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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

chair rage at the leavers concert...

140 replies

Frogisatwat · 18/07/2014 17:21

I arrived at my sons leavers assembly. On time. No chairs available so I thought ok so we stand... fine. The teachers then brought out a lot more chairs and put them in front of the existing front row. So I could now have a seat.
Cue all the people who were now in the second row diving forward. I managed to get two chairs before they were all taken completely by the moving second row and a mother looked at me and shouted 'but I got here early so I could film it!!!' and tried to pinch my chairs. So I told her tough shit and it was my chair. Except I didn't say tough shit. I was slightly more eloquent.
Was I unreasonable? If it were me I wouldn't have dreamt of moving forward when the standees had been given seats.

OP posts:
NewtRipley · 19/07/2014 12:27

The school messed up, but it's just one of those things. I have witnessed this scenario too., but life really is too short for chair rage.

wellthatsdoneit · 19/07/2014 12:55

I'm late for everything. I'd never dream of taking a chair in the front row when others had obviously got there before me so they could get a good seat. Shocking bad form of the school to lay out another row of seats in front of the original front row - were they trying to start a bun fight?

It's like rounding a corner and nipping into a car parking space before someone who's been waiting patiently for it to open up. Fastest way to get punched in the face on a Saturday afternoon I reckon.

Original poster
Frogisatwat · 19/07/2014 13:02

I didn't take a chair. I sat on a new chair that a teacher put out for the 'on timers'

OP posts:
NewtRipley · 19/07/2014 13:17

Meh

I don't thinkmanyone was massively in the wrong here.

The school misjudged the chair numbers and positioning - i am sure they didn't set out to piss anyone off.

You took a chair that was there - it would be a bit impracticable to wit for everyone in the second row to lamber forward

The people who were pissed off in the second row were withing their rights to huff a bit and maybe try and get a seat in the first row, but it isn't worth that much stress

Hopefully the school will have learned to leave space at the back nex time

NewtRipley · 19/07/2014 13:17

Sorry about typos

scottishmummy · 19/07/2014 13:25

Of course frog did nothing wrong,how funny
I did once sit seat end of row,with pashmina artfully draped to Bagsie it
Oh that's soandso seat said she.where is soandso I asked?along later I was told.In that case I remained seated

Pagwatch · 19/07/2014 13:29

Of course you did nothing wrong Frog!

To take the idea that the previous front row should have climbed forward to its natural conclusion would have had every row in the hall moving one row forward.
What nonsense.
A bunch of adult whining about one person sitting in front of them because the school misjudged numbers.

Original poster
Frogisatwat · 19/07/2014 13:33

Now that would have been hilarious pag!
I can imagine everyone elbowing forward a row!

OP posts:
Original poster
Frogisatwat · 19/07/2014 13:35

And I wasn't late!!! I turned up on time after dropping my children in the yard at the permitted time and walking to the hall. Which is why I asked what the hour long queue - ers did with their children!!

OP posts:
Pagwatch · 19/07/2014 13:36

It would be fab.
I'm surprised row 2 were not more assertive. Wimps.
Grin

Kimaroo · 19/07/2014 13:37

From a TA's point of view it was hilarious when this happened at our school as the original front row had forced their way into the hall before they were allowed, bagsied the chairs as they were being put out and sat for 45 minutes before the rest of the well-behaved parents walked in at the correct time. At the point when the new row was put out , there were screams from the original front row, chairs flying, empty pram knocked over, shrieks of "SAVE ME ONE" from someone who was a split-second behind everyone else, while the people who had just walked in looked on in amusement and quietly took any vacated seats they could find. Not a pretty sight really.

andsmile · 19/07/2014 13:40

YANBU - you had no choice

School YABU

Rude women YABU but can see her POV

scottishmummy · 19/07/2014 13:43

I don't go to all the events,but sounds v funny
School should just make it free for all,Xmas sale style.throw door open...and run
Survival of fittest,the lame,and polite at back.elbows oot,and PTA pushers at front

andsmile · 19/07/2014 13:44

Aw SM hello there, why dont you go to all events?

scottishmummy · 19/07/2014 13:46

Because I/we are working.no biggie they know we don't attend all events

windchime · 19/07/2014 13:48

I got chair rage at sports day. The early birds sat on the front row and us shiftworkers latecomers stood at the back. We had a brilliant view until the front row, then all the rows behind, stood to watch every race. Bastards.

tiredbutstillsmiling · 19/07/2014 13:55

Makes me glad in someways that I'm a teacher and I'll never be able to see DD in any of her school events - can't be bothered with all these playground squabbles and politics!

FeministStar · 19/07/2014 14:04

New seats should be added at the back. This was the case when more seats were needed (for latecomers!) at the year 6 leavers assembly the other day.

TheFairyCaravan · 19/07/2014 14:04

It would have been funny if she had gone scrabbling for a chair in the front, not got one, her chair in row 2 been sat in so she had to stand at the back!

When DS1 was in Yr6 the HT asked him if I'd like a chair reserving in the front row as I am disabled. She did it every concert, play etc until DS2 left, I could feel the daggers in my back every time as we came in to the hall on time and took our seats in the front row!

HouseofEliot · 19/07/2014 14:21

I have friends with children in most years. My children go to my old school. There is always someone I know who will watch them for me and I do the same for them. The major things at our school are usually afternoons and evenings so my children wait with me or go into the school early.

MrRedAndBlue · 19/07/2014 14:22

yanbu

unless seats have been reserved no one has a right to them

and not everyone wants sit in the front row, so they are not necessarily the 'best' seats. I have tended to sit near the back in these even though i usually arrive early

pigsinmud · 19/07/2014 14:34

Yanbu. I think the people that moved forward look daft. Personally I prefer to be in the back row - can stand then if I can't see. There is no way I would have moved forward.

I hate school events. I have noticed a big change in the behaviour of parents since ds1 started school 12 years ago. Now people quite happily stand up 3 rows back and block everyone else's view; stand their small child on a chair so child has better view; hold ipads up to film;actually have a conversation on a mobile during assembly. I find it depressing. In fact I am shocked by the number of parents who chat through assemblies/concerts etc..

BoiledPiss · 19/07/2014 14:39

People who sit in the front row, blocking everyones view, with a massive fucking video camera, should be forcibly removed...

YWNU, you were doing as asked by the school.

At DS's school parents were asked not to video as they blocked others' view, a lady sat in front of me and filmed the whole thing... The rules clearly didnt apply to her.

People are fucking rude, you were not one of them OP

TinklyLittleLaugh · 19/07/2014 14:55

I have only bothered to queue for front row seats once, when DC had a big part in year six. When we got in to the hall the two front rows were reserved for staff. When I politely pointed this out to an elderly couple who swanned in to claim their seats, I was smugly informed that they were one of the teacher's parents. Not sure why they felt that entitled them to sit in front of performing children's parents.

WalkingThePlank · 19/07/2014 17:43

I'm someone who queues early to attempt to get a front row seat in order to avoid having to view the performance through someone else's iPad or having to dodge around the heads of governors and their extended families. However, if a new row was placed in front of me I wouldn't jump forward. The people in the original front row should just have to suck it up. I have a vague memory that something like this happened in the past to us - I probably looked like I was sucking lemons but it would have been ungracious to scramble forward.

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