To be annoyed they've cancelled my son's nativity

[JudesBiggestFan]

I'm just so tired of the arbitrary and pointless decisions that rob children and parents of yet more joy.
Last year my son had his nativity play cancelled at preschool. This year, the school (after designating him a shepherd and giving him a line...the excitement!) have cancelled again. Because Covid. Never mind all the pubs, restaurants, Christmas shopping, family parties that all the kids, teachers and parents will be going to.
The nativity is some kind of super spreader event that must be forfeited!
It's not going to make the news, but I'm just so bloody tired of it all. He'll never be this little and innocent again...I tolerated it last year but my patience is gone.
Anyone who wants to be is jabbed, we have lateral flows, it's as safe as it ever will be.
Yet the commercial stuff can go on, but the pure joyful ness of a kids Christmas nativity can't. Just wanted to vent really. No point complaining in real life anymore!

@Innocenta

Thanks *@nojudgementhere* - I really appreciate you clarifying

And I don't think I've been clear enough either that I do think it's absolutely crap for young children, and for their parents. I don't think the current balance is fair or ideal at all, I just think it's a discussion we should be able to have without either (a) spreading misinformation or (b) slipping into 'just drop all restrictions! give up!'

It's perfectly possible to agree that children are getting a really bad deal, and yet not to think we can just pretend Covid isn't a think. I truly believe we can discuss this in a way that isn't ableist or indeed dismissive of the many traumatised and exhausted NHS staff who are feeling so despairing today.

You're right & it's good to hear about things from somebody elses perspective as it's too easy to only see things from one angle. Think this pandemic has been horrible for the way it has divided people & I'm hanging on in there for better days ahead! Take care. xx

How does not having the Nativity prevent cases in school when kids and families are out mixing with strangers in all other settings like cinemas, theatres etc?

How does it make sense to increase risk even more then?

I don't want to put even more pressure on schools and teachers. Is that a hard concept to grasp?

Clearly it is.

Keep sqcreaming.

But not one person has said it’s the be all and end all, @RedToothBrush, and tbh, I don’t really understand why you’re claiming they have.

On a global scale, a nativity doesn’t matter but then neither do most things that are individual to one person. People can be sad and disappointed. It’s allowed.

And tbh I think it’s a bit sad and disappointing that someone who has always been brilliant on the feminist board is being so insulting to women - ‘screaming.’

[quote wonkylegs]@JudesBiggestFan if you ask in years to come most kids won't remember these moments (I checked with my teenager) so although there may be some initial disappointment I'm sure no lasting damage will occur. You may remember for longer but that too will blur into the memories.
It's a bit sad but I'm not sure I can get on with the drama over it all and yes my 5yo's has been cancelled too. [/quote]
Well my 14 year old and his 10 year old sister remember theirs really clearly and would even still knock a bit of fun out of rewatching the tapings. They'll knock even more fun out of it when they're older probably.

@RedToothBrush

How does not having the Nativity prevent cases in school when kids and families are out mixing with strangers in all other settings like cinemas, theatres etc?

How does it make sense to increase risk even more then?

I don't want to put even more pressure on schools and teachers. Is that a hard concept to grasp?

Clearly it is.

Keep sqcreaming.

How and in what way am I "sqcreaming"?

You've missed my point entirely. I don't think restrictions should be placed on kids that are not being replicated for adults.

You used to post some pretty insightful stuff on the Brexit posts. It's disappointing to see you being so disrespectful towards the many people who are upset about this.

@RedToothBrush

That was disgusting.

Truly, truly ugly. You are talking about small children, it may not be the be all and end all to you - but to them, it is.

They've had 2 years of continuous let downs, very few normal childhood experiences and the ones they have had (and have worked bloody hard towards) are now being cancelled.

Try having a little empathy yourself.

I work for the NHS. I am a clinical psychiatrist. Let me tell you, the lack of normality over the past couple of years is something that will cause problems for many years to come.

We're already starting to see children who are riddled with anxiety due to the massive upheaval; Children as young as 6 refusing to go to school because they're frightened 'the germs' will kill them, or they'll bring the germs home and kill mummy/daddy/nanny, Children on the spectrum having total meltdowns because they cannot comprehend how much their routine has changed.. I bet they don't matter to you either, do they?

Thing is it's not just schools.

It's a lot of childrens events.

The national swimming events are happening this weekend and next.
This weekend tickets are available to spectate (limited but transferable).

Next weekend the para nationals happen and there's far less swimmers and more capacity and they aren't allowing any spectators

YABU. I’d rather school take all precautions to keep children, their families & staff safe. Who really cares about a nativity in the grand scheme of things

Children care very much, and they’re the ones who haven’t been given a voice in any of this. They have been treated appallingly throughout the pandemic - othered, scapegoated and forgotten by turns. We’ve forgotten how fleeting a period childhood is, and that life is about joy and holistic wellbeing rather than mere survival.

It makes me so angry that it’s the youngest in society who are the ones left living under the most restrictions, holding the line against Covid, while adults broadly go about their lives as they please. And in many ways missing these rites of passage will affect many of the less privileged kids the most, as they’re the ones whose parents lack the resources or wherewithal to mitigate all the things they’re missing out on in school - no pricey pantomimes or theatre trips for them this Christmas.

