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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

To be annoyed child got no part in school play

257 replies

Honeybeebuzz · 15/11/2024 14:40

Child is in Year 1, they do their play with the reception class too. Last year he didn't get a part but we were told it's because most parts go to the Year 1s. Just found out he's not got a part again, just chorus. Its a small school so most do and im not sure why he didn't. He's generally well behaved, confident and doing well academically so not like he couldn't manage a line or two. Just feel a bit sad for him as he's chatting away about the parts his friends got. There's nothing I can do really and im obviously not showing him im annoyed

OP posts:
FozzieP · 16/11/2024 21:51

Honeybeebuzz · 15/11/2024 14:40

Child is in Year 1, they do their play with the reception class too. Last year he didn't get a part but we were told it's because most parts go to the Year 1s. Just found out he's not got a part again, just chorus. Its a small school so most do and im not sure why he didn't. He's generally well behaved, confident and doing well academically so not like he couldn't manage a line or two. Just feel a bit sad for him as he's chatting away about the parts his friends got. There's nothing I can do really and im obviously not showing him im annoyed

If he isn’t bothered I would just leave it be. Being in chorus is taking part and serves an important function. Don’t make a big thing of him not having a speaking part or he’ll start to worry there’s something wrong when there isn’t.

JustMadAboutSaffron · 16/11/2024 21:54

Will he perhaps get a chance next year?

PubicZirconia · 16/11/2024 22:00

No advice to give you as you've already had loads,but your thread did give me a giggle as brought back some lovely memories :D

My eldest is on the spectrum.When his pre-school Christmas show came around,he was only 4,nearly 5.He only had 1 line as the other children were quite a bit more advanced verbally,but they gave him the part of Santa stuck in the chimney so he was on stage for almost all of it and got to dance and sing along as much as he wanted with no pressure.

His line at the end was 'Merry Christmas,everyone!'

He got distracted by a bug and when his teacher whispered to remind him,he came out with a loudly audible 'You what?Oh,have a nice day everyone!'

He did in fact get a big round of applause and I pissed myself

DaisyChain505 · 16/11/2024 22:03

Honeybeebuzz · 16/11/2024 20:21

Some of the responses on here are very interesting.
I honestly wouldn't care if I was "that parent" I wouldn't let the worry of annoying a teacher stop me from advocating for my child.

You’re not advocating for your child. You’re expecting the teacher to give them special treatment because they’re your precious little sunshine and you think everyone should view them as you do.

It’s a school nativity. Just because your child wasn’t centre stage headlining doesn’t mean they were over looked or neglected.

Deeperthantheocean · 16/11/2024 22:18

Orangefruitbrush · 15/11/2024 15:24

If he really wants a part, I think you need to be that pushy parent that asks that he gets one.

Hoping this is a joke, being a pushy parent so their DC can get a bigger part is awful 😖 Question maybe, but any parent who forcefully tries to enforce their own above others will be seen as entitled and pushy.

pollymere · 16/11/2024 23:06

Sadly this is an important life lesson. Life isn't fair, people aren't kind or fair, and being the best person for the job doesn't mean you'll get it.

My extremely talented DC who had been in shows at the local theatre in major child roles didn't get any part in the Y6 play. They cast it very randomly so they chose people for minor parts whilst deciding the leads. Mine lost out on the main role but by then all the other parts had been allocated. And yes, parents did ask why mine wasn't the lead or at least one of the main parts 😂. They did however, have the best costumes in the entire production... 🤭

AngelicKaty · 16/11/2024 23:08

Honeybeebuzz · 15/11/2024 14:40

Child is in Year 1, they do their play with the reception class too. Last year he didn't get a part but we were told it's because most parts go to the Year 1s. Just found out he's not got a part again, just chorus. Its a small school so most do and im not sure why he didn't. He's generally well behaved, confident and doing well academically so not like he couldn't manage a line or two. Just feel a bit sad for him as he's chatting away about the parts his friends got. There's nothing I can do really and im obviously not showing him im annoyed

"Just feel a bit sad for him as he's chatting away about the parts his friends got."

