'There are so many firsts my son has missed out on' - Your views online

Nicola Sturgeon has said that school nativity plays should not have a live audience due to Covid. We asked readers if they agreed.

Parents can't attend their child’s school nativity play this year

Lyndsey C Whitson: No. How is it OK for me to attend a football or rugby stadium or a theatre full of people for the panto but still not be able to watch my children (one of whom is a new P1) in their first nativity or sports day? We have all been through so much and missed so many milestones already and they are only wee for such a short time! Children and parents are also all mixing outside of school so what difference does it make, if social distancing and masks were used. It makes me angry and sad I'll miss these milestones in my child's life.

Dionne McLaughlin: She would change her tune if the amount a parent paid to see it was taxable! There is no benefit for the country, just a benefit to the parent, so the risk out-weighs the benefit. They are only this wee once and it’s heartbreaking for parents to be treated like they don’t matter. There are so many firsts my son has missed out on and won’t have like any other child starting school. Last year he missed out on the P1 class pics in the Edinburgh Evening News because of Covid. I have mine, my daughter has hers but he won’t have his, which is a small thing but all these little things build up.

Hazel Turner: If parents can go clubbing or go to large sporting events or concerts, they should definitely be able to go to their child’s nativity play.

Alexis Tait: Parents are not allowed in school buildings. School trips have been cancelled too. Apparently school children can't use public toilets or mix with the general public on buses/cinemas/theatres etc according to the risk assessment carried out by council. Such a shame.

Gillian Martin: Let parents attend. We have all been through so much recently and they are only wee for a short while. They are all mixing out of school, as are the parents. It’s OK to take them to the panto so the rules make no sense at all. These are moments you never get back.

Kerri McGuire: I would love to be going to see my daughter’s first nativity – she’s an angel and is so excited. Her teacher phoned the other night to let us know how amazing she’s doing with the songs and stuff for it. But unfortunately we’re not allowed in and will only be seeing it on video. Perfectly fine for everyone to go to gigs and football games though...

Suzanne Simpson: What's the point of doing them then? The ultimate goal of the play (I assume) is for the child to enjoy it. Would they enjoy it as much without their parents their to watch?

Denise Smith: At the school I work in the music teacher is working so hard filming the kids’ nativity so parents can still see it. But it takes time and a lot of effort.

Evelyn Fox: They could do a play over a couple of nights so there’s not too many parents in hall at once. Easy solution.

Tracy Barr: Last year I had to watch it on Zoom from my son's nursery and the audio was not great. He's in P1 now and I would love to see him properly before he gets any older.

Elizabeth Fraser: It's an absolute joke. Why should it be OK for football or rugby fans to be allowed into the big stadiums or theatre shows and Christmas markets to be crowded with busy people but parents can't go into a small school gym hall and watch kids do their show? It just seems a bit unfair, especially on kids who look forward to seeing their parents – putting a glimpse of smile on their little faces once a year.

Maureen Jessup: If we can go to football matches, cinemas, restaurants etc then we can sit in a hall distanced and wearing masks. It's no fun for the kids if their parents can't see their achievements.

Christine MacBeath: Just hold the nativity play in a pub then we can all go see our kids! It’s ridiculous, we’d have wear masks anyway.

Kate Sheridan: Our children are only wee for a short time and we want to make the most of it. I don’t see a problem if everyone wears a mask and people socially distance. We’ve missed so much over the past 18 months I don’t want to miss any more.

Gary Morwood: Do you think it’s because the only part Nicola Sturgeon got in her nativity play was a ‘tree’?

Heather Millar Stoddart: You can go to the theatre with kids and there are bigger audiences there. This is a joke now. These memories of watching your children in school plays you can never get back. Everything else has been opened up.

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