Vent: Parents at PTA meetings.

[isyne4u]

Open letter to some of the parents at tonight's PTA/Christmas program.

First, I don't understand how you can teach your child to behave in class and not talk when the teacher is talking if you can't keep quiet during a 10 minute PTA meeting. I understand this may not be of interest to you, but please show decent manners.

Second, yes your child is in the pagent but so are 79 other kindergarten and first grade children and their parents would like to get their pictures too. Heck, we would like to be able to see the entire performance without having to look at your rearend through the entire thing. I arrived early and got a seat, I'm sorry you didn't but that doesn't give you the right to block everyone elses view.

When you heard people yelling at you to sit down, you really should have gotten a clue!!!

I'm sorry to vent like this, but my ds' Christmas program was tonight and some of these people acted like their kid was the only one in the show. I stayed siting in my seat and did my best to get him on videotape. I just don't get why others couldn't do the same.

I felt bad for the kids because several parents were yelling at the offending parties to sit down. I wish the principal would have made an announcement for all those standing in front to please sit down.

Okay, thank you for letting me vent!

tara

 

[Pam]

Awww..... Tara.....

I'm so sorry. I know you were so happy about Jar's first school Christmas play. Sorry the ignorant parent ruined the experience for you.

But - how did the performance go overall?

 

[eeyore kelly]

The parent are always 10 x's worst then the kids. PTA meetings, BSA meetings, open houses, etc.

 

[isyne4u]

Awww..... Tara.....

I'm so sorry. I know you were so happy about Jar's first school Christmas play. Sorry the ignorant parent ruined the experience for you.

But - how did the performance go overall?

thanks Pam...It's just so frustrating that people act like this!

Jar did very well. He stood there and moved his mouth a few times and generally looked like a deer in the headlights. He only covered his ears once. I was very proud of him!! Actually, all the kids did a beautiful job. I really enjoyed the K-1 performance. they are just too cute!!

Thanks for asking!

 

[agnes!]

I was at a school concert tonight and there were some adults there who talked all during the concert!!! Oh, probably not when their DD/DS was singing, I'm *sure*...
I mean, I expect the kids to act up a bit & as a chaperone had to tell one group to be quiet (All I had to do was give another bunch the "stare" and they were quiet after that), but the most noisy ones were the adults... I guess some people don't realize how far their voices can carry, even when they think they're being quiet(especially guys).

agnes!
PS - Btw, the kids did a great job. Top-notch, I'm amazed every time I go to one of these things.

 

[Ava83]

We have 2 years till we start this and I already feel your pain!

 

[diznygirl]

At one friend's DD's dance recital, cameras were not allowed. They taped the performance and parents were allowed to purchase the tape afterwards. Is this done anywhere else? I think it's a great idea! I could sit and enjoy the show and then buy the tape later. (and so could all those rude parents!)

 

[Stitchfans]

I see it isn't just DDs school that has ignorant parents. I had to deal with the same problems when I was trying to video tape DDs band concert last year. I know exactly what you are talking about. Sorry that happened.

 

[Michie]

At one friend's DD's dance recital, cameras were not allowed. They taped the performance and parents were allowed to purchase the tape afterwards. Is this done anywhere else? I think it's a great idea! I could sit and enjoy the show and then buy the tape later. (and so could all those rude parents!)

The dance school my DD attends does not allow cameras either, but some of the parents sneak them in.

My DD, her school had their Christmas program last week, and I dont know how many people that were attending, not just parents, did not turn off their cell phone. Come on folks, it isn't that hard to remeber to turn them off Used them during the program, chatted with people sitting near them etc. Very poor mannners

 

[clh2]

I have my vent, for the school concerts...(And I am embarassed that it took me 3 years of elementary school to figure out/handle the situation!)

Chairs would be set up in the gym immediately after the kids left school for the day. Then, some "priviledged: parents would come in and put "reserved" signs on the choice seats at 4:00 for a school event that didn't start until 7:00. Then, the "priviledged" families would come in at 6:55 and take their seats.

I finally took the signs down one night. I didn't sit in the spots - I didn't want the hassle! It was pretty funny...wish I had done it years earlier!

 

[mbw12]

At one friend's DD's dance recital, cameras were not allowed. They taped the performance and parents were allowed to purchase the tape afterwards. Is this done anywhere else? I think it's a great idea! I could sit and enjoy the show and then buy the tape later. (and so could all those rude parents!)

My DD's dance school does this also.
As for the school holiday program....well my kids are having theres on thursday, so i will let you know how we make out!!!!

