Alien/space creature day at school

[VGY3]

We were informed a few weeks ago that school is doing it today. The memo was to 'be creative' and 'make' something to come to school in.. as an alien or space creature.

Me and DS worked together to make his. He was proud as punch and excited to show his friends.. until we got to school and saw that most of the other children in the class were in shop bought (proper) costumes. He then felt "silly" about his costume not being a "real one" and didn't want to wear it anymore.

I know people can be pushed for time, I am too, 3 kids and work ft, but we've had weeks. How hard is it to stick some googly eyes on a piece of card?

There was some hand made ones available in the class for children who's parents didn't participate, so nobody would feel left out. There was no need to go out and splurge on pricy costumes.

AIBU to feel a bit peeved?

I'm not creative at all, & have absolutely no interest in making something for dress up day.

I always buy my DC costumes for roman day/ancient Greek day/children in need etc (I've already got DC3s costume for world book day in March).

I'm sorry that you feel disappointed in people like me buying outfits but I'm always quite jealous when I see how creative the other parents at school are.

There are always going to be parents who buy the costumes and there is nothing wrong with that. If your DC is negatively affected by it then maybe spend the time explaining that every does dress up day differently or just buy him the costumes too!

This, and these type posts are so stupid and wrong. OP doesn't think she's better than you, but in her private thoughts feels that she made a huge effort and received a bit of a gut punch in her childs reaction.

Posts like this seem to trigger some people to see this kind of post as a dig at them rather than a private expression of unappreciated effort.

If I spent hours cooking a beautiful nutritious meal from scratch for a children's party, maybe a new recipe, something creative, and my child and their friends all said that it was rubbish and I should be more like Oliver's mum who did a McDonalds run, I think feeling unappreciated and a bit deflated would be a valid feeling. That's not having a go at Oliver's mum, fair play to her, you don't know what she's going on, but come on, she didn't put a tenth of the effort or thought in and she's the hero.

...but come on, she didn't put a tenth of the effort or thought in and she's the hero.

@Everanewbie But isn't that just like saying you feel unappreciated because you did do it better (more thought, more creativity, more time given)?

Yes, OP did do it better. She stuck to the spirit of what the school asked, involved her child in making the costume and they had fun doing it. That isn't a debate. Whether anyone agrees whether the school should ask such things of parents, and whether other parents have the time or ability to match OP, well, that's a separate, valid debate.

But what I'm getting at is that saying OPs disappointment is valid acknowledging her feelings, giving words of comfort is not the same thing as criticising others. Its praising her, not dragging others down.

Probably extra curricular extra terrestrials at the moment

I saw this the other day.....😂

Brilliant 🤩 on a par with the old Smash adverts

Sorry but I'd have bought something as well. I've not got a creative bone in my body. I work full time in a stressful job. I've pets to look after. A house to maintain etc.

Who are the school to order parents around like that

@10ThousandSpoons errr they do that every single school day.
Uniform rules
Homework
Rules about food in lunchboxes
Start and finish times.

More landfill waste and pressure on those of us that maybe can't afford to buy a one-off costume but then felt pressured into it. I'm dreading book days really. No creativity, just lazy wasteful spending.

This. I find it very sad. Costumes don't have to be great, just a coloured T-shirt and a paper plate for a mask or something.

Don’t blame you at all. Me too probably. I’m quite time poor and the least creative person going. But I like to think I can appreciate other peoples efforts and have empathise with other mums feelings without feeling that their intent is to make me feel guilty or less worthy.