psiluvu
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 3,217
Location: Canada's Capital
Jun 25, 2014 22:52:26 GMT
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Post by psiluvu on May 26, 2016 15:57:53 GMT
We live in an area with a very large Italian population. They love to do things in a big way and IMO try to outdo each other. It is a very close knit community with tons kids all inter realted. Anyways both my kids (not Italian)have been the benefactor of their splashy spending several times including a limo ride to a NHL hockey game from school, limo ride to a spa and day at the spa, box seats to a CFL game, a street fair for a birthday party etc. These are things I would not choose to spend my money (even if I had it) on but the parents I know do it for the kids (and maybe bragging right within their families) so I figure there is no harm in that. I also don't get any feeling of superiority or being looked down upon when these same kids are invited to our smaller scale parties so its all good.
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Rainbow
Pearl Clutcher
Where salt is in the air and sand is at my feet...
Posts: 4,103
Jun 26, 2014 5:57:41 GMT
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Post by Rainbow on May 26, 2016 15:59:14 GMT
I don't really like the "big" things for younger kids. To me a limo is for a major occasion like a wedding, and graduation is from high school and college. All the littler graduations take away from the special-ness of it, IMO.
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Post by ktdoesntscrap on May 26, 2016 16:05:32 GMT
I agree. I work in school districts with some pretty sharp income disparities (or even just pretty sharp differences in parenting styles) and I think it's better to base this kind of stuff somewhere other than the school. [Yeah, yeah, I know this could send the thread lurching into a whole other direction. No, I'm not an over-protector of hyper-sensitive kids; I just think it's not wise to highlight these family have/have not (or even choose/choose not) situations on school grounds.] So basically no one can have nice things happen at school because someone else might not be able to have it. Sounds like a really colourless, boring way to live life if you're constantly having to think "oh I can't do something because someone else might be jealous because they can't do it". I think the limo thing sounds fun, and a lot of the judgement on this thread just sounds like jealousy. It's a limo but no one seems to know the back story behind it. And quite frankly, who cares what the back story is. Life is too fucking short to not do things because "what will the neighbours/other judgemental people think". Also, the whole "if they do it when they are young what will they have to look forward to later in life" argument is bullshit. Complete and utter horseshit. Just because someone does something at a young age doesn't mean they are doomed to be jaded and have nothing to look forward to later on. I am so over all this stuff. Your comment just reeks of privilege.. someone who has not ever been the one on the outside. She is not suggesting it not be done... she is just saying maybe it's better to do it away from school. My daughter would freak out if a limo picked her up from school or home. School seems more like a show for the other kids.. home is more like a private celebration.
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Post by jassy on May 26, 2016 16:08:00 GMT
Yeah, I think it's completely OTT and ridiculous. And obviously with coming to the school it's also as much - or more - about trying to impress other people and make other little kids jealous as it is about doing something special for the child.
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Post by Fidget on May 26, 2016 16:15:20 GMT
I vote OTT. I'm not going to even try to justify my opinion, it's simply that, my opinion.
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Post by ilikepink on May 26, 2016 16:33:40 GMT
To me, it is a bit much, but as others have said, in their family who knows what's going on.
Classmate/friend of my ODS would have done this, and would have included his "group". The rest of us would have rolled our eyes. We did have a rule about no limos for the 8th grade dance; that event was growing too much and had to be reigned in a bit.
For prom, the thing to do in our area is rent limo/party bus to go to/from the prom and then down the shore after. While it was expensive, it made more sense than 20 couples driving in cars.
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finaledition
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 4,896
Jun 26, 2014 0:30:34 GMT
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Post by finaledition on May 26, 2016 20:03:05 GMT
We live in an area where limos are offered very cheaply for Living Social/Groupon deals. So while a limo ride may be perceived as extravagant, in actuality it is probably cheaper than a family dinner at an expensive restaurant. For the record, I have never hired a limo for any of my kids.
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scrapaddie
Drama Llama
Posts: 5,090
Jul 8, 2014 20:17:31 GMT
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Post by scrapaddie on May 26, 2016 21:31:02 GMT
I am the wrong person to ask. My dd went to a private school ( we were the poor people there) and for many kids, a limo was every day transport. ( think Les Wexner of Limited Brands, for instance)
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Post by 2peaornot2pea on May 26, 2016 21:32:30 GMT
On my son's last day of elementary school (5th grade in our district) some parents organized a party, which included a limo ride. It was a huge stretch limo. A couple of dad's chaperoned about 12 or so kids. Everyone chipped in to pay for it so it wasn't expensive. The kids had a really fun time. It was a great way to have a large a group of friends participate in a fun outing without having to organize carpools, etc.
