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Original poster

A Valentines disco? For Reception?????

254 replies

nearlythree · 25/01/2007 20:47

The school PTA have organised a Valentines disco - well, two in fact, one for 4-7 year olds and the other for the rest of the school. Apart from the fact that it finishes after dd1's bedtime, I am furious that the school thinks this is appropriate for such young children. I know that Michelle Elliot of Kidscape has spoken out about this trend and I am shocked that dd1's school aren't more clued up. Dh is backing me on this and wants me to see the head about it. Whatever happens dd1 won't be going.

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franca70 · 26/01/2007 14:32

booboobedo, I saw 3 mins of skins and then got irritated.
good old house parties... although not much snogging around here

Sheraz · 26/01/2007 14:32

Imagine what our post will be like in 10yrs time - my daughter is a tart and my son is addicted to crystal meth - should I let them got macdonalds unsupervised?!! We will all be on valium!!

northerner · 26/01/2007 14:34

This thread has made me laugh actually. Especially Marthamoo's post about boys being aeroplanes and running till hair is stuck to their head. So true!!

How anyone can get so wound up about a school fundraising event is beyone me. I totally support a parents reason for not wanting her child to go, so fine, don't send her. But to complain to the school is just OTT.

The PTA folks have given up their precious time to organise this and to run it to earn good money towards your childs education. Do not criticise it for goodness sake.

itsmeNDP · 26/01/2007 14:34

When I think back to those parties now, they were honestly like some sort of Roman orgy

[paranoia sets in now that NDP is a parent to a 14y.o]

itsmeNDP · 26/01/2007 14:35

The houseparties, not the Reception discos of course

northerner · 26/01/2007 14:36

FWIW I went to school with a girl who was never allowed to parties an she wasn't even allowed to watch Home and Away, only Blue Peter on the other channel.

She was a square and had the pee taken out of her for it. We were older than 5 granted, but sometimes being a bit too strict has repercussions for your kids.

Sheraz · 26/01/2007 14:36

Taotally agree Northerner well put.I have two DS's at teh end of parties they light the way home with their bright red cherry heads!!

Zog · 26/01/2007 14:37

Just read the OP - I think there are two issues here:

  1. "I am furious that the school thinks this is appropriate for such young children"

Children growing up too soon - yes, I sympathise with this. But this will be the first of many similar decisions you will face and as your dd gets older, she is going to challenge your decisions more and more as peer pressure kicks in. If you have such a reaction to the use of the word "disco", you may have to prepare yourself for fireworks. Plus I doubt very much at Reception age, it will be a den of iniquity.

  1. "Dh is backing me on this and wants me to see the head about it"

Do you really think this is appropriate? Is this a good use of the Head's time? Wouldn't you be better off going to a PTA meeting and voicing your concerns there, better still, offering to help? There are so many parents in schools quick to criticise whatever the PTA choose to do but strangely enough, they don't tend to appear at the planning meetings .

Off to read the thread now.

Hulababy · 26/01/2007 14:37

Our house parties didn't get like that till we were about 16 and in sixth form!!! I must have gone to the wrong ones

I think it would be too late to do much about the disco now anyway - either stopping it or changing its name. Presumably the advertising will be under way, tickets and posters printed, and the children aware of it.

franca70 · 26/01/2007 14:37

a Roman orgy??????????????
Really? god we were sooooo behind times in italy then!

itsmeNDP · 26/01/2007 14:39

Hula, I went to a comp in the middle of a Welsh market town where there was naff all to do

itsmeNDP · 26/01/2007 14:39

lol franca

Hulababy · 26/01/2007 14:40

LOL!That must be it. I went to a bit of a dodgy comp in a fairly big town - think the more "mature" or "old too early" bunch went off to the clubs in town than to our houseparties! Has alcohol, and snogging, but it rarely went further until sixth form.

harpsichordcarrier · 26/01/2007 14:40

I am still interested to know why Michelle Elliot objects to discos. I can't think for the life of me why a disco might make a child more vulnerable or more at risk.
sounds like scaremongering to me.
I would say - don't be fooled by the media hype. little children are every bit as innocent as they ever were (- or weren't. when we were children we had "boyfriends" and played kiss chase and this was in the halcyon early seventies. that's simple role playing, not early sexualisation)
what buggers up childhood now is over anxious parenting and too much interference in what children "should" or "shouldn't" be doing because it isn't suitable - like not playing out in the snow because it's "too dangerous". that sort of thinking restricts children's freedoms and makes childhood not what it was. not a few flashing lights and the Macarena.
(of course what really buggers up childhood is grinding poverty, crappy educational standards and terrible diet.)

harpsichordcarrier · 26/01/2007 14:41

ah the teenage house party
Diamond White
Thunderbird
The Dark Side of the Moon.

Sheraz · 26/01/2007 14:42

Harpsichord well said. Who is Micelle Elliot anyway, what makes her an 'expert' ?
Sheraz says in her expert opinion, let kids be kids and let kids have lots of fun. Huzzah!!

Sheraz · 26/01/2007 14:43

Thunderbird makes me shudder now. Cider and black, pernod and lemonade. Pack of 10 Regals. Grim...

northerner · 26/01/2007 14:43

Oh yes, the good old house parties!

Cheap Cider and Diamonw White and Castaways mixed together to make a blastaway (I can still smell it and it still makes me vom)

There was always a fight, someone shagging, and more often than not the police would be called.

Them were the days

emkana · 26/01/2007 14:44

"I'm worried it'll steal a bit of the magic away, that the fairy balls and dressing up will no longer be wanted as big girls have discos."

I can understand your worries here, but IME they are unfounded. dd1 is nearly six and has been to one school disco and to birthday parties which had discos, but she still loves fairies, princesses, dressing up, all that.

FluffyMummy123 · 26/01/2007 14:44

Message withdrawn

Sheraz · 26/01/2007 14:45

what doyou mean Cod?

emkana · 26/01/2007 14:45

But cod you are a troublemaker!
Calling cherry tomatoes and cucumber poncey...

franca70 · 26/01/2007 14:47

pink floyd revival? house parties at 16, quite scarce on the snogging again, but a few spliffs

Jimjams2 · 26/01/2007 14:50

ds2 has been invited to a birthday party disco on Saturday (he's going) - 5th birthday for a girl in his class. "what's a disco?" "you go and dance" I said. "Oh" he said "will there be cake?"

Didn't realise I was meant to be enraged by it. How odd.

SmileysPeople · 26/01/2007 14:50

Just substitute the word 'disco'for the word 'party' on your own mind N3, and maybe it will be easier for you.

WE have about 3 school discos a year. The older children Yr4 and above avoid them as they're for the 'little ones'.

WigWams description is spot on, princess dresses and boys being areoplanes is what it's all about. It is innocent and childish, just as you (and many of us) would hope.

The children seem to be SO excited though at the prospect of a party/disco at SCHOOL, in the EVENING..ooohhh...so exciting...so innocent...you may be pleasantly suprised