Has your son actually expressed any disappointment? Your post seems to be more about how you feel than him. Your DH is right. Leave it, it's no big deal.

ginnybag · 16/11/2024 23:17

If he's bothered, tell him the most important part of any show is the ensemble.

You can have the biggest 'star' in the world as the lead but they don't carry the production. The million moving parts, often never saying a word, in the background do

Marblesbackagain · 16/11/2024 23:19

Advocacy for a speaking part isn't advocacy.

It's being the dick parent. You have no idea why children get roles and it isn't your business. Grow up. Honestly the bang of entitlement is not a good look.

Longma · 16/11/2024 23:21

This reply has been withdrawn

This has been withdrawn by MNHQ for breaking our Talk Guidelines. at the request of it's author.

Longma · 16/11/2024 23:33

This reply has been withdrawn

This has been withdrawn by MNHQ for breaking our Talk Guidelines. at the request of it's author.

Dancingqueen2023 · 16/11/2024 23:39

DS was cast as a sheep with the kids the year below when he was in year two, most of the rest of his year had speaking parts. He was disappointed but decided to be the best sheep ever. Cue him gamboling into stage on all fours with sound effects 🙈🙈 I howled the place down but he made the best of the part he was given.

SmudgeButt · 16/11/2024 23:53

My nephew was given extensive vocal training to get him ready for the school plays and so that he could have a singing role. He was dreadful. And he didn't get a part despite having very involved parents. The teachers were right.

OrcBytes · 17/11/2024 00:02

As an ex primary teacher I really wouldn't mind a parent bringing this up.

There's currently a thread where a poster has been emailing the school about replacing their child's sticker. Honestly that's the kind of stuff that parents are complaining about on a daily basis. This isn't like that at all.

I think "that parent" and "has enough going on" gets wheeled out too much here. Presuming you don't complain constantly about tiny things and presuming it's something your child is actually upset about I really wouldn't mind an email like,

"Hi Mrs Bytes.

I know you're working really hard on the nativity and getting everything ready. Derek has been feeling quite upset about it this week. He was hoping for a speaking part in reception but didn't get one. He noticed that most year 1s get the speaking parts so was really looking forward to it this year. Now he's not got one he's feeling really disappointed especially as it's the last year they get this chance.

I know it might be too late but if there is a chance he can get just a single line to say then I think it would really help him. I know he's not the most confident but I think this is a chance for him to improve on that as he would be practising projecting his voice and really would want to do well.

Please let me know what you think."

Honestly it happens once a year (twice ever) and it's a big thing. It does sound weirdly unfair to pick year 1s and some reception (why not just stick to all year 1s who want a part then use reception for any left over roles?). Some kids won't speak their lines as well as others but if he's lobster #3 it doesn't matter. As long as you're not expecting him to be Joseph or anything.

As a teacher I did have a lot to do and constant complaining about tiny things or demands from parents was hard work but (again assuming this is coming from him not you) if a quiet, well behaved child was going home upset and feeling bad about themselves at 4 years old because of this I would want to know.

I still remember being a minority of kids not picked for choir at school and i felt awful and it put me off singing thereafter.

Giving a child the message that he's not good enough to perform if that's what he wants to do doesn't sit right with me. And I say this as someone who has added the most convoluted lines and parts to school plays so every child who wanted one had a character to dress as and one like to say.

Unfortunately it's just widely accepted with things like music, drama and art even from a young age that the kids who are already good at it get encouraged and the ones who are not are left behind. In other subjects like Maths it's the opposite and the less able children would get picked to participate in events to build their confident and help them improve.

OrcBytes · 17/11/2024 00:05

Sorry for typos I am on mobile. I meant line and confidence.

ForGreyKoala · 17/11/2024 00:08

ilovesooty · 15/11/2024 15:47

I feel sorry for primary school teachers. They have enough to do without dealing with stuff like this.

Just what I was going to say. Honestly, some people are far too involved in their children's school life! No-one I know in real life would make such a drama about this.

