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.

Hi Sue (it's avenanap). Hope you are well.

happy christmas.

You can't nominate here. I have no idea how they work it out but it's always children sitting in the same area.

Hi

Take him to Nottingham Playhouse. It's fab - and you can nominate although your DS would be too old, I think. You can also get fixed price parking at the closest NCP car park if you get your ticket stamped at the playhouse.

We have a big family outing now - 10 of us, grandparents to youngest niece who is 3yo. This year DH and youngest DN got drenched by the supersoakers!

No celebs, just a regular cast. Panto written by the same man (Kenneth Alan Taylor) for over 20 years and the same jokes are part of the fun as is the occasional ad lib and actors getting the giggles.

Have a great Christmas!

I caught a bag of vinegar (not salt and!!) flavoured Hoola Hoops when I was little thrown from the pantomime stage by Roy Hud (now Archie the undertaker in Corrie)

I was soooooooo chuffed!!

A CARRIER BAG full of sweets??!!

Do you really want your child to be eating a carrier bag full of sweets two days before they'll be stuffing their faces with Xmas goodies??

My son was approached at the theatre last year but I had to say no as he has severe SN.

If any of my children cried because they didn't get picked. Or whinged because another child got a bag of sweets I would wonder how I managed to raise such a spoilt little ponce tbh

Well said Pagwatch

OP yabu

pagwatch that is very succinctly put. Couldn't put it better myself.

lol @ paggers. You is right

Pantomimes have always done this.
It's just one of those things.
Really, it's a bit OTT to regret buying tickets because your DC will miss out on a few sweets.

YABVU.. come sit on the couch m'dear..

You should ask yourself why on this upsets you so much? Do you always want what the next person has? Do you have a secret inferiority complex? Is life just 'not fair'?

I strongly suggest you and your daughter give something of yours to charity and realise your good fortune...tut..tut.

Oh why does it matter? This isn't something that is hurting or affecting your son in any way, are you being serious?

'Should I complain?'

What for?

It's nearly Christmas, save your energy.

I for one would not want my DCs being given a carrier bag full of sweets, ever. (even without the complication that they are gluten and dairy free, so there is lots they can't have.)

Life is all about luck, sometimes you're a winner and sometimes not. Parents who want their child to always get and never be disappointed (ie buying them a prize when they don't win one etc) are on to a loser, where will it end? We really do not need our kids growing up so self-centred and greedy!(sack of sweets = happiness at age 6, designer trainers = happiness at age 15!?! etc)

Why not instead write to the main character, hand the note in backstage, saying "X would really like a photo with you in the interval etc" - worked for my DDs when one of them had the class teddy bear, they met Cinderella and have a photo forever, far better than a load of sweets

I think it is part of pantomime tradition that only a few children are picked. The only unfair bit in your case is that they are picked from the front. You could always ring the theatre and suggest they are picked another way.

My children were picked one year, and they were picked on the way in, without the staff knowing where their seats were. My children were actually quite scared, and would never have volunteered.

I do think it is part of life that you don't always get to be the lucky one. I think the theatre that invited children who had had a bad time that year was on to a really good idea.

It doesn't really bother me, what bothers me is seeing all the little ones upset because it is a very hard lesson for some of them. ds doesn't cry or whinge, he did try to stand up for the poor mite who was sobbing sitting next to us, I'm proud of him for that. She was very young and it is harsh for 4 year olds IMO. Christmas shouldn't be the time for them to learn this IMO.

Apart from anything else have you ever tried to give 100+ children one sweet each? It would be a bleeding nightmare and hold up the pantomime for at least an hour! Does anybody seriously want that?

In all fairness I don't think it's the kids at the front because their seats are more expensive either, I think it's because it takes considerably less time for them to get out of their seats and on to the stage.

Maybe give them out as they leave? They have to go through the door one at a time. I grew up with the policy of everyone or no one (when it suited her that is!).

I suppose - what would be a nice compromise was if all the children got a very small goodie bag on the way in when things are less hectic and the chosen ones got something extra on stage. A bit like having a sweet in all the layers of pass the parcel.

Yes, or maybe the staff could leave something on the chairs for them so they will get it when they sit down. Even if it is a quality street, it's getting all the children involved.

Gosh, is this still going?

I really, really don't see what the issue is. Some children are chosen, some aren't. They should be able to deal with that.

DS3 once went to a party where the "clown" kept on showing sweets to the children and did not give them any, now, that was bad!

Every pantomime that I have ever been to has had a few DCs on the stage and they have got sweets or a small present-going back to when I was a child-it is tradition! I think YAB very U.
Life is unfair, people do not always get the same-you might be slightly disappointed but it hardly spoils the show! It is forgotten in a moment.

Threads like this make me wish that Cod was still here. She would say what everybody else is thinking!

My kids always used to volunteer for everything. We soon sussed it that our theatre asked for children at a particular point in the show. Just before that point the 3 of them would quietly leave our cheap seats up the back, walk down the side aisle and stand near the stage. They were picked every year. (no carrier bag of sweets though, just a small bag ) The thrill for them was being on stage as they are all exhibitionists.

(I suppose you'll all say that was unfair but it was open to everyone to do the same)

Do you know what.
My son will be going and he can't speak very well and he can't understand some of what is going on because he is severely disabled.

Should I insist that all the other children have to remain in their seats and only watch some of it so that he is not left out.
And he has allergies so couldn't have the sweets even if they came down to his row and handed them to him.

Perhaps rather than make all the children have exactly the same and pretend that to do otherwise is 'unfair' we could sit our little children down and tell them that whinging about what we have not got rather than appreciatingthat we are at a pantomine in a ywear when some kids will get squit all under their tree is in appropriate.

Or perhaps we should explain that to some of the adults.

FFS