Behaviour of adults at Nativity play

[Lydiaatthebarre]

Headmistress stood up at start of play and asked that young children be brought outside if they became disruptive to the children on stage. She also said no videoing or photographing during the performance. A school video would be made and sold for £2 which would go towards play equipment, and parents could take a group photograph at the end of the play.

We still had toddlers running around and making noise, parents standing up and blocking people's views while they took photographs, not to mention the mother who answered her phone during the play.

Yes, I know it's not the RSC, but why can a bunch of adults not do as they're asked for 20-30 minutes?

Our school gives out 2 tickets per child and don't let any extras in. The head gave a very firm speech saying "there are several children in school who cannot be filmed or photographed". I didn't see a camera or phone at all until after the performance. There were very few younger children there and they were quiet.

I was very impressed by our reception nativity. Two morning options, and strictly no children or filming, with dvd for sale and a chance to take photos of children in costume at the end. Very civilised.

And costumes simple decorated T-shirts organised by the school.

I think some schools may well go down the DVD version only and not invite parents to any live performances

I think some schools may give Christmas performances up altogether in pursuit of targets and data as that is sadly what it's all about these days.

The school should make it clear that anyone taking photographs without permission is not allowed to be at any such performances again. A phone going off accidentally is a mistake, a child in the audience being disruptive is not foreseen, but taking photos is deliberate.

Like a PP said parental rudeness is a big problem. I had an end of term party for the children I look after in a pre school setting. The children had a story at one point and the parents attending stood and chatted loudly at the other end of the room. The 4 year olds were sat quietly listening! Really disappointing.

Went to ours today. Parents near me stopped trying to control their 4 yr old a few minutes in and just handed him a phone and put a programme on it for him to watch - with the sound on. Wasn't loud loud but enough to have everyone near us turn around and tut about it.

At our Christmas concert a year 7 was singing a solo and a toddler ran up to them. "Aww sweet!" I thought. Not so sweet the 4th or 5th time the dad was letting her run up and distract the soloist and mess with the guitars!

A firm Head stating some children cannot be filmed. Any small people sit at the back. That should soon stop people.

I had a scary Head a number of years ago. They would have stopped all this 'yes, but this doesn't apply to me for xxx reasons'.

The parents who let their toddlers run riot and drown out plays and assemblies at my dc's primary, also had badly behaved older kids at the school. Funny that.

Went to my DDs performance yesterday and a little one started running back and forth in front of the stage, the parents made no attempt to stop her, pissed me off tbh, complete lack of respect. No wonder so many kids run around doing as they please these days.