Thursday 17 March 2016

Prom

As my daughter heads into her final months at secondary school, the panic of GCSE revision has an up side which should be viewed as an exciting evening for them all to share - Prom night. How lovely. Hang on, when did proms even make it to the UK???

Don't get me wrong she is very excited and I am drawn into this new world where the etiquette is not known and parents follow the childrens lead (dangerous). I am lucky that she has her head screwed on a little and laughed when friends announced costs of dresses ranging from £150 upwards. I never remember having a prom at school - Ball's at university (good times) but never at school! This custom seems to have crept into our lives over the past 8 years or so with more and more schools taking up this option as a way of allowing the children to say 'good bye' to friends.

The idea is a nice one but it is the cost attached that is the worry. Tickets alone to hers cost £40 before transport, clothes and hair (apparently doing it yourself is not allowed!?!) and my fear is many will be excluded from the night due to cost. What is the answer? Schools should organise and keep it in-house to reduce costs but still giving all the children that final night together. Not sure how this would go down with teachers and students probably do enjoy the excitement of going somewhere but when doing research, try and keep all the children in mind not just the ones with money.

After all the years they have had together and being highly emotional teenagers, letting off steam at an event is a great idea. I just hope that no child is excluded just due to cost.