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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

About school play

73 replies

HecateQueenOfWitches · 14/07/2010 21:39

I probably am.

Or perhaps I am being honest.

I don't want to go.

My son has 2 lines. It's hours long and he's got 2 lines about 3/4 of the way through.

I don't want to sit through a couple of hours of other peoples kids.

I don't care about other peoples kids. I don't want to sit and watch them for 2 hours and I strongly suspect their parents don't care about watching mine.

I of course will go and smile and laugh along with everyone else, because that's what you do, isn't it?

So. AIBU. Am I wrong in believing that other people secretly feel this way too but are too polite to say?

I think that I am right, but I fear I may in fact be a heartless, unnatural cow and actually other people are interested in the toe-curlingly embarrassing performances of other people's children (the toe curlingly embarrassing performance of your own child is of course delightful )

Be honest. You know I can take it.

OP posts:
GiddyPickle · 14/07/2010 22:47

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

seeker · 14/07/2010 22:49

If you think plays are bad - try gym competitions. Or swimming galas. At least if yoru child has a line to say in a play, you can be pretty sure you're applauding the right child........

mitochondria · 14/07/2010 22:49

I hate school plays.
Headmaster really wants to be in theatre rather than teaching, and writes and directs 2 hour long epics, have just realised I'm going to have to sit through 3 a year for the next 6 years as they seem to do one every term.
Children seem to spend most of school time rehearsing for the bloody things.
Younger son is in nursery. He has one song, but then they have to sit through the rest of it.
Older son is in reception. He has to sit through the afternoon performance, then the evening performance on the next day - it doesn't start until 7.30 by which time he's usually in bed.
I am not going twice.
Husband has been volunteered to go to the evening one.
Granny is using her tinnitus as an excuse not to go at all.

megapixels · 14/07/2010 22:54

YANBU. They should give the parents time slots. So you can watch just the slot your child is on and get lost.

I don't think anybody actually cares about other children's performances. If they do they're certainly not normal.

seeker · 14/07/2010 22:55

"Granny is using her tinnitus as an excuse not to go at all."

Do NOT allow this - she has to do her duty. once you let her off once she'll just take advantage of your weakness.

My mother is 90 and since she became housebound I force her to watch videos of every performance, competition, match, gala and display. Why should she escape?

BabyDubsEverywhere · 14/07/2010 22:56

Do parents have to go to these things? seriously i dont remember many parents going when i was a kid, plus add to that the fact that i didnt really want/care if they were there anyway.

oh fuck will i be expected to go to all these things? I cant stand children, i like my own sometimes but on the whole im not a fan and ill never be able to hide it!

Bugger bugger bugger, this information should really be given out at contraception talks!

I hope i get a child like i was that really couldnt give a fig so i will be excused.

mitochondria · 14/07/2010 22:58

Ah, Granny has done her bit this term. She went to "fun maths".
As an ex-primary teacher, this caused her a lot of stress.

She also took part in the Mother's Race on Sports Day.

So I cannot complain that she isn't doing her duty, really.

AngryPixie · 14/07/2010 23:08

I love primary school plays and have been known to see some with none of my dc in them. I also love my ds ballet presentations, he positively gallumphs and it makes me laugh aloud with sheer pleasure.

Dear Lord, I really need to get out more!

teamcullen · 14/07/2010 23:22

Ive actually took a days holiday to see DSs leaving assembly I actually like watching all the kids, I usually choke up a few times, how embarssing is that!

The part I hate is when our lovely headteacher gets up at the end and talks for 45 fecking minutes about shite, when your bum has gone numb and you need a wee and somebody's baby is bawling its little eyes out.

Even the teachers grown when he gets up

Frizbe · 14/07/2010 23:30

Do we still have quote of the week, cause I think 'seeker' gets it, ROFL

fruitful · 14/07/2010 23:41

I was quite keen to see dd's play this time, because dd had told me that her role was "the spirit of a dead pigeon".

I was trying to work out what on earth it could really be.

But guess what, she was right. She had the part of a dead pigeon's ghost. Well, a seagull, but still ...

I have no clue what the plot was .

But the singing was nice and some of the mistakes were hilarious .

mitochondria · 15/07/2010 08:15

..........wonders what sort of costume you need to provide for a dead seagull.....

Chandon · 15/07/2010 10:39

I must be mad, I love the school plays.

*The cute little year R ones in their bunny costumes looking so small and sweet.

*The scruffy grumpy boys who turn out to be excellent singers.

*The girls all in their ballet or princess dresses, so serious.

