In thinking WTF about the PTA reserving the front row seats at the nativity

[TrollopDollop]

I saw it with my own eyes on monday at DS reception nativity. Why? I am not seeing the link between being in the PTA and getting a monopoly on the front row seats. One of them actually asked people to move before placing 'reserved for PTA' signs on the chairs.

Seems fair enought that the PTA should get front row seats. They have done all the work.

If you want a front row seat, get off your backside andjoin the PTA.

DHs senior school did a big concert. Letter clearly said drop of children. Doors open an hour later.
You've guessed it. Huge numbers of people must have totally ignored this and stayed through the final rehearsal.
I was furious no way would DD2 have sat there for that long and we ended up totally unable to see a thing.

yanbu but then again I saw the queue about an hour before our one and I felt it would be like getting a 'decent' seat on a ryan air plane. Not worth the bother. I just stood at the back.

amerry - do pta groups run nativities?

If people are helping with the play and would otherwise end up with no seats/rubbish seats then to right they should have seats saved for them. Is there anything wrong with a bit of a thank you to them for their work?

Can't believe the animosity about PTAs on this thread.
My only problem with PTAs is that it makes me cross that money has to be raised for core school activity which I believe should be paid for by LEA/Govt.

However the PTA at my DDs school helps make the school a closer community, and it provides lots of family/community events for the children to enjoy. Its not ONLY about raising money. The core PTA members spend hours and hours and hours organising fetes, parties, santas grotto, sports events, meals out, fun activities for the children. I help out as much as I can (usually at fetes and with cakes) but it is amazing how much time some people commit.

They deserve a medal, and I would certainly not begrudge them a decent seat at the nativity.

YABU why should someone who is helping out have to sit at the back?

As PTA we sell raffle tickets, teas coffees etc to raise money for the children quite why this would annoy so many people is beyond me. Imagine people giving up their time to try and help the school really they should be shot.

Yes Im on the PTA, yes I did reserve myself a front row seat because I was there setting up, selling raffle tickets, making brews afterwards and cleaning up for both performances.

No Im not a marytr I work full time but I like to give me time to help the school community, I dont really give a shit what petty minded people think about it.

Our PTA is just a bunch of parents trying to think of ways to raise money and do fun things for the children. We hold meetings alternated between afterschool or evening to try and encourage more people to attend but some people like to help and be involved and some dont, such is life.

Happens here too. Actual PTA helping with refreshments fine but very often granny, oh's etc get same treatment. Not fair imo.

YANBU. Not a lot of humility there by the sound of it - why don't they reserve themselves seats halfway back?

Ours do this too...i wonder if they know everyone else takes bets about their front row antics and calls them arseholes? One even reserves seats for her parents as well....for BOTH days the show is on.

I had a reserved seat at our school play this week, 2 seats were reserved out of 90 I have NO remorse and I don't need to be humble about it.

It is is known that the doors open 30 minutes before the performance and that the PTA person at the door needs to flogg stuff to the people coming in pretty much until the performance starts so I sat in my seat after the lights had gone off and I watched it.

The day after therre were no reserved seats as the same pta members were there trying to fundraise.

Yes it is a voluntary role, we don't do it for the reserved seats. (really does ANYONE think that is enough of a perk to make anyone decide to volunteer?)

Ours reserve the whole front 2 rows for both days. Often it is people who have done nowt all year but sell raffle tickets on the day....or just hang around chatting.

Like most people (it seems) I think it's OK to reserve a seat for actual helpers at the play. But I wouldn't agree to them being reserved for all PTA members (and I'm on PTA). As for asking people to move to put signs down -

That said, I have volunteered to do the refreshments at DS's play. Partly because no-one else could do it, and partly because it means I'll get in early so get to bagsy a seat. I won't reserve one for DH though - I'd be embarrassed. He can take his chances.

I'm in our PTA and shock horror, i handed MY front row seat onto another PTA member when it was time for her dd's show. I got there early, end of. I, and all the other members of the PTA work bloody hard for ALL the children in school. Did i mention my dd was Mary btw? Nothing so ever to do with me being on the PTA, just that role suited my dd.

I'm on the PTA have been for the 4 years my dcs have been in the school. We have never had front row seats reserved for us we normally end up standing at the back.

However this year we have some new parents to the school who have joined the PTA and decided they would reserve the front row seats for them and their families for both shows. Yes they did pour drinks at the end but that was it. The first performance I didn't even see after helping getting children changed painting faces for the performance, I spent it outside with a pupil that was to scared to go in trying to reasure him. Then helping the children get changed back again.

The second performance I went with my dp and dd they both got seats i ended up sitting on the steps to the hall watching from the sides as there was no more room.

Now tell me if I'm wrong but wouldn't it be nice for one of the ones in the front who have only been at the school for 5 mins knowing i missed the previous performance to ask me if I would like a seat so I could see my dc perform.

So yes I do agree that there are some very jumped up self righteous pta members around.

Just to clear things up...I LOVE going to my childrens parent evenings and plays but only because of my love and pride for them. I don't look forward to it as social event, nor do I see it as an opportunity to make friends or network. I don't dress up especially or try to "get involved". I couldn't give a flying fig who gets seats reserved for them, my sneer if you wish to see it as such is that people get so het up about it. Who cares? At the end of the day you are talking about a plastic chair in a scruffy school hall and while it's fantastic that the PTA provide tea and homemade cake it's not exactly corruption or power on a grand scale. I have and never would missed one single thing, ever.

I would join the pta but Im a working parent. The meetings for ours are not geared for working parents.

Have you told the PTA and the school that you can't join for this reason?

"I would join the pta but Im a working parent. The meetings for ours are not geared for working parents."

"YANBU. The PTA make my teeth itch. There's no need for them to be martyring themselves selling teas and coffees; the nativity/concert only lasts an hour so no-one is going to die of thirst if they don't get a cuppa at the school. Also, I'm going to watch my child perform, I don't want to be pestered into buying a raffle ticket."

Presumably you make sure that your child never uses any of the equipment or has any of the treats the money raised by the PTA provides?

I wish ours was on two days. Our PTA do this too. I normally stand at the back. One year it was completely spoilt by a granddad in row 2 standing up.
Its bad enough that my dc always end up behing the tall children.

the martyrdom of tea and coffee selling and pestering raffle tickets helped raise in the region of £20,000 for an asro turf pitch at my dc's school.

maybe the pta shouldn't have bothered.