idnib Posted October 15, 2014 Share Posted October 15, 2014 Today during children's chorus a child pulled out food and started eating during the singing. When the perplexed choir director asked her to put her food away as she needed her mouth for singing, she refused. The mom just acted helpless (not the first time) and the choir director eventually told her to sit away from the group until she was finished. I doubt she's diabetic or anything; it seems if she needed to eat for medical reasons the choir director would have been made aware of that ahead of time and would not have looked so surprised. What is it with people eating anywhere and everywhere? I'm over some of the things that have become commonplace, but really? Pulling out food and eating in the middle of a singing rehearsal? I'm turning crotchety in my old age, it seems. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SparklyUnicorn Posted October 15, 2014 Share Posted October 15, 2014 Weird. Although I don't know the details. Maybe she really has so much going on that she had no time to eat. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Truscifi Posted October 15, 2014 Share Posted October 15, 2014 :huh: The mom didn't tell her to put it away? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
catz Posted October 15, 2014 Share Posted October 15, 2014 Gross! :ack2: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cinder Posted October 15, 2014 Share Posted October 15, 2014 That sounds a bit strange. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
applethyme Posted October 15, 2014 Share Posted October 15, 2014 I know I'm in the minority but I just don't understand kids that eat non stop. My kids are also confused by their friends that wants snacks or meals all the time. I have to beg and bribe for every bite my children take. They have medical reasons yet I still don't understand the food obsession. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
catz Posted October 15, 2014 Share Posted October 15, 2014 I know I'm in the minority but I just don't understand kids that eat non stop. My kids are also confused by their friends that wants snacks or meals all the time. I have to beg and bribe for every bite my children take. They have medical reasons yet I still don't understand the food obsession. I have kids that do committed athletic stuff, are both quite lean, and they snack and eat quite a bit (not as much as some of their friends, but my daughter is eating right now). And I can't imagine them pulling out food in the middle of a rehearsal. That is bizarre. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bettyandbob Posted October 15, 2014 Share Posted October 15, 2014 Ugg. If she was diabetic, I'm sure the mom would have said something. If she is so busy she didn't have time to eat the last meal (lunch? dinner?) between activities, she should have stayed in her car and eaten her snack before going into chorus. --that's what I did when my kids were young. Unless it is actually a meal/snack time for the group you shouldn't be eating. You can't properly participate in scouts, music, art, soccer, TKD, etc if you are eating. Your eating is disruptive. The chorus teacher should have told the girl to sit outside until she was done. If this is a regular occurence the chorus teacher should ask the parent to not return to the program --obviously the program occurs at a bad time of day if the child needs to eat through it, so the program is not a good fit for the child. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SparklyUnicorn Posted October 15, 2014 Share Posted October 15, 2014 I know I'm in the minority but I just don't understand kids that eat non stop. My kids are also confused by their friends that wants snacks or meals all the time. I have to beg and bribe for every bite my children take. They have medical reasons yet I still don't understand the food obsession. Both of mine finally stopped doing this. It drove me bonkers. It felt like they wanted to eat every other hour. And I feed them good food so I don't understand it. It actually made going anywhere difficult because I had to make sure I brought food or I could get food because for sure they'd ask for it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
idnib Posted October 15, 2014 Author Share Posted October 15, 2014 Maybe she is really busy, but then it seems she could eat and then join the group, or wait a bit? I'm not sure what the deal is with keeping food at her feet and then pulling it out and eating it while singing. No, her mom doesn't say anything. She's a stage-mom type who thinks her daughter is special. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ethel Mertz Posted October 15, 2014 Share Posted October 15, 2014 Oh good grief! DS attends a 90 minute choir rehearsal each week. Part way through, they have a break with a snack in another room. If they're not finished with the snack by the time their break is up, they have to leave the food outside the choir rehearsal area. Hope the kid you're talking about doesn't make a habit of this! Poor choir director... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ellie Posted October 15, 2014 Share Posted October 15, 2014 Today during children's chorus a child pulled out food and started eating during the singing. When the perplexed choir director asked her to put her food away as she needed her mouth for singing, she refused. The mom just acted helpless (not the first time) and the choir director eventually told her to sit away from the group until she was finished. I doubt she's diabetic or anything; it seems if she needed to eat for medical reasons the choir director would have been made aware of that ahead of time and would not have looked so surprised. What is it with people eating anywhere and everywhere? I'm over some of the things that have become commonplace, but really? Pulling out food and eating in the middle of a singing rehearsal? I'm turning crotchety in my old age, it seems. Cardinal rule of choirs: no gum, no eating (really? WTH was the mother thinking???). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
