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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

world book day is a pointless, costly pain in the arse for working parents?

698 replies

LumpenProletariat · 17/02/2022 09:18

Does it make any difference to reading levels? As a solo working mum, I find it a total pain and costly too.

OP posts:
Legoisthebest · 19/02/2022 13:15

One thing about Mumsnet that I find extremely odd is the hate towards the PTA, the school run and other school parents. Perhaps if more parents at the school gate talked to each other (doesn't mean you have to be friends) you can have a vast selection of costumes (homemade or shop bought) that are practically communal and get passed around from child to child. But apparently having to speak to another school parent is the worst thing ever according to many threads I read on here.

Kgiggl3s · 19/02/2022 13:17

I work in a school. For every parent filing a complaint for dressing up, there is another parent filing a complaint for not having dress up. It's a nightmare.

User0610134049 · 19/02/2022 13:32

^this

It’s a real divider of people.
Some kids and families love it… some really don’t.

Benjispruce5 · 19/02/2022 14:06

@Kgiggl3s is spot on.

wanttomarryamillionaire · 19/02/2022 14:15

@Legoisthebest

One thing about Mumsnet that I find extremely odd is the hate towards the PTA, the school run and other school parents. Perhaps if more parents at the school gate talked to each other (doesn't mean you have to be friends) you can have a vast selection of costumes (homemade or shop bought) that are practically communal and get passed around from child to child. But apparently having to speak to another school parent is the worst thing ever according to many threads I read on here.
This isn't just mumsnet, every other parent i know hates it in real life as well
SilverontheTree · 19/02/2022 14:26

DS has just changed schools so this his first year of being able to dress up for WBD.
His old school didn’t do it but they had to dress up for school pantomime day which was more restrictive imo. So glad to be doing WBD instead!
He’s 9 and is going as Percy Jackson. We already own a Camp Half Blood t shirt (£7 Amazon) and he’s wearing it with jeans.

velvet24 · 19/02/2022 14:28

Oh god yes, used to hate this so much, sorting out a bloody costume then having to go to the book fair and spend loads of money on overpriced books!

Legoisthebest · 19/02/2022 14:40

wanttomarry what? Everyone you know hates having to communicate with people that happen to live in the same community as each other. Why is it so awful to speak to a fellow school parent during drop off/pick up?

Mucky1 · 19/02/2022 21:39

All those offended by the OP mentioning it may be more expensive for working parents Hmm
Sahm have a little more time to buy pre loved outfits from face book or eBay, they would have a little more time to get creative and knock something up from a child's wardrobe or dressing up box.
To pretend you don't understand what the OP meant is pretty weak obviously not everyone's circumstances are the same but as a general rule SAHP have a little more TIME to sort this crap cheaply and not have to resort to a hastily grabbed outfit from the supermarket.

Mucky1 · 19/02/2022 21:39

All those offended by the OP mentioning it may be more expensive for working parents Hmm
Sahm have a little more time to buy pre loved outfits from face book or eBay, they would have a little more time to get creative and knock something up from a child's wardrobe or dressing up box.
To pretend you don't understand what the OP meant is pretty weak obviously not everyone's circumstances are the same but as a general rule SAHP have a little more TIME to sort this crap cheaply and not have to resort to a hastily grabbed outfit from the supermarket.

Mucky1 · 19/02/2022 21:39

All those offended by the OP mentioning it may be more expensive for working parents Hmm
Sahm have a little more time to buy pre loved outfits from face book or eBay, they would have a little more time to get creative and knock something up from a child's wardrobe or dressing up box.
To pretend you don't understand what the OP meant is pretty weak obviously not everyone's circumstances are the same but as a general rule SAHP have a little more TIME to sort this crap cheaply and not have to resort to a hastily grabbed outfit from the supermarket.

Mucky1 · 19/02/2022 21:40

All those offended by the OP mentioning it may be more expensive for working parents Hmm
Sahm have a little more time to buy pre loved outfits from face book or eBay, they would have a little more time to get creative and knock something up from a child's wardrobe or dressing up box.
To pretend you don't understand what the OP meant is pretty weak obviously not everyone's circumstances are the same but as a general rule SAHP have a little more TIME to sort this crap cheaply and not have to resort to a hastily grabbed outfit from the supermarket.

