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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

to be disapointed my son watched Frozen in reception class yesterday?

208 replies

Jude76 · 09/10/2014 11:52

I hate to moan but we don't do Disney in our house. Not yet anyway. But yesterday my reception aged child came home singing Frozen after apparently watching it in class as a treat. I just don't feel comfortable with it. Am I being unreasonable?

OP posts:
Wellwellwell3holesintheground · 09/10/2014 12:03

Subversive while still having huge eyes and tiny waists.

Wet play is a fair point - bet it was that.

JustAShopGirl · 09/10/2014 12:04

I would have been a bit miffed - but only because we want to watch it together over the Christmas break -

they showed about a third of the snowman one year and we were waiting to watch that together too... spoiled the magic a bit ....

MindReader · 09/10/2014 12:04

"I just think there are so many better and more interesting things they could be doing. Seriously, it's the first term of school! Surely they haven't run out of fun ideas yet?"

OP - I agree. Let's hope it is just this once this term.

It IS however, a surprisingly good film.

TheStarsLookDown · 09/10/2014 12:04

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

TimeForAnotherNameChange · 09/10/2014 12:04

Teen has a good point - was it over wet play? It's often the lesser of two evils to have a dvd in the hall or class for wet play breaktimes, but I would be unimpressed if the teacher said it was the whole movie during class time just for the hell of it. In fact that simply wouldn't happen. So gently have a quick word with her today and see if you can get to the bottom of it. DVDs are occasionally used as rewards for golden time in our school, if the whole class agrees - 10mins.

StatisticallyChallenged · 09/10/2014 12:04

Agreed Twentythree9teen, it's nice to see a kids film that doesn't rely on the wee woman being saved by her prince Hmm

Stratter5 · 09/10/2014 12:05

Seriously, it's the first term of school! Surely they haven't run out of fun ideas yet?

Well, for most children of that age, watching Frozen is a fun idea. Plus, they are so tiny still, they probably just needed a break. Watching that together was probably a lovely, bonding thing to do, something they'll all have enjoyed, and will have been a treat.

School should be fun. Kids should look forward to going. Watching a heinous Disney film can only help with that.

BarbarianMum · 09/10/2014 12:06

I really don't think they'll have spent the afternoon watching it. Suspect it will have been a wet break thing - put on beside a load of play based options because they couldn't go outside. So its unlikely he'll have seen the whole thing.

Agree with others - if you are going to school educate you will have to accept not all your dc's time will be spent as you would wish (I'd be happy to replace RE for instance). Annoyingly, your dc are unlikely to object to this .

DialsMavis · 09/10/2014 12:08

Is it the fact they watched a film? Or the fact they watched a Disney film?

gingee · 09/10/2014 12:09

Mumsnet is like a parallel universe sometimes.... Your son is not going to be permanently damaged by watching Frozen, also I think 4 yr olds should be allowed plenty of down time at school, hardly like they're practising for their GCSE's is it??

gamescompendium · 09/10/2014 12:09

My DDs love Frozen but it is a PG so maybe not the best choice for a reception class in case there are some sensitive kids who might find some of it scary (DD2 chooses to stand in the hallway when spoiler alert Elsa freezes Anna's heart). Mind you The Rescuers is a U and that's far more terrifying IMHO.

They might not have watched the whole film, my DDs seem to watch parts of films during wet play (we never had such luxuries in the 1970s, we had to play with balls and things in the gym if it was wet), but also watch bits of films for the music or to support that term's theme.

Pipbin · 09/10/2014 12:10

They may have just watched a clip or a song to help inspire some talking or story telling.

