To be irritated by kids dressing up as Buzz Lightyear on World Book Day?

[theoracleofdelphi]

It's World Book Day. Children are invited to go to school as their favourite book character. Why oh why is Facebook full of photos of little darlings dressed as Buzz Lightyear & various Disney Princesses?!
For some reason it really makes my teeth itch!

[EdenX]

Most parents just aren't competitive about silly things like dressing up days, so just let their kids go in a costume they already have and want to wear.

[Lugeeta]

Wow there a lot of Debbie downers on this thread!

My kids love WBD and spend a few weeks planning their costumes, it's fun for them and I don't mind helping them out. Nothing wrong with spiderman etc though!

[Sallystyle]

Goodness, there are some odd posts here. Who really gives a shit?

I don't normally even dress mine up. However, dd wanted to go as Gangsta Granny. I told her to call her nanny for ideas and they sorted it out between them. That probably makes me a crap mum in some people's eyes. I don't care about WBD, children aren't going to start to love reading because they dress up once a year and MIL is better at that stuff than I am and she enjoys it. For me it's just another pointless chore.

I wish schools would stop dress up days. They are pointless and a pain in the arse. If some parents find it easier to dress them up in costumes they already have good for them. They probably have much better things to do.

It's all a bunch of crap... WBD does not encourage reading.

[EvaTheOptimist]

Yes Steppemum the reason you can't be all smugly organised and make the costumes ahead of time in half-term or whatever is because the DC change their minds about what they want to go as, half a dozen times in the week/day/hours before.

And also some schools do say "has to be this or that"

Or the kids say "but the school says it has to be my FAVOURITE" (not the EASIEST)

So you have to go with the flow and cobble something together the night before when you believe their minds are finally made up

[ethelb]

What's with the Where's Wally hate?

I LOVED Where's Wally when I was growing up, as well as being a general book worm who is now a very well read adult.

Jeez, live a little!

[reuset]

You said you won't be convinced by Where's Wally.
WBD itself disagrees with your take on it.

Somebody mentioned, before I commented, that it was one of their £1 books, if that's what you mean.

[ThePurpleOneWithTheNut]

Why don't they just the kids to bring I thiet favourite books

Exactly! Then it would be about books instead of fancy dress.

But fancy dress seems to be the default route for most things at primary school. If it's overly used, and I think it is, what does it achieve (other than being a major pita for pushed parents)?

[Notapodling]

Batman, Superman and the like are just as good as anything else for World Book Day. They all started as comics and have hundreds of licenced books. I know some people can get snobby about comics but they are a fantastic entry into reading for small boys who might not have books at home or are put off them.

[GreenGinger2]

Sorry but running around after DC letting them change their mind up to the night before is weak parenting.

You ask them when the letter comes out,explain the budget and resources constraint and then explain that once they have decided that is it.

No way would I be running around at the last minute because my little emperor had changed his/her mind at the last minute. It's a life lesson you make your mind up and stick with it particularly when somebody is helping you.

As for the op I think it is sad and a sign of a limited range of reading material. Those costumes are often really expensive anyway.

There are many cheap easy ideas for costumes on Google/ Pinterest- some of the cheapest/ easiest I've seen have been the best- Matilda( any dress,bow and pile of books),Wimpy Kid( jeans,diary).....

[ThePurpleOneWithTheNut]

it is sad and a sign of a limited range of reading material

It is not a sign of anything other than maybe a flagging parent dealing as best they can with the expectation of yet another dress up day.

Plenty of people have grown up enjoying a wide variety of books without the aid of fancy dress to prove it to the world.

[Welshwabbit]

My son loves Where's Wally (he's 4 and it's one of the few books he can enjoy independently) and his face lit up when everyone recognised him as his favourite character at school. The fact that it was the easiest costume ever was just a bonus for me, honest

[ItShouldHaveBeenJingleJess]

My favourite books in primary school were The Worst Witch series - bet if I'd gone in dress as Mildred Hubbard, some judgy parent would have been slating my mother for recycling a Halloween costume! Don't engage with competitive parenting - you CAN NOT WIN.

[HRHCocoa]

Loving the argos catalogue one.

My DS was obsessed with the argos catalogue when he was little. Up to about 18 months that was his preferred toy he slept with in his cot. He would snuggle up to it and scream his head off if I tried to remove it.

Our school does not do it. I am thankful for that. But they do ask all the kids to bring in their fave books and they read them with them.

[mythbustinggov]

I hope this isn't too identifying, but I'm very proud...

Went to a Curriculum meeting at my primary last night, quite expecting to see lots of costumes... none. It turned out the school had decided any money spent should be on books rather than costumes, and asked the children to bring a book they had enjoyed in to swap. They also asked the parents to come in and read a children's story to the children - in their mother tongue, with their child translating (the school has a very diverse demographic, with more than 50% EAL). This meant that parents weren't put off by poor English skills, the children saw adults reading in their own language (which is the biggest encouragement to read for enjoyment) and also saw their peers being multi-lingual and helped the school increase parental engagement, something that's a real problem for us.

So there is another way. My Primary (I'm Chair) is staffed by superheroes, they just don't wear a costume...

[HRHCocoa]

myth that is flipping brilliant. I am LOVING the idea of books in mother tongues with the children translating.

[Catsize]

My son's primary school did nothing for WBD. He'd seen about it on the news that morning, children dressing up etc., and threw a wobbler when he was told he couldn't go to school dressed up. I know many parents will be envious of the lack of WBD participation, but we felt a bit left out!

[hmmmum]

YANBU. My dd loves books and reading but I cannot be bothered with costumes - the time the ideas or the expense. She usually goes in an outfit she already has - a princess or something. shes happy, I'm happy.

[hmmmum]

I meant yabu!

[hmmmum]

Being able to put a good costume together, and being someone who reads and shares a love of books with your child, are not one and the same thing.

[ThePurpleOneWithTheNut]

myth How fantastic! Now that is truly how to celebrate World Book Day. I love it

[ItShouldHaveBeenJingleJess]

myth Absolutely brilliant and absolutely what World Effing Book Day should be about. Might pop this in the suggestions box at DS's school.

[iklboo]

That's a brilliant idea Myth.

DS has gone as James Bond. MIL said 'but that's just a film'. She got the Roger Moore eyebrow from the three of us

[theoracleofdelphi]

Myth I think that's the solution to it all! Less hassle all round & everyone actually focuses on the books themselves!

[ItShouldHaveBeenJingleJess]

Next year, DS is going in a ruffled collar carrying a human skull. Because his fave book is Hamlet (yeah, I know it's a play before the pedants pile in...) I will then be PARENT OF THE YEAR. (wanders off to bathroom to practice (oh shit - is it practise?) Very Smug Smile.

[toptomatoes]

My kids' school set a theme of 'Disney or your favourite book'. They had to bring in the relevant book though and read it during the day. Perhaps so parents didn't get so worried about sending their kids in the Disney costumes they had already. Of course, mine decided not to go with Disney to make it hard work! I packed the youngest off to pre-school in an Elsa dress though.