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!

It’s lovely if schools can manage but those saying doesn’t matter if cases are high, remember those cases may be staff members. If schools are struggling for staff they won’t be able to do a nativity. Someone has to organise these things and believe me it is a lot of work! I think it will just depend on each schools individual situation, staffing, space to perform, cases in the community etc. all schools will have slightly different situations. As a parent of small children I understand the disappointment, as a teacher I can see then logistical issues.

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.

Last year DS's nursery did the nativity and videoed it, then sent out the vidio clip. It actually worked quite well as the teacher could edited out all the fogotten lines and stage fright. Would that be an option, especially if they've already been practicing.

Also have to say that most key stage one kids don’t enjoy it.

Ours was filmed by the school and they sent us a link to watch it, hopefully they will do the same last year

@HelplesslyHoping

You might find it's because we're in a global pandemic, and the NHS existing after it is more important than a nativity. Why not do one at home, or even watch a recording of a nativity?

Give it a break 🙄 I hate when people use the NHS as a reason for all pleasureable activities to be ceased all in the name of covid and to ‘protect our NHS’ 🙄🙄

I agree OP. Its just all very sad.
That's how I feel. Sad.
How much longer? Yes its only a small thing, but seeing your kids in their nativity is special. Especially when they're so small. God knows it goes so fast.

I'm going to buck the trend and say I really don't feel this is a big deal.

The kids don't know any different. Its the parents who are being drama llamas about it.

Its not a big deal. Kids are much more likely to spread it than adults atm simply because of who and who isnt vaccinated. Pubs etc are full of vaccinated people. Schools are not. I just want my son to be in school and not missing his friends. Everything above and beyond that is just a bonus under the circumstances. If having the nativity means its more likely you can't spend Christmas with other family members because you and the kids are stuck in isolation with covid, then really no.

I just can't get worked up about the preciousness of grown ups not getting what they want.

Sorry.

@DockOTheBay, "Where is this massive spike in numbers you speak of?"

Perhaps you should look at the graphs for primary aged and 12-15 kids.

Exactly @RedToothBrush I work with primary children. They love the rehearsal but clam up in front of parents because of the pressure. They’ll still get to act and sing.

[quote CallmeHendricks]@DockOTheBay, "Where is this massive spike in numbers you speak of?"

Perhaps you should look at the graphs for primary aged and 12-15 kids.[/quote]
Oh yes the ones who don't get ill and don't even know they have covid half the time? If its not translating to hospitalizations and deaths i don't see why its a big deal. Nobody ever closed a school because of an outbreak of noro or flu.

"Nobody ever closed a school because of an outbreak of noro or flu."

Noro? I think you'll find we do!

Our school did the nativity, filmed it and then sold USB sticks if the recorded performance for £10. Why cant they just do something like that?

@HelplesslyHoping

You might find it's because we're in a global pandemic, and the NHS existing after it is more important than a nativity. Why not do one at home, or even watch a recording of a nativity?

The numbers of people dying isn't at the level it was spring 2020, even the figures if people who are dying now include those with a covid diagnosis in the previous 28 days,that does not mean they're dying OF covid. ITU admissions are reasonably steady. There are more people dying of other diseases and cause each day than covid.

It's not about the Nativity play itself its the complete disruption to all lives across the board. It's about children's education being disrupted. It's the "unfairness" for want of a better word that children have missed out on so much when there is no consistency in other aspects of life. So pubs and restaurants, sports and theatres are not subjected to rules and masking wearing and yet shops are. Kids are having all their events cancelled and yet other people are carrying on as normal.

It's about a lack of leadership and direction from government which is leading to schools having to decide on their own rules rather than follow government led advice.

If the disease is constant changing and mutating as viruses do. How long are we going to keep stopping normal life for it? Because it isn't even protecting the NHS any more because every service is suffering now, a massive backlog of patients with a myriad of existing conditions and more flooding in each day that need dealing with and are just as important as covid sufferers.

And the future impact of all these lockdowns and disruptions will be seen for many years in terms of economy, physical health, mental health a lack of consistent education for the next generations coming out to work in the world and pick up the pieces.

