What's your view on babies/toddlers in school plays?

[ShittyBogStain]

I'm torn but was quite annoyed this morning when DS's school play was ruined by a 2 year old girl in the audience. She wasn't crying, she was just shouting, making lots of noise, repeating what the kids in the play said everytime they said something, screaming...one of the teachers turned around and tutted at her mother but the mother said "I have nobody to look after her and I don't want to miss my son's play".

I CAN see it from her point of view but at the same time, I wasn't half getting pissed off myself!!

So where do you stand on this? should parents have to sacrifice the plays if their younger ones can't be quiet or should everyone else be more tolerant?

(I'm quite aware you've probably discussed this before but I havn't!)

I cried at my dd outside the church during ds1s nativity. I was just so fed up of missing yet another thing like it but wouldnt have ruined it for other people either. (I will say now I was pregnant and hormonal and didnt actually get cross with her)

I took DD to DS's Xmas play when she was three months old, she had a bottle during it and then fell asleep in my arms through the rest. The following year, when she would have probably made more of a fuss, she stayed at home with DP, who luckily had the day off. If he hadn't been home I would have still gone though, because DS would've been very disppointed not to have anyone watch him.

I think that's the main thing - if she's only going for own sake knowing that her DD would be disruptive, that seems rather selfish. If her DS had been desperate for his mum to come and watch, she didn't really have any choice.

Ime the most disruptive part of any school audience are going to be parents who only care about the two seconds when their own precious offspring speaks their lines and are happy to spend the rest of the play gossiping away. And you can't even offer to take them out!

Mine was fed rice cake after rice cake and the I put my hand over his mouth when he wouldn't stop calling out his brother's name. People didn't mind as they could see I was trying my best to keep him quiet.

I took DD out of the hall during her brother's school play when mine were small because she wouldn't behave.

It depends on the level of noise/disruption. If it is normal baby/toddler behaviour I think its fine and people should be able to deal with it.

If its rudness and unchecked madness then its not ok.

Its the parents that spend the whole play trying to get the best camera angle that annoy me the most. They virtually get in the bloody manger in an attempt to capture the nativity. It makes it impossible to see what your kids are doing.

Dont these parents every just watch a performance?

DD2s school offered a creche during the Christmas concert so that parents could enjoy the show even if they had to bring toddlers/babies with them.

I understand why people bring little ones (have had to do it myself as no family nearby) but it does wind me up when the parent won't at least take them outside if they become disruptive.

YANBU - Cory - I think our kids must go to the same school -I usually leave the 'golden book' assembley looking like the town mad woman I'm so pent up and raving mad. It is rude and completely selfish.

It never ceased to amaze me just how rude people were in school play audiences. Parents talking to each other, one bloke answering his mobile , letting their toddlers cry and scream without making any effort to quieten them or take them out.