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Original poster

Reels of parents dancing for joy when kids go to school

202 replies

Caterpillarcakeforlife · 05/09/2023 22:40

On Instagram & Fb.

I get it, I’m craving some space and time on my own now after a long summer. But I just find the really exaggerated reels on social media of the parents being so damn joyful to be getting rid of their kids and back to school a bit..uncomfortable/distasteful
Am I just a boring stick in the mud

OP posts:
DoItAgainPlz · 07/09/2023 13:08

I don't like this sort of thing at all but it really irritates me when the person dancing is a SAHM.

A lot of the time these videos are made for the attention of the parents of the other kids in the class. You'll notice they often have the big new car in the frame, be filmed in front of the house to show off how they live in a "nice" new build, or show off the ghastly velvet sofa and 78" flat screen TV.

annahay · 07/09/2023 13:09

@CharlotteBog I might be glad that term is ended, but I never publicly state that I'm glad to be seeing less of specific children. That would be unkind. And it is essentially what these parents are doing.

DrSbaitso · 07/09/2023 13:19

annahay · 07/09/2023 12:51

I get that it's a joke, I just think it's a bit tasteless. I'm a teacher and find it sad that some parents don't want their children around. I also roll my eyes a bit because I manage 30 at a time.

It's not that they don't ever want their kids around! It's a JOKE!

And teaching is not like parenting, as I'm sure you must know.

user9630721458 · 07/09/2023 13:19

@annahay Yes, you sound kind and professional.

DrSbaitso · 07/09/2023 13:21

annahay · 07/09/2023 13:09

@CharlotteBog I might be glad that term is ended, but I never publicly state that I'm glad to be seeing less of specific children. That would be unkind. And it is essentially what these parents are doing.

Are you SURE you get that it's a joke? These two situations are so completely unlike each other that I'm honestly not convinced that you do.

Do you remember that scene in Inside Out where it shows the teacher fantasising about the start of the holidays and a sexy man on a ship? That was the same joke! Was that tasteless and offensive and insulting to teachers?

SouthLondonMum22 · 07/09/2023 13:22

annahay · 07/09/2023 13:07

@SouthLondonMum22 I did say that I get it's a joke, I just think it's in poor taste. Intending it as a joke doesn't guarantee the children wouldn't be hurt as a result. I had a step parent that made jokes at my expense, it's harmful.

It isn't intended for the children to see/hear which is why it is on SM and not directly in front of them in person.

user9630721458 · 07/09/2023 13:22

@DrSbaitso Lots of unsavoury comments can be passed off as a joke. It's a classic deflection from passive aggression.

annahay · 07/09/2023 13:28

Remmy123 · 06/09/2023 07:01

Almost as boring as your kids back to school photo

'and just liike that Jonny is in year 1- go smash it!'

no one gives a shit

Not to mention these photos often include way too much identifying information.

Lament · 07/09/2023 13:29

annahay · 07/09/2023 12:51

I get that it's a joke, I just think it's a bit tasteless. I'm a teacher and find it sad that some parents don't want their children around. I also roll my eyes a bit because I manage 30 at a time.

I can’t believe you just compared parenting to being a teacher.

DrSbaitso · 07/09/2023 13:32

user9630721458 · 07/09/2023 13:22

@DrSbaitso Lots of unsavoury comments can be passed off as a joke. It's a classic deflection from passive aggression.

You can find any joke offensive, most humour offends someone, and clearly some of you never laugh at all.

But I can't believe a teacher thinks an obviously joke video of an OTT dance to mark the start of school would be comparable to a teacher publicly stating that they're really glad they don't have to see their student Charlie any more. They're not comparable in the slightest, even if you don't think the joke is funny.

If you think they're the same thing, I don't think you DO get that it's a joke. I don't think you know what a joke is.

annahay · 07/09/2023 13:36

@MissedItByThisMuch you make a very good point. A parent wouldn't know if their children would find this funny or be upset until after the fact. Why risk upsetting them for a cheap joke?

user9630721458 · 07/09/2023 13:37

@DrSbaitso I haven't watched it, but I believe it was more than a dance, they were calling their own children mfs? I am offended by anyone who uses that language about children, and I do enjoy a joke - just that's not funny. Of course a teacher is expected to be professional, so that is different to parents. However, the sentiment of being responsible for a child and not doing something potentially hurtful is the same.

annahay · 07/09/2023 13:39

@ColleenDonaghy I've met hundreds of parents over my career. On many occasions they say something disparaging about their children in front of them. It's sadly not uncommon. They think it's funny though, so the children shouldn't be upset, right?

annahay · 07/09/2023 13:42

@Lament I wouldn't have before lockdown when swaithes of parents compared supervising online learning to teaching.

