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AIBU?

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Original poster

World Book Day - just take in a sodding book

107 replies

Voluptuagoodshag · 04/03/2021 08:18

I'm probably a curmudgeonly old shite but all this dressing up nonsense. Do they actually discuss why they like the book they are the character of? Some aren't even books because the kid is determined to dress as a Disney princess or a character from a game. It doesn't exactly encourage reading does it?
And then all the stress of creating a costume, not necessarily connected to a favourite book but what can be thought of or is easiest to do.
Why can't a kid take in a favourite book and write a wee story as to why or have a wee discussion about it.

OP posts:
Quail15 · 04/03/2021 11:18

My DD is 2 and nursery are having a toy picnic and dressing up if kids want to.

I work and am 33 weeks pregnant so don't have a lot of time ( and no spare money to spend on outfits). I cut a piece of card into a head band and drew an animal face on it - that with a matching colour t-shirt is her outfit. It took less than ten minutes and cost nothing. Dd loved it.

Taikoo · 04/03/2021 11:19

YANBU.
It's a pain in the hole and the last time I was threatened with it, I would have been down 30 euro.
I hate dress up in shit that costs me money and it'll only be worn that one time.
Waste of money. I'm not made of it.

Abraxan · 04/03/2021 11:21

We also have a stock of dress up clothes in school and things like masks/hats to make for those who want to dress up but the parents can't facilitate it for whatever reason, or for those who change their mind during the day.

This year ours is all online with a masked reader theme - so children IF THEY WANT TO can hide their face, wear a mask or costume, etc and record themselves reading something (book, comic, fact book, annual, cereal packet, whatever) and upload it to the remote learning site. Staff have done the same. Then the other children can listen and make guesses as to who,it is. There are other activities they can choose to do if they wish as well, all book/reading themed.

Abraxan · 04/03/2021 11:23

@Unanananana

WBD was better in online lessons this year! DS had to decorate a spud as his favourite book character. Much better than dressing up shite!
But even then some parents won't like it. You can't please them all.

We did a dress a potato as a superhero activity earlier in lockdown as part of a 'Supertato' book activity. Two parents complained as it was wasting valuable food. 🤷‍♀️

RedToothBrush · 04/03/2021 11:23

I hate World Book Day.

School said they were no doing dress up this year. They normally do.

The parents who have kids in school were talking about it last night. One parent said her daughter would be mortified if others did it and she didnt. One parent piped up they should just send them in in fancy dress. However the rest group agreed not to do it. Except this one parent who said she was going to do it anyway and to hell with the school and the others despite others saying their kids would be upset at it.

I have to say i thought this parent was remarkably selfish especially under the current circumstances when all the others had agreed not to amongst themselves.

SleepingStandingUp · 04/03/2021 11:26

Some aren't even books because the kid is determined to dress as a Disney princess or a character from a game
Are there ANY princesses who don't have a book? We had all the mainstream princess books when I was little in the 80s, and stories like Cinderella predate and of the movies. DS did want to be Sonic, I could have found a book but he's a cat now.

peak2021 · 04/03/2021 11:28

Given that clothes and book shops are both closed currently, YANBU this year in particular.

ChessIsASport · 04/03/2021 11:35

I have to admit I was surprised that my daughter’s school did WBD for the children in school. She sat in the window watching all the children going to school in their costumes feeling sad and then the teacher spent the online call telling the handful of children who are at home how great the costumes were in school this year! They get no live lessons because the teachers are still teaching full lessons in school so to find out on top of this that the children in school are also having a fun dress up days seems a bit unfair.

SnowyBranches · 04/03/2021 11:44

@Taikoo

YANBU. It's a pain in the hole and the last time I was threatened with it, I would have been down 30 euro. I hate dress up in shit that costs me money and it'll only be worn that one time. Waste of money. I'm not made of it.
Why does it have to be bought dress up shit? Why can’t they go as a regular book character who wears regular clothes?
birdglasspen · 04/03/2021 11:50

Our nursery asked us last night for the kids to wear pjs, what does that have to do with world book day? Why can't they all just bring in a favourite book and share it with class. My DS is away in wearing clothes, the only one. I just don't get wearing pjs to Nursery, school, work?? Have a pj day in your own home not outside the house! Maybe we should all tell the schools what we actually think, if children don't have a book at home then that's neglect, you get given books here by a Trust each year for free I don't believe there is a house with absoutley no book at all. And if we should be encouraged to run out and buy a costume maybe it would be better to be encouraged to run out and buy a book.....second hand or borrow one from a libary, ok in non covid times!

anormalperson · 04/03/2021 12:07

Agree OP. This year for us was slightly better in that they did actually ask the kids to write about their favourite book and why. A focus on reading / author visits would be great.

ichundich · 04/03/2021 12:11

I disagree with posters saying dressing up is 'voluntary' if the school has suggested kids come in as their favourite characters. Realistically what choice does that leave to parents; who would send their child to school dressed in plain clothes or uniform in that case? We are still homeschooling today but currently drowning in all the 'fun' activities our teachers have gathered from Twinkl for this 'special' day.

