Do you book the day off for your own Ch'ns Nativity Play?

**Maza** · 30-09-2013, 07:54 PM

I've just emailed my parents to let them know that I won't be working on Wed 4th December as it is my DD's Nativity Play. I did the same last year and although it means I lose a days pay so close to Christmas I wouldn't have it any other way.

How about you, what do you do when it comes to school plays? Get in quick if you want to take the day off - they have plenty of notice! x

**FussyElmo** · 30-09-2013, 07:57 PM

I wish our school gave that much notice. Luckily ours are now all held at night :-)

**line6** · 30-09-2013, 08:06 PM

I only have one mindee and if he's with me that day he'll be coming along too. I agreed that with parents at first meeting! I go to school assemblies etc and that's that. I also offered to go along to his big sisters assemblies etc if no-one from the family could as she's only 4 (I have her before and after school) and will take him with me if I ever need to do that too.

**Maza** · 30-09-2013, 08:06 PM

Originally Posted by FussyElmo

I wish our school gave that much notice. Luckily ours are now all held at night :-)

I think a lot of schools now put it on the calendar on the website so you can find out sooner rather than wait for a paper letter. x

**nikki thomson** · 30-09-2013, 09:08 PM

Our school does one during the day and one at night, I always go to the evening one, hubby can come 2. X

**Tealady** · 30-09-2013, 09:13 PM

I book it off although our school has a "family ethos" and Little ones are welcome. I want to be watching DD and not worrying about if LO's are fidgeting or getting bored and disturbing other parents. When she was in PreSchool and now DS is they come to that as it's more laidback.

They always come to Sports Day. Get's me out of the Mummy's Race !-)

**Sarsar3NCH** · 30-09-2013, 09:24 PM

It's one of the things I deeply wish I had done differently. I always took mindees to performances but couldn't sit and enjoy as I was watching mindees and making sure they weren't disturbing others. My kids were glad to see me there which is what matters really but I really wish I had been able to simply enjoy those precious times :-)

**CLL** · 30-09-2013, 09:27 PM

I just take them along. I never thought to book it off or discuss it with parents first. It's good for them to see him on stage and my own lo would miss it if they were not there. Win win for everyone I think.

**doris127** · 30-09-2013, 10:08 PM

Thankfully my dds are no longer at primary school. The school never gave us much notice of plays, nativities or special assemblies. The HT was also the most child unfriendly person on the planet too and I had a few run ins with her. For plays they would do 2 or 3 day time performances. You would be allocated 2 tickets only and everyone had to have a ticket. No buggies, prams or sitting on knees allowed. I missed a few special assemblies over the years because I only got a couple of days notice and had small children who were too little to sit unaided or had 2 kids so was over my allocated number. I've seen numerous mums being sent packing because they brought a baby and then seen children on stage upset because no one was there. Doors shut 5 mins before the start so if you were cutting it fine you didn't get in. My friend got turned away and she was a classroom assistant in the school! And the reason for all of this - health and safety!! Glad I don't have to fight it anymore!!

**charleyfarley** · 30-09-2013, 10:21 PM

Our school do several performances 1 in the afternoon and 2 during the evenings and I go to all of them, wouldn't miss them for the world. This year as both of my children are in the juniors their play is in the summer but as I have a mindee in the infants his play is at Xmas and I shall be going along to watch him in the afternoon and take the mindees as I always have done. They actually love watching the shows. I do save videoing and photo taking till the evening shows though

Carol xx

**shortstuff** · 01-10-2013, 05:07 AM

Ds's scholl do 2 performances. 9.30 and 2.30. Oh goes to the morning one and goes into work late as he starts at 10. I go to the afternoon one n last year had 2 mindees with me. They loved it x

Ds loved the fact he has someone there for both too x

**clareelizabeth1** · 01-10-2013, 07:13 AM

My ds has not reached that age yet, but I would book the day off. I don't want to miss a moment. My mum always came to mine. It was after all the reason she was a childminder.

**loocyloo** · 01-10-2013, 07:26 AM

at our old school under 5's were not allowed to attend nativity plays as hall was very squashed and the teachers worried it would distract/spoil the play. but every year did theirs twice and we used to have a constant 'swap' around of children to get everyone to watch! I used to ask 'my' mums if they could cover the hour ( I would always try to go to morning productions ) but if not, they would agree to friends having their child for that time. ( I used to say that I was going to XYZ ... how did they want to arrange cover?! )

our current school is happy for small children to attend and I tend to take mindees to most plays/assemblies etc, as we always know someone involved and the children love going!

**Maza** · 01-10-2013, 08:55 AM

I have taken mindee along to reading meetings and stuff like that but I always have half an eye on him, even though he's very good. The Nativity though is different, I just want to enjoy it as a mum. Besides, I need one hand for the camera and the others for all the tissues I go through. I really blubbed last year, was quite embarrassed. Hope I stay more in control this year!

**AliceK** · 01-10-2013, 08:59 AM

Every year I have at least 1 mindee who I know would not behave and I just know will not sit quietly and will start screaming / throwing a tantrum and spoiling it for everyone so I have learnt the hard way and will now book the time off (sometimes just for that 1 child

)

xxx

**SJ35** · 01-10-2013, 09:48 AM

I've just had the dates for my daughters school play, I have booked both afternoons off. Different families as all mine are part timers. They all understand.
X

**kellyskidz!** · 01-10-2013, 09:54 AM

I took a mindee to last one, it was fine
My dd loves the mindees and I could hear her saying to her friends there's mummy and daddy and X has come to see me!
I think it depends on how they behave and how many kids you have in on that day because taking 5 would be like a mini school trip and hard to handle if one decided to get a little vocal x

**Kerry30** · 01-10-2013, 12:42 PM

I always judge it on the mindees i will have and last year i took 2 of them with me(a 13mth old & a 17mth old) They absolutely loved it and were so well behaved considering it was in a big cold church. After all it is home from home childcare and its a good experience for them in lots of ways.
I knew the mindees i had would be good and if the parents hadnt of been happy me taking them then i would of taken the time off but they were more than happy for me to take them.

**kellib** · 01-10-2013, 12:49 PM

My son's school does two showings of plays, I send my grandparents in the afternoon and then I go with my mum to the evening show, that way he's got people there at both shows.

His school also lets each class lead their service which is usually in the morning, I usually ask if LO's can come a bit later that day, most parents are understanding and I've had no problems, yet lol

**starlight1** · 01-10-2013, 01:31 PM

Our school doesn't allow pre school...I make parents aware I will be taking a 1/2 day and will give them as much notice as I can and work with them as they don't do an evening performance in infants...

I wouldn't take mindee's anyway...It is the one thing I do want to watch such special memories