to think that DS1's teacher is being U?

[RagamuffinAndFidget]

This is SO boring, sorry, but I'm really not sure if SIBU, or if I am..

DS1 is in Reception. Since starting school he has had three pairs of regulation PE shorts (£8 a pair) and has lost them all. They are named but haven't been returned to the school or shown up in the lost property box. I have now become so fed up with the magically disappearing PE shorts that I have sent him in with a pair of school shorts (as in, the normal uniform ones, rather than PE ones) to put in his PE bag. I told him that until he learns to look after his PE kit and keep it all safe he will be wearing the school shorts. He's now had the school shorts in his bag for about five weeks, including half term.

Yesterday, at pick-up, his teacher pulled me to one side and said "I've checked with the school office and they don't have a record of your order for new shorts..", which isn't exactly surprising as I haven't placed one! I told her this and she said, "OH. WELL. [DS1] needs PE shorts as he's been borrowing shorts from lost property." I asked her why, as he has the school shorts in his bag (we see his PE bag every week so I know they're still in there) and she said that because they're not 'short shorts' (they're just above knee length) he 'can't move properly in them'. Now, either she's being remarkably precious or he's having her on because we're talking about a child who climbed four metres up a tree in roughly six seconds while wearing thick jeans, a wax jacket and snow boots here! I told her that I wasn't willing to buy yet another pair of shorts (I've already spent £24 in less than one school year and can't really afford to spend any more!) and she started talking very loudly about how unfair it was on DS1 to have to keep borrowing shorts from lost property, and that he can't possibly take part in PE properly wearing the shorts I've given him. I was actually quite embarrassed at this point because all the other parents could hear the conversation so I just made some vague, non-committal noises, took DS1 and left.

Sorry, this is really really boring isn't it?! Basically - AIBU for having sent in the 'wrong' shorts, WouldIBU to leave them in his PE bag, and WasSBU for talking to me like that?

[redskyatnight]

IF your child's school insists that they have to wear regulation PE shorts, then they have to wear regulation PE shorts. You can't really argue with it.

However, if DS has lost 3 pairs of shorts and there are shorts in lost property, why on earth not go and lay claim to one of them (chances are the rightful owners have one of your DS's pairs).

[noblegiraffe]

He needs PE shorts for PE. That's the uniform. You can't just substitute whatever you feel like and expect it to pass muster. I'd expect them to be similarly pissed off if you put him in PE shorts for the normal school day.

[RagamuffinAndFidget]

Really? The difference between the two pairs is that the school shorts are about 4cm longer than the PE ones (should maybe have said this in my OP?) - there is no difference in colour or anything. Oh, the PE shorts have a logo on them whereas the school shorts don't.

As I said in my OP, I actually can't afford to spend £8 every half term on shorts. It might not sound like much to some people but it is to us.

[itiswhatitiswhatitis]

Tbh I would go to lost property and just take a pair of shorts.

[Gileswithachainsaw]

I think you should be allowed to use them and they should put a message in the weekly news letter asking parents to check that their children have their uniform and to bring back anything that's got mixed up.

Otherwise take one of te pairs out of lost property as they probably have your ds's

[Smartiepants79]

Well can you shorten the other shorts?
As a compromise. Not sure if that would be good enough?
Personally I think a serious chat with your son about putting his things away in his bag and looking after them better is is order.
Three Pairs is a lot and its not really anyone else's responsibility.

[Triliteral]

I'm with those who would claim some from lost property. Someone must have your DS's. Maybe their children's are there.

[pancakesfortea]

They have regulation PE shorts? In reception?

[juule]

I agree with those who are saying take a pair from lost property.

[noblegiraffe]

You can get a 2 pack of black PE shorts for £3 from Asda. That's got to be a better compromise.

[BlackeyedSusan]

get tescos ones. sew his name on the outside!

[mistlethrush]

Our school asks parents specifically to label sports kit on the outside - DS's shorts have a name tape on the inside and the bottom of the leg on the outside - his sports shirts have the tape on the front.

