Rude Parents at Christmas Concert
@Masihi (4413)
Canada
December 14, 2010 6:14pm CST
I am gobsmacked. We went to our children's annual Christmas concert at their school, and we were all talking, and the principal had to tell us to quiet down. Ok, no problem, Hubby and I shut up and started to pay attention, but the other parents didn't, they had to be reminded a few times.
Okay, so during the concert we were instructed to not take pics in the aisle, but go the back or the sides. Fine, I did that, I was in the back anyway, and my camera had 25x zoom on it anyway. But I kept on getting backs of parents' heads - right in the middle of the flamin' AISLE! grrrrr
Then after the concert was over, the parents stood up, talked amongst themselves, and started to leave. The principal had to say over the noise her farewell "thank you" and "let's give our children a round of applause!"
*sigh*
Hubby and I just waited anyway until most of the parents were gone, because we knew it was going to be super-crowded in the hallways, and some parents do like to push!
When I was a kid in school concerts, our parents were quiet!! Where is the respect nowadays? How we going to teach our kids respect if we don't practise respect ourselves?
PS - did I mention the parents were literally talking amongst themselves DURING the time the kids were performing??? sheesh Definitely not a good time to take video! *snarl*
5 people like this
8 responses
@mandygirl327 (36)
• United States
15 Dec 10
wow that's really rude! and people can't understand why the kids are acting up,
hardly anyone shows respect nowadays
1 person likes this
@Masihi (4413)
• Canada
20 Dec 10
I'm very strict with my kids, I emphasise RESPECT to them, and to respect their elders. I feel so proud when people comment on how polite my kids are, and how well-behaved they are at a meal table :-)
@Shellyann36 (11385)
• United States
15 Dec 10
Parents are very rude these days. They also raise their children to behave that way. I could not work at a public school these days. I have a 1 year old now and I dread when he turns school age. I seriously think about homeschooling him but I don't think his father would go along with it. My older 3 are 21, 20 & 16. Thankfully I made it through the younger years with them and the 16 year old is almost done with highschool. When the 16 year old was in middle school we attended a chorus concert with pretty much the same problem. Parents talking non stop during the show and walking down the aisles snapping pics. I was embarassed to see adults acting that way.
1 person likes this
mine are in grades 1 an 3 - hooooooooooooo boy lo
@GardenGerty (157710)
• United States
15 Dec 10
I have been at combined orchestra concerts where the director basically told the parents from the stage that unless they were quiet the show would not proceed. He also instructed people about the appropriate ways to show appreciation. As far as the little plays and things it got to where a parent or a school staff would video the entire program and then sale copies at cost to interested parents. You will take notice of the parents who were so rude tonight, and make sure to avoid them at the next event. Maybe get there extra early and get one of the seats close to the front row. My kids were in school in the 80's and this was already a problem.
1 person likes this
@Anora_Eldorath (6028)
• United States
15 Dec 10
Masihi-
When I was in school we had our parents taking pictures during our performances all of the time, as well as those who shot for the school newspaper and yearbook. I do believe in our plays it was asked to not shoot with the flash but that was all. Christmas concerts and so forth were always in the gym where it was well lit so parents simply took pictures from the bleachers.
I've done many performances over my life and I guess I've never really paid much attention to the minor comments being made in the audience. I was there to give a performance.
I do know there are new recorders out there that allow you to mic your child in a performance while you tape from the audience. Later you simply combine the two in minor editing and there you.
Namaste-Anora
@gdesjardin (1918)
• United States
16 Dec 10
"When I was a kid in school concerts, our parents were quiet!! Where is the respect nowadays? How we going to teach our kids respect if we don't practise respect ourselves?"
I think you hit the nail on the head. It aggrevates me to no end when parents wonder why their children are so disrespectful...well hello??..respect starts at home. We had a similar experience on Tuesday with my daughter's chorus concert. Parents were pushing their way in the front door so they could get the "best seat". The other parents were loud as well and kept standing up to take pictures of their "little babies". It was unbelievable. I have to say, I couldn't wait to get out of there.
@gdesjardin (1918)
• United States
20 Dec 10
I know, but apparently some parents believe "do as I say, not what I do" kind of way of raising their kids. And parents wonder why kids stay confused, well who is to blame them when we give them mixed signals like that.
@megamatt (14292)
• United States
15 Dec 10
I remember when I had the Christmas concert at school. People were rather respectful their. It is a shame to see that things have gone down since I was in school. It is really a shame. Then again, their is a problem with this generation in general not being respectful and as a part of the generation that is likely a huge part of the problem, I feel confident is saying that their are times where some people just need to shut up. It is rude to the performers and rude to the people trying to enjoy the performance as well.
1 person likes this
@mtdewgurl74 (18151)
• United States
19 Dec 10
Oh no poor kids..
.parents weren't even really paying attention to them and the ones that tried couldn't hear because of all the lallygagging the other parents were doing. I think the parents should have maybe "caught" up at some other time..and paid attention..it's not moments they will ever get back again. The principal should have actually had someone enforce the no pics in the aisle rule.
..so that it made it fair for everyone...I guess some parents just need to go back to school to learn how to follow directions and not their own little drummer.
.parents weren't even really paying attention to them and the ones that tried couldn't hear because of all the lallygagging the other parents were doing. I think the parents should have maybe "caught" up at some other time..and paid attention..it's not moments they will ever get back again. The principal should have actually had someone enforce the no pics in the aisle rule...so that it made it fair for everyone...I guess some parents just need to go back to school to learn how to follow directions and not their own little drummer.
@dawnald (85135)
• Shingle Springs, California
15 Dec 10
and then they wonder when their children misbehave!
