Vent: Parents at PTA meetings.

[barkley]

i agree with the venting on the camera/video cams-i want to see the kids not someones back! my kids went to a private school that did their best to decrease the number of video cams by having their high school film production students tape the show (and they made sure there were close ups of every single kid), edit it and sell them for $10 per tape. my major pet peeve with these events (and most other scout presentation and the like) is that you can't understand a word the kids are saying!!!! our current school goes so far as to have microphones that the kids speak into-but they mumble so much you have no idea what is being said. i am to the point where i am going to suggest to the principal that if they are not going to teach the kids some public speaking skills, they need to at least have someone (unfamiliar with the script) sit in on one of the rehearsals and provide some feedback on weather they can understand a word of what is being said! i understand it's difficult for the smaller kids (and it's always nerve wracking for them once there are parents and others-a "real audience" present) but there is no excuse for middle and jr. highschoolers not knowing how to hold their head up and ENUNCIATE!

 

[Mskanga]

Boy I am glad this does not happen at dd's school. Last year I got in early on graduation day and set up my camera with a tripod on one of the first row seats , yes I had a jacket on the seat , I was helping to set up refreshments for the parents and work my butt off volunteering all year long in the school.
I was lucky when my daughter was in that school if they had any functions they would rehearse for other classes that same morning and the teachers would ask me if I could go and tape or take pics , in more than one ocassion my tapes and pics have been used for the school website or just school slides.
But I just witnessed the winter band concert the other day in junior high , seventh grade went first ( my dd ) and then eighth. By the time seventh grade was done , half the auditorium got up and left as the eighth graders were coming in. I thought that was very rude. I like to stay for the whole thing because I like to see how different the grades sound and unless it's getting really late or have to leave for some serious reason , I don't leave until it's over.

 

[Marseeya]

I'm sorry your son's program wasn't as enjoyable to you as it should have been.

We went to my DD's program last Friday and we sat in the only seat in the entire gym that didn't have a good view of DD! Doesn't it figure? By the time we figured it out, it was too late to move.

 

[Missy1961]

I feel your pain!

It's even worse when it happens at religious events. I'll never forget my younger brother's First Communion (over 30 years ago). This was before video cameras, but still, parents were running up & down the aisle of the church taking pictures of their little darlings (even after they were told not to). It was a zoo. When my younger sister made her Communion 3 years later, they got smart. They had 3 or 4 ceremonies, with 10-15 kids at each. The family could sit in the pew with the child. Less zoo-like, more religious.

 

[isyne4u]

Whew! I'm glad its not just my son's school! I can't believe how rude people can be!! Now I know where my middle school student's get their attitudes.

I saw most of the first row with reserved signs on them but I didn't know who had saved them. Now I know that they were parents who got there first.

I truly understand what a big deal it is because it was a big deal for me...but...some people

Anyway...thank you all for feeling my pain!!

tara

 

[tiggerlover]

Hi Tara!

I certainly understand what you are saying and completely empathize with you. Parents are sometimes worse than kids. We experienced the rudeness of parents at the school's Turkey Bingo in November and it just makes you not want to attend some of the school functions. When you attend some of t hese functions you begin to realize exactly why the children act the way that they do.

 

[powellrj]

this thread reminded me of a story my DDs dance teacher told. She was setting up for a rectial and notice police tape around a group of seats. Because they were using the stage in the city building she assumed it was some sort of problem and the seats were off-limits for safety. No, right before the program started a family came in and took the tape off and sat down. The next year she announced there was to be no early seat saving, but once again the police tape was up. That year she just took it down herself and never had the problem again.

 

[agnes!]

I *LOVE* the idea of auctioning off primo seats for school concerts. The Choir Boosters really could use the money to help fund all the little extras we take care of. I don't know if it would go over at my DD"s school, though...but still...I find the very idea intriguing.
Then those seats would be the ONLY "reserved" seats, all others would be first-come, first-served.

I actually don't mind parents getting up and leaving after their child's group is done performing, but at our school if they leave early they seem to leave when there is a break (kind of a mini-intermission) between the different groups performing. I don't usually see folks getting up and blocking people's view behind them while kids are in the middle of performing. I'd rather have them leave than have them sit and talk or listen to their little ones being restless, but I do see how the leaving-early could bother others.

My other little pet peeve last night was the child(looked to be about 7?) who sat behind me and coughed about every 30 seconds for at least 15 minutes. I looked around for a parent and no one was in sight.

agnes!

 

[MoniqueU]

I just wish my kids school still DID a Holiday/Christmas program. It seems they have done away with it probably for some Politically correct reasoning.

 

[isyne4u]

Hi Tara!

I certainly understand what you are saying and completely empathize with you. Parents are sometimes worse than kids. We experienced the rudeness of parents at the school's Turkey Bingo in November and it just makes you not want to attend some of the school functions. When you attend some of t hese functions you begin to realize exactly why the children act the way that they do.

Hi Debbie!!

You are right about not wanting to go back. I want to support the school but when it makes your blood pressure go up, it probably isn't worth it.

I'm sure auctioning off seats wouldn't be permitted here but it is a great idea!!

I didn't mind the people leaving after the 4th and 5th graders sang because it was a packed house and it was very hot so that did open up some space. It was the people who wnted to make sure they got the best view of their DD/DS with their video equipment. If I had known which side my son was going to be on I would have sat on that side and not had to worry about looking across the aisle at the people standing (in a perfect world that wouldn't have been an issue anyway!) but I didn't think to ask him before I sent him to his classroom.

tara

 

[WeirdEyes]

I feel your pain! I always seem to sick behind or in front of a parent who wants to yap through the whole presentation/program. I've finally gotten enough courage to tell them to be quiet. Some people just have no manners.

