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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To think DS sports day was odd and not really in the spirit of inclusion?

283 replies

Notbeinfunnehbut · 22/06/2022 13:59

Me and DH and DM attended DS sports day yesterday
it was very hot and it wasn’t set out like a traditional sports day I.e activities each team goes round
mall kids were seated , activities did happen but certain kids from each team were read out and all other kids remained seated , there were children who took part in multiple races , and some none my son did 1! Being stood in a sun trap for over 2 hours to see him do one race at the end 😡

like I said some kids did nothing,

I asked him and he said teachers asked kids which ones they wanted to do instead

AIBU to think the whole point of SD is that everyone takes part??

OP posts:
Porcupineintherough · 22/06/2022 14:01

Well letting children decide how much they want to compete rather than making them is not necessarily a terrible idea.

MrsRinaDecker · 22/06/2022 14:03

I think making it optional is much fairer. Did your son want to do the other races? I hated enforced participation when I was in school, and I’ve seen plenty of threads on here where dc are anxious about taking part. The only issue I see is if teachers were only picking the popular / sporty kids and actively excluding others / those with disabilities or SEN.

emmathedilemma · 22/06/2022 14:05

Having been forced to participate in sports I was no good at and didn't enjoy, particularly in front of an audience while probably coming last, this sounds perfect!!

steff13 · 22/06/2022 14:07

emmathedilemma · 22/06/2022 14:05

Having been forced to participate in sports I was no good at and didn't enjoy, particularly in front of an audience while probably coming last, this sounds perfect!!

Yes, same. It sounds like the OP's son should have mentioned he was only participating in one event.

Plumbear2 · 22/06/2022 14:07

It's better they asked the children, some kids don't like sports day and find it humiliating.

funkysheep · 22/06/2022 14:08

Primary or secondary? At primary I've mostly seen team activities which everyone does on a round robin basis. Secondary is much more likely to be just some kids taking part - you'd be there for a long time if all 1500 students did, say, 3 races....

PurpleDaisies · 22/06/2022 14:09

Inclusion doesn’t mean forcing everyone to participate, even if they don’t want to

Original poster
Notbeinfunnehbut · 22/06/2022 14:11

Primary, he probably should have said I’m only doing one but yeah it did seem to be the same kids again and again, surely the already sporty kids aren’t the ones who need the encouragement?

OP posts:
Catapultaway · 22/06/2022 14:11

If the kids wanted to take part and weren't allowed then there is an issue. If they didn't want to then I don't see a problem.

peachescariad · 22/06/2022 14:14

SD should be for all.
At my DC's junior school, funny races were interspersed with the more usual races e.g. the slowest bike ride, walking backwards, balancing bean bag on back on all fours...silly, good fun events where speed didn't really matter. These events definitely got the more screams and shouts from the audience.

PurpleDaisies · 22/06/2022 14:14

Notbeinfunnehbut · 22/06/2022 14:11

Primary, he probably should have said I’m only doing one but yeah it did seem to be the same kids again and again, surely the already sporty kids aren’t the ones who need the encouragement?

Competing in sports day and enjoying being sporty and active in general don’t necessarily go hand in hand.

VariationsonaTheme · 22/06/2022 14:14

Notbeinfunnehbut · 22/06/2022 14:11

Primary, he probably should have said I’m only doing one but yeah it did seem to be the same kids again and again, surely the already sporty kids aren’t the ones who need the encouragement?

For the ‘already sporty’ kids it might be their only opportunity all year to shine amongst their classmates.

XelaM · 22/06/2022 14:15

Your son didn't actually WANT to do more than one race. It's nice of the school not to force him. Sports day for non-sporty kids is no fun if they get forced to do things they don't want to do in front of an audience.

Icedlatteplease · 22/06/2022 14:15

How old is the child?

How was it decided who would participate in what?

There are major problems with inclusion in PE and sports. Eg Traditional sports arent actually the best thing for fitness, especially for children with SN or coordination difficulties and sports days are emblematic of this

OhmygodDont · 22/06/2022 14:16

The non sport kids hates sports day. They where very likely extremely happy to get to sit it all out. While for one day a year being the sporty kid is actually a good thing for the whole day.

CremeEggsForBreakfast · 22/06/2022 14:16

This was how my sports day ran at primary. We had house teams and everyone put their names down for which races they wanted to do throughout the week during taster sessions. There were "fun" races for the less competitive like an egg and spoon or a race to be last.

I can't honestly remember whether everyone took part or not but I have fond memories of sitting with my house and cheering my team on. (Green House lost every single year and we rocked it!)

I actually think it's healthy to have a competitive sports day. Let's teach our children to own their strengths, that some things are okay to take part in for laughs if they're not going to win, and how to lose graciously.

User48751490 · 22/06/2022 14:17

I genuinely felt sorry for some DC at my DC school last week for sports day. Some just weren't really into it, coming last. I was like this too years ago when I was at school. Hated it. Yet all my DC win loads. Polar opposites.

Lola4321 · 22/06/2022 14:18

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OhmygodDont · 22/06/2022 14:21

I actually hate the new sports days of pointless 5 minute repetitive sports that you go around and do and nobody wins at all.

eg station one, bean bag
station two egg and spoon
station three javelin for whatever but nobody can ever win a sport or anything it’s just every one spends ages going station to station.

FrownedUpon · 22/06/2022 14:22

School sound sensible to me. The children get to choose what they participate in which is great. Forcing everyone to do it isn’t what inclusion means.

Lola4321 · 22/06/2022 14:24

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TastelessMiserySand · 22/06/2022 14:29

We had issues at my DD's sports day yesterday too. She's in Year 1, so 5 & 6 year olds. To start with it was fine because all the kids were in teams and did lots of fun races where they took turns. All lovely.
After that all the kids sat in the sun, while some of them (the majority, I'd say) were called up to take part in one or more of 3 races; skipping, sprinting and a throwing activity. All kids who took part in those got a sticker. Some kids did multiple events. My DD had not been assigned to any of them. So after sitting in the beating sun, getting more and more upset about being left out, she finally broke down about missing out on the chance to win a sticker, which at that age, is a big deal for them. I was gutted for her. The teachers could have so easily just split the class into 3 groups and let everyone have a go, but they chose to leave some kids out. Rubbish 😡

UndertheCedartree · 22/06/2022 14:30

That does sound a bit strange and a bit boring for the kids. At my DD's Sports Day they just do fun races, using different skills - so one might be dribbling a football, one egg and spoon etc. The emphasis is on supporting your team so any DC who needs encouragement is often having their name chanted by their team and huge cheers. Having said that I don't think a DC should be made to do something they find very uncomfortable, but surely that would be a minority?

Justthisonceharold · 22/06/2022 14:30

Imagine really struggling at English at school. One day everyone in your school and their parents will come to school and watch you struggle right in front of them. You know you can't read or write very well, but hey ho, you've just got to do it anyway, knowing you will be the worst. That's what sports day is like for some children.

I can remember the obstacle race when I was about 7. My feet got all mixed up in the hoops we had to step through. Everyone, the parents, the teachers and other children were laughing at me. I could still cry for the child I was at that moment.

Mummyoflittledragon · 22/06/2022 14:30

Much prefer the round robin style races dd had in primary. Everyone in dd’s team and those around seemed to be happy and feel included as it was a team effort rather than shaming the ones rubbish at it. Plus there were slowed interspersed activities others could do well in.

I was rubbish at the typical sports day events so found it embarrassing and excruciating and would have much preferred the style at dd’s primary. She otoh is good and still enjoyed it.