To just feel meh about school picnics to which parents are invited?

[NeoMaxiZoomDweebie]

DD is in reception. They've filled their pebble pot and it's time to reap the rewards. This time, it's a picnic at a nearby beauty spot and playing in the open air instead of school. Lovely.

But they've sent an invitation to "any parents who want to come are welcome"

I hate things like this....I like having picnics...I like playing with DD....but not with all the school mums and dads! I don't know them very well..am shy...don't WANT to sit on a field making smalltalk while the DC play and ignore us!

If I don't go Iwill feel mean. AIBU to think "it's the DC treat...let the teachers take them!"

Also the DC who have parents in work all day won't have theirs with them...that's not fair.

So what exactly would you like the school to do to pander to your fear of social interaction with other human beings?

"Oh ffs why does OP have to enjoy everything that other people do? How does that make someone pathetic?

She already said she goes into school and does plenty of other things with her child."

It doesn't make anyone pathetic. What I found odd was the attitude that "I find it boring so I wish the school wouldn't invite me, why do they bother, why don't the teachers just run the treat for the kids?" School probably think it is good to offer parents the chance to meet informally, especially in reception where you still might not have got much beyond smiling at people at the school gate. You are more than ok to think it's not your bag. But in that case just say no thank you. Why whine that you don't like the school having the cheek to ask you to a social event?

i missed most of these sort of horrid things at i worked full time, the ones i turned up to after booking a days holiday were torture the parents all sat ignoring me as they had no clue who i was and they kids played i would give it a miss if i was you.,

I didn't mean she was pathetic for not wanting to go - just pathetic for whining about it, as if it shouldn't be happening at all just because it's not her thing.

But the OP hasn't said 'why do they bother' at all. She has just said it isn't her thing. And she hasn't whined about the school having any kind of cheek.

Give her a break. These events are not compulsory.

Fuck no, when they are at school, I want them to be at school, I don't need to be involved ffs.

YANBU
After 9 years of trying to be friendly, I was still the outsider of the group when DD left.

A bit of a chat at the school gate, or waiting for a play fine. But all afternoon at a damp Jubilee picnic, with no one to properly chat to, not even DD2. She is the one sociable member of the family and wouldn't be caught talking to mum.

AIBU to think "it's the DC treat...let the teachers take them!"

I paraphrased, obviously. But that to me reads as though she wishes the teachers would just get on with it instead of bothering to invite the parents. I also said no, it's not compulsory. But just say no thanks - why the need to wish they wouldn't ask? Others might be looking forward to it.

You surmised all that from a sentence!

To me it reads, can I let the teachers get on with this as it is something I would struggle with?

Ha! The perils of the web! Depending on the tone of voice you could read it both ways (didn't see your way of reading it until you wrote it!) If she meant it that way, I apologise to her!

Yabu. Schools seek and need parental involvement and ime it is fruitful to have a classroom where parents get along well.

Don't go if you don't want to, but I have met people I actually like in these yrs, not to mention the fact that it is convenient to know and trust you dc's friends' parents.

Terrible perils!