Sports day!!!

I thought it was pretty standard too.

Don’t worry, she can’t hear me.

And in any case the other kids in her school are primary school children and they seem to be able to cope.

But fortunately your reply has told us exactly what the problem is. It’s not her. It’s you. Any good parent (as the other parents in the same situation at the school have done) would manage the situation without selfishly trying to ruin the day for other kids.

When did the world become a place where everyone feels they should get a turn and everyone wins? The first half of the sports day allows everyone to 'have a go', the second part teaches everyone some very valuable life lessons... some people are good at things, others are not. Some people win, others lose. Not everyone is a winner and the sooner they learn the better!

DS2 school doesn’t have any non-running activities either.

Is that not normal?

As a parent of an athletic child I think it sounds very fair. Those who are good at sport spend hours every week training and they only get one day a year for their friends and teachers to really cheer and root for them.

And for the point that kids don't get humiliated for not being academic, they absolutely do. My child is dyslexic so every week when they do a spelling test and she gets the lowest mark by far it is humiliating when that it read out to the whole class.

That's literally my point. Sorry, I'm obviously not explaining myself very well!

At the primary where I worked we got a new teacher and sports days changed from the traditional event to an all inclusive thing where everyone took part and nobody won anything.
And everyone hated it. Whilst many children , like me back in the day, dislike sports day, it’s still an important lesson that not everyone in this world is equally good at everything and, done correctly, can teach the lesson that we don’t all win in life at the same things but everyone has their talents. They just may not be on the sports field

YABU. You’re basically saying none of the better kids can have a competition because your daughter will be upset when she loses. Poor snowflake going really struggle in the real world.

Your daughter has had the “everyone gets a medal” bit in the morning.

If there were some activities that didn't involve running that he could take part in, he'd want to go.

School offered him to be a judge but he didn't want to.

We're going for a day out instead.

So it’s as inclusive as it can be? Odd there’s no none-running stuff then. So many options. Like I said, pull him if it suits you both but being there wouldn’t hurt him either.

He can't run so can't be included. All children that are physically capable of running take part.

They could limit the number of events any child does, to say two or three. That would give more kids chance to compete, while not requiring every child to do it,

But I thought your problem was that he would not be included?

I suppose it depends on how the school does it, it seems to vary. At my sons school, everyone takes part, not just the good ones.

Yep, they do a short race, a longer race, a relay race, an obstacle course race etc.

I don’t think I agree that the point of sports day is for everyone to take part…I think it’s more about letting those good at sport shine. PE lessons and sports clubs are for everyone taking part.
A sports day that’s just running seems odd in all ways though. Field events?

I think it's long when the point of sports day is, if they are able, to take part in sport. Especially if the ''inclusive'' bit isn't anywhere near as long as 90 minutes so unless you are sporty, you are spending most of sports day not actually doing sport.

Though as I said, at least they do have an inclusive part I suppose. At my sons it is just different versions of running.

That’s a different argument. But still - just sit there?
It won’t hurt him to miss it, obviously, and if that’s what you both prefer…I’m just saying it isn’t ’just sitting’ and 90 mins isn’t that long.

I don’t like sport either. But the idea 90 mins watching it is impossible is mad.

There's some cheering but no other sports, no ''houses'', no singing, no picnic lunch and no mega phone.

And many kids get taken to football/ cricket matches when they don't choose to. I attended many football matches with my dad as he wanted to go and I was young to stay at home. Where my granny lived many of the parents went to local cricket matches and kids were dragged along.

Don't remember any of us suffering. I've zero interest in cricket so just used to chat to the other kids

He doesn't want to just sit there when he isn't able to take part and I don't blame him so he won't be.

Because people choose and want to watch in the first place. Plenty of people also choose not to.

If it wasn’t for going to support my child, I wouldn’t go to Sports Day at all.

That sounds like a proper miserable day. Just running and the kids sitting and watching.
No cheering, no other sports, no teachers playing the houses against each other (lightheartedly), no singing, no picnic lunch, no mega phone announcing the winners, no learning about congratulating winners or boosting those who are disappointed.