So whilst it seems like it's "just a nativity, deal with it" to each family affected by it it represents so much more and its another chip in morale that is generally on the floor anyway.

YANBU. Poor little kids. There's stuff all for them to do and look forward to.

It’s all performative bollocks (the roolz)

In a tight, prescriptive curriculum, nativities aren't just superflous fluff, they are a valuable performing arts/ public speaking experience. Many children can't or don't get that experience outside school and it is a gap in their education to deprive them of this year after year for performance safety.

Blocking parents from school life and communication being reduced to just being a string of digital mesages and images corrodes home-school relationships and parents/ teachers cease to see the other as individual humans.

Keeping these types of policy up for a prolonged period is damaging even if it is subtle.

Nightclub...as an adult you choose to go or not.

School nativity, all the teachers and staff have to be there. Covid rates are high enough without bringing a load of parents in. Especially when some of these parents will have been on nights out etc

Some of those children or teaching staff will be CEV or have CEV family members. You will get over the disappointment of the nativity quicker than a child who looses a family member from covid.

@Benjispruce5

Exactly *@RedToothBrush* I work with primary children. They love the rehearsal but clam up in front of parents because of the pressure. They’ll still get to act and sing.

Ours hasn't been cancelled yet. If I'm honest I'm hoping they will, because I'm not that bothered, i dont really want my son or me exposed to more than we need to the week before Christmas as we have special family things planned. Its just not the best idea right now.

Plus controversially the school nativity is a bit shit anyway - its not the hilarious comedy sketch you see on tv.

Mind you if it is cancelled I am not sure I will be able to bite my tongue when the usual suspect on the WhatsApp group starts her predictable mega whinge. She's a bloody nightmare.

Don't be that parent...

@JumperandJacket

Yes it’s a shame but in the grand scheme of things it’s a play. Nobody is going to suffer long term because you can’t cram like sardines into a hall to watch a play!

We have no idea what the consequences are going to be for children of having their formative years disrupted like this, their hopes of normality repeatedly raised and dashed. Suspect quite a few people will be suffering in the long term.

Their formative years will also be affected if nurseries and schools can't function because staff are ill or isolating. We don't know enough about the most recent variant and if anyone is identified as a close contact isolation is mandatory regardless of vaccination status. In that situation cases do matter whether people want to acknowledge it or not. Parents would be far more inconvenienced if their children had to be home schooled than by their nativity being cancelled.

Never mind all the pubs, restaurants, Christmas shopping, family parties that all the kids, teachers and parents will be going to

Adults, fully vaccinated in pubs B unvaccinated children in plays? Really? Fancy giving kids Covid for Christmas? Nice.

I don’t think it’s anybody’s right to tell people that they shouldn’t be upset over this. Yes we all know the bigger picture, and yes let’s all protect the NHS. But for goodness sake, let the parents of our little kids have a few moments of joy. We didn’t get to see anything last year for my sons first year in reception, and I’m not holding my breath about this year yet either. And yes, I will be upset and disappointed. I’m allowed to be. It’s one of those moments as a parent that I’ve longed for, might sound silly to some I know. Every day he comes home singing all the songs he’s learnt for it and he’s so excited for us to see him. Even the education secretary said today how important a nativity is for children!

@Rainbowsew Well said. Honestly, the lack of compassion and understanding some people have shown on this thread is horrifying.

@BogRollBOGOF

In a tight, prescriptive curriculum, nativities aren't just superflous fluff, they are a valuable performing arts/ public speaking experience. Many children can't or don't get that experience outside school and it is a gap in their education to deprive them of this year after year for performance safety.

Blocking parents from school life and communication being reduced to just being a string of digital mesages and images corrodes home-school relationships and parents/ teachers cease to see the other as individual humans.

Keeping these types of policy up for a prolonged period is damaging even if it is subtle.

Tbf i dont think seeing teachers stops a certain number of parents from thinking the teacher is a verbal punching bag...

@Woohooforwine Spoken like someone without any significant reliance on the NHS...

For people who are CEV or have CEV loved ones - people for whom the NHS is critically important - it just isn't possible to be so dismissive.