To not want my 4 year old to wear a school tie?

I love school uniforms and wore a tie from a young age (can't quite remember when exactly) but 4 does seem a bit much. Are they allowed to take them off for play-time?
I would certainly judge a school (at least partly) by the respect it's students show for it's uniform. Sloppy uniform and lack of enforcement of it's wear would score big negatives in my books.

I hate ties but thinking that parents 'go along with it because they think they have to, or because they are not bothered' is not correct. Plenty like it. OP will find out if she asks parents at the school rather than the internet.

Think proper tie is safer than elasticated one, remember elastic ties being pulled and "pinged" a lot from my childhood . In NI, where most primary schools have uniforms, but not tie based ones.

cornsilkily Sat 09-Apr-11 21:55:19
"Schools in the UK are obsessed with uniform. It's ridiculous" I agree, and I also agree with nooka. As a person who doesn't own a tumble dryer, it is a PITA to have to find ways to get stuff dry in time for school.

A tie on any child under the age of 10 is beyond ridiculous and snobby IMO. A tie on a girl at all is stupid. Uniform sucks and looks utterly awful.

I know plenty of parents that think the stricter the uniform the better the school

they are wrong

When you are looking for a school I really would look at the important things-and whether they wear ties or not comes just about bottom of the list.

That doesn't really make sense does it. Maybe take out the "I said to her"

I agree with sunnydelight.

Send him to a school that doesn't have a tie as part of the uniform.

Sorted.

A mother at DC's school said the same thing to me about her DD. I said to her . I told her that if she didn't want DD to wear a tie, there is a perfectly good school up the road where they won't have to wear them.

I still think it is a big fuss about, well nothing. There will be sooooo many other things that will really annoy you, save your energy! As others have said, there will be battles over homework, food, trips. parties...... what will you do then? Sometimes you just have to go with the flow.

Or chose another school. Your child will really stick out, and not for good reasons, if you send them without a tie - and beleive you me, teachers and headteachers remember these things, and you don't want to be seen as the 'awkward' one for the next 7 years or whatever at that school.

Please try not to worry - I am sure your child will be fine, tie or not. it is not a big deal.

Don't choose a school where 4yos have to wear a tie then.

YANBU. put the children in lovely run a bout clothes - nice polo nice sweat school badge =done. The treszt ties wotnots, too much trouble IMV.

I'm not sure that tying and wearing ties is a useful skill.
I wore a tie everyday for 6 years to my secondary school.
I haven't worn one since the day I moved into the non-uniform sixth form.

I'm never sure why people think that not wearing uniform is more of a hassle than wearing uniform. In the days when my two were in uniform we had to make sure that they had the proper clothes clean and ready the night before. Now they just wear whatever is there, and if something is dirty they just don't get to wear it. As they always wear the clothes they choose it's not a big deal (not like mufti days which were always at least a bit about showing off or 'getting it right' because of the rareness of the occasion).

I wore a uniform right through school. It was made of poor quality materials and never fitted me very well. The only long term result is that I now choose to wear clothes that are comfortable and I never wear blue. Oh, and I only ever wore uniform once again (for a Christmas job) and woudl never do so again.

."-maybe parents just can´t be bothered to question it or think that they have to abide by it.

Or maybe parents actually like it!

My dc have to wear ties from reception in a normal state school. I always felt that it was because its only real rival school is the private one and they are trying to look posh. Nuts really as it is a really good school in its own right.

I hate it because its a faff and DD chews it constantly so it looks revolting. I count the weeks til summer uniform begins (from next term, yessss!) and we can go back to easy polo shirts and check dresses.

Seeker is right, they just need a sweat shirt/polo shirt, why try to look 'smart', its daft!

I don´t think it´s dangerous, btw, just pointless.

I dont see it as a big deal, and no its not dangerous. We all wore them in the seventies after all. Thought it does mean shirt ironing which is a pita.

Its just one of those compromise things at school - wait until you disagree with the lunches or their playground policy or the teachers themselves.

Save your ire.

"I'm afraid that they would diddle-otherwise there would be no ties."-maybe parents just can´t be bothered to question it or think that they have to abide by it.

Young children can look smart in a uniform without a tie.

I think it should at least be optional at such a young age.

I´m not saying no uniform btw-I think it´s great to not have to bother about deciding what your child is going to wear in the morning.

Here in Germany of course, there are only uniforms in private schools & occasionally it´s possible to buy a sweatshirt/tshirt with a school logo!

I am assuming you chose this school and surely knew the uniform before applying? And now you are moaning? Get a grip, improvise as some have mentioned or suck it up thats my opinion.

I'm afraid that they would diddle-otherwise there would be no ties. I think it unfair to the DC to have a mother who puts her own principles before the feeling of the DCs.
If you feel strongly then ballot the parents, but I expect that you won't get anywhere. Schools have uniforms because parents want it. State primary schools didn't used to have uniform or homework-they got both through parental pressure. They couldn't have ties if every DC went without, but OP would find that every parent wouldn't send them without ties. I bet that a lot would be annoyed with a newcomer turning up and trying to change things.

choose your battles. Is this your pfb by any chance?

"Of course they don't have to-would you be cruel enough to make your DC be the only one without on a case of your principles? "

Yup, I think I´d be "cruel" enough to send a 4yr old to school without a tie.

I doubt they´d be the only one by theend of the week.

Easiest way to make a school look "good" is to have all kids in ties and blazers, and for the really upmarket schools introduce some tartan somewhere. That's why they insist on them (IMHO)