A working mother's lot

Feb 28, 2007 09:46

It's World Book Day tomorrow. Now, it's a very worthy thing and I'm all in favour of encouraging kids to read more, and the book token is nice, but... BUT ( Read more... )

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Comments 28

just_sue February 28 2007, 10:16:58 UTC
Good luck! *hugs* xxx

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calove February 28 2007, 16:35:08 UTC
Thanks Sue! One Alex Rider and one Thing 1 successfully(ish) completed. I'm exhausted!

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elisi February 28 2007, 10:21:42 UTC
They're not doing the dressing up thing this year at our school! *dances* Instead they've got a book fair where the children can buy books, but no dressing up!!!! Happy happy joy joy! (Even if we've given them a fiver each, so it's still not free...)

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calove February 28 2007, 16:39:29 UTC
*is envious*

I'd happily give them a fiver! Ten pounds, even! More if necessary! I hate this sort of thing. You try your best, but the kids still want it to be exactly like in the book, including real, firing pen-guns and a red DS (yeah right...). You do your best with sticky back plastic and felt but it's never quite right... Then - sure as eggs there'll be the one at school who's mother has spent the past year perfecting a diamante encusted fairy outfit complete with working wings and magic fairy dust that is actually magic.

Bleh.

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curiouswombat February 28 2007, 19:40:23 UTC
sure as eggs there'll be the one at school who's mother has spent the past year perfecting a diamante encusted fairy outfit complete with working wings and magic fairy dust that is actually magic.

There always is, isn't there?

I think you should seriously tout the idea of a book swap for next year instead!

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calove February 28 2007, 22:57:30 UTC
Always.

That's a bloody good idea. I must start sowing the seeds with the Friends and the teachers.

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prophecygirrl February 28 2007, 12:18:49 UTC
You have my every sympathy. My son had to dress up as a famous American, and he was assigned... wait for it... Benjamin Harrison!

That was a fun costume to come up with, let me tell you.

Glad it stopped raining ;->

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calove February 28 2007, 16:42:55 UTC
Eek! I had to google him, I'm afraid, so clearly not THAT famous then (but then I'm a Brit). Whoa, that must've been fun to do. Did you do him the full set of whiskers?!

It rained again. Grrr... :-/

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prophecygirrl March 2 2007, 01:10:06 UTC
I did, but we cheated and painted the whiskers on, and gave him an old plastic top hat from a magic set.

Funny, I did remember you were English, but not until well after I had already posted and gone to bed. He was not a very interesting President, but he was the first to watch a baseball game and ride a train across the country. That impressed my son quite a bit.

I will do my raindance for you -- not sure if it works long distance.

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spikereader February 28 2007, 12:32:47 UTC
I now have to go in search of a Hermione cloak (which they don't seem to be making at the moment) plus Gryffindor accessories

Shares in your search (although the rush is all my own fault, as I made them decide at the weekend what they were going to be). Thought I was going to have to rush out and buy some black fabric and make one, when I remembered an old coat of mine with a huge shawl collar and lapels. Hermione #1 was very pleased with this, so now I just have to sort out a Gryffindor crest. Hermione #2 had to have a rethink and is now going as Crookshanks the cat - involving lots of orange clothing and fur fabric. I'm just about to dig out the sewing machine to make a tail and some ears.

On a brighter note, it's not raining here so we've blue skies and sunshine, though it's extremely windy. Good luck with your costumes.

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calove February 28 2007, 16:47:35 UTC
Hermione bit the bullet, I'm afraid. I'm not much with the last minute making of cloaks and the like (me and sewing machines are not very mix-y) and I couldn't buy one... No Matter. Small daughter was appeased by a red T-shirt with a white felt 'Thing 1' on it coupled with the prospect of me spraying her hair blue! The boy has settled for an Alex Rider ensemble. Only cost me a new pair of black jeans, a black back-pack, a silver yo-yo and a pair of spy-type sunglasses. Ah, well - at least he can wear them/use them later.

*insert eye roll here*

You sound very adventurous! Good luck with Crookshanks!

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hesadevil February 28 2007, 12:34:30 UTC
What happened to the idea that World Book day should be all about - well, books? This smacks of commercialism rampaging through the hallowed halls of education, not to mention adding hugely to the ever-present guilt-trip modern Mums carry around these days.

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calove February 28 2007, 17:02:42 UTC
The school make a big thing of making costumes without spending money etc etc, but you know, for the working mum on limited time and budget, time is money.

Our school is tiny, but very mixed in terms of family income. There will, without fail, be the parents with big bucks and expensive costumes who will look down their noses at the efforts of the rest of us. There's the odd kid like that, too, who will make other kid's lives a misery on the day. You're right - it can be devisive.

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calove February 28 2007, 16:50:56 UTC
Humph. In fairness, the school did say 'just make something simple - don't buy anything special' - oh, yeah, right. I know there are mums who can turn out a perfect Alice costume, complete with fully functioning White Rabbit form an old tea towel, a bit of felt and some sticky-back plastic, but I'm not one of them.

the ever-present guilt-trip modern Mums carry around these days

Quite. One of the first things my midwife said when I was hyaving problems after A was born was "Welcome to the great guilt trip that is parenthood". And they award a PRIZE for the best costume, for heaven's sake. No pressure then...

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