 

[BuzznBelle'smom]

Ooh, ooh, you forgot my personal favorite--the parents who watch their little Snooky, then get up to leave while the next grade is performing! Now, we do grades 1-3, and frankly, the third graders do the exact same songs on the recorder each year. With my 4 kids, I'll have sat through "Hot Cross Buns" 11 times, not including all the practicing. But hey, they work hard, I'll clap for anyone's kid who gets up and puts in half an effort. But AFTER you stare at the parent's hineys as they tape little Snooky's first concert, then they just up and leave. Yeah, clearly Snooky is the only one who worked hard for this moment and deserves respect--even with 3 grades, we're talking less than an hour (more like 30 minutes for the fourth/ fifth grade chorus and fifth grade band concert). Even my DD2 can sit still and clap!

 

[Disney Doll]

There are some things that take the "sting" out of not having kids. This is one of them.

I have been to many, many of my nieces and nephews games, performances, concerts, exhibitions etc. I am always amazed at the complete and utter lack of manners and civility that most parents exhibit at these events. It's their way and the heck with everyone else.

These same parents will be the ones complaining about how selfish, rotten, spoiled, and self-centered their kids are, OR they'll be the ones saying "My Muffy couldn't have done that. She's a perfect angel".

Children learn what they live.

 

[tkd lisa]

I was actually impressed at my DD's middle school choir performance last week. Most people were fairly polite. My DS was being a pain, and kept saying "Let's go, she's done". And I told him that we WOULD be watching the rest of the show, and he WOULD keep quiet, since it was very rude to be acting that way. It was SO much easier to be able to say "No one else is leaving, and I'm sure their family is done too." Of course, if people had left my answer would have been "Just because they're rude doesn't mean we will be!" LOL!

 

[LindsayDunn228]

This is a HUGE complaint I had about the Aloha Dinner Show. :-(

 

[Tantor]

and then they wonder where the kids get it from and usually blame the influences of school.

 

[powellrj]

People leaving when their kids are done is my biggest complaint. Hey I know sometimes people have left work for a few minutes and need to get back, but if thats the case you sit in the back so you don't disrupt the whole show by getting up and leaving. The worst was when the kids were in private school. When a class would get done entire rows would get up and leave so we missed our kids because we couldn't see around people standing up and putting on their coats.

 

[OhMari]

I have my vent, for the school concerts...(And I am embarassed that it took me 3 years of elementary school to figure out/handle the situation!)

Chairs would be set up in the gym immediately after the kids left school for the day. Then, some "priviledged: parents would come in and put "reserved" signs on the choice seats at 4:00 for a school event that didn't start until 7:00. Then, the "priviledged" families would come in at 6:55 and take their seats.

I finally took the signs down one night. I didn't sit in the spots - I didn't want the hassle! It was pretty funny...wish I had done it years earlier!

This is a something that happens at our school also. Almost for every event. The kicker is, when their child is done singing or performing, they get up and leave.

When my son graduated we were given 4 tickets to sit on the gym floor and not up in the bleachers. These tickets didn't have any specific numbers, it was general seating. I thought people would honor this. Heck no, People brought in 7-10 people and one guy was actually on the school board. We ended up way in the back and the graduates didn't sit on rizor's so you couldn't see anything anyway. Only when he got his diploma.

The next year when my dd graduating I was standing at the doors when they opened and went up and saved our 4 seats-yes the practice was bad, but I wanted a decent picture when she gave her speach. Figure this one out, I still only got 4th row, the first 3 rows had jackets on them already. It was people that worked at the school, (i.e. it was teachers who had kids graduating, school board members, friends of teachers who kids were graduating.)

 

[Nickimouse]

I feel your pain. I was going to post about concert etiquette myself. Last night was the 5-8 Band/Choir concert. The way the bleachers are set up there is open space behind them. There were 7-8 kids back there running around and yelling. It was especially bad during the choir because they aren't nearly as loud as a band in a gym. The band director and choir director talked on a little cordless mic that was hard to hear anyway,but with these kids being loud I just about gave up. Several parents near the top turned around,got their attention and shushed them. They went right back to it without one of their parents stepping in. Towards the end of the concert my DH finally saw a parent go back there but he just sat and watched them run around!

 

[delilah]

Our school has an auction, and our "privileged" seats cost us $50. Maybe, they should sell the first row seats, like at our school. It goes to a good cause. You'd better believe we are going to bid on the "privileged" seats again at the auction in February.