To let ds1 wear what he bloody wants for world book day

[mosschops30]

All the years have been given a topic e.g. Cartoon character, film character etc.
Ds1 year is fairy tales.

He will not wear anything I've suggested (Peter pan) he just wants to go as Ben 10 or buzz lightyear.

So Aibu to let him go in what he wants? Why do all these days have to be so stressful, I just can't be arsed with it.
I like to pick my battles with 3 dcs and this just isn't worth it

Ours have to be a historical character from a book! Make it harder why don't you!

We literally just got a text to dress up on.Friday.....joy. deep joy.

Been doing this for years in my house, it's a pain in the butt but luckily this will be the last time before secondary school! DD2 is going as The Naughtiest Girl - black skirt, white shirt, tie and pigtails - easy!

Adding themes to Book Day makes it way too hard for all concerned, IMHO. It's supposed to be their favourite book, surely ?

At one local school the Y7s have to do it as well. Character from a favourite book, whilst listening to an author. The author was great, but the dressing up was a farce. Year 7 for heaven's sake..... GRRRRR

I LOVED dressing up as a child, it was a magical day where we didn't have to wear school uniform!

I'm hoping my DC (pregnant atm)doesn't hate dressing up because I can't wait for all of this! With my Mum we used to make costumes (or part of a costume) together and it was a fun activity for us as well as something I was proud of at school.

As a trainee primary school teacher, it is really hard when you try and think of something to get the children interested in a subject and involved and the parents don't bother/complain that their input is appreciated.

Perhaps I will think differently when I have my little one! I understand time constraints for parents both working but I'm finding it sad that many parents don't find opportunities like this exciting and rewarding. :(

Tbh I was dreading World book Day now that DS1 has started school as DS1 is not a keen fancy dress person at all and I am lazy not creative at all but fortunately his school have made it easy and the children just need to go as an 'adjective'....DS1 is going to school in his PJ's and slippers as 'sleepy'

We never did this when I was a child - and I doubt I'm one of the oldest people here .

We had 'Book Week' which I think was the week including WBD, and there was a real focus on reading during school time (which I loved!) instead of normal lessons, writing book reviews, a book sale etc. I'm fairly sure I would have refused to dress up in any silly costume, and doubt my parents would have had the time/skill to make one or the spare money to buy one anyway.

DD's going as Rapunzel (the kickarse version). Two long wool plaits fixed to a hairband, shirt, Brownie neckerchief, leggings & wellies.

I love "dress as an adjective" - now there is an opportunity to be truly creative, rather than buying something slavishly copying a character from a book (note to self - next time look at the damn book before you agree to produce the costume, especially with picky perfectionist DD

jazz412. Yes you probably will think differently when you've got your own and when you've been doing it for 14 years it's not "exciting and rewarding" any more. It's not just WBD but other 'dressing up' days etc. it goes on and on and tbh I think when they get to 11 (like mine) they don't really want to do it any more. OK for little ones in nursery/reception classes, dressing up as princesses and fairies is great.

My son wan';s to go as Percy Jackson (his hero of the moment after reading all the books) - sorted - that will be jeans, trainers, t shirt and checked shirt!

I'm not sure, pinotatnicks, my DM was as into it with DB2 (youngest DC) as she was with DB1 (oldest) and there is a 12 year gap.

I do agree, though, that it loses it's appeal when schools do it too often - a couple of occasions a year is, IMO, enough.

Our old school had a Christmas themed dress up day. Ds went as Rudolph but many kids (many non Christian anyway) just came as Batman, star wars etc - it was hilarious!

We are doing this here too (Ireland) and DD wants to go as a giant peach or little miss spider. Any ideas would be gratefully received!

I always tell my boys (only DS2 still at primary) they can go as anything they like if we can cobble it together from what's already in the house. So today 9 yr old DS2 has gone as Torak from Wolf Brother (Stone Age hunter gatherer kid) in old pirate trousers, an old block printed T shirt from when his brother was an ant in a Y1 show, a belt from a Peter Pan costume, a wooden bow acquired at an English Heritage place, a bundle of twigs stuffed in his belt and some tribal Wolf Clan markings on his face made with watersoluble pencils. He looks nothing like a prehistoric hunter gatherer but it was very quick and cost me nothing.

Go with Little Miss Spider, femalevictorm - I can't remember the details of her, but core spider costume is black top, black leggings, and extra legs made by stuffing cheap black opaque tights with wadding / wool / whatever else you can find (ideally not paper, or she will rustle all day) and attaching them to belt / top.

I agree with andrrobbob. It would be so much more appropriate for the children to take books in and read them instead of dressing up.

tulpe - my DS is going as the guy from Diary of a Wimpy Kid too! FAB!

At DS's school they only do Book Week every 2nd year - they alternate with "Thinking Week".

The school librarian does all the organising and it's great. This year there is a "DEAR" warning thing going on. DEAR stands for Drop Everything And Read. There are boxes of books placed all around the school and during the day a teacher will shout out 'DEAR!" and they all have to grab a book and read. There is also an author over from UK who is talking to the classes about writing etc. Also a Manga artist. Books at Bedtime on Thursday evening when they all go back to school at 6.30 in PJS and have hot chocolate and cookies and a story. All teachers in PJs too. Then they dress up on Friday.

They are also doing a Book Buddy think where the older children go and read a book to a younger child. And Burst In Poetry where they learn a poem (in small groups) and then go and Burst In to a classroom or office and recite their poem. Every child is targetting the head so I don't think she will get anything done!

DS is loving it. He missed the one 2 years ago as he had chicken pox.

Now I just need to encourage him to actually READ!

Bunda that sounds sooo cool!!

• buda sorry don't know why I felt a subconscious compulsion to add an "n" to your name...LOL

we had our letter before half term, so have had time to try think of something.
DS1 wanted to go as a lego minifig, I had to say no so we have a suit and I'm trying and failing (sewing machine not working proper) to make yellow waistcoat, will try again after I've put the dcs in bed and I need to make a top hat from cardboard.
He's going as the Fat Controller, Thomas was just too hard.

That's OK jazz!

It is cool and the children love it. They get a lot out of the whole week.

My DS age 5 also had Fairy Tales as his theme this year. We decided on a character from his favourite book but then after I had put the outfit together he began to worry that people would laugh at him. He then told me he wanted to go as Ben 10 and I tried to persuade him that Ben 10 was a tv show and not a fairy tale book. After taking advice from DH I agreed to let him make the choice himself. He decided to go with the original costume but packed the Ben 10 one in his back pack.As he predicted the other kids did laugh at him even though the teachers thought his costume was great and picked him to stand up and show it off in the morning assembly.He came home as Ben 10 having got changed after snack time and was a little upset by the teasing from the other kids. I wish I'd just told him to go as Ben 10 now.There were plenty of Spidermen , Batmen and Supermen in the class that day.