To think this was a bit tactless of the teacher

[callherwillow]

The teacher in question referred to friends daughter (Year 4) as 'bonny'. I realise that there are areas of the country where this is just a compliment without any other connotations but here it essentially means 'fat.'

The friends DD was a few minutes late due to helping set up the assembly and upon entering had gone to sit with her friends and was stopped by the teacher who tried to steer her to the year 6s and when she politely explained she was in year 4 the teacher commented (in a whole school assembly where the children could all hear her) 'well, you are a very bonny girl for year 4, aren't you?'

Not the teachers finest hour, I don't think?

Oh, for heavens sake! Who'd be a teacher? She meant the child was big for her age, but in a complimentary way - thriving, blooming. If you really don't like it, have a quiet word with the teacher to settle any misunderstandings.

Am I the only one confused as to whether toodles' post is some kind of double bluff irony or actually a determined bid to win this particular closely-fought Contest of the Stupids?

www.oxforddictionaries.com/definition/english/bonny

'Bonny' can mean 'plump and healthy' ~ when referring to a baby that's not the same as 'fat'
But if you feel she was being unkind or offensive ~ then talk to her about it.

Fat kids come at all ages. This obviously meant that she was a "big girl" for Year 4. Is she?

Is it bonny or bonnie, and does your region affect the spelling?

Bonny is usually referring to big babies where I'm from. Bonny babies are usually big for their age but not always fat.

I kind of get the feeling we've covered all this ground

But "Not the teachers finest hour, I don't think?" is inexcusably bad grammar. Does this woman have children of her own? Shouldn't they be removed to a place safe from such ignorance?

Teachers are human.

OP I just don't understand your post. If, as you say, bonny has different meanings to different people then who's to say that the teacher in question didn't mean it as in big/ tall for year 4? You are judging her on what you believe bonny to mean

I do think she meant 'big for year 4.'

I don't think this was tactful, or kind.

But I'm not going to waste another 24 hours on it, either!

She obviously didn't mean fat as just because a child is fat dosnt meant they look older. She probably meant tall or generally larger, no biggy x

Bouncy Bobby baby springs to mind when.I hear the word Bonny.

In the north it means beautiful with no shade of meaning fat at all.

Maybe all the other children in year 4 in that school are munters.

I think you are looking to be offended op. Lots of posters have told you Bonny doesn't mean fat. To me it means healthy, robust, glowing.

Were you there?
We're u told by your child?
If so and if it was indeed in front of the whole school teachers included then I'm sure it's already been addressed by the school by adults who were there.
Is it tactless to call anyone fat (if that's definetly what she meant), yes, but surely you didn't need a MN thread to tell you that

I don't think bonny is a perfect synonym for fat anywhere in the country - or do children in your part of the world bully others by calling them bonny, OP? Fat implies unhealthy and unattractive in most people's minds, whereas bonny implies robust, healthy and agreeable in most people's minds, even if it does also mean plump. Your reaction to the choice of word gives the very strong impression, OP, that you think the girl is fat in the negative sense, hence finding the comment thoughtless. People haven't always found plumpness so very unattractive.

Bonny=thin (in my area of south east) 😳

OP is your dd fat?

If the teacher had called her bonny and she'd been thin would you still be thinking she was calling her fat?

Personally I've never heard the term 'bonny' used in a pejorative way.

Good grief.

Dictionary definition

"bonnie
1.
attractive or beautiful.
"a bonny lass"
synonyms: beautiful, attractive, handsome, pretty, gorgeous, good-looking, nice-looking, well favoured, fetching, prepossessing, ravishing, stunning; lovely, nice, sweet, cute, appealing, endearing, adorable, lovable, charming, dear, darling, delightful, winsome, winning; blooming, bouncing, healthy, fine; informaldivine, drop-dead gorgeous, easy on the eye, adorbs; informalbeaut; literarybeauteous; archaicfair, comely, taking
"did you ever see such a bonny baby?"

Yes, we have had several dictionary definitions.

Obviously I am wrong and it has no other meanings. We're all a bit simple in these parts.

I'm just wondering if you're frothing over the use of this word because your dd is fat and you're sensitive about it?

I have two fat kids. One skinny one. They're all gorgeous.

No I'm not frothing, mini

RTFT.