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

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:PP here. To all the people saying go to public school...ummmm, my kids do go to public school (Loudoun county). Our school does grandparents and special friends day every year and they discourage parents from attending themselves.

I'm in Loudoun too and we do not have grandparents day (and haven't since my oldest started K in 2013.) You must be at one of the white, rich western loudoun schools. Far too much racial and socioeconomic diversity in the eastern part of the county to do this.

Actually, we are in Eastern Loudoun. I'm confused why the day exists to be honest.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote: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.

My husband and I attend since our parents all live 6+ hours away and still work. Just ask. Most schools allow for this or some form of it when kids are young. I’ve seen aunts, G-parents, uncles, etc attend too though.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Grandparent/Elderly Friend day sounds really odd to me. Some kids have pretty young grandparents.

Not at private schools where the dads are mostly 50 plus

Pretty clear you don’t go to private

Ooh sick burn 🔥

If you went to private you'd be more creative

[Anonymous]

Never seen parents attend at our christian private

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:PP here. To all the people saying go to public school...ummmm, my kids do go to public school (Loudoun county). Our school does grandparents and special friends day every year and they discourage parents from attending themselves.

I'm in Loudoun too and we do not have grandparents day (and haven't since my oldest started K in 2013.) You must be at one of the white, rich western loudoun schools. Far too much racial and socioeconomic diversity in the eastern part of the county to do this.

Actually, we are in Eastern Loudoun. I'm confused why the day exists to be honest.

Interesting. I am too and we don’t have this or donuts with dad/muffins with mom. Too many blue collar families and/or non traditional family structures. We also have a “harvest parade” in October and “winter parties” before December break.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

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?

To send it to the actual grandparents. Like a greeting card.

Oh. I think the point of this is for the KID. The grandparent getting something out of it is just a bonus for them.

At private schools, these programs are run by advancement. The point is to raise money. I've never seen a program like this in public schools.

This. Our school is absolutely doing it for the hope of money from the grandparents/special people. Our kid’s grandparents live away (and we wouldn’t want them to give money anyway) and we don’t want to have any friends asked for money so our kids are just going to “have an appointment” that morning.

[Anonymous]

Our kid attended as usual. We prepared her by reminding her that grandparents live far away and cannot come. She was not the only kid without a grandparent. It went fine.

[Anonymous]

Keep your kids home that day. All my grandparents were dead by the time I was in elementary school because my parents were old, and grandparents day was so hard for me as a kid. I hated it. It’s better that yours aren’t dead, but don’t do this to your kid.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

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?

To send it to the actual grandparents. Like a greeting card.

Oh. I think the point of this is for the KID. The grandparent getting something out of it is just a bonus for them.

At private schools, these programs are run by advancement. The point is to raise money. I've never seen a program like this in public schools.

This. Our school is absolutely doing it for the hope of money from the grandparents/special people. Our kid’s grandparents live away (and we wouldn’t want them to give money anyway) and we don’t want to have any friends asked for money so our kids are just going to “have an appointment” that morning.

They did this at my public school in the Chicago area in the 90s.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote: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.

They don’t go to school that day

[Anonymous]

This seems like a terrible idea.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote: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.

100% attend as parent and your child will love

[Anonymous]

My kids’ ES had Grandparents and Special friends day. My husband or I went any time the out of state grandparents couldn’t make it. We both went each time we had a kindergartener because they did their only performance of the semester that day.

Even at this public school, there were very very few kids, maybe 1-2 a class that didn’t seem to have someone with them. There were other parents there, so I was always glad we went.

[Anonymous]

My parents both died within the last year. We were on the fence about pulling ours from school on Grandparent's Day but sent them on - all teachers were aware of what had happened. It was fine - the teachers had them write a note for a special friend and bring it home. In the nicest way, OP's kids have grandparents, so I feel like them not being closeby is just part of life they have to handle?

[Anonymous]

My friend’s children have no local grandparents, so I’ve gone to their Grandparents Day (in my 30s) as a “Special Friend”. They show me their classrooms and projects, I meet their teachers and tell them how wonderful they are and how proud I am of their work. It’s a non-issue and btw there are other students in their elementary school in the same predicament.