't know what she's going on, but come on, she didn't put a tenth of the effort or thought in and she's the hero.

I'm not creative at all, & have absolutely no interest in making something for dress up day.

I always buy my DC costumes for roman day/ancient Greek day/children in need etc (I've already got DC3s costume for world book day in March).

I'm sorry that you feel disappointed in people like me buying outfits but I'm always quite jealous when I see how creative the other parents at school are.

There are always going to be parents who buy the costumes and there is nothing wrong with that. If your DC is negatively affected by it then maybe spend the time explaining that every does dress up day differently or just buy him the costumes too!

Firstly, you don't know that they bought it specifically - for example I currently have both an alien outfit and spaceman costume in my dressing up box (the Alien one was from a nativity years ago - the nursery sent an amazon link to a suggested suitable option!).

And if I didn't, I might think it would be better to get something that might be reused in future, rather than making something shit that goes straight in the bin.

In reality, I have one child who would probably design a costume and make it himself out of scrap paper and cellotape. And other who would hate to go to school in a costume of any kind, particularly something embarrassingly home made.

OP, no one wins on these days, I used to hate them as a child as a) my parents didn't have the time or skill to make me a cool costume and b) also no money to buy me something cool....so I ended up with something cheap and mediocre. A handful of kids would have an expensive costume and a few had wonderful homemade ones. Most kids were somewhere in between. It's one of many instances where kids learn other kids have more money. He'll survive.

They could make an alien face mask at school. No need for costumes and expense.

It's not helped by the fact that our school usually gives about 2 minutes notice of course 😅

I wish they'd stop these dress up days.
More pressure on parents.
Not every child likes dressing up either, mine hated it, usually didn't want to go to school that day. Sigh.

Haha we had this with the Easter bonnet . We went ALL OUT making it for my daughter and we even stayed up after she had gone to bed to perfect it, it looked hideous but cute. When we got to school everyone had straw hats from Amazon (we had seen them and thought that no one would buy them so decided to make ourselves). My DD was mortified 😂. I didn't think I was better than anyone else tho, like your post kind of implies. I just thought we were idiots for going the whole hog when we could have got Amazon prime to deliver next day

I thought he would 😁 very glad to hear it!

We don't need to know what you said in the moment because we can see the messages you've left throughout this thread. You absolutely validated your child's reaction (which I think was a mistake) and left with a sense that your child had been slighted, which is misguided.

Homework comparison doesn't work - this is homework FOR THE MOTHER - unless your five year old is making their own costume. Fuck that shit, frankly.

Anyway - I have the perfect solution. Not wasteful, works for sensory issues, nae bother and limited costs. Here it is: whatever the theme, find a vaguely relevant T-shirt or pj top your kid will be willing to wear again. Alien day? T-shirt with an alien or spaceship on.

That's it. You're done.

@VGY3 how did he get on today? I really hope he perked up and enjoyed it, and that he had nice comments from his friends.