If you feel like your kids are constantly bringing notes home about the latest school "dress up" day – then you're not alone. Whether it's crazy hair day, book week, or Multicultural day – one thing remains the same: the last-minute scrounge for an appropriate costume.
Whether you love them or loathe them, most mums have a strong view about dress up days. And that's why one mum's very funny rant about school "theme days" is quickly going viral
In a video uploaded to her Facebook page, US writer, singer, and mother-of-two, Melissa Radke, expressed her frustration with school "theme days" to her 120,000 followers.
While acknowledging that she's a strong proponent of public education, Radke shares that she has a bone to pick with the latest theme week at her children's school.
"Red Ribbon Week, y'all," Radke says, explaining that the goal of the week is an "alcohol, tobacco, drug violence prevention awareness campaign," the aim of which is to encourage children to be drug free throughout their lives.
"That is a lie," Radke notes, before crumpling the school note. "The goal is to drive mums crazy with different outfits every single day."
Radke then outlines exactly what her kids are required to wear during Red Ribbon Week.
"Monday they wear red," she says. " Tuesday, crazy hair and crazy socks. Wednesday: we're too bright for drugs - wear neon."
"Because, if you think towards the future," Radke says, "maybe like when a child is offered drugs, say when they're like twenty, and they become drug addicted, then their parents would say, 'if you had dressed brighter, maybe none of this would have happened."
Radke adds that Thursday's theme is "Don't let drugs find you. Wear camo."
"Here's the thing though," she says, "the problem is, people who wear camo are not invisible…I feel perhaps that drugs could still find you because it doesn't make you an invisible person."
The mother-of-two continues that Reese's Peanut Butter Cups are her "drug of choice" and that no amount of camo would stop her from "sniffing them out".
"Crack doesn't go away, if you match the forest," she says.
Red Ribbon Week, Radke explains, concludes with: team up against drugs. "Because we know that a bunch of athletes have said no to drugs, " she says.
The mum finishes her rant with the suggestion that perhaps the message behind the dress ups, isn't quite as effective as it should be.
"I don't think some day, when our kids are faced with the decision, they're like "but when I think back to how I wore my hair, it was so crazy. And I don't want to do drugs now."
Radke offers advice familiar to anyone who went to school in the 90s: "If you're offered drugs, you should stop drop and roll."
The very funny clip has now been viewed a whopping 13 million times as of Friday morning, and has garnered over 16,000 comments – many sharing their own stories of school "theme day" fatigue.
"I honestly complained to my school moms friends about this same thing," wrote one mum. "Who has time to go shop Monday night--- superhero day???? Favorite team Jersey day? Cap on drugs (wear a hat or cap). Twin, triple or quadruple day so you dress like your friends! Crazy sock or boots day!! (Stomp out drugs)!! Thank you!!"
Another shared the challenges of fashioning a "minion" costume without blue overalls.
Others joined Radke in her concern about the effectiveness of a dress up day when it comes to educating students around issues such as drug and alcohol abuse.
"How, exactly, does wearing neon shirts as a 9 year old lead to drug abstinence?" reads another comment. "I'm a pharmacist, and I've never seen that connection."
For others, it was all about the costume fail.
"Sent my daughter off to school dressed as a nerd for nerd day," shared one mum. "A little while later I got a call letting me know I had to come get her because it wasn't NERD day."
Many commenters disagreed with Radke's views on "theme days" however, defending their inclusion as part of school life.
"It's a fun way for CHILDREN to show they want to be drug/alcohol/tobacco free," wrote one commenter. "Be proud they're trying to influence your children in the right way. You're just upset that you "have" to go buy camo socks and tie dye, which you don't. The point is to show your spirit and to have fun while making good decisions."
"Are u kidding, who cares?" added another. "It's just supposed to be fun for the kids. And break up the monotony of everyday life for a child in school. It's funny to see crazy hair and have children participate. Gezzz."
What do you think of theme days? Love them or loathe them?
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