The school have successfully ruined bonfire night for my DS

[goingupinsmoke]

I'm wondering AIBU, I'm sat her pretty peed off. DH and I arranged to put our dogs with a friend and we bought a small selection of fireworks for the back garden, these were low noise tame ones DS are 8 & 5. It was supposed to be a surprise!!

So the boys come out and are scared to death of the fireworks, and started to tell us the school have been talking all day about the danger, they have shown my DS 8 pictures of people with burnt faces, he described the eyelids all burnt, people with burnt tummys and one picture of someone missing a leg.

Don't get me started on sparklers, Oh no mum we are not allowed them, look my coat has big sleeves, our gloves aren't the correct type.

Sod this over protective nonsense, there is safety then there is scaring kids stupid and wrecking something that should be fun.

Opinions??

The pictures do sound graphic but I'd rather my DCs were a bit scared by a picture than missing a hand or eye due to not respecting the danger of fireworks.

Yabu. Firstly you tell them you agree with the school but as you the parents are sensible they can be let off safely. (Show them the instructions on the side).
Secondly they could watch from the window while you let them off, then they can see that handled properly there is minimal danger.

You didn't have to completely spoil the evening and sulk.`

Fireworks still involve small explosions and fires that burn at high temperatures. They are NOT suitable to have around children. Just because they are legal doesn't make them safe.

I thinks there's a middle way her. It's possible to have a home display safely. I'v manged it for 12 years. Follow the firewok code.

Blimey, my typing is atrocious

We have always had a box of fireworks in the garden on bonfire night. It is a highlight and the children have always adored it. They are nearly 18 and 14.5 now but they have always stayed on the patio with a sparkler whilst DH lights the fireworks. It is brill. DD will be home soon and DH will be early coz it's firework night. And we have sausages and jacket spuds and coleslaw and bonfire night fare.

Tis a highlight in our family calendar and always will be. DH will still buy himself a box even when the DC have left home I think. It's fine if you are sensible.

Firework safety information without context is scaremongering - children should understand that fireworks can be safe if used correctly.

I don't think there's much point in terrifying children that their parents are being incredibly stupid and putting their lives at risk by lighting a few sparklers

LeeCoakley no sulking honestly!!

I'm afraid I'm with the majority.

As far as I'm concerned, fireworks should be banned unless being purchased for regulated and organised public displays.

Why can't you leave the dogs home alone? Or one of you go with the DCs and one stay with the dogs.

YABU. Better to make him a little scared than have him grow up with a laissez faire attitude towards fireworks.

I'm sorry you felt your surprise was ruined though. Perhaps it just means you need to have a conversation with him about fireworks, and firework safety.

Sorry, there was supposed to be a after the sulking comment!

marriedinwhite thank you! we have the traditional chill con carne and jackets here - slightly trashed by school scaring the boys shitless.

I am proud of them but would like to allow them to learn about controlled fire and risk.

I was brought up in Ireland where they are illegal. I love organised displays but letting off fireworks in your back garden. Madness in my opinion and the school are absolutely right to emphasise the dangers.

I am still a bit scared of sparklers after the 70 s safety films.

TidyDancer we have 2 big dogs the old boy has always been scared and would try and break out of the house in a panic, we have to sedate him he gets so stressed we couldn't leave him safely in the house.

You have a dog that gets so stressed by fireworks you have to sedate him but you let of fireworks in the back garden. Strange!

We do indoor fireworks(and dtwin 1 now 9 still cowers under the table)!!!

Sizy In my post I did touch on the fact that we gave the dogs to our neighbours for the evening, they live a mile away, we are not awful parents or awful dog owners. Promise.

We have a family tradition. A few fireworks let off in the pumpkin from Halloween (nice and scary). Dp wears his 30 year old 'firework coat' and we have hot dogs and jacket potatoes afterwards. The dds will be gone in 3 years but I hope we still carry on.

Yeah....what Sirzy said.

You wanted to set off fireworks knowing you have a dog who is scared?!

Wtf?!

So you weren't stopped from going to the public display then?

Your posts are contradicting themselves.

I used to teach at a school where a boy was killed on bonfire night. It was horrific. He was 13.

My kids have come home from school full of the dangers of fireworks and specific information about what sparklers can do if not handled correctly.

YABU. There is no need to let off fireworks in your back garden, and I think it's sensible that the school has warned children about it.

I love indoor fireworks. So underwhelming yet exciting. My grandad referred to the snake type ones as 'those turdy ones'

TidyDancer Just replied to sizy too - In my post I did touch on the fact that we gave the dogs to our neighbours for the evening, they live a mile away, we are not awful parents or awful dog owners. Promise.

But surely teaching them about controlled safety is an ongoing conversation you've been having for a while, if that's something important to you? So this could just be another part of it.