To think this is a bit much for 8 year olds?

[Mydogatemypurse]

A group of mums at my sons school have gone OTT on valentines day ... ringing other mums to alert them to who is dating who, and making sure that they are armed with presents and cards and making sure they 'dont forget'.
At the school this morning it was ridiculous. With a small group of kids getting showered with gifts/balloons etc whilst a lot were clearly left out.
Now my son isnt bothered in the slightest and didnt bat an eyelid, but my heart sank for some of the others who didnt get gifts and were looking on. I wondered about the impact on their self esteem at such a young age and whether the school should allow this.
Also I feel like a massive prude because I actually felt a bit uncomfortable with the parents encouraging the fuss, taking pictures of the happy couples kissing etc etc.
Am I completely out of touch?? I'm an old fart arent I?

the parents encouraging the fuss, taking pictures of the happy couples kissing

Weird, weird, weird. I don’t think my child's primary school would allow this. A few kids were playing kiss chase a few years ago and it got banned. The parents are weird for encouraging their primary school age kids to kiss their ‘boyfriend or girlfriend.’ I can imagine the types of parents that would do this and the kids are the ones that are trying to act 15 when they’re 8. 🙄 Then the parents moan when their kids get to be teens and they have problems.

I would mention it actually. I think it is ridiculous.

Ugh gross I hate that. So so wrong.

My DC get a card each from us with a chocolate in it and that's that.

You're not an old fart, it is ridiculous. About time people got a reality check. I am appalled at other mums encouraging all this.

I would be very unhappy about this too.

My DD has taken a keyring in for her female best friend but think it was more of a coincidence its was today than actually giving it for Valentines.

I don’t think it’s such a big deal myself. If my kid wanted to take something in for someone I would let them. I don’t think 8 year olds “dating” means very much. My ds has had a “girlfriend” since he was four. He liked her Spider-Man jacket and they decided to grow up and move to New York and be superheroes together. I found it cute, not creepy in the slightest.

I find it weird and rather disturbing.

YANBU

That is very, very weird. Do you mean parents were encouraging children to kiss so they could photos??

Was this in the pLayground? The Safeguarding lead would have a field day!

So, so strange.

I thought the "For my son"/"For my daughter" Valentine's cards in Tesco were creepy and disturbing, but this is worse.

It wasnt proper kissing. They were taking pictures of them with their arms round each other and some were giving there partner a kiss on the cheek for the photo. I definitely didnt see anything more than that.

YANBU! A good friend of mine who I'd always thought sensible shared a photo of two Valentine's gifts this morning "from" her 9 year old son to his best girls.

My first thought was that it was too exclusive and some girls will be upset.

This is very weird.

I get my 12 yr old a gift from the dog because she doesn't like him :D

its all a bit over the top...
that said I bought a packet of heart chocolates from M&S for £2, gave one to DH with his morning cuppa, one each for the kids with their breakfast and hidden another one in their packed lunches (and I will probably scoff the rest myself ;-) )

Vicarious liviving if ever there was some.
Lunatic show offs bolstering their own insecurities.

I'd be inclined to tell school how many upset children there were (naming no names 😉😂). Make sure notices are sent to parents to make it known its unacceptable and banned from now on😁.
Whatever next, will the mad parents be booking their 8 year olds dirty weekends away🙄.
Time goes so fast, why would you be wishing your children in to adults so soon.. they are just bonkers.

I think it is weird. When my DD started at a new school in year 4 she kept telling me about so and so going out with so and so and it seemed like most of the kids had boyfriends/girlfriends. She clearly as the new girl felt left out. I asked her where they went, she asked what I meant. I said well if they are going out where are they going. The penny dropped and she realised how ridiculous it was.

“Dating” wouldn’t bother me. It would have done, pre-kids - but now I have experience of that age, it’s really not dating!

However, I definitely have an issue with parents creating a “thing” out of everything. But that (for me) extends to you OP buying cards for your sons. It’s all part of the same thing, to me. Utterly unnecessary.

At my son's school the kids aren't allowed to have boyfriend / girlfriends in school. Reading your OP, I can see why. Christ. One day these women will be mothers in law. Can you imagine the posts on here?

@1forsorrow yes - when you find out what they mean, it’s ridiculous! On Y5 residential a long term “couple” were “forced” to hold hands as a dare, for 30 seconds. Apparently they both dropped hands and went “ugh” immediately after . They really are not dating

Oh I know they arent dating dating. It's the fuss more.

@kelletubbie

I get my 12 yr old a gift from the dog because she doesn't like him :D

Haha this made me laugh 😂

If 8 year olds want to say they are going to marry child a or child b is their girlfriend/ boyfriend or that they're "in love" that's not creepy in itself.

It's ridiculous parents muscling in and coordinating some kind of big show of hallmark-instagram mishmash consumerism with children used as props in the insta-story of their parents lives at the school gate though.

Potentially upsetting for certain children who feel left out, but even if not just generally over involved social media driven children as props exhibitionism.

Seriously! That’s kind of hard to believe, tbh.

I saw a Mum walking into school with two bags of gifts earlier, I have no idea who they were for but even if they’re for the teachers it’s really weird.

My 7 and 8 year old’s have had about fifteen different ‘boyfriends’, I always tell them they’re far too young for any of that nonsense but they do as they wish.

Another awful competitive parenting instagram-led phenomenon like gender reveal parties and North Pole Breakfasts, only with added pressure on children to be 'fanciable' when they're 8.

DS is in P1 (so 5 years old, some have only just turned 5) and there were kids in his class exchanging cards and gifts this morning. Weird as fuck. But then I don't give DH or the DC cards so I'm maybe the wrong audience for it anyway.