Inconsequential and Insignificant, Yet Annoying (rant)

swampwitch

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Every year, our daughter's school puts on a "Winter Event" before the holidays. This is the sixth blessed year the same annoying thing has happened.

A couple of days before the concert we find out she needs to wear a certain color shirt because she is in a particular event.

One year, she needed a white shirt since she was in the choir. Of course, she didn't have a white shirt. I hate shopping, and it's very limited here, but I spent hours looking for a nice white blouse or shirt; evidently all children on the island needed the same thing because all I could find was one white long-sleeved t-shirt that was too big so I had to take the sleeves up. She wore that while the girls who were not in choir wore their pretty holiday dresses.

Every year this happens, she is supposed to "wear" a color. One year it was light blue. Not everyone has a light blue shirt! Again, I had to shop and finally found a light blue long-sleeved t-shirt. We tried to dress it up with a nice skirt but it was still a t-shirt.

If we knew in advance, we could make sure she has what she needs, but nothing is ever decided until last minute. Again this year, she is in a play and her character is supposed to wear orange. (The other kids are supposed to wear white or brown.) Orange! To a holiday concert! She has a nice black velveteen skirt to wear this year and the only orange shirt she has is a summer tank-top. She's going to look like a season-confused Halloween character!

We don't have the time or the money to go shopping for an orange shirt right now. She told the educator at the school that she only has a tank top and her mother won't let her wear it because it's a summer shirt, and the teacher responded with, "That's workable." I'm trying to talk her into wearing her nice red blouse.

I wish she could just wear some nice clothes to the concert for once instead of some stupid t-shirt in some dumb color!

I know it's not worth getting upset about, and that's why I'm venting here so I can put it to rest, thank you for reading this!
 

psjauntie

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So sorry to hear that at a time you should be enjoying is so stressful. You would think they could give you a little more notice. Hope it all works out, & you can enjoy the concert.
 

mbjerkness

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I completly understand. I am in the same situation. My son always wanted a suit to wear to the Christmas concert. I found a great deal on one so I bought it for him. He was so excited. Yesterday his teacher informed them. They must wear jeans and a mexican poncho. Where am I supposed to find a poncho by tomorrow. WE live in the middle of B.C. I am more than a little annoyed.
 

calico2222

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That's unreal that they don't let you know until the last minute! I'd be upset too.

Does she have a shirt you could dye orange (who ever heard of orange for a winter event...that's for Halloween!).

Or, do you have a fabric store near you? You could get a few yards of fabric, the clear/colored kind, and put it over the tank top and tuck it into her skirt...it's an idea. Gold over orange would look nice, or even silver.
 

yosemite

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I guess my first question would be, Have any of you ever spoken directly to the school/teachers about this problem? If not, then probably nothing will change. If enough parents were to actually speak up, it might bring about a solution.
 
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swampwitch

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Originally Posted by psjauntie

So sorry to hear that at a time you should be enjoying is so stressful. You would think they could give you a little more notice. Hope it all works out, & you can enjoy the concert.
Aw, thanks, it will be fine.



Originally Posted by mbjerkness

I completly understand. I am in the same situation. My son always wanted a suit to wear to the Christmas concert. I found a great deal on one so I bought it for him. He was so excited. Yesterday his teacher informed them. They must wear jeans and a mexican poncho. Where am I supposed to find a poncho by tomorrow. WE live in the middle of B.C. I am more than a little annoyed.
LOL! You've got to be kidding! Maybe it's some BC-school conspiracy!


Originally Posted by calico2222

That's unreal that they don't let you know until the last minute! I'd be upset too.

Does she have a shirt you could dye orange (who ever heard of orange for a winter event...that's for Halloween!).

Or, do you have a fabric store near you? You could get a few yards of fabric, the clear/colored kind, and put it over the tank top and tuck it into her skirt...it's an idea. Gold over orange would look nice, or even silver.
That's a great idea, but can't do it... I looked through my fabrics, thought maybe I'd sew something up (lose a night of sleep), but no orange. I'm not really upset, just a bit of a rant to get it out. Thanks for the thoughts!


Originally Posted by Yosemite

I guess my first question would be, Have any of you ever spoken directly to the school/teachers about this problem? If not, then probably nothing will change. If enough parents were to actually speak up, it might bring about a solution.
I believe speaking up isn't going to help the teachers get more organized... This is a small thing... gotta pick your battles.
 

zoeysmom

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To tell the other side of the story:

Teachers are incredibly busy. I know - I am one. Many have families of their own and are dealing with similar "concerts" for their own children and the rest of the holiday bustle. I also imagine that you probably had report cards go home for your child recently. Chances are his/her mind was on those until very recently. Yes, we usually try to give more notice about these things, but you would be amazed by how easily things sneak up on you when you're trying to do 20 things at once.