Fairylea · 09/10/2014 12:11

In your first post you said you "don't do Disney" - why?

motherinferior · 09/10/2014 12:11

By this point in the term the poor little things are exhausted, IME. A spot of Frozen - which most of them coming from normal households will know and love to a point where their unfortunate parents feel quite homicidal - is just the thing they need.

zoemaguire · 09/10/2014 12:13

I'm amazed at how much tv gets watched in reception and KS1 to be honest - not just films, but also such edifying fare as peppa pig, ben and holly and charlie and lola. I don't feel strongly enough to actively object, but I do raise my eyebrows. Once in a while, fine, but in reality I think it gets brought out too often - it's lazy teaching, just like it is lazy parenting when I do it too often at home! How did our teachers manage 30 years ago? I don't remember any TV for pretty much the whole of primary school except as an extra-special xmas treat. And if it was wet outside, we went out in wellies and raincoats .

Expedititition · 09/10/2014 12:13

You have no idea under what circumstances they watched it. Perhaps they watched a couple of songs in music. Or used a clip for literacy. Or watched 20 minutes for wet play.

I NEVER watch films in my lessons. Personally it bores me to tears and I find it more stressful keeping 30 children quiet for an hour and half film than teaching. But, I use films in literacy and songs from Disney in music. My class probably go home and tell their parents that they watched Mary Poppins when in fact we looked at the adjectives in Favourite Things. Meh. I get excellent results and outstanding lesson observations.

Pipbin · 09/10/2014 12:15

Frozen but it is a PG so maybe not the best choice for a reception

You are only meant to show a U really. Jaws is a PG! Once I put on ET for a class (last day of term, and they had been working towards points for it.) and although it's a U one child calls another 'penis breath'!

Even if they did watch the whole thing it might have been a treat that the class have been earning behaviour points towards.

LindyHemming · 09/10/2014 12:15

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Original poster
Jude76 · 09/10/2014 12:15

No I haven't seen it. I don't particularly want to get into why cos I don't want to sound like I'm judging anyone who does like the films. Different strokes for different folks and all that. And, yes I realise I sound like a nutter, but we do watch other TV, honest. Cbeebies...

It's just the fact he was watching it in school. I sort of expected better. It seems like a lazy, easy option. Seriously, these kids are bursting with curiosity - they can be amused by so much, so easily. Is that the best the teachers could come up with?

OP posts:
farewellfigure · 09/10/2014 12:15

Jude we didn't want to 'do' Disney either, but I think it's inevitable. Our inlaws bought everything Disney for their DS. He had Disney clothes, toys, room, the lot. We didn't really want to hand over any money for Disney 'stuff' so we didn't watch any of their films for years. We're more relaxed now though and there are some great Disney films out there. I see where you're coming from, but maybe you'll have to give in eventually.

As for watching a film in school, it's a bit surprising but maybe the teacher needed some down-time, or there was a staffing crisis or something. DS told me yesterday they watch a film during wet play. I was similarly surprised but I guess it makes life easier for the staff.

HalfTheSky · 09/10/2014 12:16

Our school's reception classes have just done a whole week's project on Frozen, which included watching some of it on Friday. "The children have had a very exciting week linking our learning to the theme Frozen. We have been working in our Elsa shape shop using mathematical language related to shape and money. In Literacy, we have been listening to and identifying the different sounds in our environment." etc etc. The children did then get to watch some of the film at the end of the Friday afternoon.

CadleCrap · 09/10/2014 12:18

Let it go. Clean your thousands of salad plates and build a snowman.

It was probably used as a down time, they are very young and need a bit of a rest. Also it could help some littlies to get used to the social non interaction of a film iyswim

Original poster
Jude76 · 09/10/2014 12:19

BTW, I totally love the teachers so far and hate to moan cos they have been brill. Apparently they watched is cos one of the teachers was leaving yesterday and they were having a leaving party. She got to chose a film...

OP posts:
WhistlingPot · 09/10/2014 12:19

Now if it had been Disney Winnie the Pooh, you would definitely not be BU.

PfftTheMagicDraco · 09/10/2014 12:21

It's a bloody rubbish film.

And I'd be annoyed at them watching a film. It's not even half term yet!