To not want royal wedding fever forced on my DC

[rosybell]

So my DD is in reception. They are having a royal wedding party at school today. Whilst I think this is fine I hate that they have been told to bring clothes to change into- a dress or a shirt (this is what the info given to parents said). Of course most girls have taken princess dresses. I have now seen photos from the party showing the children in boy girl pairs walking down an red carpet 'aisle'

I'm all for imaginative play but some of these kids looked bewildered. AIBU to complain to the school? There is something that really doesn't feel right about it - maybe because it seems like it more for the adults than the kids let alone all the princess pressure the girls must feel.

I imagine the OP is not having the tv on all day, unless someone in the family watches the cup final. I think complaining is not the answer, though asking the school if they plan to mark the birth of a royal baby in some way might be a question to ask. Many of the children will have a younger child, now or in the future, and it could increase their understanding of what a mum with a new-born has to cope with.

Really?

Is Kate’s experience in any way representative of what most of us go through with a newborn?

To those questioning the Union Jack and suggesting that Scotland/NI might have a problem with it... a lot of people in Wales have a problem with it too. Because there is no representation of Wales in it whatsoever! It’s made up of the St George’s cross for England and the Saltires of St Patrick and St Andrew, but because Wales was already ‘a part of’ England since the (forced) Act of Union of 1536, there is no cross of St David, or any other representation of Wales in the Union Jack. People can crow all they like about how wonderful it is to have British (English) traditions but they can’t be ignorant enough to not understand why some people might feel resentment or sadness because of the ills of the British Empire.

Most bigotry (and by extension, racism) has its roots in nationalism

I think there is some degree of truth in that - but I think it’s important to distinguish between nationalism as pride in where you live, and nationalism as feeling superior because of where you live, and if we learn to embrace our country and it’s history we can teach people the important differences between pride and bigotry.

I am not a fan of that in any stripe

I am with you on this, and i think most people would be too (I would hope!) but I think people get defensive and prickly about this because in your posts there is an insinuation that having pride in the UK makes people racist - which is a poor assumption, there are many wonderful things about the people who live in the UK, don’t stereotype every person based on the actions of some dickheads.

No country has a perfect history, but sometimes looking at the positives can help us move forward- you could say the Union Flag represents the abolition of slavery, or women’s suffrage, or the rights of children to an education, or the right to universal healthcare.

Thank you so much @gingergenius.

It must get very tiring being so right-on, left wing, anti-establishment and professionally offended by the establishment all the time.

Like it or not, this is one of the biggest news events of the year. It's no different from schools choosing to mark the Olympics or something.

this is one of the biggest news events of the year

Really?

Since 2 billion people around the world watched it, I think it probably qualifies as big news.

looking askance at 'foreigners', and yearning for the days when white men ruled the world and everyone knew their place...

Is this really what you think those who are proud to be British believe??? Time to get you out in the real world I think.

Most bigotry (and by extension, racism) has its roots in nationalism. I am not a fan of that in any stripe.

Bigots and racists would still exist, even if there were no different countries or nationalities. It isn't having pride in your own country which is the problem; of course we can take pride our nation at the same time as respecting everyone else. It's people who use nationalism as a convenient but false "reason" for bigotry and racism, who cause the problem. In the same way if there was no religion, people who were selfish or violent would just move on to some other excuse. They don't represent the religion, and bigots and racists do not represent ordinary, patriotic, peaceful people. "Nationalism" can be very positive and healthy, just like you can be proud of your own city/football team/school/family/locality, without in any way having to be negative about anyone else.

Shouldn’t the teachers be devoting hours to teaching them stuff instead of fake weddings?

EYFS is based on children’s interests and they learn through acitivities and interactions rather than being lectured, guinea.

🤣🤣🤣🤣 do you let your DC watch Disney films? Kids enjoy the fairytale. There are bigger things in the World to worry about so do not complain.

Auditqueen - you say you are of Irish Catholic extraction. In that case I'm surprised that you objected to being taught at primary school that Oliver Cromwell was a bad man.

Mrs terry Pratchett. Ha ha do you really think little children are getting all of that from this activity? Lighten up. Its just a bit of fun noting a big national happy occasion. We have had so much doom and gloom just accept a bit of feel good, A young couple getting married, happy day for them, and many others. Of couse you dont want to bring up children to "aspire" to marriage. Neither should you deny the fact that a marriage is a happy occasion

MrsTerryPratchett summed the problem up perfectly and confusedbeetle those same messages are being given to our children everyday by society and the media. One would have hoped that school would be a place where they are taught more useful ideas.

My 6yo heard a princess was getting married and wanted to watch it on telly. We tuned in for the sermon and vows and having to esplain what marriage is, what a wedding is, what a church is, what an aisle, a veil, a train, a church choir, vestments, hearing the traditional vows that appear in so much literature - all hugely educational. What the Queen, Prince Charles and various people look like. And me and friend explaining it all with a good helping of "don't envy her at all".

I know when ds was in Reception they repeated the pretend marrying with different kids including two the same sex, but given most of them want to marry their mum or best friend, that passed without comment. I wonder if dd was sick the day they did it?

Union Jack is only on a ship?! That's educated me, @babyharibo17*!
Honestly didn't know that! What's it called when it's not on a ship?!*

Union Jack or Union Flag, same as when on a ship

Since 2 billion people around the world watched it, I think it probably qualifies as big news

Where on earth do you get that figure from?

They said 2 billion earlier on the BBC coverage, but I can't find a link to that.

However, the Telegraph refers to the "service watched by an estimated global TV audience of 1.9billion" here

Yeap, I googled afterwards and found that number too. Still find it hard to believe.

I have to agree with MrsTerryPratchett and it would annoy me if teachers at my kids school thought this a good idea. Not sure I'd bother saying anything though but I would tell my kids why I don't think the RF should be revered to tip the balance back. Luckily both mine have worked it out for themselves largely and think it's time the RF were put to bed.