AtomHeartMotherOfGod · 17/11/2024 00:17

AtoB · 15/11/2024 15:21

I think you could ask. At least you will know if he didn’t volunteer or something. Surely they can all get a line?

One year my dc had a line but someone got mixed up and the lines went out of order and she didn’t get to say hers. She was devastated! Sounds dramatic but she cried all the way home as it was so important to her!

I hate it when this happens. It's a double whammy if you've worked super hard to prepare, and then had your moment to shine taken away by someone else doing a crap job.

OP, I have spoken up about this kind of thing before on my DC's behalf. As a teacher myself, I would want to accommodate this. However, I do agree that it's likely they asked who wanted a line, and to check it is what your DS actually wants first.

CrowleyKitten · 17/11/2024 03:46

I used to almost always end up as the narrator.
because I'm well spoken, and project well and clearly. (and if I was reading, it's not in that stunted way, like the child in that gas safe register advert, with the out of place pause in the middle of the sentence where they clearly edited two takes together)
which means that technically, I usually had the most lines, but it was annoying because I wanted to do some actual acting.
one of my best ones, though, was an assembly about the battle of hastings, where, in my sort of slightly modified narrator role, I was playing a war correspondent reporting live from the battlefield.

CrowleyKitten · 17/11/2024 03:51

DoublePasta · 15/11/2024 15:49

My dd was offered Mary but turned it down because she wanted to wear a beard.

OMG. one of my friends posted some amazing pics of her small boy (with long red curls and the most cherubic little face ever) at his nativity. he had a fake ginger beard and ginger fake eyebrows, and he was HAMMING IT UP big time. it was so funny. best little wise man I've ever seen. he looked and acted it like some kind of supervillain.

Jumpers4goalposts · 17/11/2024 07:09

Maybe your child didn’t want a speaking part? Is your child happy with the role he has? This seems more about you than your child. You haven’t mentioned what he thinks about the play?

Chan9eusername · 17/11/2024 07:31

I'm with you on not caring if i annoy the teacher. I'm not here to be friends with/make the teachers life easy, I'm here to advocate for my DC and support their education. I will always be respectful and try to consider whats reasonable, but teachers can and do get it badly wrong.

My DC was in a class one year where there was a point system with a weekly certificate to a class winner. The teacher had a favourite who was given the certificate 8 weeks out of 13 in a single term.

Several people complained, i was one of them, and i don't regret it.

oneandonlygreg · 17/11/2024 08:29

Oh my goodness. I'm sorry but this is a complete non issue. Has your child actually said he's unhappy with his part? By the sound of it, you're the one that's unhappy.
These plays are a huge amount of work for staff and are lots of fun for the children regardless of their part. It's a school play not the west end. Focus on hyping him up for the chorus role and practise the songs with him.

oneandonlygreg · 17/11/2024 08:39

Chan9eusername · 17/11/2024 07:31

I'm with you on not caring if i annoy the teacher. I'm not here to be friends with/make the teachers life easy, I'm here to advocate for my DC and support their education. I will always be respectful and try to consider whats reasonable, but teachers can and do get it badly wrong.

My DC was in a class one year where there was a point system with a weekly certificate to a class winner. The teacher had a favourite who was given the certificate 8 weeks out of 13 in a single term.

Several people complained, i was one of them, and i don't regret it.

But this is completely different to a child not getting a speaking part in a play. You were very right to complain about this as it's not fair. There are only a certain amount of speaking roles and I imagine that there would be a few children who didn't get one. It's just the way of things. It won't affect the OP's DC's education. They're still getting to stand on stage and perform but just not in the way the OP wanted.

OhBeAFineGuyKissMe · 17/11/2024 08:43

Interesting in all the replies the OP hasn’t mentioned if her son is bothered by this, or even wanted a part!

ForTealRaven · 17/11/2024 08:43

I'm sure a lot of teachers wouldn't feel so overwhelmed by all their duties if they didn't have to field enquiries about stuff like this.