How to handle grandparent's day at school without a grandparent?

[Anonymous]

I need some help with my child's Grandparent's/Elderly Friend's party at school. Basically, grandparents are invited to a classroom party during school hours, and then invited to observe (maybe make a craft?) in the classroom with their grandparent/elderly friend. It lasts approximately an hour and a half.

My child's grandparents cannot attend. Talking to the other moms, it sounds like my child will be the only or one of the only kids without a grandparent/Elderly friend. Would it be weird if I or her dad attended so she doesn't feel lonely when all the other kids have their grandparents and she does not have anybody? If your kid has successfully navigated Grandparent's Day without a grandparent, please tell me your strategies.

[Anonymous]

I've been teaching a long time in all kinds of schools, and I've never seen a grandparents day where almost all the kids had someone. Maybe in K it will be more than half, but lots of kids have grandparents who are either still working and can't get off work, or live across the country or both. So, I suspect she'll be fine.

If there's a reason you think she's likely to find it hard, such as a Kindergartener still adjusting, or she's grieving a recent loss of a grandparent, I might go, but otherwise I don't think there's a need to do anything. If you have someone older who she could invite, that might be fun.

[Anonymous]

Just take your kid out of school that day. There is no real learning going on that day.

[Anonymous]

Can one of her friends in the class have both Grandma and Grandpa come to the event, and one of them can step up for your daughter? They'll be with their kid too, but yours will have A Grandparent.

[Anonymous]

My kids never had a local grandparent. It’s never really been an issue, but you could check with the teacher and see if they think you or dh should attend instead.

Do all the kids really have living local grandparents? That would strike me as unusual, especially in the DMV, given how transient people are around here.

[Anonymous]

I would ask the teacher if every grandparent will be attending. The DCUM crowd frequently mentions they have no family in the area.. After that, ask your child what he/she would prefer.

[Anonymous]

We invited another adult in her life. A favorite neighbor, the husband of one of my close friends who was a favorite too, an aunt and uncle. We tried all kinds of combinations and it always worked out well. Her actual grandparents only came once from a long distance.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Just take your kid out of school that day. There is no real learning going on that day.

This. My kid's school (K-8) does this every year and DS never went to school that day, even in 8th. Both sets of grandparents live across the country. You're not missing anything.

[Anonymous]

Is there an aunt or uncle you can invite? I would not attend myself but would try to find another adult to do it.

[Anonymous]

You could go and vlog it as long as you don't photo other kids.

[Anonymous]

I would go.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:You could go and vlog it as long as you don't photo other kids.

Huh? What would be the point of that?

[Anonymous]

At my kid’s school it was always grandparent or special friend day.

[Anonymous]

Why not use this as nudge to develop bonds with others, in the neighborhood. Somewhere. No elderly friends? Really? Maybe by next year you will have expanded your circle.

[Anonymous]

I would entirely ignore the event.

My kids did not particularly wish to participate in every darn thing their schools organized (way too many spirit days and this and that), and certainly didn't expect their grandparents to fly from their European home to be at their school. They're teens and young adults now and don't seem to have suffered from this treatment