To wonder what you do as a parent if you object to the whole school prom thing?

[DuelingFanjo]

Particularly for people with daughters? I have only a son but my facebook seems to be flooded with pictures of friend's kids (daughters) in their prom gear. These kids are really young (10 maybe?) but dressed up, made up and coiffed.

IF I have a daughter in the future I will feel really negative about putting her through this, even if she wants to do it. What do you do? Do some mums and dads send their daughters in less fancy attire or do you keep your daughters out of school that day/evening? Or just get on with it and accept that this is how it is.

Maybe should have put this in the feminism section?

I think it is a horrible idea to do it for yr 6-there is nothing to look forward to in yr11. Can't you raise it with the Head, PTA, other parents and stop it? If it goes ahead it isn't very nice to leave your DC out-unless they want to be left out.

Ours is at school. Getting an invitation is a privilege. The kids love it. Some go crazy, some are low key. Loads of staff go and it is wonderful.

Year 11 though. Not year 6!

We had (1990) a sixth form ball, where we learnt ballroom dancing for weeks beforehand. I remember it as being quite good fun, and yes we did have ball dresses and black tie and a photographer. But parents and teachers were also there, so I guess it wasn't just a p**s up (actually it was dry, being a Methodist school...) but it was a 'coming of age' type adult event. Good fun IIRC.

I loathe all this 'prom' limo etc stuff though.

I really dislike the idea of it for primaries, but the secondary ones look great fun

A local primary had a Mexican themed party for their leavers, it looked brilliant fun rather than all the pageant-like dolls in limos.

the ones I have been seeing are primary school proms, which I find more disturbing really.

I definitely won't be hiring a limo and all that stuff. What happens to the girls who do go to the prom but don't buy into the dress and limo stuff?

I remember being very poor in school and not being able to have the same 'in' outfits that other people had and being picked on.

for year 6 it's a bit weird, but for older teenagers it's great, even with boys!

DD1 is 8 atm so still a few years to go. But if she wants to go I'll let her go. She won't wear a dress though in fact knowing dd1 she'll probably want to go in a trouser suit. There will be no bloody limo shit though. DSD had a limo for her Year 6 prom years ago, although it was only £10 as there were 10 friends together. She didn't succumb to to the who girly prom dress either though. She went in a denim skirt, black fluffy Ugg boots and a leather jacket.

Having a theme is a good idea, Mexican sounds fab! and everyone has fun getting their outfits together, could cost alot or could make your own on the cheap.

DD1 (16) has just had her prom. She wasn't orange or covered in slap like some girl. She and I both loved the event. The whole village turns out to see the kids turn up in unusual transport. Limos are not the norm here. We had rickshaws, spacehoppers, wheelbarrows, tractor & trailer, punt on wheels, plus assorted classic cars and fab sporty numbers.
I don't agree with primary school proms though, they are too young at that age, it's just a bit precocious then.

I'm speechless at all this tbh. I had no idea.

I even hate the term Prom.. What's wrong with a Party (Junior School) or Ball (Senior School).

We are not American and have our own traditions. And a crappy school Disco/party is 1 of them!

I'm actually getting quite jittery about the Yr 6 Prom now.

DD has this dress and I am now wondering whether the other girls will be wearing something like this

I spoke to the lady who was all for it saying that DD (of course) wanted a tiara but since she had quite long (clip-on) earrings that anything other than a small coordinating hair decoration would be OTT and she said that in her opinion there was nothing wrong with the girls dripping with diamonds and with fake eyelashes and hair-pieces too.

The boys look ever so sweet though, saw them last year walking past my house in their suits

Roll-on secondary school, plain coats, plain shoes and blazers [hgrin]

Yea your choice looks cool, the other one looks like something you go to bed in to turn the other half on,haha

We had a year 11 leaving ball - black tie but no limos, 'copters or private jets!

We also had "smoothies day" at the end of 6th form - this was where we all came in in evening dress for a normal days lessons - followed by a party in the evening. That was very fun.

How old is year 6? 10 or 11? I can't imagine buying/hiring my son a penguin suit when he is 10/11. I really hope he's a goth or something!

Year 6 children are usually eleven by the last few weeks of term in July. DD is one of the youngest.

Thanks islawhiter and at the turn-on factor. DD's friend is having a floor-length scarlet dress.

I am having visions of thirty pre-pubescent girls channelling Madonna "Material Girl" or Marilyn Monroe in "Diamonds are a Girl's Best Friend" but with scabby knees!

Go on holiday that week, somewhere really cool so that your daughter doesn't feel she has missed out (should you have a daughter of course )

normally i would say i haven't really thought about it but today was [hschock]. dropped DD off at nursery and was driving back and on the otherside of the road was this massive green car. thinking i was hallucinating, (quite ill today) i looked away but a second later it drove past me it was a limo done up with Ben 10!!!!! the sign on the back said "party limo" What the absolute fuck???? Ben 10 is for how old?? 8+? kids want a ben 10 limo for a party????? there is clearly money to be made in this as why else go to the expensive of getting a limo done up in Ben 10? this level of consumerism in young children scares the shite out of me.

im really not well can do smileys properly [hshock]

It is so sad to do all this so young-much better to wait and have the excitement later for a 'first'.

Tiny Clanger's school currently does one in Y11. She's Y8 and I'm already dreading it. I don't like doing things that make her stand out among the others, but something in me balks at paying for ball dresses, limos and professional (vile) makeup. My current plan is for us to be on holiday.