Bitter about missing school occasions

[Rhinothunder]

Just really beginning to hate this government. Parents have been banned from sports days at all our local schools as they say its too much risk and they can't police lots of bubbles as required by govt guidelines.

We've also been banned from assemblies and shows even if can hold them outside. I haven't seen a single thing yet in my 6 year olds school career. We saw so much for the older ones and was a real high for us and the kids.

Meanwhile on the news we are watching g7 encourages, football officalls and z list celebrities swan round the world and mass together.

It's so galling and I'm getting really angry about it.

Struggling to accept it and thinking of how I can take action.

I get you OP, it's disapointing but I do think we have to retain a bit of perspective here. Kids are in school with their friends doing all the fun stuff. It's a shame we can't go and see sports day etc but let's be happy the kids aren't really missing out on much (yes they'd like to be cheered on but it isn't a big deal unless we make it one).

My school is running sports day with parents, a year 6 play put on with parents and we went in residential last week. All these things are permitted by the guidance, and some schools are making it work. (I’ll admit the production one is tricky, we have hired a theatre that seats far more parents than we would expect to attend so 50% capacity not an issue - for the average school hall I can see it would be trickier).

I’m sorry that some working parents can’t book a day off to ever watch their child’s special events at school. However, being pleased that all children miss out as it lessens your own guilt is a bit mean. Likewise, those who don’t like sports day - fine, but can uou see that some children do, and are sad to have missed out?

Thing is it is all crap. For everyone. Playing covid disappointment top trumps doesn't make it any better.

My (now yr 7) had the shittest of end of year 6's. My niece has just had the least student like student experience at university in her first year. I didn't get to see my mum for forever ....... etc etc

I'm just not sure it is helpful going on about it. Our government clearly couldn't organise a piss up in a brewery but it is our fault for voting them in.

Let's just swallow the pills and get on with it. This too will pass.

@Watermelon221

Completely agree. I don’t think it’s wrong to want more than the basic schooling. Residentials etc are really exciting for children and they are all together anyway. Bonkers.

I’d be happy if they would still go ahead with no parents, but all of ours have been cancelled.

They’re sucking the joy out of everything.

Incredibly year 10 exams were ok to go ahead in the hall, but sports day not, on a huge field. Kids can cram in dinner hall (maskless) and school bus, but no prom, end of year assembly or production.

Such bloody stupid mixed messages. Not to mention the football fans in London allowed to gather in huge crowds and those plane fulls of people rushing back to avoid quarantine....

I'm surprised they've cancelled events entirely. Almost no parents would come to secndary school sports day anyway and they could certainly have still run the events.

We've still been running school productions but they've been filmed and shared with parents which was lovely as we could send to the grandparents too.

I agree too. I had a transition day over 30 years ago so it's not exactly a new concept.
It makes me so cross that the government is allowing 20,000 fans mix at Wembley tonight, but my son can't attend his transition day next week. We were told last year that everything had to stop as no one was vaccinated and do you know what, that was absolutely fine. But everyone vulnerable has had the opportunity to have had both vaccines now and I'm just totally fed up of it... how long is this going to go on for?

@Rhinothunder

Any ideas? Anyone know of any marches or petitions? Or other strategies?

If anyone has a link to a euro 2021 semi/final petition where apparently 'vips' will be flown in from all over and won't need to quarantine please add. I had a google but couldn't find one. Boris is reportedly considering it. What a twat. Anything that is linked to men/making money etc will go ahead I'm sure

@BackforGood

"Bitter" ??

Bit sad maybe, but you have to put these things in context. Hundreds of thousands of parents never see a sports day, (because they work). Ditto assemblies.

Of all the things that have been sad and upsetting over the last 15months, I don't think not being able to attend a sports day ranks anywhere.

Actually it is reasonable to bitter! In the grand scheme of a child’s primary school life to lose two years of events is significant - whilst thousands of fat chavs spit the national anthem out defies belief !!!!

Have you checked how the school staff feel about it? Is it possible that they don't want lots of extra adults in their workplace when they haven't been vaccinated? Would you want them to feel like that for something that is essentially a photo op?

