To think boys in school uniform shorts at -3c is neglect.

My 6 year old would be in shorts all year around if I let him. I have to wrestle him into a coat for the walk home to and from school at the moment and it was -3 this morning. Its totally normal for kids to not wear weather approrpraite clothing and sometimes the argument isnt worth it. Let them find out the cold way not wearing trousers or tights with skirts if like.

Not read the whole thread but I think the focus should be far more on

(1) Are mothers/fathers/carers taking the idea of vests/some kind of undergarmet under the school shirt etc seriously?

If your "trunk" (neck to the top of your thighs) is warm, then even if your extremities are cold (including legs) you are probably going to be ok

(2) Are there family members forcing these boys into wearing shorts "because they did"when they were little and/or (more importantly) because they think it will make their son into"the man" (i.e unreasonable personal agenda forced onto a little child)? If yes, this is wrong. let them wear whatever is comfortable for learning.

On a separate point I listened to a BBC sounds podcast about cold (michael mosely) which pointed out that young children have far more brown fat than adults and that if you are routinely in a cold environment that encourages the body into having more brown fat which has multiple health benefits. I think there is some truth in this.

I also take the point that young girls have been known to be forced to wear skirts/dresses with ankle socks or thin tights which amount to more or less then same dress wise as boys in shorts all year round.

My 9 year old football mad DS will not wear trousers as they restrict him playing football. He is also autistic and I suspect sensory issues are at play.

With respect, my your own business.

I wore skirts and short socks throughout my primary school years and no, I wasn't neglected. I just didn't like tights. Loads of my friends were the same.

Lots of little boys prefer shorts to long trousers, and until relatively recently boys wore shorts all year round until they were about 12 or 13, so I don't think it's a problem. I also have an adult neighbour who wears shorts every day, without fail, regardless of the weather.

My son has shorts and trousers but it's a battle to get him in trousers as he just likes the shorts. Even on the weekend he won't put joggers on and only wants shorts. Don't get me started on the endless squabble to try and get him to wear his coat and hat. In the end, I just think if he felt actually cold, he would wear them. The option is there.

I too was shocked by the reports, poor kids. At secondary I went to a private girls' school in the 80s. Blazers were worn in summer and were strictly for outdoors only. Summer uniform was skirt, choice of ankle or knee socks, short sleeved blouse with open collar (tie in Autumn/winter only) and jumper, tank top or cardigan which we could take off if we were too warm. The notion of sweltering in a classroom in +++ temperatures, in a blimmin' blazer and tie would have been unthinkable! Utterly ridiculous and unfair.

Ditto here.
Frost and ice on the ground, parents in long coats and gloves.
The child said they weren't cold at all and liked wearing shorts.

OP they might have more "ruddy" circulation. Idk your age but are you comparable to a young boy in health matters?

We're a fair bit N of you, and in an area def not know for its clement weather. And shorts it was, all year. DS 1 used to feel sorry for all the kids in trousers as 'when its raining they have wet legs all day, my legs dry off quick'.

My DS 14 doesn't have a school uniform. He wears shorts all year round. He just doesn't feel the cold (hairy legs) and doesn't even own a pair of long trousers that fit. I used to buy them regardless and they would sit there, untouched, in his drawers until they were too small. I asked again last week, he said he doesn't want any, I'm listening to him and not buying them.

His sister has male friends who also live in shorts and crocs.

His dad doesn't feel the cold either. DD and I love being snuggled up under blankets. Conclusion - people are different 🤷‍♀️

It probably isn't neglect if willing but I did used to feel that it was neglectful of me when I couldn't get DD, when she was little to wear tights to school, sometimes no school cardigan or coat. At 4 years old she was insistent on dressing as a fairy so had strong feelings about the school cardigan or even her coat so I offered her a long sleeve white, Peter Pan collared top to put under her school T-shirt and pinafore dress which she did agree looked more fairy like. She was allowed to wear leggings rather than tights but she would only wear ones her Grandma had bought for her, with the flower fairies all over them but I worried that they weren't as warm as tights. The leggings were supposed to be black, they did speak to me about that but luckily it was quite a liberal infant school so in the end they accepted it. They (school) tried to understand what her feelings were about this (which she didn't like as she could dress as a fairy at pre-school and not at school) by sitting with her everyday and encouraging her to draw a smiley or sad face against pictures, one being the uniform, every day was a sad face😮She is 12 now but still as fussy, she is susceptible to sore throats, asthma from the cold, is very thin and delicate so I do feel it is my parental duty to get a coat and trousers on her rather than the school skirt with 40 denier tights and an inadequate school jumper. She isn't the type to play football, basketball or any sports really so doesn't warm up at lunch time doing these things. I fear the hospitalised asthma stays so much that I do really get genuinely worried about it.

I think that some children don't like the feeling of long trousers - I used to be like that when I was young, barring tracksuit bottoms. Some schools insist on long trousers in the winter months though.

My friend called in this morning (NW area) and he's wearing flip flops and shorts
I don't think I've ever seen him in trousers and he's 48

@DragonMumE it's a thing. Seems that some primary boys - the older years, often go through this phase. My nephew did, and several yr 5 and 6 at my DC school are wearing shorts today.

My son would happily wear shorts all year round if I let him, he just doesn’t seem to feel the cold like I do haha!

My son wears shorts as often as he can get away with.

It's not a neglect thing, a ND thing or a "too poor" thing.. Some kids just don't like long trousers or tights.... And that's ok!

They are in a heated school, running about all day... They will be fine!

My son wears them all year round as do lots of his friends. I have school trousers for him but he will just not wear them….hardly neglect. My ds is just more comfortable in shorts…..believe me, I have tired and tried to get him to wear trousers but he doesn’t want too

Why the outrage?

Do you know for a fact it is not their choice?

One of the local boys' secondary schools apparently had a rule that shorts would be worn all year round by every boy under five feet tall. It was only changed in the 70's when a lad who was 4'10" was about to go into the sixth form.

Another one with DC in a school which has shorts for uniform all year round. No neglect, not a cost issue, no complaints about being cold from them…

I’ve just been for a run in shorts as well

OP is being ridiculous, neglect, discuss. what an odd OP

My boys both preferred shorts while at primary, although I did manage to get them into trousers when the mercury dipped to freezing. However, at least two boys in DS1's class refused to wear trousers ever! It's not that easy to force a DC into a garment they don't want to wear and tbh, you just have to pick your battles sometimes. It's worth pointing out how cold they'll be, but if they still refuse to wear trousers, then I let them crack on. They saw sense eventually.

My 11 year old wears shorts all year. He does have two pairs of trousers, but he only wears them if it's well below freezing. He's wearing hiking socks today and says his knees and shins don't really feel the cold. It's not a sensory thing, he just prefers them and always has.

Well she is a shit doctor, and if you bothered to take 10 seconds to Google you would have learned real facts about chilblains for yourself.