We don't put Christmas concerts on for us. It's an awful lot of work and takes a lot of valuable instructional time (even if it doesn't seem like anything major). I don't even know that we do it for the kids (although I guess you could call it part of the drama/music curriculum). We do it for the parents. Parents usually look forward to seeing their child up on stage and it's a good memory for them. Costumes go with the deal...send your daughter in her fancy clothes on another day.

I would either speak to the teacher, or, if there is no way that she can wear orange, send her in a different a similar colour. Is there a reason she needs to wear orange? Perhaps something that makes sense for her role could be substituted. Although, frankly, if she has an orange tank top, I think the problem should be solved. Put a nice blouse over the orange shirt and she can take it off before she performs. She'll be in COSTUME...just like the rest of the kids.

Now...as for the mexican poncho...lol...I don't know what that teacher is thinking. Just send him in some sort of bright colour or something that looks remotely Mexican.

Sorry...I don't mean to sound rude...until you are in the role of a teacher, you have no idea what it's like. We tend to get a "bad rep".
 
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swampwitch

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It was just a rant. BTW, I used to be a teacher - ESL teaching third grade and EC education for three-year-olds with language delays.

I wasn't saying anything bad about teachers.
 

sneakymom

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Originally Posted by SwampWitch

Every year, our daughter's school puts on a "Winter Event" before the holidays. This is the sixth blessed year the same annoying thing has happened.

A couple of days before the concert we find out she needs to wear a certain color shirt because she is in a particular event.

One year, she needed a white shirt since she was in the choir. Of course, she didn't have a white shirt. I hate shopping, and it's very limited here, but I spent hours looking for a nice white blouse or shirt; evidently all children on the island needed the same thing because all I could find was one white long-sleeved t-shirt that was too big so I had to take the sleeves up. She wore that while the girls who were not in choir wore their pretty holiday dresses.

Every year this happens, she is supposed to "wear" a color. One year it was light blue. Not everyone has a light blue shirt! Again, I had to shop and finally found a light blue long-sleeved t-shirt. We tried to dress it up with a nice skirt but it was still a t-shirt.

If we knew in advance, we could make sure she has what she needs, but nothing is ever decided until last minute. Again this year, she is in a play and her character is supposed to wear orange. (The other kids are supposed to wear white or brown.) Orange! To a holiday concert! She has a nice black velveteen skirt to wear this year and the only orange shirt she has is a summer tank-top. She's going to look like a season-confused Halloween character!

We don't have the time or the money to go shopping for an orange shirt right now. She told the educator at the school that she only has a tank top and her mother won't let her wear it because it's a summer shirt, and the teacher responded with, "That's workable." I'm trying to talk her into wearing her nice red blouse.

I wish she could just wear some nice clothes to the concert for once instead of some stupid t-shirt in some dumb color!

I know it's not worth getting upset about, and that's why I'm venting here so I can put it to rest, thank you for reading this!
I'm assuming elementary school? Though the kids were SO cute in those things, I was so DONE with "holiday" concerts in elementary school. The teachers didn't have much responsibility for these concerts (and it should be that way- they've got SO much other work to do)- it was mainly the PTA and music teacher who put the concert together. I think all my kids ever had to wear was black and white. But they were annoying b/c there were a ton of kids there (each grade had over 100 kids in it), and it was held in the "gymatorium", so you couldn't see nor hear anything.

It does get better- though more expensive
My middle schooler plays viola in orchestra. All she needed was a pair of black pants, and black shoes. She used the polo shirt her sister had when she played in orchestra. I think I spent $25 or so for those 2 items of clothing.

My oldest is in high school orchestra. That was pricey. Black shoes, and I had to pay $100 for an orchestra dress- same dress all the girls are wearing. But I have to admit, not having to run around and look for something for her to wear was SO nice.
 

zoeysmom

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Rant away!

I just watched my school's concert today. One group had to wear green, another had to wear hippy-like wear, some red, some black, and then there was a cast with more full costumes. I'm sure for some of them, their parents thought they looked ridiculous! But when seen in the context of the show (it was a full-out play, with students not in the cast being members of various "choirs"), it all made perfect sense and looked great!

What did you end up sending her in?
 

cococat

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Originally Posted by SwampWitch

A couple of days before the concert we find out she needs to wear a certain color shirt because she is in a particular event.
That sounds very annoying! And so many years in a row and during the holidays, even that much more annoying. lol.
Was the concert cancelled? How did it go? Update please
 
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swampwitch

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Okay, so here's what happened. I left the final decision up to Daughter. Apparently, other kids at school were saying that they didn't have the exact colors to wear, either. So, she wore a red blouse, the lights were pretty dim and it fit in perfectly and actually looked orange. And, since she wasn't in an pastel tank top, she didn't look seasonally-challenged since we have been getting more snow all evening!
 
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