idnib Posted October 15, 2014 Author Share Posted October 15, 2014 Cardinal rule of choirs: no gum, no eating (really? WTH was the mother thinking???). I think the mother thinks her kid is special. I say this based on other incidents as well, including one in which the girl became angry with the choir director for feeding her some words she already knew from another program and the mother didn't step in when the girl was rude. There's another mom there who I've never spoken to or even really looked at, but when the girl got out her food that woman turned to me and rolled her eyes so I know I'm not alone. I know I shouldn't be annoyed as annoyed as I am but it's adding up with this girl and her mother. Sigh... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SparklyUnicorn Posted October 15, 2014 Share Posted October 15, 2014 Yeah not disagreeing that is rather nutty. At the choir my son is in, they use a lot of parent volunteers. They tell them their number one "job" on concert days is to make sure kids don't have cell phones . They specifically don't allow it. Which of course, I totally understand. Not sure why a kid would need it. Despite that, still tons of kids have them and any chance they get they are playing with them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OneStepAtATime Posted October 15, 2014 Share Posted October 15, 2014 Wow! No, that is not acceptable. If there were a medical issue the choir director should have been notified. FWIW, I am hypoglycemic. I was in choir for years. If I was feeling shaky, I knew to find an appropriate moment to remove myself discreetly from the group and get out a snack to eat privately, preferably in another room. I would try never to get to that point by planning ahead and eating a snack before choir practice if necessary, but it did happen a couple of times under unusual circumstances where I had to step away to eat something. I would NEVER have just pulled out food to eat in the middle of the rehearsal and my mother would never have supported my doing so. And with the possible exception of one, none of my choir directors would have put up with that. In fact one of them would have taken away the food and tossed it in the trash (she also sniffed our breath before every performance and if anyone had been smoking or drinking alcohol they were not allowed to perform). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jenn121 Posted October 15, 2014 Share Posted October 15, 2014 My DD13 has chorus rehersal for 90 minutes twice a week. I just presented this scenario to her and she is appalled and confused. They get a break where they can eat, talk go to the bathroom etc. It is just very very odd to me and DD. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tammi K Posted October 15, 2014 Share Posted October 15, 2014 I think the mother thinks her kid is special. I say this based on other incidents as well, including one in which the girl became angry with the choir director for feeding her some words she already knew from another program and the mother didn't step in when the girl was rude. And yet, here is another adult ( the director) who allows this behavior without challenging it. Seriously, what does this teach the other children. It really irritates me to see adults in charge allow behavior that is patently unfair to the children who mind their manners and follow the rules. When we lived in Australia my kids sang in a children's choir. They had an appearance with a guest singer. It was a really big deal with a popular International singer and the kids were hyped. As they were getting ready to go onto the stage, the director made a final costume check. She noticed one of the girls, one of the older girls with a solo part, had nail polish on her finger nails. The kids knew their was an absolute NO POLISH rule. The director told her at that moment to apologize to the Choir for letting them down and then asked her to leave. She did and someone took her solo. It was never mentioned again. And, as long as my children remained with the choir, the grooming rules continued to be enforced. I think kids need to know that there is a line. Unfortunately, I think in the situation you are describing, it is now a very different line than she intended. