Poppies

I don"t think they do do they ?

I will check with DD whether they sell them at their school .

Yes, I've worked in primary schools where they were sold. Mind you that was back in the 90s. I didn't approve at the time but the Headteacher was a law unto himself!

AREN"T they all?

So you think children of primary school don't see and hear the news? They don't know that soldiers get injured in wars? I think they do. My grandsons do. And they understand that those soldiers need help. And that money from the sales of poppies go to help the soldiers.

The same as they understand what the charity "Help for Heroes" is all about.

Nobody preaches to them that war is good. Just that returning servicemen need help.

Of course it would be great if the government did what they should do and helped all ex-servicemen. But until when and if they do, charity is better than nothing.

nonu absolutely

When our children were at primary school we pinned a poppy to their lapels because WE were wearing them. Of course we explained what it was all about. We noticed that most of their friends were wearing them as well. There was never any big deal about whether they should be worn or not. Some things are quite safe left in parents' hands.

My 6 year old GD asked this morning if she could take some money from her piggy bank as she wanted to buy a poppy at school so that she could "help the soldiers who have been hurt" I wear a red poppy to show support and respect. Of course it would be wonderful if the government funded the care needed but they don't, The British Legion do and I for one am sincerely grateful for that.

I think you've missed the point, jings. It's not about whether primary school children understand what the poppies are for. It's about them feeling pressurised to buy a poppy and having to ask for the money for one, and feeling social stigma if they don't have one. We should protect children from that kind of thing.

Don't have a problem with kids making poppies to wear. And if they want to buy one with their parents, or if the parents want to buy them one, that's fine. No pressure in schools.

That's just your point. I didn't miss it.

Ceesnan children do seem to care. Heartening.

CEES. True,True . [h.smile]

I didn't mean that to be as disparaging as it sounded Bags.

Sorry.

I wear a poppy to remember and honour my great uncle who never returned from Flander's fields. I always have and I always will.

Having read this whole thread I hardly dare admit that I am actually an official poppy seller, and have been for many years.

The fact that ex service personnel should not have to depend on charity is something which needs to be adressed, it is a disgrace.

" should have to " even.

Does anyone know if that issue is being addressed, by the British Legion, for instance, or other bodies?

johanna - nothing to conceal there. I buy a couple of poppies each year because I am sure to lose one! At the moment I think they are both in the car. It's just something I have always done as did my parents.

Slightly pedantic, but poppies are not sold; a donation of any amount is accepted for a poppy.

I used to be a poppy seller and have certificates and badges to say so and am proud to have done this for our war disabled and their dependents!

I, in my previous job, had to arrange and undertake the assessment of war disabled veterans.

I,was always humbled and impressed by them! Particularly what were known as 'FEPOWS'
Far eastern prisoners of war

We owe so much to these people!

We all agree war is wrong!

We MUST ACKNOWLEDGE the gift of their lives !

I have worn both a white and red poppy simultaneously: remember those killed in war/ hope/ campaign for no more wars.

Red poppies are on sale in the infant school where I am working.

As a head teacher I have had poppies on sale in my school, we taught the children about the poppies and I always stressed how terrible war is. I wore my white poppy and talked about that too. We all observed the silence in school and our choir broke the silence by singing Last Night I Dreamed the Strangest Dream. Coincidentally OFSTED were in..it made the inspectors cry! The choir sounded sweeter than Seeger!

www.youtube.com/watch?v=AZU-9TBP2NY

I think that poppy wearing has changed..the wearing period seems to have extended and everyone employed by TV companies is obliged to wear one for at least two weeks. I remember my grand-dad (who was a WW1 soldier) & I going to London on Remembrance Sunday.. that was when we put our poppies on!

I have a poppy. Actually, I have five. DH has one too, which he wears. I don't wear one.

I don't wear one for the same reason Snow didn't wear one when he was ticked off for not doing so – he was objecting to feeling 'obliged' to wear one because of what he called poppy fascism. In my view asking for donations for poppies in infant schools is poppy fascism because it is a way of making people feel bad about not doing something other people think they ought to do.

This has nothing to do with honouring or not honouring dead and injured soldiers.

Bags I'm certain my GD didn't want a poppy just to conform, even at 6 she treads her own path. She also didn't ask me for money, she wanted to give her own, from her money box. She is a child who cares about other people, something of which I am very proud.

Sometimes, there can be as much pressure not to conform as there is to conform.