[Stinklebell]

I wouldn't keep paying £8 for PE shorts either - the official logoed ones are £12 a pop at our school and DD lost hers 2 weeks in

I bought some cheap black football type shorts from Asda (about £3 for a 2 pack if I remember rightly) and that'll have to do. They have a moan regularly about them not being logoed, but tough - the logo doesn't give my DD magical PE powers and shorts are shorts

Can you lay claim to a pair from lost property?

[Sirzy]

School shorts will be a different, normally thicker, material than PE shorts too? Not really an appropriate substutitution - cheap supermarket sports shorts would be better surely?

[Nanny0gg]

I would have a problem with a Reception child losing three pairs of shorts since starting school.
I don't care how many children there are in a class, they can be guided into putting things away. (Been there, done that).
I think someone's taking them. The teacher or TA needs to keep an eye and help for a little while till he manages alone.

And buy cheaper ones.

[pixiepotter]

I don't blame you for not buying any more regulation shorts.But on the othehand you don't want your child feeling embarassed at always haveing to borrow some from lost property.
what kind of PE bag does he have ?I have had a lot of problems with my DC at secondary and solved it by putting a luggage combination lock through the zip.I think a 4 yr old would really enjoy doing this!

[BakeOLiteGirl]

Unless it's a private school, surely the school cannot insist your child wears specific logo PE shorts?

[OhNoYouExpedidnt]

Just go to lost property and claim a pair with no name. They won't be taken by anyone else. The amount if lost property without names is incredible in most schools.

[busybob]

I can't believe your being told by other posters to take shorts from lost property and justify it by saying your must of been taken.

[busybob]

no wonder uniform is always going missing in schools when people have that attitude

[GenerationX]

Yes the Teacher is BU. The bit that would upset me the most is that she went to the office to check if you had ordered more shorts - that sounds a bit passive aggressive and intrusive to me.

[Topseyt]

OP, I have had these problems in the past too, though fortunately not the same attitude from the class teacher, and our primary school at that point did not insist on logoed PE shorts. My youngest daughter was also always losing her school cardigan. It irked me.

I used to send my daughter to root through the lost property, which was kept in a large plastic tub in a storage area outside the infant toilets. Often that turned up the goods.

I used to buy the cheapest PE kit I could find when they were that age, for this very reason. I used Sports Direct, Asda, Tesco, Sainsbury's. Even the local charity shop on occasion. Anywhere suitable really. I have only had to move onto the more expensive and logoed stuff since they have gone on to secondary school, because it is required as part of the uniform, and woe betide my kids if they lose it this time (they are told that).

Some schools sell off their lost property or other spare uniform stuff as second-hand. You could enquire about that at reception, as it should be pretty cheap if they do.

[ZanyMobster]

I would definitely ask to look in lost property and then just take some that aren't named. Regardless of whether or not you have bought 3 pairs already your child needs the correct kit.

Also you probably need to have a chat with your DS about ensuring his stuff is put back in his bag. My 5 YO is dreadful with stuff like this but luckily the stuff has all turned up once I searched at school.

[RaspberryRuffle]

Erm, did you not notice the shorts you sent hadn't been washed? As others said shorten or explain that you will takes pair from lost property, make a small donation...

[RagamuffinAndFidget]

Do you mean worn, RaspberryRuffle ? Well, no, not really, because he's four and they only do PE inside at the moment so they don't really get dirty..

I don't think there are actually any shorts in the Lost Property (there certainly weren't when I looked) so I'm assuming his teacher meant he's been borrowing from the secondhand clothes box thingy. I could get a pair of shorts for £4 from there but I still don't actually want to keep paying for shorts that keep getting lost. All it would take is for DS1's teacher to say to him, "Make sure you put your shorts away" and I reckon he'd be fine. My guess is he just chucks them on the floor as he takes them off and then someone else picks them up.

She gave me a really disbelieving look when I said we'd been through three pairs already and told me that "they always come back to their owners". Well. Clearly not.

Tbh, I was trying to teach him a lesson by sending him in with the 'wrong' shorts. As in, stop losing all your bloody stuff because now you have to make do with these. They are the same material, btw.. the regulation shorts are like rugby shorts so made of fairly thick cotton, not like football shorts.