My son hasn't turned into an entitled snow flake from having had that experience. He does have some great memories from it.
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luckyexwife
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 3,067
Jun 25, 2014 21:21:08 GMT
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Post by luckyexwife on May 26, 2016 22:34:07 GMT
Yeah, I think it's completely OTT and ridiculous. And obviously with coming to the school it's also as much - or more - about trying to impress other people and make other little kids jealous as it is about doing something special for the child. Seriously? You are entitled to your opinion, but it is just rude to think you know the reasoning.
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raindancer
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 3,095
Jun 26, 2014 20:10:29 GMT
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Post by raindancer on May 26, 2016 23:06:28 GMT
So basically no one can have nice things happen at school because someone else might not be able to have it. Sounds like a really colourless, boring way to live life if you're constantly having to think "oh I can't do something because someone else might be jealous because they can't do it". I think the limo thing sounds fun, and a lot of the judgement on this thread just sounds like jealousy. It's a limo but no one seems to know the back story behind it. And quite frankly, who cares what the back story is. Life is too fucking short to not do things because "what will the neighbours/other judgemental people think". Also, the whole "if they do it when they are young what will they have to look forward to later in life" argument is bullshit. Complete and utter horseshit. Just because someone does something at a young age doesn't mean they are doomed to be jaded and have nothing to look forward to later on. I am so over all this stuff. Your comment just reeks of privilege.. someone who has not ever been the one on the outside. She is not suggesting it not be done... she is just saying maybe it's better to do it away from school. My daughter would freak out if a limo picked her up from school or home. School seems more like a show for the other kids.. home is more like a private celebration. I agree with her and I grew up poor. I was on the outside plenty, and in my small town my dad was a cop so by middle school I was pretty much left out off all things cool lest I "tell my dad". My high school parking lot was a show room of custom painted vehicles and the rich kids had limo rides, European vacations and all the latest fashion...I wore hand me downs from my cousin and didn't go anywhere but my grandma's house one state over. You know what I got out of that? Serious drive to make it in this world and I have. It drives me to be better, do better, learn and grow at every opportunity.
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YooHoot
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 3,418
Jun 26, 2014 3:11:50 GMT
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Post by YooHoot on May 26, 2016 23:17:27 GMT
I think it would be fun! I once won a contest on the radio and my office got picked up for lunch in a limo.
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Post by Miss Lerins Momma on May 26, 2016 23:47:33 GMT
Glad you don't know me IRL!
Miss Lerin was invited by a kid in her class to ride after the last day of school in a limo to get ice cream and of course we said yes (there were 12 kids total and we had to pay $35 per kid plus send in money for the ice cream). She had a blast and it was a fun way to celebrate her last day in Elementary School!
Sorry if it offends someone. Wait, not sorry. MYOB!
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Post by lisae on May 27, 2016 1:28:32 GMT
That's where I missed it! We didn't have 8th grade graduation or any graduation ceremony until finishing HS. That must be why I've never been in a limo. Oh, the things I missed in childhood.
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Post by Woobster on May 27, 2016 1:45:14 GMT
I vote OTT, but I come from a blue collar background. I grew up in a tiny town where there weren't any limos. We went to prom in our date's beat up old pickup truck, or his mom's mini van. I didn't even have a limo on my wedding day. DH and I hopped in his Volvo and drove ourselves from the church to the reception.
I can see how some might think it was fun. I think it would have been better to do the pickup from homes instead of school.
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Post by threegirls on May 27, 2016 3:04:37 GMT
My take on this is that you have to know your audience. When you rent a limo and park it outside the school, you are putting on a show. You know that most likely many parents and and kids will see it. At my daughters' school there are many families who struggle to put food on the table. I can say without a doubt that the principle and priest (Catholic school) would not be happy with a limo at the school for pick-up, they won't even allow limos for the winners of the magazine drive. The priest is very much about teaching humility and humbleness.
I say do it if you want too but maybe think about having the limo pick-up from your home.
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Post by Drew on May 27, 2016 3:17:08 GMT
My 13 year old would be mortified.
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Post by gar on May 27, 2016 6:52:06 GMT
Sorry if it offends someone. Wait, not sorry. MYOB! Hard to MYOB when you're seeing something so public. I don't often agree with Rainbow but I do here. I don't really like the "big" things for younger kids. To me a limo is for a major occasion like a wedding, and graduation is from high school and college.
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