World Book Day: It's About Encouraging Reading, Not Costume Competitions!

[minhhai191]

For anyone who needs to hear it… you are not a shit parent if you didn’t spend the last week making an elaborate costume for world book day.
I totally understand that people use this page to show their “yay me” parenting moments but let’s not forget that most people have neither the time nor energy to do these things!!
If you have the time, energy and resources to make a costume for your kid that’s great!
If you have no time but managed to get your kid a shop bought costume or managed to make a costume of the things already in your house that’s great!
If you don’t have the time, energy or money to worry about word book day and your kids go in their pjs, that’s great!
If you have done a great costume for your kid for world book day, that’s great. But from posts I’ve seen more often than not it’s about parents making the best costume (even if it has nothing to do with a book) and so I just wanted to make clear that if you are a parent who doesn’t have the time/money/energy to make or buy a costume… doesn’t actually have any bearing on how well you are doing in immersing your children in literature!
World book day is not about how amazing or inventive your child’s costume is, it’s about trying to encourage kids to read more books!!
Basically, if you can’t afford to shell out money for costume or costume pieces, but you are reading to your kids every day… you are embracing world book day and doing a bloody great job!!

 

[end]

My kid went as a muggle and so did his teacher so neither cba or had no money to dress up

 

[teardrops]

yes Well said! x

 

[eesaint]

This is the one day of the year that I feel like the sh!ttest parent ever.

 

[alice128]

@eesaint no, no, no … being a good parent is not about how much money you can spend on or time you can take on a costume. Some of the costumes I’ve seen are amazing, but if social media and those little boxes didn’t exist, would they be quite so glorious? … don’t ever think you’re a shit parent. I hated WBD with a passion. ANY extra pressure financial or otherwise should not be imposed on parents and caregivers by schools. Just my opinion but I’m sticking to it!

 

[jvaporis]

@eesaint Did you child have breakfast that morning and go in a warm coat? If so then that’s what matters. X

 

[christislourdes]

Please don’t .
The fact you’re so worried means you ain’t a bad parent at all

 

[debbie351]

@eesaint I sent my kid in a fairy costume that she got for Christmas. Zero effort. And frankly nothing to do with any of the books she likes. Do NOT beat yourself up because you didn’t spend three months making your kid a gruffalo costume from dog hair and yak spit. If your kids are loved, safe, secure, fed and happy, you’ve nailed it.

 

[alice128]

Hallelujah!

 

[ssgolden]

Welll said xx

 

[jennygeddes]

Shame the schools can’t be told this ‘best dressed’, ‘best costume idea’ ‘dress from a book you don’t like’ etc etc. ‘if you don’t dress up you wear uniform’ wtf.

 

[kwanie]

As a TA the last paragraph is exactly Reading to your children is far more important than one day of dressing up.

 

[readingtheredwritings]

@kwanie totally agree. Sadly, my grandchildren's primary held a "best costume" competition. It should be about reading/books, not who has the prettiest or most inventive costume xxx

 

[aceweaver]

@kwanie my kids primary gave out a certificate per class but didn’t advertise it as a competition. Most of the winners were wearing costumes put together with items from home, ( and I don’t mean the ones where the parent spent ours sewing/making) not the supermarket bought ones. My daughter’s costume won this year. She went as Matilda wearing a blue dress she wears regularly and a prop I made the night before out of an Amazon box.

 

[kwanie]

@aceweaver I would like to clarify that as an adult who's child has outgrown this, I now get to indulge myself BUT as a family we read loads

 

[aceweaver]

I’m a TA too. I’m afraid I did a bit only an obvious costume and went as Miss Honey. My colleague was Miss Trunchball so took the opportunity for a photo . My son was Danny the champion of the world.

 

[chinchilla]

My kids are now older so thankfully past the dressing up stage. I used to despise this day. Honestly I would have much rather have spent £20 donating books and equipment to the school rather than spending that at the supermarket or on amazon on an outfit the kids would wear just once

 

[alexanderdolly]

I think parents do it to themselves for unknown reason. Dressing up is easy, choosing a book is easy. Not sure where the pressure comes from. It’s the same time every year!!!

 

[timothi]

My girls school didn't even dress up, they just took their favourite book. That was kinda nice and no competitions.

 

[butch79]

My sons primary school didn't do world book day this year. They said it was because they know parents are struggling x