School Parties

I must be the strangest mother in Johnson County. Halloween was my first brush with school holiday parties / celebration -- and these people went OVERBOARD. I did not plan to attend his party, or the "parade", but did need to stop up at school to help him into his costume. I got there 15 minutes before the parade was scheduled to start, and the parking lot was full, and much of the side street parking was full. By the time I left, the parking was woven through the neighborhood, the gym was full of parents and people were still pouring in.

I simply cannot believe how many parents went to the elementary school in the middle of the day to watch their kids march around in costumes they would be wearing less than 4 hours later. Is there something wrong with me that I don't feel the need to attend these kinds of events? If he were in a performance of some sort, or a ceremony of some sort I would of course be there.

Was it always like this and I just didn't notice?

[SuzySunshine]

It's Johnson County - enough said!

[Sheherezade]

It's like that here as well. I think it's new. I don't remember this at all from my childhood. We did have classroom parties, but they involved parents sending in treats in the morning. The teacher handled the activites and the food. In fact, I think there were no activities....just treats. I liked it better that way frankly. Here, each party has a few formal activities (games and crafts) and treats. They poor kids never get to really relax. It's just "fun" that the parents thought up for them. Maybe we should just let them chat already. My DS now tells me that he'd MUCH prefer extra recess time and cupcakes to all this frou-frou.

I skipped out on DDs Halloween activites and went to DS's to help with handing out cider and donuts. It's a little more sane in the upper grades. They just had a Halloweenish movie in the auditorium and then donuts and hot cider back in the class.

[rainbabies]

my friend has four kids in elementary school. all of them do this parade thru town and a party afterwards. then, in the evening they have a "cakewalk" all the parents go to the school gym and do some type of bid on all the cakes. this means that the parent has to make these cakes of course. everyone leaves with a (im guessing) homemade cake.

sounds a bit overboard....and i know my friend thinks a bit overkill...but goes along with it for her kids. who i guess enjoy it?

My friend who teaches in WA has a totally different experience. Her school district hasn't allowed costumes for at least 5 years and they do a low-key pumpkin math exercise. I think a parent brought in treats.

Contrast that to my experience yesterday....very much the same as Jenn and Angie. The costume parade through the halls, the class party, etc. Apparently, I should get a demerit as room parent for not having a jam-packed hour of Halloween fun, fun, fun. We played Halloween bingo and ate cupcakes. The room parent who volunteered to help with THE activity (miscommunication, my fault) thought she was planning ONE of the activities and was just a little put out that we weren't have 4 centers. The kids stayed on the playground for an extra 15 minutes or so while we handled this "crisis." I agree -- they would have been just as happy with another 15 minutes on the playground and then the cupcakes.

Bad room mommy! Bad!

this has all gotten out of control.

Aha, here is the perfect emoticon for my halloween helper:
:nana

Our school is crazy too, I feel bad that I'm not a "part" of the chaos, but my mom and dad didn't attend even 1 Halloween party (nor did any other parents) and I turned out OK (or so I think)
Since the topic of Halloween is brought up though I have a question....what do you think about sending treats to the class party? I sent some tootsie rolls and suckers to class for each of the boys and earned a HUGE reprimand from the teachers, apparently NO treats with sugar are allowed in our schools anymore....huh? We have two of the skinnest kids on the face of the planet because we are all very active, but nothing with sugar at Halloween...she said not even any yogurt tubes because no milk based products were allowed....UGGHHH I find it annoying, WE had treats and once again I think we're ok???

The Valentine Day party is definitely more low-key -- activity and cupcakes but not nearly as many parents. Our costume parade is just for K-2 so it is difficult but not impossible to find parking.

A mummy relay race is a great idea! Weather is always an unknown that time of year but I think they would like the extra outside time. I'll have to tuck that away.

The kids do have fun. But I don't think they notice the difference between having a more low-key party and one with the tablecloths and games, etc, etc.

[mommax3]

The parties I have experienced at the four schools my kids have attended have all been more laid back than jesher/nellie/sarah/goofy/momof4 described, (no parades for one thing!) but still not as laid back as I remember my parties being when I was in school.

I will tutor the lowest math student in the whole school every week for an hour before I will be in charge of a party again, that is all I have to say! I am NOT a good party mom.....all I can think of is how quickly the "craft" will end up in the trash (but I do have boys ) vs. the amount of time the person(s) in charge of the party put in planning it......right now, the value of the activity has to equal or exceed the time I am putting into it, or I am NOT doing it.

Sally

[Sheherezade]

Sadly....all the parties for the K-3 part of our school system are this insane. We have an enormous number of volunteers (good) and I think that being *chosen* to participate in these events in your child's classroom is payback. Since over 50% of the parents work for the school frequently in a volunteer capacity, that's a lot of people at the parties. I also think there is a competitive component to it. The *good* mommies are at the parties hence, you feel you must go to the parties. Also, your kids want you there when everyone else has a parent there. *sigh* I really liked the Boston version of this insanity better. Since everyone walked the kids to school and saw the teacher most every day, you had "involvement" - but the school didn't allow volunteering. They had scheduled parent/family events several times a year and everyone met on the playground after school pickups in good weather. We all knew one another - but nobody was more "in" than anyone else.

Competitive parenting is a dangerous road. It's easy to confuse your priorities.

A mummy relay race is a great idea! Weather is always an unknown that time of year but I think they would like the extra outside time. I'll have to tuck that away.

Like anyone is going to let YOU have that job again, after you screwed up the activities today ...

A mummy relay race is a great idea! Weather is always an unknown that time of year but I think they would like the extra outside time. I'll have to tuck that away.

Like anyone is going to let YOU have that job again, after you screwed up the activities today ...

:> Let's hope at least a few people complain. I'm thinking Sally has the right idea. I'd rather help in the classroom than do this room parent stuff.