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OneStepAtATime Posted October 15, 2014 Share Posted October 15, 2014 And yet, here is another adult ( the director) who allows this behavior without challenging it. Seriously, what does this teach the other children. It really irritates me to see adults in charge allow behavior that is patently unfair to the children who mind their manners and follow the rules. When we lived in Australia my kids sang in a children's choir. They had an appearance with a guest singer. It was a really big deal with a popular International singer and the kids were hyped. As they were getting ready to go onto the stage, the director made a final costume check. She noticed one of the girls, one of the older girls with a solo part, had nail polish on her finger nails. The kids knew their was an absolute NO POLISH rule. The director told her at that moment to apologize to the Choir for letting them down and then asked her to leave. She did and someone took her solo. It was never mentioned again. And, as long as my children remained with the choir, the grooming rules continued to be enforced. I think kids need to know that there is a line. Unfortunately, I think in the situation you are describing, it is now a very different line than she intended. I agree with Tammi. The director should have been very firm that this isn't allowed. Not angry and shouting or rude and beligerent. Just very firm. No food during rehearsals or performances. If an unexpected medical issue dictates eating a snack in the middle of rehearsing the child must politely raise their had and ask permission, which may or may not be given depending on the circumstance. But OP you are really kind of stuck and I am so sorry. If the parent won't instruct the child and the director won't state clearly and then consistently enforce the stated rules and expectations, the child will almost certainly not improve the behavior. It will probably get worse. Ugh! So sorry, OP. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kiwik Posted October 15, 2014 Share Posted October 15, 2014 If you are there to sing your mouth has to be free from food. Would have thought that was quite obvious to even a young child. A bit off topic but I think the dehydration if you don't constantly drink water is part of the problem. When we were kids we drank on the way to class after sports and at breaks. We didn't just get up and wander off for a drink when we wanted. I cannot fir the life of me see why someone can't make it through a 30 minute class without a drink. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nevergiveup Posted October 15, 2014 Share Posted October 15, 2014 I notice this as something the general population does (constant food/beverages). I am always astounded when out in public at the number of adults who apparently are at risk of certain death from starvation or dehydration judging from the drinks and snacks they are carrying around with them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lisbeth Posted October 15, 2014 Share Posted October 15, 2014 I think the mother thinks her kid is special. I say this based on other incidents as well, including one in which the girl became angry with the choir director for feeding her some words she already knew from another program and the mother didn't step in when the girl was rude. There's another mom there who I've never spoken to or even really looked at, but when the girl got out her food that woman turned to me and rolled her eyes so I know I'm not alone. I know I shouldn't be annoyed as annoyed as I am but it's adding up with this girl and her mother. Sigh... Oo I wish the choir director would pull the mom aside and tell her to control her child or her child would no longer be welcome to be in the choir. Moms like that drive me crazy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
regentrude Posted October 15, 2014 Share Posted October 15, 2014 Our (wonderful, but strict) children's choir director would have reacted in such a way that the kid would not have dreamed to take a second bite. In fact, I think the kid would not have dreamed to take the first bite either. The mom is a wimp. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Harriet Vane Posted October 15, 2014 Share Posted October 15, 2014 Appalling. Mom should have enforced the rules. Director should have enforced the rules. Fail on both counts. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Annie G Posted October 15, 2014 Share Posted October 15, 2014 The kid probably sat in a car on the way to choir- she could have eaten her food then. This kind of thing drives me crazy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lady Florida. Posted October 15, 2014 Share Posted October 15, 2014 That's just weird. I hope the director won't let it happen again. She gave the mother a chance to stop it. Next time she should just put a stop to it. Hopefully there won't be a next time. If you are there to sing your mouth has to be free from food. Would have thought that was quite obvious to even a young child. Truely. Who can't see that eating while trying to sing is a problem? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lady Marmalade Posted October 15, 2014 Share Posted October 15, 2014 OP, you do realize that now we're going to need regular updates. This is just too bizarre to not follow. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ellie Posted October 15, 2014 Share Posted October 15, 2014 If you are there to sing your mouth has to be free from food. Would have thought that was quite obvious to even a young child. A slight bunny trail: chewing gum when singing is a terrible practice, something that not all choir directors disallow. I will always remember my eighth grade choir teacher, who told us about a young woman he had known in college. One day in class, she tucked her gum under her tongue, and when she inhaled, she sucked her gum right down her throat and died right there. Yeah. Don't chew gum when you're singing. Or eat food in general. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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