Yanbu. I have a year 6 child too and am really disappointed that they aren't doing anything (even outside) to mark the end of their time at primary.

Luckily our academy are letting 1 adult per child attend which I'm grateful for.

@CatbellsQueen

I know!

I’m really pleased that fans were allowed to watch the football, and Wimbledon etc. But who decides that this is ok but school transition days are not?

And why can amateur athletics race meets take place all over the country with kids from different counties all over the country taking part (I know because my dc did one), but sports day at our school can’t!!!

I have missed my daughters graduation ceremony from Cambridge. It was supposed to be by zoom but has been completely cancelled “due to covid” - no further explanation. Her certificate will be posted to her apparently.

Some things are facilities dependent. Our local primary is doing sports days more or less as usual because it has a huge, huge field so room for lots of spreading out. A friends primary down the road has only a cramped playground (Victorian school) so their sports day is decamping to the local park, which again is huge. If the park was not available and literally on their doorstep then I guess they'd not be able to hold it.

I think some schools have been too restricted.

At my school the children went on a residential PGL and we are allowing one parent per child for sports day. Sports day has been organised differently so over a couple of days and this means there will be no more than 30 parents watching. Some schools have just taken the easy path

Sorry I realise it’s not really about me missing it. But her missing it. It was supposed to take place without parents etc who could dial in by zoom to watch but the whole thing has been cancelled

OP please don’t feel the need to ‘do something’ on my child’s behalf (who really isn’t bothered as I don’t catastrophise around them so they know no different) or for me as a parent. I also appreciate that the staff at my child’s school are pretty much on their knees with exhaustion after the toughest 15 months of their careers, and all the things you are bitter about are things they do from their goodwill, extra to their job of teaching.

Well said @CarrieBlue

@WeWantAMackerelNotASprat

I think some schools have been too restricted.

At my school the children went on a residential PGL and we are allowing one parent per child for sports day. Sports day has been organised differently so over a couple of days and this means there will be no more than 30 parents watching. Some schools have just taken the easy path

Our prime pgl was cancelled. Not by the school I hasten to add but by the centre. Again it feels strange that some are still able to go ahead and this is what makes me cross.

Last year I completely understood the reasons for the cancellations and they were fair to all. This year it feels like a lottery and we have no numbers on any line...

#primary

My 8 year old told me sports day was more fun without parents as they could just play in between and didn't have to wave etc!!!!
Aside from that yes, I don't get it- watching Eng v Scot this evening looked like a super spreader event to me to be honest, everyone all over everyone

It is sad, my kid is almost in year 2 and never been on a trip, had a school sports day or summer fete etc. I still feel like a new school parent! It really sucks but what can you do. Jan last year (reception) we got to see his class assembly, and at some point he’s been to a cake sale and a book sale, done world book day etc. I feel worse for the ones who know what school is like normally, those in infants (except maybe current year 2s) have basically no experience of school pre-covid.

Cases of Covid are going up, new variant have appeared but you'd like the government let you go to school events?
If this was allowed MN would be full of people saying Boris is useless, what's he playing at etc. The fact is they can't ease restrictions while cases are high.
I get the frustration I hated not being allowed to do settling in sessions with my son and the fact I've only seen the nursery once but it's necessary.
Imagine they let parents in to school, cases go sky high and suddenly full lockdown. I'm just relieved school and nursery are still open.

@BackforGood

"Bitter" ??

Bit sad maybe, but you have to put these things in context. Hundreds of thousands of parents never see a sports day, (because they work). Ditto assemblies.

Of all the things that have been sad and upsetting over the last 15months, I don't think not being able to attend a sports day ranks anywhere.

I think it's more so the double standards OP is seeing.

@Rosebel

Cases of Covid are going up, new variant have appeared but you'd like the government let you go to school events? If this was allowed MN would be full of people saying Boris is useless, what's he playing at etc. The fact is they can't ease restrictions while cases are high. I get the frustration I hated not being allowed to do settling in sessions with my son and the fact I've only seen the nursery once but it's necessary. Imagine they let parents in to school, cases go sky high and suddenly full lockdown. I'm just relieved school and nursery are still open.

I think the OP's issue is the double standard of allowing football and Wimbledon to go ahead with crowds