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AIBU?

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Original poster

To not do nit checks twice weekly?

81 replies

Kilot · 24/11/2025 15:43

School have sent out an email to say we should be checking the children’s hair thoroughly with a nit-comb twice a week. AIBU to think they’ve lost their minds?

OP posts:
WiggyWiggyImGettingJiggy · 24/11/2025 16:21

Kilot · 24/11/2025 16:17

If the school had an infestation problem I’m sure I’d do it more often but they don’t. There’s probably an email once a year to say there’s been a case of headlice (so I check then).

The school only know if the parents report it though.

Bootskates · 24/11/2025 16:20

Do they not socialise with children from other schools though? Mine dances and the girls she dances with are from around 5 other schools, for all I know a letter has gone out in their schools but not mine...

Original poster
Kilot · 24/11/2025 16:17

If the school had an infestation problem I’m sure I’d do it more often but they don’t. There’s probably an email once a year to say there’s been a case of headlice (so I check then).

OP posts:
Bootskates · 24/11/2025 16:14

I do my DD's around 3x per week, same as pp, spray bottle of water, conditioner and nitty gritty comb before shower. Go through my hair with a nit comb in the shower if they're going round school too.

French braids for school every day.

She has had them quite a few times though, they seemed to loop round her friendship group almost constantly for a while and now she has younger cousins in EYFS and KS1 so I don't want to just assume she doesn't have them and then have to battle with full blown infestations.

Original poster
Kilot · 24/11/2025 16:12

SilverPink · 24/11/2025 16:07

Leave in spray conditioner, park them in front on the tv, job done.

Show quote history

Mine have thick, curly hair. It takes a solid twenty minutes to comb through. They don’t watch an hour of TV a day!

OP posts:
Comtesse · 24/11/2025 16:11

FlashyAndShiny · 24/11/2025 15:59

That is appalling.
If that carelessness is commonplace at your children school no wonder they had to step up and call you lot out.

Edited
Show quote history

Oh please - that’s utter rubbish. It is hardly typical to do twice a week combthroughs with a nitty gritty on the offchance your kid has nits. Treat when needed, keep an eye on it in between, that’s it. YANBU OP.

WombatStewForTea · 24/11/2025 16:10

Wow I never do a "proper check". My DD has thick hair that requires a ridiculous amount of brushing, partitioning and styling every day so I think if notice. We've never had nits. Or a message from school about nits.
I'm also a primary school teacher and we very rarely have anyone with nits. It certainly doesn't become a problem.
Clearly my standards are low

Turtlebed · 24/11/2025 16:10

Im sorry, but everyday is bit ridiculous, unless you have recently had them and are trying to get rid of them. We probably checked every couple of months, or if one of the kids classmates has them or if the kids have any symptoms.

SilverPink · 24/11/2025 16:07

Kilot · 24/11/2025 15:57

The rigmarole of getting them out of the shower with conditioned hair, partitioning the head, checking throughout, then back to the shower probably takes twenty minutes per child. And people do that daily?!

Leave in spray conditioner, park them in front on the tv, job done.

WiggyWiggyImGettingJiggy · 24/11/2025 16:07

Kilot · 24/11/2025 16:06

I genuinely don’t know anyone who’s ever mentioned doing this unless there’s a specific reason to such as an email from the school or kids saying they’re itchy

Thats probably why your kids haven't had them, because other parents have been vigilant and check their children regularly.

WinterHangingBasket · 24/11/2025 16:06

I have never done routine nit checks. Both my kids are now older and we have only have had one incident, which my son told me about as he could feel them moving.

Original poster
Kilot · 24/11/2025 16:06

I genuinely don’t know anyone who’s ever mentioned doing this unless there’s a specific reason to such as an email from the school or kids saying they’re itchy

OP posts:
LemaxObsessive · 24/11/2025 16:06

Wow YABVU OP! This is why our Christmas was ruined, after I found the very early beginning of nits at midnight on Christmas Eve and it was the third time in as many months, despite me frequently combing her, as the school was having recurrent infestations due to parents with attitudes like yours! You don’t need to get them out of the shower, do it before their shower. They can then rinse the conditioner out and then shampoo.

Original poster
Kilot · 24/11/2025 16:05

MYOB12 · 24/11/2025 16:05

I checked as I combed and styled my kids hair. It’s really not hard to do.

That’s not a full head nit comb check

OP posts:
MYOB12 · 24/11/2025 16:05

I checked as I combed and styled my kids hair. It’s really not hard to do.

GeorgesMarvelousCalpol · 24/11/2025 16:04

Kilot · 24/11/2025 15:57

The rigmarole of getting them out of the shower with conditioned hair, partitioning the head, checking throughout, then back to the shower probably takes twenty minutes per child. And people do that daily?!

You don't need to do that rigmarole though... I used to park mine sitting on the floor between my knees while watching telly, dampen the hair, cover it in conditioner, comb through, then put them in the shower.

Original poster
Kilot · 24/11/2025 16:01

FlashyAndShiny · 24/11/2025 15:59

That is appalling.
If that carelessness is commonplace at your children school no wonder they had to step up and call you lot out.

Edited
Show quote history

My kids have had nits once in 6.5 years of being at the school!

OP posts:
FlashyAndShiny · 24/11/2025 15:59

Kilot · 24/11/2025 15:51

Wow. I do not!

That is appalling.
If that carelessness is commonplace at your children school no wonder they had to step up and call you lot out.

Original poster
Kilot · 24/11/2025 15:57

The rigmarole of getting them out of the shower with conditioned hair, partitioning the head, checking throughout, then back to the shower probably takes twenty minutes per child. And people do that daily?!

OP posts:
ChipDaleRescueRangers · 24/11/2025 15:57

SilverPink · 24/11/2025 15:56

For a couple of years I was doing weekly checks, but then there were certain kids in the class who were almost permanently infested and parents didn’t seem to care.

I have been there with the permanently infested kids, and it always was my eldest's best friend. 😥I used to nit check daily due to that and I would find at least 2 or 3 bugs weekly.

SilverPink · 24/11/2025 15:56

For a couple of years I was doing weekly checks, but then there were certain kids in the class who were almost permanently infested and parents didn’t seem to care.

Original poster
Kilot · 24/11/2025 15:55

Panda89 · 24/11/2025 15:51

I only check DD9 when she mentions being itchy. She has never had a full blown infestation, just 2 instances of a couple of bugs. Maybe we’ve been lucky??

Same, I only check if someone’s itchy or the school sends an email! Year 2 and 6 and they’ve only had headlice the one time ever

OP posts:
theclassroom · 24/11/2025 15:55

I don’t think you’re unreasonable to think it’s a lot but I think you’d be daft not to do it.

Mine is checked at least that often, we use conditioner and a nit comb. She also has long hair for her age so it’s always styled and slicked back to try and avoid them. Just make it part of your routine and you might prevent it spreading/your children getting them in future.

When I worked with young children I used to check myself whenever I had an itch on my head or I would convince myself I had them!

Panda89 · 24/11/2025 15:51

I only check DD9 when she mentions being itchy. She has never had a full blown infestation, just 2 instances of a couple of bugs. Maybe we’ve been lucky??

Original poster
Kilot · 24/11/2025 15:51

Wow. I do not!

OP posts:
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