'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?

Of course you don't care who plays Mary if it's always your child doing it. But for the rest of us, it's tedious watching the same child get to 'showcase their talents' over and over. And sport isn't the same at all. You don't need to have any inherent talent to 'wear a blue length of curtain and grip a tiny tears doll' but being chosen for the best part in the nativity can be a huge confidence booster for some kids, even the non speaking parts.

andsmile,
On CV, under previous achievements:-

Mary in School Nativity.

Our old ks1 teacher had it down to a fine art.

Reception kids; animals, minor parts, "orchestra"
Yr1; shepherds, dancers, innkeepers, minor speaking roles.
Yr2; mary, Joseph, kings, narrators, major speaking parts, solo's (dance, singing, music).

Then she left and yes, it's the governors/PTA kids, same ones every year.

effin,
I don't think you have to have any talent to play Mary. Mary doesn't have to say anything - she just sits there rocking a tiny tears doll!
I've seen shepherds and angels have better speaking parts.

micah, that's the fairest way I've ever seen, shame she had to leave!

As a parent you know that not every child can be Mary or Joseph, but at the sametime it's only natural that parents get peeved when it's the same kids given the big parts.x

limitedperiod - well perhaps audition wasn't the right word, but all Y6 pupils had the chance to "try out" for the part they wanted. Everyone would read a few lines, and try to show they weren't going to get stage fright.

School thought it was fair to do it this way.

Every school production was cast the same way, but the nativity always caused the most complaints apparently!

As a parent you know that not every child can be Mary or Joseph, but at the sametime it's only natural that parents get peeved when it's the same kids given the big parts.x

As a parent you know that not every child can be Mary or Joseph, but at the sametime it's only natural that parents get peeved when it's the same kids given the big parts.x

I think is probably a PFB thing of deluded parents...and you would hope that the pushiness would wear off and reality and acceptance would set in. When my oldest's class moved from infant school (19 in the year) to middle school (90 in the year) - my friend was gutted that her PFB wasnt elected for the footie team - so decided to make an appointment with the headmaster to discuss this decision. She told me this with no sense of self awareness. I was pmsl inside - no idea how the meeting went - never needed to ask as never saw him on the team sheet - and she never mentioned it again. I do find it mind blowing that a head teacher with 400+ should have to waste his time in this way.

My DS is the same re sports as your DD Laqueen

A sudden interest in football and trying to play with the footy lads after years of not playing (yr3) has led to tears this week - someone told him he was no go. I had to use all my mummy powers to give the pep talk of my life so far

LaQueen, you do realise that these things aren't broadcast on prime time tv, don't you? I mean, surely all that any parent wants out of a school production is to see kids being cute on stage. They don't need to 'project', they don't need to be 'a safe pair of hands', they don't even need to learn their lines ffs - it's. a. school. play.

Typical amdram pov.

All school governors including parent ones get front row seats at productions. The rest of us can't see a thing

Why? Are they all giants?

I always got shoved at the back of the choir with a drum

My mum always told me how proud she was of me but I knew there was no way she could have seen me, I was purposely hidden by cruel teachers.

The point is it's healthy isnt it laqueen my DS can actually hold his own on a tennis court. He can swim quite alright.

It's good for kids to accept they are not perfect - this is true of people and life. To keep going for pure enjoyment and participation are good values to have.

Im always very wary of some parents who seem to think things are so v v important. Im positively cynical in fact. We know a couple who do all the rounds with activities their DD does 4 structred activites per week one of which is stage school (3hours) she is always 'performing' whenever we do anything. She has not go it at all and when she realises she is not as good as her parents big her up to be she is going to be an unhappy little girl.

DD2 is shit at sport. We know it. She knows it.

LaQueen you brought up a traumatic memory. I was 13 and a stripling. I was doing the 400 metres. I was pitched against a fat girl. I felt smugly confident.

I was doing well up about 150m then she sailed past. It was like I was going backwards and she wasn't. I trailed in somewhere like nowhere. I think darkness was falling by the time I crossed the finish line.

limited

LaQ

Mary? I'd have been happy with them not being in the back row of the choir or the rear end of a camel!

To be honest DS hs always had a speaking part but not a main part. I admit to sitting there thinking well that's all very well for little Kylie to be over performing her little heart out, but sit their content knowing DS is doing more than alright elsewhere which will serve him much better in the future and given him more choices than the lead in the play.