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AIBU?

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See all MNHQ comments on this thread

Original poster

To think Myleene Klass will win no friends with this...

500 replies

CarlaVeloso · 05/02/2015 11:46

www.telegraph.co.uk/news/celebritynews/11391753/Myleene-Klass-Ill-be-collecting-unicorn-money-for-my-daughters-birthday.html

She has tweeted two emails from mothers at her daughter's school asking for cash donations for their children's birthday parties. She's changed their names but clearly they are still recognisable to anyone with children in that class and presumably the whole school will know about it nowthat it's been published in the papers and online.

I agree the emails are completely crass and I would privately think the same but they haven't committed any crime or sent her an expletive-filled rant about something. I opened it expecting to see a request for an actual kindle when they are just suggesting £10. Crass, vulgar, materialistic etc etc, yes, but I think her response (shaming them publicly) is really nasty and may not win her or her DD any friends at the school gate.

OP posts:
vindscreenviper · 05/02/2015 21:03

In true MN style I commented on this without even checking my sources. I have just looked at the offending tweet and realised she has 460,000 followers.

She invited 460,000 people to join her in sneering at two women who probably thought they were helping out their friends. Lovely.

If she wants to spearhead a crusade against the commercialisation of childhood she could bin the catalogue adverts for a start.

Enough27 · 05/02/2015 21:04

Answers to PPs - she did not come every day, and I was told that she alerted paparazzi, by mothers in the class. But could just be the rumour mill, yes, I don't have that first hand. But I know the school stopped it because lots of parents complained about it. And the photographers stopped coming. They had never come before for the 'bigger' celebrities at the school, only when she started sending her daughters here.

CarlaVeloso · 05/02/2015 21:12

This reply has been deleted

Message deleted by MNHQ. Here's a link to our Talk Guidelines.

FamiliesShareGerms · 05/02/2015 21:15

I'd be happy to chip into a group present, and have often done so. The email wasn't worded brilliantly but it did make clear that it wasn't compulsory though I don't begrudge wedding lists so what do I know

It also wasn't compulsory to slag off parents of your DD's friends to the world at large, it's just vindictive and a form of female bullying. No wonder people dread the "school gate mum" stuff

TheChandler · 05/02/2015 21:19

Surely if you don't want to be slagged of about something, don't send an email to a bunch of people about the thing you want to be kept secret/silent?

Whats wrong with commenting on social issues? This sort of thing does happen, where is the compulsory binding agreement to keep it secret? Would someone less famous than Mylene be "allowed" to comment on their blog about it, only read by about 20 people? But a celebrity cannot, they are supposed to stay schtum?

Where are these rules kept and why are they not in the same place as the ones about not asking for money?

Southeastdweller · 05/02/2015 21:38

Surely if you don't want to be slagged of about something, don't send an email to a bunch of people about the thing you want to be kept secret/silent?

But MK's 'audience' is much, much bigger than most. I doubt any of them would think she'd do what she did.

Bodicea · 05/02/2015 22:03

Can't stand her. Mum mum bought be a copy of her baby book. It was the most self obsessed shite. She acts like she is the only person to ever have a baby. She is a proffesional "mother" these days. Must have done it for publicity to to remind everyone what an awsome mum she still is.

Mehitabel6 · 05/02/2015 22:14

I think that if people are grabby enough to ask they deserve all they get!

Bluepants · 05/02/2015 22:30

I actually think that at a London private school (disclaimer we aren't at one so I can't be certain!) that this behaviour is pretty much ok. With that environment in mind...

-£10 is cheap. I'm sure most/lots would spend more than that on a present at that school.

-Those kids probably have every toy they could possibly want anyway. It's better for everybody (and the environment) for them to get a kindle/desk rather than 15xplastic fantastic presents.

-It was made pretty clear that participation was optional. To avoid receiving reminders, all she needed to do was reply "thanks but we've already got Sarah/Lola a present."

-I should think the school are very embarrassed. I don't know which school it is but I'm sure people in the vicinity and current/prospective parents know.

-If you don't like something these days, instead of sorting it out, people seem to broadcast the problem. I cringed for everyone involved on all sides when I read it.

-her poor poor daughters. Will they get any more party invites?

Mehitabel6 · 05/02/2015 22:36

If they have so much it would be much simpler to tell them to come without a present!

Mehitabel6 · 05/02/2015 22:37

Her daughters will get invites from the other parents who think it rude and grabby. I wouldn't spend as much as £10 on a party present.

fridascruffs · 05/02/2015 23:03

I thought the mums w ere perfectly sensible, I discourage my dcs from having whole class parties these days because I dread the tidal wave of plastic tat in the house.

Bambambini · 05/02/2015 23:10

I think in that circle most would spend possibly much more than a tenner a present. A tenner from me seems like the cheap end, hard to get a decent present for a tenner so they probably don't see it as grabby at all but sensible.

