AIBU to think a three-hour sports day is too long?

[DriveVerySlowlyPastNumber23IWantThemToSeeMyHat]

AIBU to think a whole school 3 hour sports day is ridiculous?
11am - 2pm.
A range of activities.
DD is in Reception.

Neither am I.... like everyone else has said, if you can't go, don't go. It's really not as big a deal as you are making out.

You also sound like a PITA 😊

So don't go. It's not that deep. Lots of parents won't make it. That's completely normal.

Sports Day lasting for hours is also very normal.

Just DON'T GO. Like all the teachers won't be able to see their own kids. It's not that big a deal.

What’s your suggestion OP? A shorter one? But you’d struggle to fit it in to much shorter time than that. Or not have it at all? The focus is on what’s best for the kids, it doesn’t always align with working parent so availability but that’s life!

Every person I know with kids, their schools have 1 hour sports days. Either a the start of the day, or the end.

Sports Day is for the benefit of students, not parents. Why would they tailor it to parents needs?

I have never heard of a one hour “sports day”

Clearly its not common where you are but it is here.

So then that's proof it's not going to change. 😂 Sports day timings are for the kids benefit. Why are you not getting this

I was being polite. I meant the parents who don't have anything better to do and can plan the day three months ahead. Dh and I work 50 hours a week each and it's often whoever happens to have fewer meetings ends up being the one to attend. We often won't know this until the morning of the event.

But that is your choice.

OP why are you so against doing what is right for the children? . You have shown no concern at all for them, it's all you you you . Are you sure you are a parent? Because I would never act this way when it comes to what is right for my child. I would rather miss the day myself than make them miss out, which is what you are doing expecting school to make the sports day shorter for your own benefit.

This is the first year they've done it this way. Previously, they've done it in the hourly sessions on different days.

Again, piping up on things you know sod all about 🤷🏻‍♀️

Here you go again 🙃

Children get upset when they have nobody going to see them. The 3 hour session vs the 1 hour session makes it harder for parents to attend.

I don't think I can explain things any simpler for you.

But surely if you had (for example) 3 kids, thayd be even more annoying having to go 3 seperate mornings for a sports day?

As it is, they've put it at the end of the day. You don't need to go to the whole thing. Honestly you're in for a rude awakening if you're making this big a deal about the first sports day! It'll be a very long school social calendar for you.

Don't go then. It's an invitation not compulsory. I couldn't make my child's.

Schools are damned if they do and damned if they don’t.

They are trying to do something nice for the children. Pretty much every school staff member I know does a rain dance on sports day because we would rather not spend the afternoon on the field but we do it because on the whole the kids love it!

which is great, but I'm sure it's possible to time it NOT over the hotter part of the day and over lunch!

our school does an early year's sports day so nursery and reception. short, kids have fun but thry're not sat out in blazing sun. rest of school is usually week after, has more of the parent races etc and generally takes longer, but it starts at 9.30 so they're done before the sun gets really high and in time for lunch.

also means parents can go straight from school and only need to book half a day off instead of needing a whole day off, going home for 90 minutes, coming back then likely hanging around for an hour til pickup.

I never went to sports day when DC were in primary. There’s only so many annual leave days you can take and I prioritised assemblies and anything that involved talking to the teacher.

The school were doing assemblies at 11am at one point, and a lot of parents politely asked if they could be earlier so more of them could come, and they were changed to 9.30. If lots of people are in the same boat it might be worth asking if sports day could be earlier/ later so more parents can attend?

Three hours seems fine, but can see why the actual hours are annoying. I assume that’ll include lunch. DD’s school do a whole day but parents only get to watch the afternoon.
Now DS’s high school is annoying, as that is a whole day but each child only does one or two events and he somehow manages to pick two that are hours apart. Saying that the PTA lays on a bbq and stuff and it’s actually quite fun if the weather is nice.

How convienient, of course they did 🙄😏

Again. It's for the children , not you. Is that simple enough for you?

Exactly. For the children. Children who get upset when nobody can come and see them.

Like i said, its the first year they're trialling this set up. Believe what you want 😊

A few parents have emailed so hopefully! 😊

Yes!! It's the hours that have annoyed people. 3 hours in the morning or 3 hours in the afternoon. Fine. People can take the morning or afternoon off.

It's the fact it's slap bang in the middle so a full day I needed. Plus, its the hottest time of the day!