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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

AIBU to expect parents not to drink at sports day?!?!

442 replies

KCAREYW1987 · 19/06/2017 15:59

Have just returned from a very hot primary school sports day. A group of parents decided to crack open a few cold cans of pimms at about 11am. AIBU to think that this is totally out of order at a primary school sports day? I mean I know it's not cans of super brew but still I would never dream of watching my little ones in the sack race while getting sloshed in the sun! Would love to hear other opinions on this.

OP posts:
AvoidingCallenetics · 19/06/2017 20:56

I don't think it is a need, more a 'nice to have'. Sports day is hard going if you are not a fan of sitting in the sun and waiting 2 hours to see your child do a 30 second race.
Actually, that Pimms is sounding more attractive by the minute...

BandeauSally · 19/06/2017 21:02

Well loads of things are nice to have but we don't incorporate them into every single occasion. Plenty of them far more suitable than alcohol at a school sports day and would still raise money for PTA. (Ice cream stall, water stall, parasol hire, slushie stall, sun cream stall, balloon stall) none of those would lead to the normalisation of an unhealthy and costly (for the NHS) habit. Seriously, it's not like the alcohol culture in the uk is bad enough as it is.

Pengggwn · 19/06/2017 21:07

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

SquidgeyMidgey · 19/06/2017 21:20

Pengggwn at 11 in the morning? Really?

SallyGinnamon · 19/06/2017 21:22

Pimms tent would be a great idea at sports day. Would make the whole thing a bit more bearable! Wouldn't have the nerve to pull out a tin though!

suffolknclose · 19/06/2017 21:29

Haven't RTFT but I'd put money on the children whose parents can 'enjoy one or two daytime drinks without getting sloshed' are growing up with a much healthier attitude to drinking than those that have parents that (1) can't have one drink without getting totally sloshed or (2) think alcoholic drinks are Satan juice

Queenofthedrivensnow · 19/06/2017 21:32

Yuck I would hate it. I hate smelling alcohol at kids events. Yanbu

corythatwas · 19/06/2017 21:36

"Dear Lord. Would you drink at a library? In hospital? At work? Is there anywhere you'd consider off-limits?"

I'm an academic and get the chance to drink at work approximately once a fortnight during term time (wine served after research seminar). Nobody has ever got sloshed and drivers drink fruit juice instead.

MacarenaFerreiro · 19/06/2017 21:49

Maybe a Scottish thing but our Local Authority is very puritanical when it comes to giving temporary licences for events held in school.

They will not grant a licence AT ALL for any events on a school premises where children are present. So no Pimms at sports day. If it's an adult only event they will grant a licence but ONLY if the next day isn't a schools day, so only for a Friday or Saturday night. Can't see the logic to that one really, maybe they're worried about kids seeing empty prosecco bottles in the bin?

It's really restrictive - we can't have mulled wine at the Christmas fair unless we make it over 18s only, can't have a beer tent at the summer fete. And as any PTA person knows, you make a packet on booze.

BandeauSally · 19/06/2017 21:51

than those that have parents that (1) can't have one drink without getting totally sloshed or (2) think alcoholic drinks are Satan juice

What about those who have parents that are neither of those 2? Or are those the only options in your mind? Confused

Tandoorimixedgrill · 19/06/2017 21:58

As the child of an acoholic i would have been very stressed if my school had served alcohol at this type of event.
I know my Dad would have head straight for the tent, and would have stayed there drinking too much and embarrassing l himself and me.
For children of alcoholics school is pretty much the only alcohol free place. I think in this case the rights of a child of an alcoholic (there will be at least one in your child class) to feel that school is a safe aclcohol free place trumps the adults need for a drink (even if responsibly), and the PTAs need to raise a few extra quid.

WifeofUthred · 19/06/2017 22:03

During this year's thrilling event, me and another mum discussed how we could put booze in soft drinks bottles, to make the time pass quicker ;)

MacarenaFerreiro · 19/06/2017 22:06

I hear you, Wife. I've been suffering through Primary School sports days for too many years and the novelty has long since worn off.

AvoidingCallenetics · 19/06/2017 22:06

Bandeau, ice creams and slushies are made of sugar. If you are going to argue that we should think of the nhs then you couldn't have an ice cream/slushie stall either, as obesity is also a problem.

I don't think the nhs is likely to be strained by a mum having a pimms or by a kid eating an ice cream.

Xanadu44 · 19/06/2017 22:09

Lighten up!

AvoidingCallenetics · 19/06/2017 22:11

I have a lot of sympathy for Tandoori and hadn't considered that aspect and for for the sake ofchildren in her position can totally see why it might be a good idea not to have it there.

Frillyhorseyknickers · 19/06/2017 22:11

Only on MN does having a can of Pimms at 11am equate to the crime of the fucking century. Some of you need to remove the rods from up your arses.

BandeauSally · 19/06/2017 22:19

I don't think the nhs is likely to be strained by a mum having a pimms or by a kid eating an ice cream.

Of course it isn't, and you know that isn't what I was talking about. Hmm

BandeauSally · 19/06/2017 22:22

You know its funny how the stereotype is of the drunken Irish. It's only ever when I've been in England that I've seen people trying to shoehorn "a drink" into every possible opportunity. We don't have this constant need for a drink here like there is in England.

Tandoorimixedgrill · 19/06/2017 22:28

Thanks Avoiding.

Was hoping that it didn't come off as "won't someone think of the children" but having read lots of 'but I can drink responsibly, why shouldn't I have a delicious Pimms' I wanted to offer a different perspective.

MrsOverTheRoad · 19/06/2017 22:28

Cory wine at an academics meeting is not comparible to a bloody Pimms tent on a hot sports field in a SCHOOL!

JessieMcJessie · 19/06/2017 22:33

I can't believe that some people here are suggesting that drinking a can of Pimms makes these parents more likely to cause an accident, fail to care for their children or to drink drive! The lack of control/conscience required to do any of these things does not come automatically with the consumption of alcohol- you are confusing two separate issues here and, frankly, being offensive to all parents who are perfectly capable of enjoying alcohol without putting their children's safety at risk.

MerchantofVenice · 19/06/2017 22:48

Nice casual swipe at the English there, bandeau. How lovely!

Voice0fReason · 19/06/2017 22:50

I don't think it's a healthy impression for our children to show them as adults you can't possibly meet up with other adults without consuming alcohol
If they were doing vodka shots at assembly then I would agree with you, but we are talking about a pimms on a hot day. I cannot see what the issue is.

MerchantofVenice · 19/06/2017 23:01

MrsOver surely the fact that it's a HOT field makes it all the more suitable for a glass of Pimms??

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