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

My 12 year old won't wear a coat to school and reluctantly wears a hoody that has to be taken off in school. Dark and wet when picked up from an aftershool club and in short shirt sleeves . Will sometimes still wear shorts around at this time of year ( not school). I pick which issues are worth a battle and for us that isn't one. For us there is a sensory element to some of it.

As my father likes to remind me every time I whinge about DS’s desire to wear shorts in the middle of winter, he grew up in the Highlands of Scotland and at that time, boys in primary weren’t allowed to wear trousers! They had to wear shorts all year round regardless of the weather and “none of their legs fell off!”.

DS10 says shorts are comfier, easier to run in, and he doesn’t get as hot and sweaty at break time, so no, not neglect, just personal preference.

It's probably by choice rather than an inability to afford long trousers. My DS is still moaning that his secondary school doesn't allow boys to wear shortsand he is in year 13 now. In primary school he barely ever wore long trousers and a quite a few of the boys wore shorts year round. I'm pretty sure he would have told me if he was cold!
My Dad lived to a ripe old age despite wearing shorts every day til he was 16 as was the norm in his youth in the 30s/40s, and I wasn't allowed to wear trousers at school until 6th form in the 70s/80. A knee length skirt and socks is no warmer than shorts I don't suppose. I don't recall it being particularly problematic.

My school uniform for under 11's was shorts, it didn't bother me.

That's your preference. Others are different. Get over it

Thanks for the laugh OP!
DS wears shorts all year round. He feels more comfortable, and finds it easier to play football at playtimes / lunchtimes in shorts.

Some people are just more hardy.

Ds and his friends and a lot of their peer group were wearing shorts in the -8° weather last year. They wouldn't wear trousers.

Not unreasonable to wear shorts in winter if it's the child's choice but it is unreasonable IMO, if boys are forced to wear shorts by the school's uniform policy. I would say exactly the same for girls. Girls and boys should both have the option of long trousers during winter if they want them.

Freezing Midlands here - about 50% of the primary school boys never wear trousers and they never wear coats even in the snow. I know their parents buy them..well the Mums do. I'd say 1/3 of Dads are in shorts and a guy was walking through this snow in flipflops last week.

My son is a doofus in my view cos I get a chill just looking at him. He'll be 12 in March and will only put his shorts on for school. I've told him he's daft.
He's not interested one bit in trousers and he doesn't need to be. He'll wear them if it gets cold enough TO HIM.
He also doesn't wear any of the half dozen or more coats he has at his disposal. It's not for lack of parents money or child's options, just him preferring his hoodie.

Its not neglect ( in most cases), its kids being kids. My eldest wore shorts every day but one last year (it snowed and I made him wear trousers). He's now devastated that he has to wear trousers in secondary. My 11 year old has not worn trousers at all this year as prefers shorts. We haven't had snow yet but we've had some minus temps and still he'll wrap himself up in coat, scarf, hat, gloves but still wears his shorts. Six year old daughter happily trots off to school every day in skirt and socks as she hates the feel of tights and doesn't want to wear trousers. We have cupboards stuffed full of uniform for every season but these three just hate wearing them!

Eight year old son and four year old daughter are much more sensible and happily dress for the weather.

When I grew up in the 1960's girls wore skirts and socks and boys wore shorts and socks all year round. We didn't notice the cold as we were brought up that way. As long as our abdomens were warm we were ok.

My postie wears shorts all year round. He hates the wet leg feeling of trousers.

I've been teaching 25 years. Some boys prefer shorts all year round. They are too hot in trousers.

I have an acquaintance whose boys always wear shorts. She thinks she’s being like the royals. They just look cold and ridiculous.

loads of kids at my sons school wear shorts all year round. In most if not all cases the parents would prefer they wear trousers but the kids are insistent

my son will wear trousers but is point blank refusing jumper. So is in a short sleeved polo only. What do you expect me to do, force him? And even if I did he’d take off at school anyway

DD wears skirts and socks. How is it any different?

Lol….For years my son had a wardrobe full of school trousers….he never wore them, he doesn’t care what the weather is he will always choose to wear shorts, he hates trousers 🤷🏻‍♀️….. This year I asked him if I should buy him trousers and he told me not to bother so I didn’t because let’s face it who needs to buy trousers that sit in the wardrobe never worn. He’s dreading going to secondary purely because he will have to wear trousers as they’re not allowed shorts! So no, not neglect….you will probably find that those boys do have trousers, it’s just their personal choice not to wear them so I don’t think a uniform bank will help 😂. My son wouldn’t wear a coat either if it was up to him but I do send him with one to school.

My son would prefer to wear shorts but I don't let him because of judgy arseholes like you.

My daughter hates tights, doesn't like school trousers. I'm not neglecting her I'm respectful of her wishes, she isn't going to freeze to death she spends most of the day inside the school.
She hates the feel of tights and has her own opinion on her style and she doesn't want to wear the trousers. Im not going to force her and create a drama when it isn't needed. She has tights available if she chooses to wear them, she has long socks and she can also wear leggings with her skirt but she also chooses not too.
Kids with sensory issues often have a big opinion on clothing.
Don't be so judgemental

DS won’t wear trousers despite being encouraged daily in this cold weather.
it’s hardly neglect!!
Otoh I recall having to wear a skirt and t shirt for PE in the 80s and that was non negotiable whatever the weather.

Pmsl. It’s not neglect. My kids have only just got into trousers as they’ve only just started loaning about the cold. Some of their mates are very sporty. Always playing football or charging about and never feel the cold. They won’t wear trousers and the parents have just refused to battle about it.

My DD is going to school in a skirt and ankle socks. It was -1 last week and she still did this. She genuinely doesn't feel the cold. She has a rain jacket that I insist she puts on if it is wet. Otherwise she just wears a cardigan and takes that off when it goes above about 8°! She does wear gloves though! My son has trousers, jumper and thick coat on. I have the same plus a hat.