Lesley, have a word with yourself. The Prom is a waste of time, end of. As for Barlow, he spends most of his time groaning about stuff, which is hard work at the best of times, as for his attempts at good news stories etc then they are even worse. Stick to the forum Lesley if what you expect from this sort of thing is people mindlessly agreeing with you. I dont agree with Vic or you and reserve my right to do so!

   whatever, see ya

   i think vics article was a sincere appreciation for how far scool has come since his(and mine)tedious non event assemblies. how it prompted such an onslaught of mean spirited comments,presumably in the name of humour,i dont know.i think i will stick to reading the forum, it is less inane.

   Well thought of MaccForum, I think they should bring some sort of scorecard system like banks use to decide if you are worthy of a loan, if you hit the designated points criteria then yes you can be allowed to marry, have a proper funeral/wake etc - tough times call for tough decisions.

   Gee Lesley if you think my comment is serious then you need a holiday. "Wont someone think of the nerds", Im joking woman, hells teeth you all need to chill out.

   Okay, so 21st birthdays appear to be out; and you have to do well, in an approved degree subject at an approved college or university, to warrant a celebration. Okay.... So what about baptisms, weddings and funerals? Should these occasions be marked?

   slinkywizard, you are starting to sound as jaded and cynical as s.c. i am guessing neither one of you has children. a person does not need to have a formal education(s.c.)to be able to contribute positively to society.your attitudes sadden me. maybe you and s.c. could share with us what gives you some joy in life.

   In this busy hetic life there should be some time set aside to celebrate success, the "prom" is for me another example of the slow but sure Americanisation of our culture. Sure its great for the pretty girls and boys but will someone pls think of the nerds and nerdettes who must suffer terrible towel whip injury at these functions.

   Thanks for your concern hatch, its most touching.

As for 21st birthdays I think they belong to the 1960's and 1970's, completely outdated and outmoded. Do you want to explain the relevance of being 21 in this day and age?

As for graduation ceremonies, if students are actually graduating in worthwhile subjects that will enable them to contribute positively to our economy and society then yes maybe, if they are graduating in Media Studies with a 3rd class degree from Huddersfield University or some other Mecca of academia then no, i dont think they should. Graduation ceremonies are on the whole are long winded, tedious & waste of time and money. I'd cut back on this sort of nonsense in the current economic climate ASAP. Well pointed out Macc Forum.

   Satisfied Customer - what are your thoughts on a special celebration the 21st birthday of a son or daughter, as many parents do? What about university graduation ceremonies, where graduates get dressed up and walk across stage...?

   Such a sad, insulting and jaundiced view of our youth. I would see that as a condemnation of the commenter rather than the youths of today.

Perhaps we should worry more about the types who do not attend this type of function.

   Confidence and self-esteem? Young people today have it by the bucketload!

They need reigning in, not continually told over and over again how special they are. They then bring this attitude to the workplace and all hell breaks loose.

It seems to me kids today expect all kinds of fuss for just managing to get through school - what next, a party for completing their first week at work, an award for making it to work with a cold, this country has gone soft, and these Proms are a good indicator of the decadence that is ruining our society.

Britain is on its way to being a 3rd world country in my opinion and we are not helping matters by over-egging the achievements of pupils who have managed not to get expelled or become drug addicts or vandals/petty criminals.

A total waste of time, effort and money. They should be spending time studying or looking at how they are going to contribute to society, swanning about at a Prom getting an inflated opinion of themselves is no help at all. Heaven help us.

   s.c. i think you missed my point, i was not just talking about proms but in investing in our young people the time and energy to promote confidence and selfesteem. anything that does that is worthwhile. but for the record, when i first came to the u.s. i didnt get it either, because that philosophy had not existed in my life. but now i get it, i embrace it and i will do what i can to promote it.

   School didnt do much for loads of peoples self confidence and still doesnt. Are you seriously suggesting a Prom is a way of dealing with growing pains kids today may have?

Its a total waste of time in anycase and to try and justify on the grounds of being a confidence builder is nothing short of ridiculous.

But still, if seeing your kids going to a prom helps you get over your own school days then good luck to you.

   s.c. you are entitled to your opinion even though it is a messed up one. i know from my own experience that school did little for my self confidence( and home, even less)i am so glad my kids have had a different experience. i made whatever sacrifice was neccesary, in order for my kids to be able to participate in their proms and other school events as well as sports and community based activities.IT IS CALLED BEING A PARENT.now i get to see them giving their own kids opportunities that build their confidence.there is no down side!!