Wednesday 14 July 2010

Over The Top ??

disco The school term is almost ended – some friends are despairing about sorting out Prom Dresses for their daughters, and others worrying about how their children will arrive at the End-Of-Term-Do. I am so grateful that this sort of thing didn’t seem so life-n-death when my girls were younger.

In my youth there was a “Sixth Form Disco” but I think it was girls only, and anyway I was too busy that night with something else, so never bothered to go!

One local school had its event on Friday night. I am told that one pupil arrived in a Lamborghini and another in a helicopter

lamborghini

helicopter2

I’m told this isn’t particularly unusual these days – but the children involved here are only TEN YEARS OLD [Year 5]

If parents are throwing this sort of money around for them at this age, what on earth will they do when they are 18?

And when they graduate from Uni, will they buy them their own Lotus or Learjet?

learjetlotus

Yes, I do “want the best” for my children – but am I alone in feeling that this sort of treatment is wrong?

Not only are these children being spoiled – but what is it saying to their classmates – many of whom are from families where money is in short supply at the minute?

8 comments:

  1. I was talking about this the other day. I agree that it puts all sorts of pressure on the kids as well as their parents. It seems wrong that the only "right" way for these occassions to be celebrated involves huge wedges of cash. Surely the occassion should be enough. Isn't it special if you have a new frock and are made to feel the centre of attention by those who love you. Why do you need the whole school to focus on you. There can only be losers in this kind of one up manship as only the wealthiest will be remembered. Do we want the next generation of leaders to start out their lives with this kind of example. Surely the parents need to learn to say NO!

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  2. Absolutely! The cost of prom dresses is outrageous. And what they wear! It makes your eyes spin. It's like Disney Princess meets Kylie Minogue. Lol.

    I'm going to have my daughters parachute into their prom during a Red Arrows display wearing Vera Wang evening gowns. I should start saving now...

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  3. You are not alone. I deplore this...both grandaughters were taken by immense limousines to their prom dances, very expensive dresses were bought.
    It never happened in my day!

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  4. Yes, yes, yes! I agree entirely.I do not like the ridiculous attitudes to this kind of thing.
    Does it make a better parent, the bigger the show? Does it make a better child? Does it make a better community? Not at all. It breeds resentment, and feelings of inferiority/superiority/greed/shallowness etc. Why would we do this to our children?
    When I was at school (an all girls school) we had a 6th form disco which we lovingly called the "no fags, booze, or fellas do". Once, we went to an all boys school for a "mixed do" ....how exciting! I think we all turned out OK!!
    Have a wonderful day
    Jane

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  5. It's so hollow and empty. We have a box of dance dresses in the basement closet, though. All this outdoing one another is not conducive to good community. We're so wasteful and impractical. I hope it gets better before it gets worse.

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  6. I have never had to be involved in anything like this thank goodness
    Thank you Angela for the comment you left on my blog re,quilts . Get the --cottonreelmachine out for a relaxing evening

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  7. I don't know anyone who approves of this kind of thing. It's symptomatic of a culture obsessed with celebrity lifestyle - as though this kind of Hollywood glamour is an entitlement to a child who is celebrating finishing primary school! By doing this kind of thing we are giving our kids unreal and unattainable expectations of the adult world. We are doing them a disservice.

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  8. You are not alone in your views. I have instilled alternative values into my children. We live in this world, we don't have to be of it, we don't have to be like other people. Neither of my children wanted to be part of that charade, when both of mine left school, they did so quietly and without any fuss.

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