 

[isyne4u]

I just wish my kids school still DID a Holiday/Christmas program. It seems they have done away with it probably for some Politically correct reasoning.

I was surprised our school did a Christmas themed program. The chorus sand one Haunakah song along with the others they did which were more Christmas. However, there was no mention of the religious aspect.

The K-1 program was called the littlest Christmas Tree and had Santa coming out on stage. It was very cute!!

I remember when I was in the 4th grade being an Angel in the nativity part of the christmas program. Totally unpc for today!

 

[mum4jenn]

I think selling the seats is a wonderful idea!!!

The school I work at is 3-5 and our 3rd graders just did a program last week called The Elves' Impersonator. It was the cutest thing I have ever ever seen. One little boy played the part of an elf acting like Elvis and they all dressed the part. "Elvis" had the wig and everything!! Our lunchroom is also the auditorium so we were able to watch them practice for weeks and they worked so hard!! I do have to say that they make them enunciate and project their voices so you could understand everything. Our school also had the only drama dept other than the High School and the students work so hard and really put on great performances.

I agree with the idiot parents that stand in the way. It seems it is always the same ones though. I would love to find a way to make it stop.

 

[barkley]

our school has figured out a way to keep all of us there for the entire play/graduation/presentation...they NEVER break the kids into groups-everybody is "on stage" the entire time grades k-8th. they purposly pick out a holiday show that they can do with one backdrop and no entrances or exits. the kids sit on chairs on stage until their portion of the production and then return to them where they sit until the entire thing is done.

i just get tired of the yearly graduations all of us HAVE to attend (because all of the grades sing and whose going to drop off a second grader at night only to have to come back and locate them 2 hours later?).

 

[barkley]

just remembered how the community theatre group i'm involved with handled the "photo frenzy" issue (esp. when we do productions with kids in them). they banned all cameras and video cams from performances period. their reasoning was not only was it disturbing to the other audience members but flash photos can also cause "stage blinding" to a performer (i've seen kids almost fall off a stage due to this). for some shows they will allow parents to come and video at the final dress rehearsal, for some not at all (there are some plays done by community groups and schools whose copyright laws preclude any recording-and some of these companies send out spotters to schools/theatres. if they see that no action is being taken to prevent filming/recording they will pursue the fine listed in the contract). the group also set aside one performance after which the whole cast stayed in costume and were allowed to pose on stage for photos.

we've had p.o.'d parents when a production assistant has asked them to leave their seat during a performance and either check the camera they've snuck in (or take it to the car), but in all fairness to the cast and the entire audience a line had to be drawn.

as far as the seat situation-i'm not big on the idea of "selling" them to the highest bidder, in all likelyhood it would be like most of these kinds of things-the same kid's parents (who generaly own a bsns. and do it as a tax write off) will end up in the seats show after show after show. we went to a graduation last year that handled it pretty well. each grad could invite x number of people, of which 2 could be seated in the front several rows. the tickets were given a color designating their holder's right to sit there. each family ended up with at least 2 very good seats from which they could take photos or videos (but the tickets clearly indicated that those seated in the area had to REMAIN seated-there were roped off areas on each side designated as "video zones"-if someone wanted to set up a tri-pod they had to stand in that area.

 

[Marseeya]

Why does every little thing have to be a big photo op anyway?

 

[barkley]

i blame the whole scrapbooking craze. i just envision landfills filled with scrapbooks years from now (i mean realy, does anyone think their kids will want/keep 30 volumes of photos detailing their every waking moment? uh, nope-they will end up in the same pile as all of the "certificates of participation", t-ball "trophies" and old term papers.

 

[Cindyluwho]

as far as the seat situation-i'm not big on the idea of "selling" them to the highest bidder, in all likelyhood it would be like most of these kinds of things-the same kid's parents (who generaly own a bsns. and do it as a tax write off) will end up in the seats show after show after show.

OK, when I first read this I thought it sounded pretty snarky. In fact, it sounds like you really have a problem with folks who work like heck and save their money to open their own business and that they shouldn't be able to use their money for things like this? You have every right to spend your $$ on the seats too. On the other hand, I have been to auctions at the local Catholic school where the same two rich guys tried to outbid each other on EVERY item. Like it was some kind of joke. So, everyone else got dinner but didn't get to buy anything at the auction. It made tons of dough for the school, but yeesh!

 

[momof2inPA]

The parent behind me took a call on her cell phone between songs. No kidding. Plus, she told her pre-schooler she was going to beat her if she didn't settle down. This is a Catholic school, and Father was sitting over a few chairs. My husband and I laughed all the way home about that lady.

 

[barkley]

OK, when I first read this I thought it sounded pretty snarky. In fact, it sounds like you really have a problem with folks who work like heck and save their money to open their own business and that they shouldn't be able to use their money for things like this? You have every right to spend your $$ on the seats too. On the other hand, I have been to auctions at the local Catholic school where the same two rich guys tried to outbid each other on EVERY item. Like it was some kind of joke. So, everyone else got dinner but didn't get to buy anything at the auction. It made tons of dough for the school, but yeesh!

yup-that was exactly the situation at a christian school my kids attended. there was one parent/local bsns. owner who came early to every silent auction and started the bidding on EVERY item at a couple of hundred dollars each (and the school worked hard to try to get a variety of different valued items to encourage parent participation in what was supposed to be a fun event). it got to the point where most parents stopped attending alltogether because there was no fun in it at all. it was a big ego trip for the guy (and his wife was always mortified by it/his kids took a lot of comments over it "she does'nt have to try out for the cheerleading squad, her daddy will just buy her a spot".