Is it the end of the line for Classroom mascots

This is Flat Stanley, a little man cut out of cardboard and coloured in; he is then sent away to a friend or relative anywhere in the world where he is photographed and sent back home. It becomes competetive, I think, because the children are hoping that their Flat Stanley travelled furthest.

Rose Do you mean 'Flat Eric'? [The yellow critter.]

there are quite enough unhygenic soft toys around most people's houses [with children and grandchildren] without the class bear/monkey/cat joining in. As you say, it's an awful responsibility isn't it?The child would be really upset if it got lost.It's bad enough stopping our children from getting lost without the added angst of losing the 'mascot'.It wouldn't be so bad if you didn't have to take it out anywhere, but is that the point of it, that you have to take the darn thing on holiday with you?If you pop it into the wash, how will it come out looking? You can never be sure with soft toys and I have ruined more than one in the past!

Nellie

I remember having the nursery rabbit for the weekend, letting it out into our fenced garden and being unable to catch it. DH got home from the pub to find DD1, DS and me out in the garden at 10.00pm, trying to catch the bloody sweet little thing or stop it burrowing its way underneath the fence. DH strode into the herbaceous border, grabbed it by its ears and plonked it back into its cage. Needless to say, it stayed in there all weekend and we didn't bring it home again.

At least a class mascot is inanimate, but DIL found that a step too far at half-term!

We have also encountered Flat Stanley, at least not personally, but DD1 has ......

Who thinks up these things, have they nothing better to do in school?

I can offer to photoshop class bears sitting near to Icelandic fumeroles and boiling mud pools for a small large fee.

One of my twin grandaughters has just had Bella Bear from nursery for a few days. The overwhelming temptation was to photograph this rather smelly object with its backside hanging out of the washing machine, just before it was shoved in there for a good clean. It did the rounds of library, petting farm and cake baking in my kitchen, then my daughter returned it to nursery, saying 'please don't give it to her sister next week,' 'Perhaps in a few weeks, then' grinned the nursery nurse. 'NO!' said daughter, 'over my dead body!' I think they got the message.

That sadly wouldn't earn little Jane or Johnny any house points though Lona

My DGD's class mascot got "caught up" in the Icelandic volcano (photographs to prove it too) and sadly no one has ever been able to top that !

That bl**dy monkey is so much more well travelled than I will ever be!

I'd be so tempted to tuck Teddy up in bed for the weekend with a poorly tummy!

<sigh> "responsibility"

But easier to cope with than the awful tesponsibility of having the class pet over the weekend! I still laugh at Frank Muir's account of having Sandy the guinea pig ( or was he a hamster?) and the dash to the petshop for his "replacement" in time for school on Monday

My DGD in Australia had a wretched bear for the week-end from her school, (I have forgotten its name) and what a bother it was, both to my DD and my DGD.
As you said gillybob it would appear to be a competition by the pushy parent brigade. I think it is awful and so glad my three offspring didn't have such nonsense when they were young. I have my photograph with the grubby thing and am in the book for posterity.