Grrr school and fancy dress costumes

ciderwithrosie_2

alwaysskint96 wrote: »

It does seem as though all this costume making causes nothing but expense and hassle for the majority of parents- ok there was a couple of SAHMs here who seem to enjoy it but apart from that....

I work full-time. I guess I inherited the enjoyment of making things from my mum though - hers were so good, we never won prizes in fancy dress competitions as the judges assumed she'd bought the outfits.

She made my brother a complete 1066 soldier one once, just like on the Bayeux tapestry. She knitted him a chain mail top with hood and leggings, then sprayed them silver, made him a cloak, helmet, shoes, sword and shield - that's dedication that is!

She was still making costumes for us into adulthood and sold some of them afterwards to the fancy dress shop to hire out. I've been the Pied Piper of Hamlin, Carmen Miranda (complete with fruit turban), a flapper girl, a serving wench (think mob cap, laced corset and lots of cleavage!) and the Snow Queen.

I'm not great at sewing tbh, and I don't own a sewing machine but I go by the saying - 'if you dream it, you can build it' and if the thing falls apart after the event, well it served its purpose.

Lara44

alwaysskint96 wrote: »

That was done as play from your Mum, she prob didnt get a letter after a busy day at work saying about an outfit needed later that week when she had no time off work or ability to make it and it was the last week before payday, Bit different.

And cant say i ever dressed up and was silly with my kids, Certainly wouldnt come under enjoyable things we did together

No it was for school. We were preparing the costume the night before. And she worked full time with the 3 of us.

SuzieSue

Lara44 wrote: »

No it was for school. We were preparing the costume the night before. And she worked full time with the 3 of us.

That's fine if you enjoy doing it but schools shouldn't force parents to waste their time and money on unnecessary costumes if they don't want to.

alias*alibi

I'm so DONE with these dress up days at school. I'm rubbish at pulling something together from nothing so usually buy something which I can ill afford. Last week it was dress up as WW2. My DD went as a child refugee; oversized flowing dress; grey socks (all bought new as nothing suitable in the charity shops), suitcase and her dad made her a gas mask at work. Little did we know they had to take their costumes to school and wear them after lunch for a 10 minute timeline!!!! Ggggrrr. What a complete waste of time.

mandragora_2

Glad I teach in a secondary, and have a sensible head who doesn't go in for all this malarky.

Also, she's very sane about charity/fund-raising altogether. We have one week a year, with events run by the older pupils for the younger ones, the events run at lunchtimes and there's a 20p rule - you must be able to get into the events for no more than 20p - so over the week that's £1, and that's it for the rest of the year. That and ONE non-uniform day a year, also held during that week. From time to time the kids themselves ask if they can do things - cake sales etc - generally they can, but it's all kept low key. They do other 'worthwhile' activities and voluntary things, making a contribution, if they wish with their time/skills/interests.

I've worked in a school that got more and more into dressing up/non-uniform/charity fund-raising until the whole thing became so inflated it was a monster of epic proportions. I think it's a real imposition on families, and I'm very glad to be away from it.

Tenyearstogo

I'm obviously a bad mother as I won't make a costume.

DS2's school isn't too bad. They had book day and he went as a Pokemon trainer. He wore a Pokemon t shirt and took in a Pokemon toy and pokeball. They had super hero day and he dressed up as Clark Kent reporter style with a superman t shirt underneath.

His school always make dressing up optional so we opt not to most of the time.

I refuse pyjama day because I dislike seeing pyjamas in public.

alwaysskint96

Lara44 wrote: »

No it was for school. We were preparing the costume the night before. And she worked full time with the 3 of us.

Fair enough- but she obviously had stuff around to use- ie Grans clothes, a creative streak to put together and enjoyed it. Not the case for everyone

gibson123

But don't the kids love dressing up and doesn't it help them become more interested in history and other subjects. When we went to Alnwick Castle the thing all the little kids were queuing for was the dressing up as knights and princesses. OK it's a hassle, so can't parents get organised and start a facebook group or similar so they can share costumes. Just saying!

SuzieSue

gibson123 wrote: »

But don't the kids love dressing up and doesn't it help them become more interested in history and other subjects. When we went to Alnwick Castle the thing all the little kids were queuing for was the dressing up as knights and princesses. OK it's a hassle, so can't parents get organised and start a facebook group or similar so they can share costumes. Just saying!

That's all fine if the parents want to do it but they shouldn't be forced to.

balletshoes

gibson123 wrote: »

But don't the kids love dressing up and doesn't it help them become more interested in history and other subjects. When we went to Alnwick Castle the thing all the little kids were queuing for was the dressing up as knights and princesses. OK it's a hassle, so can't parents get organised and start a facebook group or similar so they can share costumes. Just saying!

they can do all that collectively in class though - thats what our primary school did.