*The little beaming faces of your own DCs in the chorus.

*Some great songs and jokes.

*One of the older school governors wiping away a tear during year R song.

*The sense of being part of a lovely school and village.

What`s not to like?!

fruitful · 15/07/2010 12:44

Mito, she wore one of the Reception class nativity angel costumes with some big cardboard wings and danced all round the audience. I think they chose her cos she was the only one small enough to fit in the costume.

Chandon, yes, the little one's plays are cute aren't they. And short, too, which is a bonus. Ds1 had to be a lion - he didn't know any of his words, but he ROARED very nicely .

Jasonthunderpants · 15/07/2010 12:54

How will your son feel if all his friends mums are there but you are not?
I will never forget my daughters face in the Christmas nativity as she scanned the crowd for us with a worried look on her face then the look of joy when she spotted us (she didnt even have any lines,just dressed up as a sheep)
Having kids is about makeing sacrifices and if that means bored stupid for a few hours then so be it

5Foot5 · 15/07/2010 13:05

Jason - we had exactly this with DD at her first Christmas play! We had politely chosen not to grab the front seats and sat about half way back. DD didn't spot us at all despite me discreetly waving. Bless - she looked so miserable all the time and even when I assured her afterwards that I was there and saw it all it didn't really make up for it.

Ever since I made a point of getting to things early and grabbing the best seats available - sod politeness!

Jasonthunderpants · 15/07/2010 13:16

5foot5
the poor little sausage

Things like this are important to little people

macdoodle · 15/07/2010 13:28

YAnBU
DD1 had a music evening, she plays the trumpet and was fab , for ONE minute of the 2 hour concert
The choir which she is in was ok, some quite sweet, but the plinky guitars, and squeaky violins, and dippy recorders were just excruciating

XH bowed out last minute because he "had a cough", DD1 was devastated sobbed her little heart out So though I think YANBU, we have to go and pretend and smile dont we

mummytime · 15/07/2010 13:30

I always make sure my DC see me (thats why I act like a lunatic as they come on). We have never admitted that we missed DDs solo at Nursery (had a new baby and got confused about times).

Sometimes there are talented kids, who are fun to watch.

But I did write a letter of complaint when the year 4 groups scene, they didn't even sing or "dance" just seemed to troupe out and back, partly because their teacher's were too busy choreographing the stars. Its never been as bad since (I like to think I'm listened to, not just notorious as a whingy Mum).

thefirstmrsDeVere · 15/07/2010 18:20

jason OP didnt say she wouldnt go. Said she didnt want to go.

So surely that makes her an even better parent because she is making an even bigger sacrifice than those who like school plays?

BarkisIsWilling · 15/07/2010 19:16

Make a habit of arriving late or leaving early. They'll get used to it.

ChippingIn · 15/07/2010 19:32

YANBU...YADNBU

I am one of the loons who actually enjoys shite like this HOWEVER, I would feel exactly the same as you if it was a music recital or highland dancing or something else I dislike - and don't get me started on graduations - they are torture

All you have to do is endure it - you don't have to enjoy it

shockers · 15/07/2010 19:52

At DS's last school, you had to go to the 'concerts' or you wouldn't have believed quite how bad they were. The woman who chose the songs for the choir was either barking or had a wicked sense of humour.... 20 little boys singing "Copa Cabana" or "Money, Money, Money" (and if he happened to be free, I bet he wouldn't fancy me-ee). The best one was when they sang Take That's "Could it be Magic"... with every high pitched "Come", we had to grip the sides of our seats a little harder... it was dreadful.

Hassled · 15/07/2010 20:05

I'm in the liking school plays camp. I find them thoroughly entertaining.

But what drives me to gin (quite literally once - ex-H and I nipped across the road to the local pub during the interval one year) are the school orchestra/music recitals/recorder groups etc. Interminable dirges. And they go on for HOURS. "Another One Bites The Dust" played badly by the Woodwind Group - it's enough to make you weep. I don't care that they're only 10.

Wanderingsheep · 15/07/2010 20:24

My DD is only 3 so hasn't done anything like this yet but I'm quite looking forward to it.

However, a couple of weeks ago i went to see my nephew in a show that he was in with his school. It was all different primary schools from the area doing different bits. Some did dances, some sang etc. It was in a proper theatre and everything!

DN's school did a Grease medley which was really good and DN sang a solo [beams with pride]. But the other schools... Oh. My. God! I don't know what I was expecting, I think I was expecting them all to be the kids from Fame or something but it was sooo boring and we paid £3 for the privilege!