'Why isn't my child Mary' syndrome

[Pud2]

AIBU to get irritated by parents who complain to the school when their DC doesn't get a good part in a production?

I'm sure this has been said before but what a bizarre thread for July

Am a bit confused by the separate comments that seem to be running concurrently through this thread. Bit odd?! Loving the comments about parts in plays though. I think it's sad that a child feels they can't audition because of SATs.

The MN knitters/crochet people mainly talk about wool shops, wool we have just bought or wool we have just knitted - with pics. Yarn we already have - with pics, usually on a bed for scale and sometimes as it's the only space big enough for that much yarn.

We also find interesting photos of other people's knitting projects and swap ideas. There's a lot of enabling of wool buying, or pretty needles/ hooks; and encouragement to finish projects for those of us that have trouble with this (I have at least 10 on the go at this time)

My DD got offered the part of Mary when she was at nursery, she turned it down as she wanted to be a shepherd instead.

I was cast as Mary - big singing role.

My friends went on and on at me about how could I bear Timothy Brownley (Joseph) putting his arm round me, how disgusting , how awful etc etc until I went to the teacher and resigned the part.

Guess who went straight to the teacher to ask to be Mary in my sted? Yep, my "friends". Gosh, I was gullible. And still am.

I'm another yarny elfycat

I have absolutely no idea who anyone in the yarn group is on here though :o

Pffffffffffft.

The ones who ALWAYS get lead roles are most often universally detested by their peers. I am happy for DS to be a sheep or a shepherd.

Everyone knows that the best part in the Nativity is the Innkeeper. Especially when they improvise and say "Certainly, Sir- will you be wanting the ensuite?"

My mum was a primary school teacher, and the best school play stories always come from the cock-ups.

When we did the Nativity, the teachers cast Mary and Joseph following a ballot of the class. Mary was predictably blond and popular, but Joseph was an unexpected winner. I was an angel (truly miscasting: I was gawky, geeky, tall and skinny, and brunette. Oh and it wasn't an all-girls school either; the teacher was just enlightened. Or something). My big claim to fame though was that I was asked to write the script. My head was < t h i s b i g >. Shortly before the performance, Mary went down with tonsillitis. You'll never guess who was asked to take over .....? Well, I'd written the script, so I must have known the lines better than anyone, right?

It didn't harm my popularity: I wasn't popular before the Nativity ...

My dd1 was picked to be Mary when she was 6. It was without a doubt one of the most compelling theatre productions i have ever seen and even now 4 years on I can still feel the pride!
She is a very pretty blue eyed blonde girl.
Aibu to still be dining out on this? And no i am not and was not on the pta.

its just a play for children to enjoy, stop it all you pushy mums! (and dads)!

Dd is just about to leave primary school.

Thank the good lord for that.

I have become increasingly curmudgeonly and bolshy about school policies and yes, even about the awarding of parts in plays. For years I was reasonable, took it on the chin (for the dcs) and grinned like hell when they were, erm, water or a (paper) candle bearer or crowd member (at back). As the years have passed, dd has grown in confidence but once a sheep, always a sheep in the school's opinion.

I wish I dared, in dd's final upcoming school show, stand up, roar and lead a riotous procession of the quiet and overlooked pupils to the front of the stage.

At my DDs old primary the teacher read out the parts and then asked those who she had forgot to put their hands up so she could find something for them to do backstage. I do think the parents of the two children missed where right to complain. It's not about being Mary it's about involvement.

the nativity done by my kids nursery seemed quite traditional...at first , and I was the proud mum of Mary who had to ride her donkey ( squeaky tricycle with slightly disturbing stuffed horse head attached) down the centre isle...it only lasted 6 minute - extra joy...and then rather weirdly...the lead carer asked the kids if anyone else would like a go at being Mary - Joseph etc...a shower of small hands followed
a quick on-stage display of vests and pants led to some interesting and largely incomplete costume swaps
and off we went again......the whole production...topped once again by a join in version of twinkle twinkle little star...again.
and then....I suspect you are ahead of me here...they did it again
and again..
by the time Mary was a boy dressed in old curtains
the shepherds had halos
and the squeaky tricycle was beginning to sound like it was the one they used in "the omen"

so no I don’t complain what part my kids get in a production...because when everybody gets all the parts they want...its just ......hilarious..and very very long

Years ago my children went to a school with a very set format for the nativity. The tallest dark haired girl was Mary, the tallest blonde girl was the star, the tallest dark haired boy was Joseph and the tallest blonde boy was the Angel Gabriel. The formula went on with blonde girls being angels, dark haired girls being Kings' servants with very pretty costumes and these were the most popular girls parts as they all wanted to look like Princess Jasmine in Aladdin. Next tallest boy was the Inn Keeper and so it went on. It was great, no arguments.

It was always year 2 children and towards the end of year one people would start to try and work out who would be in all the parts. In fact we were always thinking about the nativity in July but sometimes a growth spurt would prove us all wrong.

Acting's not a fair profession - like, really not! I know we're only talking about kids, so this comment is of course ridiculous, but if they only knew how awful it is for people who are out there actually trying to make money from it... they'd do a lot less bleating about their own kids.

Seriously, though, the lead roles are quite often the boring ones. Better to see what you can do with a minor role and be remembered as the one who stole the show from the lead actors! (Has anyone read anything about Coarse Acting? Excellent book, that...)

this comment is of course ridiculous

Absolutely right.

School plays have nothing to do with actors struggling to make a living.

I see that this thread I started has made it into The Daily Telegraph this morning!

www.telegraph.co.uk/topics/christmas/11273469/Nativity-meltdowns-and-Why-Isnt-My-Child-Mary-Syndrome.html

I hope nobody is showing symptoms now we are in the festive season....!

I chose a Mary for a school nativity once. I picked the child I thought would cope best. It was the infant class, they were in school only a few months and it seemed to make sense.

I think events proved me right, she was fine. However most of the rest of the class became withdrawn or dissolved into tears when their parents arrived to watch. They were half of the choir of angels and getting them to sing on the day was not easy.

Us teachers can never, ever win in these scenarios, however hard we try!

Pud2 you have literally written that article for them!

I know! I should ask for a fee...

Grandson is 5 and this is first Nativity for him. He has been chosen to be an angel! I don't know how the little girls and their parents will feel about this. He does have golden hair, is that why? He doesn't want to be an angel wants to be a sheep!

I was always "in the crowd" :(

The Angel Gabriel was male..