To tell nursery to stuff world book day where the sun doesn't shine?

[hidinginthenightgarden]

They sent an email out 10 minutes ago to say they want kids to dress up for world book day tomorrow. Seriously?
It wasn't mentioned in any newsletters and no one has mentioned it at pick up times this week. DD is 2, supermarket costumes nearby start age 3-4 and she wood have no bloody idea why she was dressing up!
I could stick some fairy wings on her or I could drop her off as usual and point out that they didn't give any notice at all. Which would you do?

Send her in pjs and dressing gown as the child in The Snowman. Topical, too.

Shit, world book day tomorrow! Where the fuck am I going to magic a costume from??

Sorry, not helpful.

You will have her whole school time to get used to late notice dressing up. Either put her in something you already have or don't bother dressing her up. Nobody including the kids really care either way.

If you don't want to do it then don't.

Drop her off as usual & if anyone mentions it then politely say you'd need more notice. No need for raised voices, just calm friendly conversation. I doubt they did it deliberately to annoy people.

At 2 I wouldn't bother, unless you have something lying round the house that could be pressed into service.

Child too young to care and far too little notice!

That is insane for such young children. I really wouldn't bother.

She has no dressing up clothes at all. Literally fairy wings are all she has. I would have no issue doing it but I think the night before take the piss.
DS is in school and they also have form for late notice. Like 2 days notice for a school disco etc. They aren't bothering with it otherwise I would be a bit more on top of it.

I used to work at a nursery that did dress up world book days, every year barely any children came dressed up. So I really wouldn’t worry, she won’t be the only one not dressed up

I had the same this afternoon. I don't suppose your nursery is in Brentford, West London is it?

I am not going to bother... As PP point out, it's pretty pointless at this age and with no notice, it's simply not possible.

Ds nursery sent email yesterday saying the kids can get dressed up if they want but don't have to. They've asked them to bring in a favourite book, why don't you do that? Find a book where the child/character wears everyday clothes then just send her in her usual clothes with the book and say she's that character.

Could you put the fairy wings with maybe a nice dress? I agree it's annoying though. I remember being told DD had to dress for Halloween when she was 9 months!

Fairy wings would be fine. You must have read a book together about a fairy?
Take WBD in the spirit it's meant- a chance to celebrate books and show children reading is fun and important and helpful and valued.
WBD is every March - next year you'll know it's coming up so can be better prepared.
Or just don't join in.

Also, not sure where you are, op but where I am I reckon the weather will have the last laugh anyway!!

Find a book where the child/character wears everyday clothes then just send her in her usual clothes with the book and say she's that character.

Yes, my children (teenagers) do that every year on World Book Day!

The whole WBD is now insane. Mine have been going in casual dress for years then name any random character in a book who doesn’t wear a specific costume. They think the whole thing is pants and more about parents than kids!

Luckily she's probably young enough not to care too much either way. It's become a commercial pain in the arse. I loathe it. Would make far more sense to go out and buy a lovely new book than waste money pissing about. I've had about 9 years of this now and never want to hear about it again!

At least you get a choice of costume! My nursery assigned books to each class. So I have 2 days notice to dress two children as characters from books which I haven't even heard of, never mind read. We are just not doing it.

Ours have to dress as a word they are going as 'kid' and 'boy' and wearing their normal clothes. Or they were it depends on the snow now.

My kids are gutted that world book day is cancelled due to school closures - I’m delighted as had forgotten all about it and was going to have to do some digging through dress up stuff to find something suitable!

Can I just add that when I worked in a nursery the staff were also expected to dress up too! Used to wind me up no end, on minimum wage and then being expected to fork out on costumes for World Book Day, Children in Need, Barnados Big Toddle, Christmas Jumper Day etc. I would send her in with her favourite book. And yes, more notice should have been given

My kids normally perfectly reasonable pre school have done this. E mail went round 8 pm last night. It's so annoying because this just isn't what wbd is supposed to be about! Randomly finding a costume, or worse still having to shell out for one and then pretending that the character is your kids favourite?! Ds will be going as the hulk , batman or spiderman because they're all in his lego book that he likes and we already havd those outfits. Dd's favourite book is 'Pants'. She's going to look ridiculous in whatever I manage to knock up! It will be especially annoying to make a costume and tomorrow be a snow day.

I'll be sending DS in wearing his Gruffalo pyjamas over two thermal base layers. I might also put him in Gruffalo underpants to give him that literary edge.

I will be buying no costumes he will refuse to wear and, in particular, I will be creatively stitching NOTHING.

WBD has recently become a "thing" like Christmas Eve boxes and Elf on the Shelf. It is actually meant to encourage reading. The majority of books are about people who dress like people and act like people, not super heros or Disney princesses. I've never recovered from seeing a whole host of Disney princesses turn up for a Titanic Day in year 2, when they were simply meant to be in Edwardian dress.

There are probably over 100 Rainbow Magic books featuring fairies or give her a toothbrush for "Brush Brush Brush" or a shower cap for "Five Minutes Peace, an animal T shirt for anything from "Dear Zoo". She is hardly going to be excluded or told off, as everyone is in the same boat.