I do not like nativity plays

Yep we have a very diverse school, and there were comments from parents last time they did a nativity.

Our headmaster managed to explain it was about refugees in Palestine, Joseph role modelling being a good man by standing by Mary even though she was already pregnant, living under an oppressive police state, the coming together of rich and poor (wise men and shepherds). He should be on Thought for the Day!

Jesus Christ (pun intended)

You must be a barrel of laughs 🤣

Well they are tedious. Don't last long though and it pleases the kids to see you there

YABVU

I was the innkeeper’s wife! A fine role.

I loved watching mine in their nativity plays. They only did them in infants so they were all very cute and low key.

Special times. Genuinely one of my favourite bits of their childhood.

I still have a Pavlovian crying response as soon as I see a procession of little angels and shepherds even if they aren’t mine!

I've got DC in their 30s and 20s and GC at primary school and in nursery. And the last nativity play I experienced was the one in which I played an angel in 1975. I've sat through plays about talking Chrismas trees, elves, santa losing his sack of toys, numerous renditions of when santa go stuck up the chimney and one play about zoo animals that santa forgot, in which DS played a monkey.
I'd LOVE to watch a nativity play, and if the DC sang away in a manger at the end...I'd be a melting puddle of christmas joy.

What's it about?

It's about little Jamie who in year R took one look at the audience and hid under his chair... but in year 2 has managed to say his line "The Kings are here" loud and clear because he's gained that confidence.
It's about Maia who's very shy, but has loved learning the "star" dance and feels that she's now making friends with the other "stars".
It's about Billy who would love to perform, but his parents are unable to afford it, taking a part he loves.
It's about Emily who sings beautifully, but no one knew this before she was given a line in the show to sing.
It's about Taylor who has always been the one who gets into trouble, but he said his lines with such expression the audience gave him a spontaneous round of applause, and suddenly he feels that he can do things.

It's about the class working together, learning the songs, listening to each other.

And it's about them standing in front of their family, knowing that their family is proud of them and came to watch them because it was something where they were important - even if all they did was open and close the curtains.

I chaperone, for amateur performances. I have a couple of children in my head when people say how pointless performing was.
One was a little lad who commented that even if all he did was "walk across the stage carrying a sign that said "London" dressed all in black" - to his Mum he was the star. Wouldn't you like your child to know you are that proud of him?

The other was a little one who took one look at the audience the first show and said she couldn't go on. By the end of the run she was speaking her lines with confidence and cried because it was over. She turned to me and said "I wish my school could see me. They'd know then that I can do something well".
Maybe your child doesn't need to find something that they can "do well", but another one does.

We got this! And a reworking of Kraftwerk (“We are the Romans”). DS’s headmaster is the same age as me, and puts plenty of Gen X references in.

Our primary school plays and assemblies are 50% chaos and 50% brilliance. The whole school takes part in the Christmas play (it isn’t always a nativity) and it generally involves random children running on and off stage, multiple bursts of song, dancing, in-jokes about school life and teachers. Always hilarious, not always intentionally. I love them.

It’s usually very cute and a rite of passage. Stop looking into it too deeply and stop being a fun sponge….

Who on earth expects to enjoy them? It’s for your child and for them to feel special and to make you proud! And practice drama
skills.

I'm a primary school teacher. We have our nativity tomorrow. I loved seeing my own children in their shows. The costumes, singing and their innocent little faces. I am really proud seeing them on stage and it always makes me feel festive. As for the kids in my class, yes it's boring in places but they love performing for their friends and family. It gives them a sense of pride and team work. It teaches them important skills such as taking turns, being patient, joining in, singing, dancing, coordination, following instructions, rhyme, reading with expression etc etc. It's a lot of work for the staff and thankfully our parents really appreciate our hard work and enjoy seeing their little stars shine.

I love sports day. There’s a big picnic on the school playing field and it’s always good.

It’ll probably piss it down every year from now on.

I’m inclined to agree! 😊

It's only religious if you believe it.
Otherwise it's just a fictional story about a baby born in a barn.

what a disgusting behaviour, imagine the poor kids looking at people leaving because they're bored.

Shame on them. Imagine how they would react if everyone else was doing the same when it's their own child's turn!

I’d give my back teeth to back there.

Sports day, nativity, children's parties, soft play etc etc.
do parents love them? No
Do parents do them because they love their children and want to share the experience with them? Yes

Yanbu. State funded schools should not be prompting religious propaganda.

Did your daughter enjoy doing the nativity? Did she enjoy you being there? If yes to either thats the reason to go. I like my kids nativity because im watching them, I dont expect much from the show, tbf cant understand most of the kids, they are just shouting out their lines, but they are all.so sweet and trying so hard, and imo seem to be enjoying themselves. I would go see everything my kids are in, regardless of the show because I am supporting them,I dont car if the show is rubbish. So my point is if your daughter wants you there, then go, even if it is tedious and boring.

When school finally bans "siblings" attending, it become a lot less hellish. No toddler running around screaming ruining the performance, babies kept at the back and removed as soon as noisy (because in theory they should not even be there, so parents DO take the hint)

It doesn't take much to make the nativity more bearable (and mulled wine as said above 😂)

I dunno I think you are overthinking it. Like I live in Ireland and I have literally no choice but to send my child to a catholic school even though he is opted out of religion because we don’t practice. The teacher phoned and asked could he participate in the nativity play and we agreed he could because I just see it like any other play at the end of the day and to be honest I’m not at all religious but I don’t see the harm in my child knowing the story behind the holy side of Christmas.

I can tell you that your pain watching is nothing compared to my pain as the teacher who has to direct 90 KS1 children to perform. Yes it's boring some of the time but opportunities to perform are so few and far between with today's curriculum that this is pretty much the only chance most children will get to experience being on stage. In my school, no child is forced to go on stage if they don't want to.

Because they enjoy seeing their kid being cute and getting excited for Christmas. Or it’s the nostalgia factor.

I mean it's a different vein of enjoyment to watching a really great musical or something like that. It's more a delight in seeing your child be part of something and it's usually quite sweet.

Not to mention the TA staff.

I've never ever missed one of my DC's as they'd be heart broken if I didn't make the effort to attend. I always smile and act excited. If truth be told I also find it boring, and a waste of time. I'd rather school put the effort into other things, never said this in real life though, or everyone would think me miserable.