Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. A phone that grows with your child.

Meet the Other Phone.
A phone that grows with your child.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To not dress my son up for World Book Day

36 replies

Saydeesunshine1994 · 27/02/2017 09:41

Ds is in nursery, and the whole school is dressing up as either Wally or Wanda for World Book Day, Ds doesn't want to (he wants to dress up as the dog from Room on the Broom), he's never "read" the where's wally books although he has a wide collection of books and is read to every night which he really enjoys. We've shown him the costume, told him his friends will be dressing up too and he is adamant that he doesn't want to. AIBU to not force him to wear it? We have nothing suitable to make one so it will mean going and buying things. I don't really want to have a massive power struggle on something that in my opinion doesn't matter.

OP posts:
zippey · 27/02/2017 09:43

I don't think it matters. There will be children who don't dress up for WBD. I wouldn't force the poor bugger.

JonesyAndTheSalad · 27/02/2017 09:45

YANBU but take it with you. When he gets there, don't be surprised if he has a full on tantrum and wants to be like everyone else.

My DD did this in reception on Pyjama day...would NOT wear them.

Got to school...devestated. Luckily a friend had a spare set! She got changed and was happy.

2014newme · 27/02/2017 09:48

Let him be the dog
I can't understand how where's wally is anything to do with reading.

SmellySphinx · 27/02/2017 09:50

Dress him up as the dog from Room on the Broom, bit of facepaint will do. Or does he not want to dress up at all? Sorry but confused... anyway, who cares what the theme is for the class! Besides, can hardly play "where's Wally" or "where's wanda" when the room is full of 'em! Would last all of 2 seconds.

I sent my little girl into nursery once with very mismatched shoes which she was adament she was wearing. The key worker asked if I knew she was wearing odd shoes, I said yep, would have been late if I had challenged it, she wants to look daft so be it, ha!

SmellySphinx · 27/02/2017 09:50

Bit* not but

SmellySphinx · 27/02/2017 09:51

Wally has a dog anyway doesn't he so he won't look too out of place

Myfanwyprice · 27/02/2017 09:52

I was going to say let him go as the dog from where's wally too.

Essexmum69 · 27/02/2017 09:54

Forget the "costume", just send him in a pair of jeans and a stripped T shirt. One of mine would never dress up, I just used to choose normal clothes that vaguely looked like a character. He was harry with his bucket of dinosaurs for several years, then in juniors wore black and white as Greg from Diary of a wimpy kid.

SparklyUnicornPoo · 27/02/2017 09:56

Send him in as the dog if that's what he wants to wear. If not, normal clothes, there's no point forcing him to dress as wheres wally when he doesn't want to. Its not even a proper book imo.

I've sent mine in in odd socks, mismatched shoes, wellies and a tutu, all sorts. Her keyworker was of the opinion that as long as her clothes were suitable for the weather it was fine.

Original poster
Saydeesunshine1994 · 27/02/2017 10:00

I'll try and see what I've got that'll pass to take with me just in case! My main worry is that he'll get to school and see everyone dressed up and feel left out Sad . We would just let him be the dog but partner rang school and they're not budging. It's Wally or school uniform. It's not just his class! The whole school is going as Wally or Wanda Hmm . They've apparently done this so it will be easier but I'm half thinking it's some sort of pr stunt for themselves.

OP posts:
Original poster
Saydeesunshine1994 · 27/02/2017 10:05

I'm sure Wally has a dog Grin maybe that'll be a good compromise

OP posts:
Ilovewillow · 27/02/2017 10:06

I would let him go in uniform if that's what he wants but maybe take a costume just in case he changes his mind. As an aside if pisses me off world boy day should be about highlighting the fun and joy in books, if you are pressurising children to go dressed in costume for a book you haven't read or maybe even heard off what is the point?

IamFriedSpam · 27/02/2017 10:07

YANBU. Seems to defeat the point a little if everyone has to dress as the same characters (I thought the point was that they choose a specific character they really like). Also not fair on parents as they're much less likely to be able to cable together an outfit from stuff they already have. If he normally wears uniform I'd send him in his own clothes, otherwise don't sweat it I'm sure lots won't be dressed up.

Ilovewillow · 27/02/2017 10:07

Book day not boy day although that would be easier in sure!

JonesyAndTheSalad · 27/02/2017 10:08

I think they sometimes do this to stop a flurry of superheroes and princesses OP. Where's Wally is a crap choice though.

Just buy a red top and paint white stripes on it..or a white one and paint red on it. A red bobble hat will do if you can't add a stripe.

nancy75 · 27/02/2017 10:10

Surely the schoo are totally missing the point of world book day? Isn't the idea to encourage kids to love reading by letting them choose and dress up as a character from THEIR favourite book. Has Where's Wally even got any words in it?

ofudginghell · 27/02/2017 10:15

My nearly 7 ur old dd really doesn't like dressing up for world book day and as soon as the letter comes out she starts about not dressing up.
She will go in either normal uniform or normal clothes.
If she doesn't want to dress up I'm not hoing to force her

Mountainsofmothermadness · 27/02/2017 10:15

Nancy - only if you count the list of things to find on each page

spiderlight · 27/02/2017 10:17

Is Wally a thing this year? Our school are doing it as well - all the Infants to go in as Wally and the Juniors to create their own superhero costume Hmm

Original poster
Saydeesunshine1994 · 27/02/2017 10:17

Thanks! I really hope so, I did overhear a few of the other parents moaning so you never know. I really wouldn't mind putting money, time and energy into a costume as long as it was something he was interested in, it really does seem like that they've lost sight of what World Book Day is meant to be Sad it's a shame because this is the one day that usually Ds would love!

OP posts:
IateallthePies654 · 27/02/2017 10:21

Dress him as the dog and say he's one of the background characters.

Original poster
Saydeesunshine1994 · 27/02/2017 10:24

I know Where's Wally is one of the free books that reception and year 1 can get, maybe that's why a lot of them are doing it. If they wanted to make it easier on parents or stop a stampede of princesses why couldn't they do a book swap?

OP posts:
Original poster
Saydeesunshine1994 · 27/02/2017 10:26

I wish, Iateallthepies, they have expressly said Wally or Wanda. Although I am half tempted to ask him if he wants to dress up as Wanda 😂

OP posts:
Floggingmolly · 27/02/2017 10:26

Wally and Wanda... Hmm. Let him wear what he wants (most of the others will, believe me). Hate world book day with the fire of a thousand suns...

Ev1lEdna · 27/02/2017 10:59

When my youngest was at nursery and the beginning of school he HATED dressing up with a passion. I say just let him be. He will dress up now (if it isn't too much) but still won't have his face painted. Let him just dress how he wants, I bet there will be others who aren't dressed up too. Or get creative with normal clothes and a prop (my favourite low effort/minimal cost route!!)

Swipe left for the next trending thread