Glenthebattleostrich · 04/03/2021 12:16

in my setting we have had a book day sleepover. everyone has come in PJ's, we've made a big bed on the living room floor and we have shared our favourite stories. The older ones are choosing their favourite movie based on a book and watching that during nap time. We have some stickers to make a story scene with and have the puppets and story sacks out too.

We've all loved it. No arguments over who has the best Spiderman costume, no lost bits of costume.

Adulting2021 · 04/03/2021 12:16

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DDiva · 04/03/2021 12:19

Some parents cant afford school uniform the dressing up seems completely unnecessary.

Yes you can do cheap homemade costumes but that's alot of stress and pressure.

BrumBoo · 04/03/2021 12:19

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ichundich · 04/03/2021 12:28

Probably a troll @Brumboo.

BrumBoo · 04/03/2021 12:31

@ichundich

Probably a troll *@Brumboo*.
Probably is, still no excuse though.
WhatWillGeorgeDo · 04/03/2021 12:31

If the set work that we’ve had this week for home learning is what they would normally be doing in school for World Book Day (or week!) then our school definitely encourage the children to talk about the book they have chosen and focus on books in general - from drawing an alternate cover, to creating a book character, to writing some sentences about their favourite character (year 1). It’s been really engaging (if somewhat exhausting and glitter-filled!) and dd1 has loved sharing her book choice with the class. I get so little information from her about what she normally does in class that I wouldn’t have known that all this was going on above and beyond dressing up on the day. Also, out PTA collects donations of fancy dress and books to sell (think this has been a lockdown initiative but it’s working really well as a fundraising activity) and they have done a great job of matching a book and a costume and that’s job done for a couple of quid!

EachBleachBlairTrump · 04/03/2021 12:34

Our nursery has asked for them to take in their favourite book, they are welcome to dress up if they wish to, but the book is the focus

Bloodyhamabeads · 04/03/2021 12:35

I agree OP. Yes it’s a bit of fun for the kids, but also an extra pressure to working parents and those who cannot afford food and clothes, let alone dressing up clothes. The focus on books has been lost along the way, sadly.
A few years ago my children’s school had themes for each year group - Reception’s was Alice in Wonderland. It’s actually a really long book and I’d bet good money that zero children had read it.
Thankfully they don’t seem to have to dress up anymore.

EyeDrops · 04/03/2021 12:38

I dread dress up days.

Feeling extra guilty today - DD1s school has (sensibly) said not to bother dressing up this year, but lots of optional activities and story sharing over zoom. So I thought, great, no costume drama!

Then DD2s (2yo) nursery emailed at 6pm last night to remind everyone that they ARE dressing up today and looking forward to seeing some amazing costumes.

Well, bugger.

We have nothing in. Found a red/white striped jumper to do Where's Wally at a push, but DD2 didn't want to wear it and got herself so completely hysterical about it that I gave up as its not worth her being that upset for a few hours this afternoon.

So she's going in with normal clothes on and I'm going to have to explain myself 😭

(for the record, we are a family of bookworms and fully supportive of WBD and sharing the love of books - I just find costumes really stressful!)

justanotherkid · 04/03/2021 12:43

What's happened to covid?

School said dress up.....but don't bring a book please due to the covid risk 🤷‍♀️

We did neither.

Turned up to a yard full of kids with elaborate headbands, fluffy tails, lacy swishy dresses etc.....how that is less than a covid risk a child holding 1 book from their book case I will never know.

Utterly bonkers.

B33Fr33 · 04/03/2021 12:47

I just literally completed my son's literacy lesson. They all stood up. Talked about the character and the book. Reception. I love books, I love dressing up, my kids love it. Yes you get a handful dressed up as Disney characters but they are kids, this is not some highbrow poetry society.

blackheartsgirl · 04/03/2021 12:47

My dd10 absolutely detests reading, hates books, hated being read to as a toddler as she wouldn't sit still. Tried when she was five or six still hated it. She does have a very poor attention span and there are other things going on..

Its a shame because our house is full of books and my eldest daughter is a total book worm, I've tried so much to get her read but its a losing battle of wills.

Shes a very bright girl, sporty and good with her work, has a vivid imagination and gets top marks with her spellings. She.just.hates.books.

World book day is an absolute nightmare for her. The last one she went in her football kit as she does have a non fiction footie techniques book that she looks at the pictures in.
Wasn't good enough apparantly