Political Correctness ruins another holiday.....

[cardaway]

At my son's schools they have the kids bring in valentines for all the kids in the class. Why can't this be done, or not celebrate altogether rather than invent their own dumb holiday.

And IMO maybe somebody realized how pointless that is and saved all the parents the trouble.

No matter what you do kids will find a way to screw up the plans or rules. It's always a mess because some kids will always get something the others don't. It's just the way it is.

Personally Iv'e always been for letting the kids do what they want and not getting involved. No different than the kid who has a birthday and only half the class is invited, which of course always made the 14th fun in my classes. I was a Valentines baby.

 

[C.Ann]

Do you think they could do something about "President's Day"? Maybe just do away with it? Or better yet - in order to be polictically correct, why don't we just wipe EVERY holiday/celebration off the calendar?

It's ridiculous IMO.. My DGD's school will be celebrating Valentine's Day (gasp!).. Each child in her class is decorating their own mail box (shoe box) - you must provide a Valentine for every class member - and they're even having a special Valentine breakfast that day.. Oh my! Shudder the thought..

 

[Ziva]

I've always hated Valentines Day, what a stupid "holiday". I wouldn't care if they did away with altogether.

 

[Hannathy]

My 1st gr son brought a letter like Elgerber "on Valentines day we will have a party to celebrate friendship" Why can't they just say we are having a Valentine's Day party. THey also have to bring their cards in unlabeled. While I believe in a card for everyone my kids have always liked picking out which card goes to who. Some years my daughter got different styles for boys and girls, guess the girls will all get some hideous creature this year from my son instead of a cute animal.I usually buy two boxes anyway 'cause they are so cheap and this allows for mistakes.

Boy I wouldn't like that PTA fundraiser. Allowing the parents to buy, or selling them at the school store ok, but not delivering them for other students in elementary school- High school yes little kids no.

 

[m&m's mom]

OK, whatever! On a happy note Both of the M's elementary classes have "Valentines Day" parties and both state 1 card for everyone.
I am shocked at the one where you buy certain kids something special. Opening up for lots of hurt feelings.

 

[SamIAm21]

As Christianity swept through Europe and what is now the U.K. regions, they tried to assimilate Christian holidays into the pagan celebrations. One pagan celebration of "fertility" is held in February. The feast of St. Valentine was held in February as well. So, in order to get more pagans to convert, Christians sort of melded these days together. Sort of like rabbits, eggs and Easter, which are also pagan celebrations of rebirth and fertility. Really, what does Christ dying on a cross have to do with bunnies and eggs? Also, the same thing goes for Christmas trees, yule logs and the December pagan celebration of Yule held on the 21st. Actually, the big Christian holidays all have some form of pagan symbolism behind them. It makes it fun for the kids though, so I'm all for it.

Valentine's Day is hard for everyone who is not included or passed over even at the ripe old age of 40. Some ladies in my office get bombarded with gifts and flowers on Valentine's Day, but not I don't. I do get a bit envious, but I'm old enough to handle it. It's always nice to be showered with LOVE. I'm glad some schools are being more sensitive, but I don't think we have to reforumulate the whole dang "holiday".

By doing away with all these things, we would live a pretty boring existence.

 

[disykat]

I think you people are really jumping to conclusions here - that there's some big conspiracy to take away Valentine's Day? Some preschool teacher somewhere decided that her students would relate to celebrating friendships on Valentine's Day and there's something wrong with that?

Instead of jumping to conclusions, why not ask the teacher "why are you calling it a friendship party instead of a Valentine's party" and see what she/he has to say?

I've worked with lots of young children and Valentine's Day has always had a friendship emphaisis.

 

[mickeyfan2]

I remember some kids really getting their feelings hurt if some people left them out. I really think it's just another popularity contest.

When I was a kid we were sent home instuctions to include each kid and were given a list of names of all kids in the class. I never remember it being a popularity contest.

 

[cardaway]

I am shocked at the one where you buy certain kids something special. Opening up for lots of hurt feelings.

But it still happens. Even in the cases where everybody must bring x amount, close friends always make more and add to some but not others. Ask around, the kids will tell you how it still works out to some kids getting stuff others do not.

Wouldn't it be best just to stay out of it as a school and let the kids bring or not bring what they want?

 

[Papa Deuce]

I think you people are really jumping to conclusions here - that there's some big conspiracy to take away Valentine's Day? Some preschool teacher somewhere decided that her students would relate to celebrating friendships on Valentine's Day and there's something wrong with that?

Instead of jumping to conclusions, why not ask the teacher "why are you calling it a friendship party instead of a Valentine's party" and see what she/he has to say?

Not "some teacher". It is a national daycare chain, and that is the policy of the chain. They also have "winter holiday" and I forget what they called Halloween....

Political correctness of this nature just plain stinks.