Mucky1 · 19/02/2022 21:40

All those offended by the OP mentioning it may be more expensive for working parents Hmm
Sahm have a little more time to buy pre loved outfits from face book or eBay, they would have a little more time to get creative and knock something up from a child's wardrobe or dressing up box.
To pretend you don't understand what the OP meant is pretty weak obviously not everyone's circumstances are the same but as a general rule SAHP have a little more TIME to sort this crap cheaply and not have to resort to a hastily grabbed outfit from the supermarket.

Mucky1 · 19/02/2022 21:40

All those offended by the OP mentioning it may be more expensive for working parents Hmm
Sahm have a little more time to buy pre loved outfits from face book or eBay, they would have a little more time to get creative and knock something up from a child's wardrobe or dressing up box.
To pretend you don't understand what the OP meant is pretty weak obviously not everyone's circumstances are the same but as a general rule SAHP have a little more TIME to sort this crap cheaply and not have to resort to a hastily grabbed outfit from the supermarket.

Mucky1 · 19/02/2022 21:40

All those offended by the OP mentioning it may be more expensive for working parents Hmm
Sahm have a little more time to buy pre loved outfits from face book or eBay, they would have a little more time to get creative and knock something up from a child's wardrobe or dressing up box.
To pretend you don't understand what the OP meant is pretty weak obviously not everyone's circumstances are the same but as a general rule SAHP have a little more TIME to sort this crap cheaply and not have to resort to a hastily grabbed outfit from the supermarket.

littlebilliie · 19/02/2022 21:48

It's an odd one and in the spirit of it, I think the school should get them to make something to wear with own clothes. I used to make mine (as a working mum) and was always slightly aghast as the purchased polished costumes. It is supposed to be a bit of fun

Tigersonvaseline · 19/02/2022 21:59

As a sahm with a working DH but on a very low wage I found it costly and incredibly annoying

Tigersonvaseline · 19/02/2022 22:01

Mucky not really... I'm working now And still find it just as much as a pain.
We did Disney dresses... from charity shops.

ShallWeTalkAboutBruno · 19/02/2022 22:26

Well having been a SAHP and a working parent, it was far more ‘costly’ as a SAHP as we only had one income. Now I’m working we have more spare cash for this sort of shit.

Momicrone · 19/02/2022 22:37

Or just don't spend money on it

littlebilliie · 19/02/2022 22:53

Where's Wally, pjs or monster outfit from Where the wild things are, lots of cheap options

Mucky1 · 19/02/2022 23:38

@ShallWeTalkAboutBruno

Well having been a SAHP and a working parent, it was far more ‘costly’ as a SAHP as we only had one income. Now I’m working we have more spare cash for this sort of shit.
The "cost" is the same no matter your income but as a sahm you do have the luxury of a little more time to source a cheaper outfit. I have no idea why my previous comment posted about ten times Confused
ButtercupOfFlorin · 20/02/2022 01:57

Personally the outfits, wether shop bought/preloved/homemade - is the entire issue I have with WBD. It doesn’t help learning and I do wonder if they actually, at any point, you know read a book? My DC’s school stopped outfits last year in favour of a reading relay day. So much better!

HiDay · 20/02/2022 11:58

@Kgiggl3s

I work in a school. For every parent filing a complaint for dressing up, there is another parent filing a complaint for not having dress up. It's a nightmare.
Yep @Kgiggl3s

My moto as a headteacher was ' you can't please everyone all of the time...you can only do your best to please a few some of the time'.

In the end, we rely on parents having trust in our professional decisions.

ShallWeTalkAboutBruno · 20/02/2022 17:31

The "cost" is the same no matter your income but as a sahm you do have the luxury of a little more time to source a cheaper outfit

My point was I also had less money then, as I wasn’t working. Now I am, I can afford the shop bought costumes.