to be upset that no-one has really cared about my youngest starting school?

[CinnamonAddict]

My 4 yo has started school last week. All our relatives (except one) live abroad, where a huge fuss is being made of school starters (party for relatives, special cake etc).

We didn't hear from anyone, both grandmas, uncles, aunt, no one called or send a card, nothing.

At first I thought ok, they may have send a card but it's not here yet, but it's a week now so I can assume they have either forgotten (in the 3 weeks since we have seen them during the holidays) or don't care.

AIBU to feel quite sad about that?

YABU, It wouldn't occur to me to send a card for a child starting school. Maybe it's just not a big deal to them, I would ask a relative how a new school starter was getting on if I saw them in person but I wouldn't specifically contact them for that reason.

a party , or card for starting school , really !

If they live abroad perhaps school starts at a different time of year to here and although they may know your little one is starting school it may not occur to them until later in the year.

I dont think you are being unreasonable to want someone to ask how their 1st week went but if you were expecting a party/cake/card etc then perhaps thats a little OTT.

Did you organise a party or a cake? If not, why not?

A cake or a party? Never heard of that !

She got a card from the next door neighbour. Now that I didn't expect.

I said party in our country of origin. We didn't have one. But I did expect some phone calls.

eh?

"Congratulations on starting school" cards?

Now I have heard it all.

Dh took the day off and we did fun things with her after school.

Must a kid get a parade for everything these days?!

Aww, it would have been nice for her grandparents to call and ask how her first day at school went.

Parade? I think asking about how the first day(s) at school were is not particularly "getting a parade"?
Is it business as usual for all of you?

How odd. No one made a fuss when my DS started school and I wouldn't have expected them to

I made a fuss of my DGC when they started school.

Your DH took a day off work??!! What on earth for?

If it's traditional in your family to make a bit of an occasion of starting school, then I can see why you're upset. Maybe, as others have said, they didn't realise when she started.

Don't think anyone said anything when our two started school but nobody in our family does, except maybe to ask how things are going when we happen to speak.

In some cultures starting school is a big deal with dcs parading through the street, gifts etc

If that is what the op is used to then a card would be expected

Op yanbu to expect people to care!

To have a special day with her. We dropped off, had coffee, picked her up, took her to the playground, went for a meal. We did this with all our dc.

My dd starts full time school next week.

I never expected a fuss to made at all

I'm lucky if some of our dd's relatives remember a birthday let alone starting school! Would be nice to have them ask how she got on but cards etc a bit much!

I just gave all mine a big kiss, told them to have a lovely day and that was that.

I do think this whole celebrating everything culture has gone a bit far. There's a fear that children are growing up feeling entitled and surely praising them and giving them lots of attention and petting for doing something they should be doing anyway is encouraging that?

Oh. I've never heard of this. Or done it.

OP YANBU. I think it's lovely you made a celebration of the special day. It is a huge event for your DC. I am disappointed with how many miserable people make comment on this site asking why cards and gifts are given on what are obviously special occasions.

It's business as usual around here. Dh wouldn't dream of taking a day of work never mind cards and parties. However if that's the tradition you are used to I can understand why you would be disappointed.