Year 11 Prom - anyone's child not going?

[Holidayaddict]

DD has long said she's not keen and now tickets are out she's confirmed definitely not going. I'm a bit disappointed (as it means I can't brag on facebook lol) but I know she's not a girly girl and no point in forcing the issue. She's vaguely said she might go to an after party in her usual uniform of leggings & hoody, but doubt she'll even do that. She says it's just an opportunity for the "popular kids" to show off anyway. She's neither a popular kid or unpopular kid (an in-betweener?) and most of her friends are going.

She's asked for the cash I would've spent on the ticket though - fair enough I guess!

Anyone else?

My son isn’t going. He has always found school discos and parties overwhelming (he has ASD) and doesn’t enjoy them at all. His friends have tried to persuade him to go, but he just isn’t interested.

I don’t think he will regret it, particularly as he is staying for 6th form. The leaving so for 6th form is an informal BBQ which he is much more likely to enjoy,p.

My son and all his friends aren't going either. They don't want to hire a suit which is the expected dress, they are not dancers, nor do they want to try to score with the girls. They are definitely playing a computer game altogether that night, each in their own house all hooked up to headsets but it makes them very happy so that is what they are doing.

We had a sixth form prom a million years ago and I just felt crap as everyone had on very expensive dresses. It is not amazing for everyone attending even if you do want to go.

I think it's up to your dd. Mine went to her prom and absolutely bloody loved it - I'm so glad that they managed to go ahead with it despite covid. But if they don't want to go, I think that's fine too. It isn't compulsory.

My daughter isn’t going, just not her thing. Her and her two closest friends are going to go out for a meal that night though, so they can have a similar celebration, they are all much more comfortable with this idea. I feel a bit sad too but she is super shy and not massively outgoing so it would probably be a painful night for her if she had decided to go! X

Mine isn’t.

Mine aren't quite at that age yet but I'm not sure my eldest would enjoy a prom.

It seems such a shame that so many schools have gone the massive prom, expensive outfits, fancy transport route for what should just be a bit of fun for everyone without all the pressure and one upmanship.

What was wrong with a disco and a BBQ in regular normal going out clothes.

I think DS's quote was 'I would rather bash my testicles between two bricks'.

My DD went to prom at the end of Y11 but not Y13, because the Y11 wasn't that great!

DS isn’t going. We only just got told the date 2 weeks ago and it’s mid-July so we’d already booked a holiday knowing exams finished by end of June. I know of a few others who’d done the same. If we’d known the date earlier we would have booked our holiday around it so DS could go

My DD isn't. As she said to people at school - why do I want to spend an evening with people who don't like me? - she doesn't wear dresses, crochets, doesn't wear make up, works too hard at school and just isn't a typical teen.

The money it would have cost is going on a weekend camping with her hobby. She is thrilled at this weekend.

My DS isn’t going. He says it’s mostly girls that are talking about it and he’ll do something with his friends instead.

My DS's boy's school don't have one. They had an unofficial beach party on the last official day of y11 with the girls from the neighbouring girls school who do have a prom but are not allowed to invite any boys!

The sun shone for them and lots of vodka was consumed by all accounts.

Sounded more fun than any prom.

My DD's school do a prom and I'm dreading it ( it will be all consuming to the detriment of any GCSE revision)

Mine isn't because he's not interested. Some of his friends are while others are not.

Funny, I was talking about this with DD2. She didn't go and had no regrets then or now, a few years later.

DS is going to his year 13 prom, which I’m pleased about as his year 11 prom and everything else that year was cancelled. He’s been studying so hard for exams that it feels like this is a good chance to have that final hurrah with his school friends before they all go off to Uni. He is just wearing one of his suits as he needs to wear a suit to sixth form anyway, so it’s only costing me the price of the ticket. I’ll probably take and pick him up. I wouldn’t have minded if he didn’t go, but I’m glad he is

I'm quite surprised that my DD is going - she normally objects to wearing anything other than jeans and a hoodie, she's not into "appearance", pop music or anything like that. However she's even chosen a dress (even if I had to provide a shortlist). It helps that she's part of quite a large group of unconventional kids, so it probably only took a few of them to be definite about going for the others to have the confidence. The dress is a bit of an expense, but the tickets are not too bad (especially with money off for revision session attendance).

Neither of ours went, just not their thing. We did give them the ticket price actually, sort of a “well done”.