To think my friend is taking the Nativity play a bit too seriously

[justfloatingpast]

She's been on the phone to me for ages complaining that the part of Mary has gone to a girl who only joined the school a few weeks ago and her daughter has asked to be Mary for the last three years (she's 8) and has never been cast and it's really not fair etc etc etc

I presume practically every girl in the class puts their hand up when asked who wants to be Mary this year, and the teacher has to pick one child.

My friend is really annoyed and wondering if she should say something to the teacher. Her daughter isn't a child who's constantly being overlooked. She plays on the school football team and was part of a group who won a prize for a project and were featured in a local newspaper.

AIBU to think she's over reacting and should just let it go?

SIBVU... my dd should be Mary

She overreacting
Say nothing...

Ooooooo she’s one of ‘them’!
Back away slowly.

I was always chosen as fecking Mary in every single bloody nativity.
I changed schools a lot (11 in total) so it was favouritism, I clearly just look pious as fuck.

The final time I did a rather too realistic reenactment of the Birth of Christ, and must have got a reputation because I was never asked after that.

In short, she should count her blessings as Mary is boring as hell and it's far more entertaining to be covered in cottonwool and be some poor buggers sheep and the thrill of having a teatowel on one's head is probably one's of childhoods pure joys.

I assume the teacher has picked the new girl to help her settle in better to be honest... Yep, your friend needs to get a grip 🙂

*wasn't favouritism

Parents like her make me laugh! Does she not have anything better to do with her time? Is her life so boring that the drama of who is Mary for the nativity annoys her this much?

I was Mary in my primary school nativity

Your friend is an idiot.

I don't get the desire of parents for their daughters to be Mary: boring, dull often non-speaking part.

Oh jeez.
I spent the better part of my childhood as a shepherd or a tree.
Im sure every girl at some point in her class has also asked to be Mary. She needs to get a grip.

I was Mary way back in the mists of time. It was Carnival of the Animals (all the animals dance for Mary and the Baby Jesus). Mary had no lines. I had to spend the whole play sat in the corner of the stage only standing up to hold Jesus during the last song. I was given the part because in those days I didn't talk! Ah. Memories.

I'm Mary this year

Also....Mary is a boring part.

My poor ds was always his namesake.
The Angel Gabriel!!
Other ds was a shepherd and had me mortified he came on stage dragging a lamb by its back leg!!
Oh the shame!!

I come from a long line of narrators... none of us ever got to be Mary.

I was the star every single year
Much better part than Mary though, I had to walk all around the hall with the 3 Kings following me while everybody sang “we 3 Kings”

I think it's lovely that the teacher has chosen the new girl to be Mary.

I always got to read one of the 9 lessons... always the same bloody one! Herod ordering his men to search diligently.

Well, if it is a school that has a well established practice of putting different children each year into the largest parts, and after 3 years there were only 8 children who hadn’t had big parts over the 3 years, and there were 8 parts this year...

I’m clutching at straws though!

It’s natural to be a bit disappointed for your child (and for yourself - it’s fab to watch them!) but - you really really do have to keep that to yourself and move on after 3 seconds 🙂

My DD was Mary at nursery school and the vitriol from some of the parents was unbelievable.

Admittedly she was a bad choice, when they said "Mary was very tired" she skipped all the way to the stage

Great life lesson for the little girl. You don't get to be the lead sometimes in life.

How ridiculous. The teacher has been very thoughtful in giving the new girl the part of Mary as a way to welcome her and involve her.

These days Mary is usually a really bland part, whereas the best lines or slapstick routines go to Camel Number 3 or Second Donkey

I think that she should go and complain to the headteacher and then come and tell us you all about it.

Reply with ‘what a wonderful way to make a new girl feel included and intergrated’

I was the star every single year
Much better part than Mary though, I had to walk all around the hall with the 3 Kings following me while everybody sang “we 3 Kings”

Oh yes - DD got to be the star in her first Nativity and she not only led the 3 Kings on stage but also got to sing a solo of "Twinkle, twinkle". So proud I had a lump in my throat! Much better part than Mary.