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AIBU?

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Original poster

To think that primary school proms are total wank?

147 replies

ChickensHaveNoLips · 28/05/2012 20:56

DS1 leaves primary school in July. Today he brought home a letter informing us that to celebrate year 6 leaving, they are having a prom. DS is horrified, as apparently a lot of the girls are insisting on dates. DS would rather lick his own foot than be seen publicly with a girl, what with him being 11 and all. Tonight the fb discussions have started between parents arranging limos. Limos for 11 year olds. Surely this is beyond batshit crackers? Is this insanity normal now? What's wrong with a disco and a handful of haribo ?

OP posts:
cakeismysaviour · 29/05/2012 17:56
jchocchip · 29/05/2012 18:15

my youngest had a primary prom. It was ok, but I realised when she got there she was underdressed (!) Only one form entry and a village school so no sillyness about arriving and they had a disco and a stretch limo to take them all out for a ride in shifts, dd complained that there were no sweets left by the time she got a go. Hoping it cured her for such sillyness when she is 16. Dd2 had y13 leavers prom last week and came home complaining that the teachers were drunk...

rhondajean · 29/05/2012 18:20

I escaped, the school had a Hawaiian leavers disco and then the friendship group all got together and one of the mums organised for a limo and to go to dinner and we all paid our bit. They went to a local hotel which has a DVD room for the kids, a big garden and a trampoline etc and had a whale of a time, we all paid our own.

Dd1 has a bit of class - she was Hmm at the limo haha!

The worst primary prom story I have heard is the father who threatened to sue the education authority because they wouldn't give him permission to land a helicopter in the school ground for his daughter to arrive. Bona file story, it happened in Newton mearns near Glasgow if you want to google!

My friends daughter did have one at her school, clubbing dress, heels, fake tan you name it...thank god for the good old Hawaiian disco!

barbecuesandbunting · 29/05/2012 18:24

hope my sons yr 6 class are not expecting this as they are likely getting a game of rounders on the school field against the parents and a pizza in the local italians Grin
Poor you though..is it a definate can you put forward objections and alternatives?

Columbia999 · 29/05/2012 19:40

Proms, a horrid American thing that can bog off back to America and take Trick or Treat with it!

Grannylipstick · 29/05/2012 19:48

You can all just say no to this American tripe. What next. A helicopter landing in the school field to whisk off your precious off spring. It all seems to be about what can we all do next to upstage the last lot of school leavers.

clippityclop · 29/05/2012 19:56

Oh lord no! Our PTA does a disco, they get a record book with photos in etc, barbecue lunch during the day. Proms are yuk.

JoInScotland · 29/05/2012 20:08

Can I just say I'm originally from the US and I refused to go to our senior prom - I am not sure, but I may have been the only one from my large high school to do so. So I've always thought they were rather stupid, and that was when I had the figure to supposedly enjoy getting dolled up. But for 11 year-olds? I think the idea of the bonfire with marshmallows, water fun and a picnic sounds like great fun and I would prefer that - and would have at 18 to be honest!

Not all Americans enjoy the stereotypically "American" stuff you know!

benjalamummy · 29/05/2012 20:44

So utterly depressing :(
Since I had my twins 18 months ago I have been kind of homesick and had this hankering to move back to the UK, to be nearer family etc etc...
This is exactly the kind of 'show-offy' thing that stops my homesickness in its tracks.
DH's niece had her First Communion recently and the priest felt the need to ban politely request that kids did not arrive in a stretch limo/hummer Shock
What on earth is wrong with 10/11 year olds being children ffs??
And if you do all this stuff when you are 10 or 11, what do you look forward to ?

binkstrella · 29/05/2012 20:55

Complete lunacy imo. Currently arranging a lunch for Leavers Day for THE PARENTS, who will all be shattered, knackered, tired and emotional after the trials of getting DC into senior/secondary school of their choice. We will have grown up food, proper plates and a glass of something nice. Our children will get to wear their school uniform, listen to speeches, and have a BBQ with paper plates and bottles of water. If they get to run off some excess energy afterwards on the field, all the better. Haribo if they are lucky. Primary proms, utter nonsense, wait until they are 18.

Sincerely hope they've gone out of fashion, like vampires, by the time mine get to that age. Grrrrr

lovebunny · 29/05/2012 21:40

lots of primaries are holding 'proms' now. ridiculous.

shockers · 29/05/2012 21:47

Our school had a BBQ for the families of the yr6 leavers, with a bit of a jacob's join for salads, cous cous, dippy stuff etc. We watched these lovely children (inc DS2) romp around the school field giggling (there was actually a DJ in the school hall... the children weren't interested) with their friends. At the end, they sent lanterns skyward. I had a big lump in my throat all afternoon (I wasn't the only one either!)... they looked so happy Smile.

