To think that my local theatre should give ALL children a sweet after the pantomime and not just 4 who sit neat the stage. Should I complain?

[scrooged]

I take ds every year to see a pantomime on christmas eve and every year they do this, ignoring all of the other children in the theatre. It really annoys me. They should give all of them a sweet or none of them but they choose 4 children from the more expensive seats, bring them up on stage, get them to sing and give them a bag full of sweets. I think it's unfair. Am I being unreasonable. I wish I hadn't have already brought tickets this year.

YABU. Buy them a a bag of sweets on the way home or buy the more expensive seats.

Not everyone can do this mrsmaidamess. All of the other children look upset. I do give ds sweets by the way but it's not nice looking at the children who get nothing.

I think its all pre planned tbh many years go I was one of those children but my mums friend was working there and pulled strings!!

You are being completely unreasonable. You pay to go and see a performance - not for sweets.

It's a local theatre as well. They probably don't have the money to hand out sweets to every child in the audience and tbh some parents probably wouldn't want them to either.

well it bound to happen a lot in life tbh.

That's life.

local panto has had to stop throwing sweets because someone claimed injury and tried to sue.

Do your children never go a party where someone else wins pass the parcel? Or run in Sports day and not win? Are they really that fussed about a bag of sweets when they are at a lovely pantomime? Sorry, but it seems to be a bit of a fuss about a bag of sweets! Your tickets must have cost a lot, they always do...so why worry about a 50p bag of penny chews?

I remember kids being chosen to go on stage when I was a kid and yes, I would have loved to be chosen, but it didn;t occur to me that it was unfair. it was just how these things are, those kids were lucky (I had no concept that they might have come form the more expensive seats). I have a slight feeling we sometimes pander too much to kids' sometimes unreasonable expectations of fairness. Similarly I didn;t get my lip out if I didn;'t get a prize at a party - again it was just how life was. and, when they get to the real, adult, world, it's exactly how life is.

I remember kids going up onto stage and getting to chat to the biggest celebrity of the 80's - Geoff Capes. Now 30 years on it still haunts me... sniff.

[gives scrooged a friendly wave, she of good advice on other matters]

I'm not talking about a 50p bag here, I'm talking about a carrier bag full of stuff. I live in a city so it's not a small theatre. Surly they can give each child one sweet as they are leaving rather than give 4 children a bag full?

I got chosen to go on stage with Keith Chegwin when I was 13 at the Saturday Superstore Roadshow. I did robot dancing and won a goody bag.

Put that in your pipe and smoke it

I think you should stay home and eat sweeties, that'll show the rotten meanies.

Thanks hatwoman.

I'm tempted to take a load of sweets and hand them out outside to the other children myself.

Our theatre (I understand) sends/organises tickets to children who have been ill or bereaved during the year & they get a 'special' experience - not sure if this is the same sort of thing?

This is part of the tradition of the panto, surely? A few go on stage and get some reward. It encourages kids to have the guts to volunteer, even if they may look daft.

Its not like a sweet each is going to be much of a treat for kids nowadays - not worth the bother.

I seem to remember hoping I might be chosen, if not that year then the next - till I outgrew it.

I'm not sure. There was (I think) a sibling of a child who had meningitis and had to have limbs removed last year, I don't know about the rest. I expect loads of the other children want to be on stage. It's sad to watch some of them that are not picked.

Its a bag of sweets! In 3 days they will all be rolling around in a mound of presents!

They don't volunteer. I've seen the staff approach the parents in the interval. They get up on stage and just stand there yet they still get the massive bag.

You're being ridiculous.

What would you like them to do so they earn the enormous bag of sweets?

And if your child was chosen, would you make them share the enormous bag of sweets with every 'upset' child in the theatre?

Scrooged, I think you are blowing this out of proportion a little. Lifes not fair. We have to get over it!

Then the disadvantaged/traumatised scenario may be the most likely situation

It should be all or none. This would be fair.

Thanks KatyMac. I've not thought of that scenario.

I think childen that are so concerned about the few on stage getting a sweet must be a bit spoiled. What on earth do you expect, your child to get an equal share of everything on the go every where, you are in for a lot of tantrums, both yours and theirs