Still, at least the nativity naysayers are in good company with Alice ‘Who Needs Fun Anyway’ Roberts. Shame she’s so rabidly anti-religion really, as she’d be right at home in the Puritans: twitter.com/thealiceroberts/status/1465024069322121231?s=21

@JudesBiggestFan

I'm just so tired of the arbitrary and pointless decisions that rob children and parents of yet more joy. Last year my son had his nativity play cancelled at preschool. This year, the school (after designating him a shepherd and giving him a line...the excitement!) have cancelled again. Because Covid. Never mind all the pubs, restaurants, Christmas shopping, family parties that all the kids, teachers and parents will be going to. The nativity is some kind of super spreader event that must be forfeited! It's not going to make the news, but I'm just so bloody tired of it all. He'll never be this little and innocent again...I tolerated it last year but my patience is gone. Anyone who wants to be is jabbed, we have lateral flows, it's as safe as it ever will be. Yet the commercial stuff can go on, but the pure joyful ness of a kids Christmas nativity can't. Just wanted to vent really. No point complaining in real life anymore!

100%. My son's 1 hour Halloween disco (in year groups only) was cancelled but two weeks later I was in a full theatre with him. It's all f'ing ridiculous now.

@TempsPerdu absolutely this!

@Iggly

The most cases I’ve seen have been in schools. So I’m not surprised.

Cases? What even is that?! Picking up asymptotic shite because we've been brainwashed to constantly test kids.

@LettertoHermoine

Ridiculous! You can get drunk and snog random fuckers in a nightclub but you can't have a nativity.

EXACTLY

We're already starting to see children who are riddled with anxiety due to the massive upheaval; Children as young as 6 refusing to go to school because they're frightened 'the germs' will kill them, or they'll bring the germs home and kill mummy/daddy/nanny, Children on the spectrum having total meltdowns because they cannot comprehend how much their routine has changed.. As a parent this matters hugely to me, and is one of the reasons that I wish schools would dial it all down a bit and stick to what is reliably manageable. My view is the nativity is more for parents than for the kids, and we need to focus on the kids. Keeping school open has to be top priority.

The thing that has changed is that now if you are a contact of a confirmed case of Omicrom, you have to isolate - so it is definitely worth trying to keep cases low for the last three weeks of school to avoid teachers being off etc.

If we really cared about the mental health of young people - we would be focusing on the basics not worrying about the extras. Parents should be calling for investment in air quality, not worrying about nativities.

I work in a school and they got sent guidance from the government today saying to cancel any unnecessary gatherings. So they will have probably been sent that. Although my school isn’t going to cancel the Christmas plays as yet

Just got an email from our school saying it's not being recorded or live streamed anymore and that we can go and see it! Can't believe it, cried i was so happy as my little one finally having confidence to do this is huge, they're doing it a few times over the week, two adults from same home as child only,masks and lateral flow before we go which of course we're happy to do, I'd do anything they ask I think as long as I can see it! Really hope more schools do this to

My view is the nativity is more for parents than for the kids

I don’t think that’s true. The memories might last longer but they are hugely effected by stuff like this in the short term.

DC1 was distraught when we couldn’t go into school for a class assembly a few months ago. It was cancelled a couple of days before due to high case numbers in one of the year groups.

They’re going to be upset all over again if the Christmas concert gets cancelled too.

Yanbu.

The irregularities in the 'rules' are ridiculous and mean that many people can't take them seriously.

As far as I know, packed nightclubs, football matches, concerts, packed Christmas markets etc can still go ahead? Oh, but they make lots of money. A school play doesn't, right?

I work for the NHS. I am a clinical psychiatrist. Let me tell you, the lack of normality over the past couple of years is something that will cause problems for many years to come

Sadly I’m convinced this is the case too. So many child/youth MH issues emerging already post-lockdown (and socialisation/speech and language issues at the other end of the age spectrum), but I think the overall effect of all these measures is quite intangible and will only become apparent years into the future.

As with online porn, gang culture and social media I envisage lots of handwringing in the Guardian in a decade or so’s time about a generation of children with stunted social skills and chronic mental health issues.

I think people are missing the point, it’s not just about a nativity.

It’s about sending our kids to nursery and school without chance to look around or meet the teachers, no parents evenings, no events that we look forward to in this country, harvest festival, Halloween party, nativity etc. Its not being able to see family last Christmas, not being able to see a GP, dentist, SALT. It’s the delays in surgery and referrals. It’s being told ‘because of covid’ for EVERYTHING. It’s being made to wear masks again, it’s being threatened with another lockdown despite getting our vaccines..it’s just bloody everything 😩

Meanwhile Ofsted are telling schools that Covid is not an excuse. Teachers will be queueing up for therapy behind the anxiety ridden children. After handing their notice in of course . Then where will the children be?

YANBU to be upset about it but your school ANBU to prioritise keeping the school open rather than holding a nativity. I assume that that’s what the school is doing, rather than deliberately trying to upset all of the pupils or what have you.

Completely agree with you OP, and glad to see you have a lot of support on this too

www.google.co.uk/amp/s/amp.theguardian.com/education/2021/nov/27/ofsted-inspections-headteachers-quit

@RobinHobb Not allowing parents at sports day is a great example of a restriction that just seems totally bonkers to me. It's outside! In the open air! I can see both the pros and cons of the nativity play issue (I don't think they should be fully cancelled, even if scaled back or with some restrictions), but sports... How on Earth can it hurt people to allow parents to attend that?

This sort of thing is why I do agree children have it hard.