Jcee · 29/05/2012 21:59

YANBU...its madness...

My niece starts school in September and her nursery is having a graduation 'event' complete with caps, gowns, presentation for leavers on a stage, official photos and a party for families and friends - how mad is that?

I want to attend just to run about shaking people and shouting 'they are 4 years old!'

AlmightyCitrus · 30/05/2012 07:45

My eldest left primary last year and they had a prom. I was a bit Hmm about it all at first. But there were no limos or "dates", just a load of kids and parents who were all dressed up, and having a good time. (No one wore big silly frocks, just high street party dresses, and the boys all wore shirts and ties) They did all the presentations there, and everyone got a yearbook and a leaving certificate.
It was in the ballroom of a local hotel, and was absolutely brilliant.

YANBU about the limos and dates though

EmmaCate · 30/05/2012 09:58

joanofarchitrave's reply made me gasp with its brilliance. DO IT!

I feel like I did when there was this little disco-type thing at the primary school I helped out when in sixth form - I felt rather honoured to be welcomed into the company of this 'cool' girl gang - and we didn't move from our skulking corner until they put on some rock (Paradise City - how can you not dance?!).

Batshit crackers Grin. YANBU.

TheCunnyFunt · 30/05/2012 11:03

A nursery in our town held a prom for the kids that were leaving to go to primary school! They had a limo too.

Original poster
ChickensHaveNoLips · 30/05/2012 11:36

It's a couple of alpha mums behind this madness. DS1 is refusing point blank to go, as are most of his friends. I think we'll have a tent sleepover/waterfight/barbecue type thing in the garden. I'll sling the bonkers puppy in the mix and let chaos ensue.

OP posts:
Mrsjay · 30/05/2012 11:51

my friends son is having a nursery graduation today Hmm with those hats and gowns i think they are carboard and handmade but still

Asamumnonsense · 30/05/2012 11:58

YANBU!! seriously, so OTT...Hope we don't get that Proms rubbish when DD leaves primary school. And dates? that's a bit much to expect for a lot of kids at this age...

BringBack1996 · 30/05/2012 12:00

DD had a 'prom' on the last day of sats. They were all excited and when they got there is was just a glorified disco in the school hall with the mandatory bowl or crisps and a cup of squash :o

The kids whose parents made them that chose to dress up looked very out of place, that's all I can say!

Mrsjay · 30/05/2012 12:02

TBh if the children want to go to their leavers party prom then its fine its fun kids love it we dont have to buy into all the rubbish , DD2 friends mum nearly didnt let her go to hers but i pursuaded her by saying DD2 wasnt having a posh dress or limo DD2 walked to hers

salemsparklys · 30/05/2012 12:07

At my DD's one last year she was the only one not dressed up like a tart ,she wore a normal dress with very bare make up, other girls had heels/prom dresses and went to get hair and make up done right after school, she was also not invited to go in the limo until one of the "popular" kids dropped out, then they were happy to take our money.
She actually loved the limo and still talks about it now.

Mrsjay · 30/05/2012 12:11

I had limo drama thats why DD walked dd1 had a limo well shared dd1 didnt even have a limo to her high school prom , Hmm they got a coach and went together although 1 girl did have a sports car to drop her off for the bus

messyisthenewtidy · 30/05/2012 12:25

This thread is slightly spooky!! One of the GCSE papers that came out yesterday actually had a reading comprehension article on the very topic of primary school proms and whether they are OTT.

But, more than that - it actually referred to Mumsnet on the paper, quoting a mumsnetter's complaint of the costs for parents.... I don't think the line "school proms are total wank" was used though!!

Ladies, we're so famous that we're even on GCSE papers now!!Grin

zazas · 30/05/2012 13:02

To my horror my DS has informed me that his Year 6 leaving party this year will also be a prom. It seems that the kids 'voted' for it (over going out to dinner which the leaving class has done the last 2 years). He was the only kid out of 24 who voted against it - the parents had no say. I think it is completely ridiculous, my DD who left three years ago from the same school had a leaver's party during school hours and was happy with that. My DS has already said that the kids are talking about who they will be taking as a date and what they will be wearing - these are 10 and 11 year olds! He would much rather have a BBQ and water fight - who wouldn't!!!