Alcohol at primary school disco

[tiredoutgran]

or am I just being a miserable old fart? My children attend a primary school that has mainly 'well heeled' families. There is to be a welcome disco for the reception families with the whole school invited, the invite states that alcohol will be available or you can bring your own. Am I wrong in thinking that alcohol does not belong at what is essentially a party for children. I get the impression that all the parents will be sat glugging beer or wine and chatting away whilst totally ignoring what their children are doing. Don't get me wrong, if you have a family/friends party at home and have the odd glass of wine then that is different but I really think that at this sort of thing the booze should be kept out of it.

My DC's school serve wine/beer at events children attend (bingo/summer bbq). No one has ever got drink, or even merry. Maybe this is because the wine is rank, and they chill it all, even the red.

Having to actually stay for a school disco sounds like some sort of living hell though. No wonder people were bringing their own!

Down, I was addressing your post where you described people with social phobias as "not enjoying the setting". And my "willpower comment was on Worra's dieter analogy.

I am not saying anything about what anyone has to do to overcome anything.

I am simply pointing out that the inclusion of alcohol at a Reception disco can lead to some children being excluded from the event. I'd rather have them there than have a drink.

Bloody hell, there would be no PTA at our school if alcohol wasn't allowed at the meetings!!! (Head enjoys a glass too!!)

The bar always makes the most money at any fundraiser, I think thats well known, long may it continue!!

I am simply pointing out that the inclusion of alcohol at a Reception disco can lead to some children being excluded from the event. I'd rather have them there than have a drink.

As can a million and one other things...

Like what? I would be happy to forgo the raffle at the First School Disco as well if it meant more kids.

Making it a coffee morning. Not going to work for people who work.

Like their parents being too busy to take them/younger siblings who don't want to go/parents who work shifts...the possibilities are endless.

It's just a nice but unnecessary get together for parents and kids.

For a whole multitude of reasons, some will attend and some won't.

I'm sure you'd be happy to stand on your head and sing Yellow Submarine 'if it meant more kids', but I can assure you in the grand scheme of things it won't make a jot of difference to anyone.

Those are outside circumstances, not something that the school has added. Do you not think that the school should make the first school disco as inclusive as possible?

I have been told in the past that my posting style can come across as combative when I don't mean it to be.

I'm sorry if that is what has happened here. I just wanted to point out that I don't think the OP is BU. I don't think that alcohol is appropriate or necessary to a first school disco. And I can see why not having it there would be a better idea for the children starting school.

Dione your posting style is just fine, don't ever apologise for it!

We just disagree that's all. I guess also, different experience comes into play on threads like this too but it's always an interesting debate.

Cheers!

[drink]

Our school has never mixed alcohol with a kids event either. I'm a bit on the fence with it, but think if forced to choose, I'd rather it stayed that way.

I'm finding this thread interesting and TBH I sit on the fence. Alcohol is served at my DCs primary at various events and I am slightly about it. The reason is that, IMO, alcohol has a bigger part in society than it should do. I will admit that there have been times in my life when I have had a low level of dependence. I've also embarrassed myself whilst drunk. Alcohol is getting harder to avoid as there is a lot of social pressure to drink. It is poisonous and has a major adverse affect upon society as a whole. It is fine whilst controlled but it is just so easy for drinking to get out of control. Somehow, I think that having alcohol in schools perpetuates the normality of it. On the other hand, things that are "bad" are so much more attractive and therefore letting kids see that alcohol can be managed sensibly might teach kids that alcohol can be managed responsibly and make them less likely to go out at 13 and get trollied.

fletcher but alcohol is normal for the majority of the UK population, so what is the problem with "perpetuating the normality"? That's like saying you should not have meat at school barbecues, because some people don't eat meat and if you eat excessive meat there are health risks.

Our primary sells mulled wine at the Winter Fair and bottled beer, wine, and Pimms at the Summer Party. It makes a shedload of money for the PTA and I have never seen anyone the worse for wear.

Oh, and the school has a large Muslim population. But get this: the Muslim parents don't drink the alcohol themselves but don't mind that we do. How crazy is that? They come to the church services too (CofE school).

Down Corporal punishment used to be normal in schools too. It didn't make it ok.

Am I the only one on here thinking that the scenario described by lem earlier sounds like a fun night?

[runs and hides from teacher at back of classroom hoping not to get noticed]

But Fletcher unless you think alcohol is likely to outlawed by government, (so schools should be ahead of the curve) then the corporal punishment analogy isn't relevant. Unless the Daily Mail is correct and the UK will be a Caliphate in the next few years, then alcohol is here to stay. It is therefore a normal part of life in the UK.

The point I was trying to make is that although something is normal it isn't necessarily OK.
I don't have strong feelings on the matter but I genuinely believe that alcohol is a problem in today's society. Sometimes I wish that I were not surrounded by it. I like it a lot.