DrSbaitso · 07/09/2023 13:43

user9630721458 · 07/09/2023 13:37

@DrSbaitso I haven't watched it, but I believe it was more than a dance, they were calling their own children mfs? I am offended by anyone who uses that language about children, and I do enjoy a joke - just that's not funny. Of course a teacher is expected to be professional, so that is different to parents. However, the sentiment of being responsible for a child and not doing something potentially hurtful is the same.

Haven't seen anything calling kids MFs.

I've seen two versions of this. One was sent to me when the schools went back after lockdown. It was titled "mums this week" and was the clip of Hugh Grant dancing to Jump in Love Actually. I laughed.

Saw another one on Facebook from the kind one person who likes to share humorous videos. It was a very OTT dance scene from a film I don't know and was titled "parents this week" or something. I'd seen the joke before so I didn't laugh quite as much but it never occurred to me to think this person, or anyone who found it funny, didn't love or like their kids, regretted having them, was publicly humiliating them or any of the other...stuff I've done on here. I didn't realise anyone gave it more than three seconds of thought.

annahay · 07/09/2023 13:45

@user9630721458 You're bang on about unsavoury comments being passed off as a joke. I think people claim something upsetting is a joke in order to absolve themselves of any guilt they may feel.

DrSbaitso · 07/09/2023 13:45

annahay · 07/09/2023 13:39

@ColleenDonaghy I've met hundreds of parents over my career. On many occasions they say something disparaging about their children in front of them. It's sadly not uncommon. They think it's funny though, so the children shouldn't be upset, right?

That is not even in the same league as a jokey dance clip on Facebook pretending it's parents at the school gate. It isn't actually a good thing that you can't tell the difference.

SouthLondonMum22 · 07/09/2023 13:47

annahay · 07/09/2023 13:36

@MissedItByThisMuch you make a very good point. A parent wouldn't know if their children would find this funny or be upset until after the fact. Why risk upsetting them for a cheap joke?

The joke is for parents to see, not children. Especially young children who don't have SM anyway.

Though most parents know their child well enough to know how they would take a joke.

annahay · 07/09/2023 13:48

@DrSbaitso I didn't say it was. I was responding to a comment that claimed that they didn't think parents would say anything hurtful directly to their children. That's not my experience.

OhmygodDont · 07/09/2023 13:50

I mean I’m happy I can blast my music out as I want while working now they anit here and know that lol.

However they also no I hate just as much as they do the strict routine that becomes normal again once schools starts. We like to sleep in and stay up.

user9630721458 · 07/09/2023 13:54

@DrSbaitso OK, I think some posters referenced a quote of 'toodleoo, mfs', which is why I mentioned it. You know, even just a clip of a celebratory dance is just not very adult, or what a parent should do, in my book. Not quite as bad as calling your children obscenities, though, as you point out.

PhantomUnicorn · 07/09/2023 14:01

SoNotRainbowRhythms · 07/09/2023 10:35

One if my dcs is disabled and the battle to get his needs met us relentless. I hate the special needs world and the demands it makes on me.

M9st if my energy goes on fighting for DS and making sure DD diesnt miss out because im looking the other way.

I need this humour to get me through because if i dont laugh ill cry.

(My own needs are on the backburner constantly)

Love how everyone is talking around those of us with disabled children like we didn't post.

Scunnered123 · 07/09/2023 14:11

I would imagine a lot of parents find it really hard work if they work FT and don't get enough leave to cover school holidays. The days off spent with the kids are great, the other days can be really hard. Clubs round here only tend to only cover school hours so it can be really tough juggling, plus kids lose interest as they get older and don't want to go.

DrSbaitso · 07/09/2023 14:35

user9630721458 · 07/09/2023 13:54

@DrSbaitso OK, I think some posters referenced a quote of 'toodleoo, mfs', which is why I mentioned it. You know, even just a clip of a celebratory dance is just not very adult, or what a parent should do, in my book. Not quite as bad as calling your children obscenities, though, as you point out.

Of all the ways an adult can fail in their serious adult duties of adulting, a dance clip on Facebook with a jokey caption about parenting has got to be the one to worry about the absolute least. Any adult should realise that.

JudgeJ · 07/09/2023 14:43

DrSbaitso · 07/09/2023 12:22

Parents are absolutely responsible for creating children, and owe them everything. Therefore, it's immature to complain about how much work children are.

This reasoning is funnier than all the dancing at the school gates videos, even the Hugh Grant one.

Are we only allowed to make jokes about acts of God?

This is MN where a sense of humour bypass seems to be a requirement!