We have 220 children at our school. It is considered a "small" school... In events like a school athletics carnival we have a huge contingent of family members who turn up to support the children. We cheer, we laugh, we shout, we socialise, we wear team colours and yes it is fun. Would I want to be excluded from coming along because I have a younger child who is not in daycare/babysat etc - bloody oath not. Would I want to be excluded because other people's children are clingy and don't want to participate as soon as they see their parents - no way!

At our carnivals the children are only allowed to be with their family members at lunch times - at all other times they sit in their faction groups where they "bond" together. We are not responsible for taking them to the toilet etc and are not allowed to visit them during the events. I would hazard a guess that your carnival was quite poorly managed.

And in relation to other family members coming along - I don't see the harm in it at all. It helps to create more of an atmosphere and more of a community feel. For the past 2 years my sister has managed to make it along to the athletics carnival and the children loved the fact that their aunty was there cheering them on.