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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Summer drama club AIBU?

16 replies

Hamsternautss · 31/07/2024 19:53

My daughter is attending a drama club this week 9.30-3.30 (she goes in term time for an hour a week) and she is the youngest there, she is 9 and it caters for 8-15yo. There is 10 kids in her group, 1 more 9 year old and the rest are all 12+ and all of them have phones. She told me today that in their lunch play time they all sit on their phones watching "stitch" on you tube for the entire hour. She said one video said the words "shit" and the drama leader told them it wasnt appropriate but they carried on watching. AIBU to think the older ones shouldnt be watching phones during a club at all?

OP posts:
seagullsky · 31/07/2024 20:05

I agree with you. I’m really surprised this is allowed as all our local holiday clubs are phone free - kids have to hand in phones when they arrive and not allowed back till end of the day.

purpleme12 · 31/07/2024 20:07

I wouldn't like it either.

ItsVeryHyacinthBucket · 31/07/2024 20:09

Don’t send her back to the club, not all holiday clubs are good ones. Vote with your feet!

Hamsternautss · 31/07/2024 20:25

Thank you, surely it must be a safeguarding issue?

OP posts:
TheOccupier · 31/07/2024 21:15

What is "stitch"? But anyway YANBU, this is not acceptable and I would say it is a safeguarding issue as your child could be shown inappropriate material by the older kids.

PuttingDownRoots · 31/07/2024 21:22

Primary aged and secondary aged children have different needs and maturity levels

If they have truly only have two 9yos, and the rest 12+... its not suitable for the 9yos

Hamsternautss · 31/07/2024 21:56

TheOccupier · 31/07/2024 21:15

What is "stitch"? But anyway YANBU, this is not acceptable and I would say it is a safeguarding issue as your child could be shown inappropriate material by the older kids.

Im not entirely sure, my daughter said its some kind of lilo and stitch thing on youtube where its cut with other commentary or something and had swearing apparently. It wasnt the only thing they watched but it was all she relay to me.

OP posts:
Barleysugar86 · 31/07/2024 22:02

Mine is younger (7) but if the only thing wrong with the video is swearing it wouldn't bother me too much. Obviously it's not great on the club. But we have been very honest with our kids about what swearing is, and why adults sometimes use it, and why it isn't a good idea for kids to use it even when it seems like adults do (as it can easily upset people, people might think them rude, they might get into trouble at school). My son hears people swear when we have pub lunches etc. and it doesn't faze him and he doesn't repeat it. Was it actually upsetting her?

NewName24 · 31/07/2024 22:14

I think if you are happy to send her to a group of people aged up to 15, then you can't really complain that your dc has heard a swear word or two.

It isn't unreasonable that teens are allowed on their phones during a lunch break.
I personally wouldn't have really been that comfortable sending a 9 yr old to a club with 15 yr olds - there is a HUGE difference developmentally.

TheOccupier · 04/08/2024 12:39

Hamsternautss · 31/07/2024 21:56

Im not entirely sure, my daughter said its some kind of lilo and stitch thing on youtube where its cut with other commentary or something and had swearing apparently. It wasnt the only thing they watched but it was all she relay to me.

This is really worrying - watch this, and don't send DD back to the club if they can't promise to keep her from seeing the older kids' phones. I tend to agree with the PPs who have said that a 9yo should not be mixing with teenagers in any case.
D

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wutheringkites · 04/08/2024 12:41

Do they really mix the 9 and 15 year olds? That seems strange.

My son's holiday club collects phones at the start of the day and gives them back at the end.

StillCreatingAName · 04/08/2024 12:43

Agree with you and I’d be saying to the club they shouldn’t allow your 9yo to be watching on other phones. Depressing that the kids all do this in their break, don’t just chat or interact with each other tbh.

hellodolly1 · 04/08/2024 12:52

I disagree with most posters about mixing ages . I run a drama group and it's valuable that different ages mix , they can support and act as positive role models . HOWEVER - that doesn't seem to be what's happening here . I'd have a chat with the teacher & mention you don't want your DC to be seeing / hearing this sort of stuff . They should be able to deal with it including going phone free for the day .

Also, it's probably not cost-effective for the teacher to have two different age groups as obviously there's only 2 x 9 year olds .

ThatMellowMoose · 04/08/2024 12:55

I think there is a reason groups are usually under or over 12.
I can’t imagine how something suitable for an 8 year old can be suitable for a 15 year old.

ThatMellowMoose · 04/08/2024 12:57

hellodolly1 · 04/08/2024 12:52

I disagree with most posters about mixing ages . I run a drama group and it's valuable that different ages mix , they can support and act as positive role models . HOWEVER - that doesn't seem to be what's happening here . I'd have a chat with the teacher & mention you don't want your DC to be seeing / hearing this sort of stuff . They should be able to deal with it including going phone free for the day .

Also, it's probably not cost-effective for the teacher to have two different age groups as obviously there's only 2 x 9 year olds .

I think your second point about being more cost effective is probably much more relevant than any other reason.

My 15 year old thinks the little ones at her dance school are cute but she only sees them on show days. I think their cuteness would soon wear thin in shared classes.

Stompythedinosaur · 04/08/2024 13:40

Sorry, I think you're being silly. Of course it's ok for teens to access their phones on a break of a leisure activity.

If you would like a more "primary school" type experience, then pick a club for children that age.

It sounds like your dc heard one "shit" and the group leader addressed it, I don't really think that is bad at all. Other than that, it doesn't make a difference what content the older dc are accessing, surely? It isn't affecting your dc.

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