I want to be in a reception class.
Last term, Flea enjoyed a Spanish day where she went to school and ate Spanish food. How cool is that?
She also learned about Spanish culture and can now count to 10 in Spanish. At least, I assume she’s counting – I don’t speak Spanish. She could be cursing my lack of parenting skills, for all I know.
Anyway, this week, the class is having a French day. Since Flea’s favourite things in life include croissants and brioche, she’s pretty excited. What’s more, she doesn’t have to wear her uniform – instead, she’s to wear either something French, or something in the colours of the French flag.
After an hour of trying to argue with Flea that the French flag isn’t black so she can’t wear her Darth Vader t-shirt, we agreed that she could wear her blue jeans and her red and white stripy pirate t-shirt to school on Wednesday, with her red, racing car trainers. Settled.
Or so I imagined.
This Saturday we were at a party for one of Flea’s school friends and I was chatting with a couple of the other parents. “All set for Wednesday?” Mrs S asked me, brightly.
“What?” It’s responses like this that make me such a hit at the school gate, I think.
“French day, silly! All set?”
“Oh right.” I tell Mrs S about Flea’s outfit, enjoying a little glow of pride that – for once – I’ve planned a school activity in advance. This is real progress considering I sent Flea to Harvest Festival carrying a cereal bar I found in the car’s glove compartment.
“How lovely,” smiled Mrs H. “I’ve got Thomas a Musketeer outfit. There’s a costume shop in [nearby town] that’s selling them; they’re only £15.”
“Great,” I managed to choke out.
I didn’t think about it any more until we were in the car on the way home, and a little voice in the back of the car piped up: “Mummy, you’ll never guess what! Thomas isn’t wearing a t-shirt to school on Wednesday, he’s going to be a muppeteer with a SWORD. Please may I be a Muppeteer, too?”
Great. Anyone know any French muppets that use swords?
yes lots Sally pmsl!!! Lsot in translation comes to mind. I prefer homemade stuff as it forces me to think and get the kids involved.
We’ve got France as our nursery theme this week and I was very proudly standing with the 3 yr old this morning who was waving her homemade (and coloured in and cut out by her) french flag. She was chuffed to pieces. She’s written her name and her key workers on the back too. Such pride – where’s the pride in buying a £15 outfit?
We’re taking in French bagettes tomorrow to share out with class. It’s great fun -although a chore or more difficult themed days/weeks esp as we have two kids there who want to take in diff things. Funny thing was the number of parents stood alongside of us this morning with toy snails, garlic and strings of onions pmsl – not that we encourage stereotyping in this country :-))
I bet Flea remembers more about her outfit than the other kids – or lets hope so lol.
Sally if you don’t write a ‘women’s contemporary’ novel soon about a slightly harrassed single parent and her adventures both at the schoolgate and with her brilliantly perceptive little girl you’ll be missing a trick… and lots of dosh, I’m sure!
Great post x
£15 for a costume for school? Are these people insane? Well, clearly. but yey, what a cool idea a French day. I would love a day of eating croissants and being taught how to speak French. can i come?
Perhaps the hurdy flurdy Swiss Chef? Sort of?
I had this problem the other week when DD2 had to (as I thought) wear her own clothes for “Explorer Day”. She went in her jeans, t-shirt and trainers with a rucksack and a pair of binoculars. I was most surprised when we got to school to find kids dressed up as Indiana Jones (and was he even an explorer?) and other such fancy dress outfits.
Hmm, I have a feeling I’m going to be a bad school mummy. I’d go with the t-shirt/jeans combi and be proud of myself!
I hate all these school obligations. We were encouraged to be “original” and “crative” for this year’s carnaval celebrations, meaning don’t buy an outfit. There’s no way I’m going to sew one. What are they going to do anyway? All the other mothers I know are just pulling something out of the dress-up box or buying something. It’s not like the children mind at all. Maybe it’s a bit sad, but then when I think back of the costumes my mother used to make, they always made us uncomfortable/too hot/unable to tell what we were actually meant to be.