to find this 'Mother's Day' song offensive?

[applesauce1]

I'm a teacher. In assembly this week, the children have been learning to sing the following song:

The lyrics just really piss me off. I understand that traditionally, Mums have been responsible for these jobs, and this song is a traditional song thanking mums for that, but for god's sake, it's just so patronising.

I'd like to thank my mum for being a brilliant role model, for showing me how women can work hard at their jobs and rise through the ranks, for being fun and making me laugh, for showing me that women can do DIY. For showing me how to express my emotions and how to communicate.

The line "without a fuss" bothers me so much. My husband and I balance the roles of the house because we both work full time and when we have children, they will grow up knowing that it is not a woman's inherited responsibility to be a household slave without making a fuss, but that team work makes the dream work.

Anyway, here's the song (attached as an image). If your children sang this to you at school at a mother's day event, how would you feel about it?

Probably not the most coherent post I've ever written as I'm finding 5 minutes to drink a coffee before my class come back!

It's an appalling song. I suspect best consigned to the 1950's. Nicest mother's day assembly I have been to was the darlings singing that not so great Spice Girls song whilst photos of them as babies next to 'now' shots. Then they all presented us with their handprint flowers and a cup of tea. Us being an open invite to mothers/ aunties/ grannies/ childminders generally. They did something for the dads etc in June (not sure of the specifics but similar format).

(By them i mean the photos on an overhead were our children - not the spice girls). Cheesy but not a dry eye.

They used to sing this at my church and I asked them not to. The vicar actually said he agreed with me, he's just never noticed it before

OMG I'm amazed that is sung!

Also, what about those without a mum? Bit sad for them whatever the song says.

I’m a single parent so I do all of those things on my own... I think it’s quite sweet

Jesus Christ, I would not be happy with my dds singing that song.

I'm amazed that is sung too! What an awful message!

Awful! Talk to the HT and tell them!! I want so much more for my dds than to believe that that is their future.

That’s a terrible message for the children, no several levels.

Talk about insidious sexism.

That's so awful it's funny 😂

"She gives us surprises" wtf

We had a great one at my DCs all boys school a few years back with the best lines ever

"My mum's one in a million
She may not have a degree
But she can help with my homework
and that's what matters to me"

that is truly horrific. I’m a SAHM and I resent the implication that I am solely responsible for cooking/cleaning/shopping (and that that’s all i contribute!)
Genuinely shocked that this is being sung at an assembly.

That's awful.

Without a fuss. Have they ever met a woman?

Ffs. I honestly could not get offended over that.

My mum's one in a million
She may not have a degree
But she can help with my homework
and that's what matters to me

Fucking hell. Seriously?
I’m a SAHM with an undergraduate degree, two masters degrees and previously had a very well paid career in finance.

user187656748 WTF?

Talk to your Head and gently point out that this song seems to have appeared via a time machine from the distant past.

I’m a single parent so I do all of those things on my own

Good for you, but I assume you are also the provider, and do the non-traditionally-gendered-feminine household tasks, so that in fact a song about mothers washing and ironing and cleaning and shopping only represents a very small part of your mothering.

Jeez, I really can't get worked up about it. Offended? Really?
Very much over used word lately, I think people just look to be offended.

Yep, good isn't it. I did have a word with the headteacher and to be fair by the time DS2 started at the school they had switched to a different mother's day song but why on earth the teachers thought it was appropriate in the first place I shall never know. Bizarrely this was an infant school with only one male teacher and a female head.

I'd love to put my feet up after my daily washing and cooking session. I hope one of my DC comes in and tells me I can.
< fingers crossed >

I know you hate cleaning and cooking for us makes you moan,
Thank you for not leaving us on a church doorstep all alone.

That's my kids version.

@Fleetwoodsmack (love the name by the way ) I do work so the line she takes care of all of us, and me needing a rest seem appropriate 😂😂😂
It is old fashioned but there are many mums who do all of these things, split families, single parents, SAHMs. It’s not a negative to look after them this way?

My Mum
(Verse 1)
My mum’s one in a million, I’m sure that you will agree.
I wouldn’t say that she’s perfect, but she’s the best one for me.
Sometimes she can get grumpy and sometimes she gets upset,
But I still know that she loves me, and that I’ll never forget.
(Chorus)
Oh! This is a Mother’s day song for you.
Mum, you’re ever so special,
And I’m gonna find ways to say I love you too!
(Verse 2)
My mum’s ever so clever. She may not have a degree,
But she can help with my homework and that’s what matters to me.
Sometimes she can be stress and sometimes even she shouts,
But I still know that she loves me, and that’s what certainly counts.
(Chorus)
Oh! This is a Mother’s day song for you.
Mum, you’re ever so special,
And I’m gonna find ways to say I love you too!
(Verse 3)
My mum’s really an angel. She’s great at caring for me,
She does the cleaning and shopping and makes a wonderful tea!
Sometimes she is too busy and sometimes she is worn out,
But I still know that she loves me, and that’s what this is about.
(Chorus)
Oh! This is a Mother’s day song for you.
Mum, you’re ever so special,
And I’m gonna find ways to say I love you too!
(Finish)
My mum’s one in a million, I’m sure that you will agree.
I wouldn’t say that she’s perfect, but she’s the best one for me

One year, all the mums and grannies were invited to a Mother's Day lunch, jolly nice it was too!

Cady I’m not “offended”, but I think it’s incredibly disappointing.

Children shouldn’t be singing about their Mother’s value being the housework she does without a fuss.

We spend all this time teaching boys that girls are equal to them and girls that they can be anything they like but on Mother’s Day we fall back on “Mums are good at housework sentiment”

Presumably many/most of the Mums in the audience will have achievements far beyond being able to do bloody laundry.

My DD challenged something similar in school on Mother's day last year.