Oh, yeah, no Thankgiving either. You have the "Harvest Festival".... and now I remember, Halloween was "Costume Day". Easter will probably be called "Hello Spring Day" or some such nonsense.

If the schools were TEACHING religion or the religious apsects, I would object to that. But since they can't even call the holiday by it's traditional name, for sure they wouldn't be teaching religion.

 

[Hannathy]

DisyKat we are discussing this because it isn't one teacher it is wide spread and is effecting every holiday. Maybe your schools don't do this and that is great but here we have a "harvest party" not Halloween , Family traditions season not Christmas, friendship day not Valentines day, and celebrate spring party don't even think about mentioning Easter. Then the nutrition police get into it and they can't even have a cookie at the Family tradition party. I'm glad I was a kid in the dark ages and at least got a Christmas cookie ! at our Christmas party.

 

[cardaway]

Not "some teacher". It is a national daycare chain, and that is the policy of the chain. They also have "winter holiday" and I forget what they called Halloween....

Political correctness of this nature just plain stinks.

So it's somebody you choose to do business with.

 

[Papa Deuce]

So it's somebody you choose to do business with.

Yes, however I was unaware when we joined. However my last daycare did the exact same thing. And the other daycare I know of does as well. So it seems like there really is no choice. They have made up their rules and I'm sure it is because of PC issues.

And even though I hate that policy with a passion, the benefits of the tremendous quality of teaching they do outweighs the idiocy of bowing down to the PC crowd.

 

[Aidensmom]

My son's class is having a Valentine's Day party. If valentines are sent in, there must be one for everyone in the class. Treats sent must also be for the whole class. My son is looking very forward to it.

They also have a rule there that if birthday or any other outside-of-school party invites are passed out there, the whole class must be invited.

 

[cardaway]

Yes, however I was unaware when we joined. However my last daycare did the exact same thing. And the other daycare I know of does as well. So it seems like there really is no choice. They have made up their rules and I'm sure it is because of PC issues.

And even though I hate that policy with a passion, the benefits of the tremendous quality of teaching they do outweighs the idiocy of bowing down to the PC crowd.

That is why so many people like private centers or in-home day cares. There certainly isn't any PC going on in the one we run.

 

[GEM]

Well, I'm in my 30s, so it's been a while since I was in elementary school, but I always loved our Valentine's Day parties! We always decorated some sort of box or bag to act as our "mail box" and you had to bring a valentine for every kid in the class, so no one got left out.

And, if it makes anybody feel better, my 2 year old is having a real, honest to goodness Valentine's Day party at his Mother's Day Out program (run by a local Baptist Church where we are NOT members) on Tuesday. According to the note, he should wear pink or red, bring a Valentine for each of his 6 classmates, and bring some sort of heart shaped or Valentine themed treats to share with the class! We're going shopping for Valentine's today!!

 

[va32h]

Why don't you just ask the teacher why they are not calling it Valentine's Day, instead of leaping to the conclusion that it is some "PC" conspiracy. Maybe the daycare chain just decided that a holiday associated with romance is better off skewed toward "friendship" for the preschool set.

Or maybe they are concerned that some ultra-conservative parents don't want their children participating in a holiday associated with romance...PC goes both ways, you know.

My kids are required to give a Valentine to everyone in class, too. As was I when I was a child. But guess what - that's a pretty empty gesture. I can remember the popular girls in my class delivering their mandatory valentines with a look and attitude of utter contempt "here's the Valentine they are making me give you, but I don't mean it". Don't think for a minute that the outcast kids don't know perfectly well that those Valentines are insincere.

 

[salmoneous]

Just curious...

1) How *should* Valentine's Day be celebrated in pre-school?
2) How does calling it friendship day "ruin" it?
3) In all honesty, as a parent, which would you rather you pre-school children be celebrating, romantic love or friendship?
4) What other holiday's have been ruined?

 

[mom2riceboys]

My children go to a private school and they are not allowed give out "store-bought" valentines. You have to make one for each member of your classroom. They must include a nice comment about the person. This is a homework assignment and the kids must turn in the valentines to the teacher a few days before the valentine party. I assume this is for the teacher to make sure that all comments on the cards are nice. The teacher then passes out the cards during the party. Each child gets to stand up and read one of the nice comments about them. I think this is a really nice tradition. My children save their cards and re-read them throughout the year.

 

[mickeyfan2]

My children go to a private school and they are not allowed give out "store-bought" valentines. You have to make one for each member of your classroom. They must include a nice comment about the person. This is a homework assignment and the kids must turn in the valentines to the teacher a few days before the valentine party. I assume this is for the teacher to make sure that all comments on the cards are nice. The teacher then passes out the cards during the party. Each child gets to stand up and read one of the nice comments about them. I think this is a really nice tradition. My children save their cards and re-read them throughout the year.

I really like this way of celebrating.