I'm boycotting school on World Book Day!

*Betty Mae* · 20-02-2008, 05:16pm

Having just done Victorian Day for DS and Greek Day for DD (both of which cost me money to find costumes) they now have World Book Day dress up on 7th March. They make it so difficult to come up with a costume by saying they have to be "Children of the World".... not so bad as I thought I could utilise costumes I had at home... but now they say Foundation stage have to dress up as Asian children and Key Stage 1 and 2 as something else (yet unknown).... I have one child in each of these stages.....

My life is a mess financially and to be honest this is more stress for me. I am not sending them in uniform either though as they will just stand out too much and it will look like I didn't bother.

I am just going to send a letter to the head and say that whilst it's nice, I don't think they think of the parents. Many work and don't have time. Many who have more than one child at the school simply feel they can't keep up with those who just go and buy new costumes from the Disney Store each time something like this comes up. I don't see why I should have to spend money on stuff they will never use again either. 3 dress up days in the space of 6 weeks (2 for seperate kids but Book Day involves 3 of my kids) is simply too much.

I am going to keep them at home for the day.

WWYD?

**Jamtart** · 20-02-2008, 05:21pm

I agree with you! Thats alot of different costumes to find / make / buy!!! On our world book day they can dress up as any character out of a book... so much easier IMO

I dont think the school think about these things. I work full time, am not loaded and cant sew for love nor money so find it difficult when Kenidee always has to have costumes (luckily tho we havent had anything I cant get / make / bodge together yet)

*Betty Mae* · 20-02-2008, 05:33pm

Originally Posted by Jamtart

I agree with you! Thats alot of different costumes to find / make / buy!!! On our world book day they can dress up as any character out of a book... so much easier IMO

Exactly - and they used to do this... and more importantly it WAS FUN!!! When they can go as their favourite characters it's great as they generally all have those dress-up costumes anyway. I think one year there was a sea of pink princesses but so what?

Then a couple of years ago they stated they had to be "insects" and I made the costumes which took time and cost money...

Last year they were aliens - again money although not too bad as I just green facepainted them and green hair but the paint/hairspray cost around £6 which may not sound much but that could be going towards another meal for them in my eyes!!

When I heard "Children of the World" I thought DD could wear her cheerleader outfit, DS could wear a red indian outfit I picked up at the charity shop for £1.50 and I didn't even think Fred in the nursery would be part of it.....

I hate being the person to cause a fuss and speak out but really feel I need to tell them to please keep it more open and not restrict us with the theme like this.

**Katiekipper** · 20-02-2008, 05:34pm

I applaud you!! World book day is the biggest stress of the year! I don't have dressing up clothes lying around, they're 9 and 7.5 not 3! Nor do I have the time to sew anything or the money to buy anything.
I've ruined perfectly good clothes in the past to turn them into costumes just because I couldn't afford to do anything else.
Last year we went to the car boot sale and it still cost me £7.50 for all the stuff we needed. To me that's just £7.50 too much just for 1 day!

**Jamtart** · 20-02-2008, 05:36pm

Dont feel bad about causing a fuss, I think you are right to fight your corner. If Kenidee had to dress up as an Asian child I wouldnt know where to start TBH, I can't afford a Sari or similar and could never make one. I dont understand why they need such strict guidelines as it makes it difficult... plus there is also the "my costume is better than yours" or "have you seen what she/he is wearing" when they all have to have the same things on!

**bluekat** · 20-02-2008, 05:39pm

as part of the letter you should maybe ask them for schoolwork for your LOs to do on the day...they may make an example of you for keeping them off as technically it will be truancy.

eta...completely agree with your point though.

BKx

**Katiekipper** · 20-02-2008, 05:48pm

I was tempted to choose 2 school type books, Tom Brown and Mallory Towers etc and then send the kids in their uniforms! But that won't work if they're telling you what to dress them as!

*Betty Mae* · 20-02-2008, 05:55pm

And anyhoo what do Asian boys wear? Day to day nobody in any country wears their national dress costume anyway.... I suspect the kids all wear jeans, hoodies and baseball caps like kids the world over!

It just feels like they didn't even think about it before setting us the damn task to come up with something!

**icclebunny** · 20-02-2008, 05:58pm

I send them in in regular stuff and tell them that Asian kids do wear regular clothes and if they complain point out that you dont "do" stereotyping of whole populations of people

You fight your corner - does the school have an email address? Id happily let off some steam on them

**littlepinkpiglet** · 20-02-2008, 06:07pm

Originally Posted by icclebunny

I send them in in regular stuff and tell them that Asian kids do wear regular clothes and if they complain point out that you dont "do" stereotyping of whole populations of people

Perfect. They'd not dare fight you on that one