I think they think they are helping by limiting the price to just a tenner (most folk bring presents whatever and some always go OTT) and getting something useful rather than lots of stuff the kids don't need. I'd be ok with this if someone (not parents) organised this and the child was getting one useful, wanted present.

kennyp · 05/02/2015 23:11

someone i know but am definitely not friends with asked the parents of the kids in her childs class to give her monsoon vouchers for her daughters 7th birthday party.

i was gobsmacked.

myclean arse or whatever her name is is someone i'd cross the road to avoid and she's going to be Ms Unpopular in the playground (am sure she hangs arond there in her onesie in the mornings) having sold leaked her story to the bloody papers. (obviously she'd cross the road just to talk to me though)

vindscreenviper · 05/02/2015 23:21

She invited 460,000 people to share her sneer at a private email.

In what context is that not bullying?

sleepywombat · 06/02/2015 00:43

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

sugarman · 06/02/2015 06:33

Carlo you assume a lot. Clearly you hate MK, we get it, but making stuff up to strengthen your argument isn't working. Your posts are very
bitter, school yard gossip in tone.

Heysham1 · 06/02/2015 06:35

I've yet to see one parent sharing the view that perhaps there could be a 'no present' policy at a party. If a child is lucky enough to have a large party with all classmates, family and friends invited, maybe they don't need 30 little presents or lots of cards with cash inside. Perhaps it's simply enough to enjoy playing with friends and eating cake - rather than fretting over duplicate gifts and whether enough money has been 'raised'.
Plus, dare I say it - if you have no intention of sending 'thank-you' cards (and I don't mean on Facebook), then don't expect or request any gifts.
Your child's birthday should be a happy, family affair - nothing more.

Mehitabel6 · 06/02/2015 07:27

It seems very sensible just to have a nice party without presents if you don't want lots of 'plastic tat'.

FamiliesShareGerms · 06/02/2015 07:40

Parents (unsurprisingly) unhappy about MK's rant...

I agree presents aren't necessary - but they are also nice! It's nice to exchange gifts! It's little interactions like that that make us human (and I enjoy giving as much, if not more, than receiving)

Graciescotland · 06/02/2015 07:46

I always thought children liked to buy each other plastic tat. I let DS1 age 4 choose the present/ card/ wrapping paper and it adds to the build up. I'd be happy enough to give ten pounds/ put towards a larger gift/ buy something off an amazon wish list or whatever is easier for the hosts. I think whole class parties are quite nice when the DC are little as it enables everyone to get to know each other especially the working mums who get left out of the school gate stuff.

bleedingheart · 06/02/2015 07:52

I sometimes think I live in a parallel universe. Where I am, average spend on a school friend's birthday present is £5. My child always sends thank you notes and has received personal thank you notes from 80% of the children we have bought for.
We are in an 'economically deprived' catchment.

I think the email is a tad crass, although I'd rather club together and buy a useful present for someone, so I don't mind the theory.

Myleene has been far more crass, though, in inviting people to ridicule and judge the parents of her daughter's peers. They obviously can't be of any use to her. Perhaps she'll stop advertising Playstations and transformer toys at ??% APR for Christmas if she hates all this commercialisation?

Hypocritical and fame-seeking. Hanging on the coat tails of the dad who was asked to pay for the place at the party his son didn't attend.

bleedingheart · 06/02/2015 07:56

If it is true that she asked those who challenged her about her publication of the email to 'talk to her in private' then she really is having a laugh!

Hmmn, it's not nice to be challenged and ridiculed in public is it, Myleene?

I don't understand her trying to re-brand herself as the voice of reason, as another poster said. When she supposedly 'took down' Ed Milliband, he didn't look shell-shocked he just looked confused as how to argue with someone who wasn't very bright without looking like a bully.

dexter73 · 06/02/2015 07:56

FamiliesShareGerms - just read the article to linked to and MK didn't like being confronted in the playground and "Myleene is said to have shouted back: “If you’ve got a problem with it, talk to me in private.”" Shame she didn't show the same courtesy to the people whose email she objected to.

kungfupannda · 06/02/2015 08:04

FamiliesShareGerms Fri 06-Feb-15 07:40:51
Parents (unsurprisingly) unhappy about MK's rant...

I looked at that link. I'm a little surprised that MNHQ seem to have tweeted agreement. Whatever you think about the original email request (and I still think it was from a third party - I don't see how it can be read as being from the parents of the children in question) I wouldn't have thought MNHQ would want to support someone in humiliating other parents in a school environment, where there is a real risk of fallout for the children.

She posted a private email relating to small children (anonymised in a slightly crap way) across the internet. If someone at our school did this, I would imagine our HT would be hauling the offender into the office to explain, in great detail, the expectations that the school has in terms of parental behaviour.

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