To wonder why i have to boycott World Book Day tomorrow

[desperatenotstupid]

and if i don't, will i be bannished from Mumsnet?

Only i happened to click on a link the other day to the mumsnet rules, and it is there - I have to boycott World book day.

Now to be fair, im quite happy to boycott it, i cant be arsed to find my DD a costume, but then she came down clutching (now i really am going to be banned) a disney princess book and told me she wanted to go as ariel - result!! We have costume. I was howver considering sending her in her normal clothes and saying that she is "Lucy Pevensie" from the lion witch and wardrobe and just getting her to take a toy lion. I did after all name her after Lucy.

My 8yo dd refuses to dress up, she's going in her usual clothes as Clarice Bean

I suggested The Invisible Man to DS2 and he could stay at home.

I didn't realise I could boycott it and blame MN.

I won't be boycotting it. DS loves it and always has.
I don't really find it that hard to get a costume but maybe because I'm a bit anal and I get DS a dress up costume for christmas and find a way to use that.
This year he is a knight. Easypeasy.

World book day is around the same time every year obviously they've brought it in to encourage reading which my DS did need as he never used to like reading for pleasure but he does now. This is more down to age I think and him decidng what sort of Genre he prefers to read.

I know some children don't like dressing up so put them in ordinary clothes and they can be horrid henry, tracy beaker and as you say desperate a child from the chronicles of narnia.

I think as you know its coming prepare yourslef in advance. That way it won't be such a pain next time around.

Sparkling - thats brilliant. Can i get away with that though as i have a DD? Be sexist if i cuoldn't so actually i think i have even more ammo!

Swimming, i AM prepared - my DD has all manner of dressing up stuff, we usually fall back on puss in boots as she likes to be a cat for everything, she even had special dispensation to be the cat in the nativity play.

My question was, why, according to the Mnet Gods, do we have to boycott it - is it some sort of mumsnet sin?

I do think it is an excuse to push a load of overpriced books on parents though - last year i remember having to part with £6 for a flimsy paperback she has never read, that I could have picked up for 50p in the charity shop.

Ah I see I apologise. Ah yes I agree about the sales of the books. DS's new school doesn't do this though. They only send out the puffin book club thing in late october to order in time for christmas in fact they encourage us more to go to charity shops. Teachers have even brought in their own collection for children to borrow. Works a treat. DS is working his way through the harry potter collection for free. Great teacher.

I didn't know we were supposed to boycott it, it's the top story on the home page. Where does it say this in the MN rules? And why would we?

I don't like it because I have done it every year with one or two DC since 2003, and the novelty has gone. Plus 10 year old boys don't have outfits like 4-5 year olds do, we used to own most of the ELC dressing up stuff. Now it is just a big PITA.

please don't think of it as boycotting world book day - world book day has done brilliant things for literacy and love of books in children.

please think of it as boycotting pointless costume day.

Well said nickel. Don't spend money on a costume buy a nice book. But they require us to do it every year.

Dozy there is a book called mumsnet rules or something - anyway, it had the top ten rules printed out somewhere on the home pages the other day. This was one of them, most odd :)

Is it because the school do crap things like show the children the books in the afternoon and send them out with a wish list totalling about £25 and the children think you are going to get your cheque book out?

I tried to suggest to DS he went as Kipper, but he said he would have to wear a wig and he didnt want that he seems to have forgotten he has blond hair

here Dozy. Golden rule No.8 - Boycott world boodk day!! There, in black and white. Quite contrary to the home page there MNHQ!!!

DS also going in normal clothes as Alex Rider.
no book selling at my dc's school - visit from an author, book quizzes, book buddies and parents coming in to school to talk about their favourite books.

in which case, we're doing well to advise against a boycott - both sides of the coin etc.

I might boycott it but I'm not sure DS would agree.

But its a "golden" rule nickel - im not sure im strong enough to go against a mumsnet golden rule just yet

have you seen number 10???

Why have we got to cut their hair off? What is wrong with Guinea Pigs?

the chickens might eat them.

Another cheaing family here... DD (7) is going in her own clothes with a pile of books as Matilda and DS(10) is going as Wally (of wheres Wally fame) so a stripy top and glasses!

Cut their hair off-what´s that all about then.

We have guinea pigs because I also wanted them!

To avoid nits diddl?

I would love to boycott it, ds1 gets very stressed by dressing up and this year we have a letter saying that it's the children's choice. However, ds1 says his teacher has told them they have to dress up as a Michael Morpurgo character Cue massive meltdown from ds1 He won't opt out though, because as far as he is concerned his teacher sYs he has too so nothing I sappy will change his mind.

He has managed to come up with a character which involves minimal effort or discomfort but I'm not happy!

Ds1 is an avid reader anyway, he doesn't need a special day to encourage him to read, it's harder to get his head out of a book to do anything else sometimes!