I’m not going to daughters prom

Frankly I think this is a situation where you need to follow your daughter’s lead.

If she’s okay with you not going, fair enough. If she isn’t, I’d suck it up as she only has one prom.

Are you willfully misunderstanding?

Of course the parents don't join in, it's exactly the same as going to watch a nativity

Once everyone has gone into the venue the parents go home. It's not embarrassing for the students in the least, they want their parents their to see them arriving in their transport, as Ive said it's part of the whole event

Unless the other posters who are saying the same as me all have children at the same school as mine (clearly not the case) this is a totally normal thing in many places

At my DD's prom it absolutely was a 'thing' for parents to watch the arrivals. Maybe it depends on the local area and where the prom is held.

So OP, it isn't weird, and I'm sorry you feel you need to miss out.

I have lovely photos of both my girls at home all dressed up for prom I wouldn't dream of going to prom to take photos its their night they don't want mum hanging around

Parents going to a prom is weird. I would have refused to let my parents come

It’s absolutely an American thing. Possibly British now too, but very much an American thing.

Yes, to see them perform!

I didn't rock up, grab a doll and take the part of the Virgin Mary.

Just leave teenagers alone to enjoy their experiences with their friends.

Loads of parents won't go. Most just take photos at home. Perfectly normal, you won't be missing out on anything.

Take some lovely pictures at home. The whole thing sounds bonkers to me. Must be a British prom thing?. I'm pretty sure any highschooler I know would be mortified at the thought of their mum showing up at prom. Don't the school hire a photographer?

I expect your daughter will be ok with this.. Don't worry x

You really, really need to get out more if the thought of parents standing in the open air to see their children do something that everyone in the school community has done since proms began is shocking to you

Whats you're problem with different schools doing different things?

Comapring it to Victoria Beckham is absurd

Did you go to other milestone school events in your children's lives (if you have children and they are of school age) Nativity play? Music concert?

Why are her grandparents attending if you are no contact and the tradition is that parents drive there and take photos?

I appreciate it is difficult but I would take photos beforehand, drive her there and drop her off as expected. She can then go to find her grandparents if she wishes without you needing to see them, if the tradition is as important as you say. As there will be a large crowd there I am sure it's possible to attend briefly without needing to see or speak to anyone you don't want to see.

Honestly I'm shocked that parents muscle in on their kid's long awaited proms like this.

Victoria Beckham eat your heart out!

Exactly, you don't go to be with your child, you go to be part of the whole event

I wonder if there's an urban/rural divide as play here

What does DD want?

As I said above, your children clearly didn't go to the same schools as mine or schools in my area

Here it is absolutely part of the whole evening that parents go the venue to watch the arrivals, take photos, chat to friends they might not see for a while

There can't be any part for that that you can't understand surely

It's not yours to experience for goodness sake, it's your kid's prom!!

Just leave them alone to enjoy it.

Honestly, I've never heard anything so ridiculous as parents following them there to get in on their kid's experience.

How is she getting there? You can take the photos at home before she leaves -that’s what most parents do. Where I live, most parents don’t take their DC to prom or if they do, it would only be one parent (the driver) in the car. The rest arrive by limo, classic car, tractor, shopping trolley etc or on foot. The main purpose of turning up to join the crowd is to see everyone else turning up in weird and wonderful forms of transport. You don’t actually spend time with your child once you’re there.

the Students descend on local photo parks for photos between leaving home and arriving at prom. The parents always attend the photo sessions by us. It’s absolutely crazy, but it’s really fun to see all the kids all dressed up and excited.

im sorry you are missing a milestone with your daughter.

So we should experience life through videos on social media? That's such a sad way to be imo, whats odd about parents/grandparents actually wanting to be real

Not in .my experience, parents going to the prom venue and taking photos is very much a part of the whole evening

I haven't done as much research as you have (my sample size is single figures ) but I can safely say there's no universal way that educational establishments do proms

Weird idea

I don't know anyone - grandparents or parents - who went to their child's prom. They had a bit of 'do' at home before the child left and then literally left them to enjoy the night with their friends. Is this normal in your area? I've never heard of it, but willing to be told it is common elsewhere... although at the same time seems weird. Not a rite of passage you need your family at surely? Take a photo at home and off they go, without you - unless you're a chaperone at the event itself.

That is such a shame. There was a real carnival atmosphere at my son's prom arrival. Do you have friends who can come with and shield you. If not then give her the best send off. I bought blow up Prom 2025 balloons off amazon and they were worth every penny

I'd hate that.

Honestly, is there nothing pushy parents won't get themselves in on?

If they want to see the transport arriving, they can see it in the 100s of videos that will start circulating the second the kids get out of the car.