Sports Day: Parents Excluded

[#1]

What is this  country coming to!

Schools want mums and dads kept away because kids could get stressed or the  teachers intimidated. There's also trouble from aggressive parents at football matches. And we have the dog poo tale.

People seem to want a fight with everyone else, ridicule others who lack in some ability. We seem generally nasty.

It makes this oldies very sad.

Moderator's note by Mike (Mav): 2nd Link fixed.

[#2]

We may have had one parent a year back in my school days who could become obnoxious but he (was usually a fella) was put in his place by one of the larger members of staff and tut-tutted by the other parents.

I must admit I found sports days a little stressful as well as performing at music evenings but am glad to have had the experience. Whatever will these children do when they meet real stressful situations as they grow older and venture into the 'real' world?

[#3]

PC brigade gone mad again.

I am sure there are troublesome parents, but no less than the troublesome children they may have to deal with, and everyone else has to deal with anyway. Regardless of our profession.

No different to say people who serve you in a shop where the assistant is not pleasant.

[#4]

If the teachers were allowed to hang the worst offenders, the problems with unruly parents would soon cease.

[#5]

Once you meet some parents you can start to understand the child's behaviour

[#6]

Never had parents at our sports days back in the late 50s and early 60s, and certainly not mine.

Dad was at work and Mum would have be far to busy. Attended two of our grandchildren's sports a day few weeks back and there were loads of Mums, Grandparents, but very few Dad's - and the couple that were there had put themselves in charge of the barbecue.... of course.

No stress, no intimidation - just great fun on a rather hot day and made all the better by remembering to take a couple of picnic chairs with us!

[#7]

A better idea would be for the parents to take part in sports day whilst the children would watch.

That way the children would be less stressed and the parents could take their own advice about how to play rather than shouting it at their children.

[#8]

That reminds me of the competitive dad sketch from the Fast Show.

[#9]

@Mav

"Once you meet some parents you can start to understand the child's behaviour".

Almost word for word what my teacher daughter says. Complete knobs some of 'em.

[#10]

@gleneagles

At the one I attended many of them did, in fact they had a couple of 'parents only' events! 

[#11]

I find the total ban on photography at kids' sports day annoying.

One school I have dealings with imposed such a ban citing photos being immediately posted on Facebook.

Most of these kids have photos plastered all over Facebook anyway from birthdays to family holidays.

Things like sports day are a one day annual event which parents love to record for memories. Once the event is passed without a record, it cannot be rerun.

Apart from this there seems to be no national rule on the subject as each school sets it's own restrictions with some having none.

[#12]

Different schools different rules I guess.

At the sports day I attended recently nearly all the parents had phone cameras and some even lined themselves up in front of the kiddies as they set off. 

It's a difficult call and one that I would not one I'd like to make as a head teacher that's for sure.

[#13]

---

AlaricAdair wrote:

If the teachers were allowed to hang the worst offenders, the problems with unruly parents would soon cease.

---

I take it you mean. 'put hteir portraits on the wall', or do you mean 'their heads on pikes'?

[#14]

"Don't tell him Pike" 

[#15]

Pike?  The teachers cod be worried about being battered.