To think this woman is being very entitled (and it's not 'news')

[pollypocket99]

www.salisburyjournal.co.uk/news/10901364.School_bars_mum_from_daughter_s_first_Christmas_play/?action=success

Saw this in our local rag. I cant believe someone is bleating about this to a newspaper makes me mad!!

It wasn't her that was banned, it was her pre-school age son. If she'd really wanted to see it, her mother could have looked after the toddler in the playground as the school suggested. If little Joshua and granny were desperate to see the big sister perform, why didn't they go to the dress rehearsal when the tinies were welcome, while mummy recuperated?

I would have gone absolutely holistic if I hadn't been allowed to see DD1 because I have no babysitting for DD2.

Toddlers aren't annoying parcels you can just park. Older DCs shouldn't lose sharing things because they have siblings.

I think she is 100% right.

Fortunately our HT would never be so stupid. (Non of us would have taken any notice if he was. I'm sure he knew most of his edicts went in the bin).

why didn't the grandmother take the toddler to the dress rehersal and then look after him while the mother went to the show?

I am sure plenty of other families would have had reasons they couldn't do the dress rehersal but could the main show but they have obviously chosen that rule for a reason.

Precisely! I don't get this "woe is me" sense of entitlement. Some people need to wake up and smell the coffee!

She just cut her nose off to spite her face. As pp just said the gran could have taken them to the dress rehearsal and then stayed home with the kids while the mum went to the second one. Presumably she had the letters and had time to figure that out.

Many HTs do ban toddlers because some parents don't attempt control their disruptive behaviour and they put off the performing DCs.

The heads have a right to do this and it's sad that some have felt they have to because of the selfishness of a few parents.

Starballbunny she was allowed to see her daughter and did have someone to look after her son...

would you have also withdrawn your daughter from her first nativity play because you weren't able to get your own way?

YANBU.

A lot of people have childcare issues but they deal with it.

What makes her so special?

Entitled people really grate on me.

She had an easy solution in the form of the GM on hand to look after the younger one.

I really don't think going back stage, telling her DD that her DS was not allowed to watch and taking her away was the right thing to do.

She knew he would not be allowed in and planned to make a scene and get in to the (albeit local) paper for attention.

They must be desperate for news. There was no reason why the Mum couldn't watch.

Yanbu.

I also feel a bit for her innocent children being made to pose in the photo as if they are poor little urchins how dare she drag them into her pathetic hissy fit!

I think it is fantastic that HTs are assertive and say little ones can't watch the performances. Some of them can really spoil a show which takes an awful lot of hard work, with their squawking.

Our HT gets the performers to stop while we all look at the offending parent and wait for him/her to remove the noisy baby/toddler. I think that is a good thing and very selfish of people to let their little kids be too noisy.

I think the school could have shown a little compassion here. Some head teachers are right little Hitlers.

I wasn't allowed in with my 10 month old baby, because I didn't have a ticket for her. And no, I didn't have any alternative childcare. I had to leave her with the school secretary (who was lovely) and she was quite happy. But honestly, what difference would it have made?

I should add this was a long time ago, as my 10 month baby is now a strapping 15 year old. But I still remember how I felt. I cried in public. Something I almost never do.

I have been to many performances at my dds school that have been totally ruined by unruly toddlers and crying babies. Luckily HT saw sense and put a blanket ban on babies and toddlers. YANBU.

I didn't see she had Gran. (Skimming in phone). I don't have.

No siblings would mean either DH or I missing the show.

Being a rural area all the DCs go to the same school, so friends are at the event too. It's a real problem trying to organise adult only PTA things.

We have done this for senior school concerts, because DD2 hates them. From 11 we just left her at home on her own.

Said concerts aren't like plays, they are all much of a muchness and DD1 sings in every choir going, so there is always another one.

OFFS! These 'performances' are hardly Broadway shows. A little squawking from littler DC really 'ruins' the show? Really?

DC's primary HT enforced this 'rule' and it was utterly ridiculous. These shows are for family which includes littlies and they should not be banned. I and others I know, have missed shows due to having a younger child who we could not get childcare for. Squawkers should be taken out and MOST people would do this and the people who don't should be told to.

I have found mothers loudly gossiping together about their new handbags/neighbours etc and standing up in front of everyone to film/take photos much more off putting than toddlers shouting.

I think someone is taking the show too seriously.

Some interesting comments under the article from prettygreeneyes28

She's probably related to sad faced mum.

'absolutely holistic'

I would have gone absolutely holistic if I hadn't been allowed to see DD1 because I have no babysitting for DD2.

But surely if your mum, who was perfectly able to look after your children while you were away was there you would have had baby sitting.

And if you knew in advance there were several performances (the article doesn't say how many) some for younger siblings and others for other people you might have arranged something in advance.

No they are not Broadway shows, but for the children performing in them, they are very very important. So yes, the plays should be taken seriously.