To HATE World Book Day (or rather kids dressing up for it)?

[Silverbook]

That's it really-
As a parent and a teacher I absolutely hate the yearly "dress up as your favourite character".

As a teacher it is such a visible divide of the haves/have nots.
As a parent I feel under pressure and it adds to the mental load.

I'm absolutely on board with promoting literacy and reading for enjoyment but think WBD has become very commercialised.

It’s a pain. DS actually loves books but he came home and announced he wanted to go as Spider-Man. I don’t think I can be bothered to argue with him and try to make him go as an actual book character, which will involve me having to go shopping for accessories or new clothes.

Not a lover of it as years of a nanny I had to sort out costumes. Now do as a mummy

My dd5 enjoyed dressing up bless her

I do chose a book we have and can adapt

Would much prefer pj day 😂

Our DT’s nursery sent a message home yesterday about it being next Thursday and encouraging all parents to send their DCs in dressed up as a favourite book character. Thankfully we have booked a day off (before it was announced) so I don’t need to do it - which I’m really pleased about as we don’t have any dressing up clothes at home (I hated dressing up/fancy dress as a child and so don’t encourage it with my 2).

I dread when they go to school and it will be expected to join in - they might just have to be ‘ill’ for the day every year!!

Does he not have any marvel books? My youngest went to nursery as Spider-Man last year and took a marvel short stories book with him.

Hate it. But our school are doing other activities over the week that will be better.

my kids read and always wanted to dress up. I enjoyed cobbling together something for them to wear. One of the best was drawing on a white t shirt in the style of diary of a wimpy kid. This t shirt has been worn and reworn by lots of children.

I passed on all the costumes as most of my mum friends hated doing it. And I totally get that. Each to their own.

I think you almost get more comments for making an effort for than not.

I absolutely fucking hate it. Sorry for the language but it gives me the complete rage.
If it's not this then it's a pyjama day for one class or jersey day to raise funds or bake sale or whatever.
I'm fed up having to magic stuff out of my arse.
Book day should be about the actual book. Not a bloody costume.

I fucking hate the dress up aspect and I voice my objections every year (must drive them mad 😄)

Why can't all kids just be asked to bring a book in or something like that? What does dressing up have to do with reading?

I just send mine in non uniform (Muggles) but it pisses me off every bloody year.

Why ? Teachers are told its on the school diary and that's that 🤔

I remember dressing up for world book day and I’m 30 so it’s not a new thing

Having to come up with a complicated or expensive costume would annoy me as I don't feel like I have a lot of spare time or cash just now!
Luckily my kids school does "dress as an adjective day" so kids can be sparkly/sporty/sleepy/comfy etc and it's low cost and low effort.

Our primary school is always pretty sensible about anything that is going to cost parents money or cause them stress - this year's letter says kids can dress up as a book character or in pyjamas or as one rainbow colour. And if anyone prefers to wear school uniform as usual, that's also fine. They take a book in from home, get a voucher to choose their WBD book in the hall and can buy a second hand book for 20p if they want. There are book related activities on for the day. My son is P6 now and will be going as a colour - I don't have any parent-friends from our school who have ever specifically bought something for WBD. The younger year groups do a challenge where they read or listen to books that have every colour of the rainbow in the title, that is the tenuous link to the rainbow coloured outfits!

My son moved school last year.

Outstanding school with amazing facilities for the children, DS loves it.

I love it because they don't do dress up days, ever.

World book day is very reading and book focused. Book donations, book sale, guest readers etc. not a Spider-Man costume in sight.

I hate it, and I blame the schools. Surely, of all professions, head teachers should know that it's a bad idea to do this kind of crap, especially for children in low income or difficult family situations.

The problem as parents, is if you decide not to partake out of principle, your children suffer.

The schools need to just stop and instead, plan a day around books and reading.

I think it's 1) laziness and 2) a money making activity.

You're so lucky!

No dressing up at our school.

Normal uniform but bring your favourite book. Having a book filled day reading and talking about books and authors.

I think there are better ways to do it (eg wear PJs and have a "bedtime story"). But I don't mind too much. DD is still young enough so far to happily accept options - this year I asked her if she wanted to be Burglar Betty, Where's Wally/Wanda or a character from Horrid Henry - all easy enough to cobble together from things we have / can make.

We are a PP family. We use it to get creative. My kids have a blast. I think I spent £1 on 5 meters of black ribbon this year and feel its one way for my kids to join in with everything their peers do without it needing excess money.

This! I know many of us are time-poor, but i think it's sad that there is such a 'can't be bothered' moany and joyless attitude nowadays to anything which requires abit of effort.What about the fun it brings to children??

My little girl is looking forward to it, but no fancy expensive costume here... she is just going to dress up in some dressing up bits she already has to be a fairy from her favourite book.I agree the shops have cashed in on WBD but doesn't mean it shouldn't exist as a concept.

One thing I DO think, is that schools should keep afew spare costumes in stock and should put a letter out saying that if anyone is struggling to afford a costume then to let them know in confidence they would like to borrow one, so that their children don't have to miss out.

Also, some schools are very prescriptive with it...my friends girls are being told they have to go as a character from books by one particular author, which is ridiculous.
Hi
But in general, YABU...let WBD live on, kids love dressing up!

Send them in as Harry, Ron or Hermione - they just need their uniform for that.

Nothing wrong with a pyjama day but it's perpetuating a bit of an unhelpful message that books are only for bedtime. Would school suggest that children had to dress in pyjamas to watch TV? Why the focus on what children are wearing, rather than on the books themselves?
Also, going off our local school, the pyjamas are not just normal pyjamas and probably require parents to buy new ones specially.

What’s a pp family ??

Pupil premium so lowest income kids.

When my son was y6, the boys did not want to engage in WBD. So one English lesson they wrote a (very short,) book about themselves- they then went as themselves- though think they swapped a few clothes throughout the day to be each other to. Teacher thought it was a great idea.