And yet another stupid school rule.

[PhilomenaChristmasPie]

DD 12 brought home a pink water bottle yesterday, I thought she'd brought home somebody else's, as she usually takes a bottle of Evian because she's forever losing them.

No, this is new required equipment, with the school logo, her name and form on. I'm just worried that she'll lose it and I'll have to pay for a replacement, and another, and another.

I think I would encourage my kids to be respectful - but also not to tolerate daft rules.

'I mean what are they gonna do...log ya? Make you write lines? If you want a can of coke, just have one and take the punishment. Don't be a dick to people... ...but also, screw them and their child prison'

Excellent idea from the school. As for having to pay for replacements, it's cheaper than buying a bottle of water every day.

I'm not entirely sure what it is, but from what dd is saying it sounds like some kind of teen subculture that all the cool girls aspire to.
However she did say that there are certain things associated with it. Hydroflasks, saving the turtles, scrunchies worn on wrists and a particular dress sense. But if you dont have exactly the right branded things then apparently you're not a proper vsco girl and you're not allowed to belong in the group.

The wikipedia entry explains it more- I'm on my phone so cant link to it sorry.

Bloody hell, she's 12 years old!

If she can't be bothered to look after her possessions (and why would she, when you're running around after her with Evian bottles) this should finally make her learn.

Every time she loses the bottle, make her pay for a replacement with her own money.

If she doesn't get pocket money, make her do chores she doesn't like, to 'work off the cost'.

I'd have thought you'd be pleased to back the school on this, not least because it's an environmental issue.

She needs to be encouraged to be more responsible with her possessions.

If she starts getting demerits and cumulative detentions for abandoning the bottle somewhere, then maybe she'll start looking after her stuff. It works for equipment, PE kit, homework diaries and uniforms, after all - at least, I hope you aren't buying a new homework diary every week, along with a full PE kit and uniform every fortnight?

There was an article about what the production of EVIAN water (and I assume other brands as well) does to the people in the area and their water supply.

The schools my kids went to had a system supplied by the local water authorities. The kids could fill their bottles with cool silent or sparkling water from a monitored source.

It isn't a stupid rule. She's careless because she knows you'll replace them. And buying hundreds of plastic bottles is terrible for the environment.

I hope you haven't told her you think it's a stupid rule.

If my 7 year old can remember how bottle every day and in her school they go to different classrooms for lessons depending on what group they're in, then your 12 year old can otherwise shes just going to have to be thirsty isn't she. I bet she soon starts to remember.

It,s good. It,s encouraging children to reuse, take responsibility, Name the bottle.If lost go to lost property. My schools water bottles are,t that good as break easily And I find leaking is an issue with many but better they an evian bottle.

That sounds like a great idea from the school.
As others have said your DC will have to learn to remember her bottle.
Perhaps you could attach one of those key ring bungee cords between her bag and the bottle.

Plastic bottles aren’t allowed where I work and I agree with a PP how the noise of them goes right through me. We have jugs of water out in the canteen but no drinking allowed in lessons which is just the best as I got sick of spilled water where I used to work! The obsession with needing a drink is bizarre - I could manage most of the day when I was at school only having a quick drink at break and lunch. As did EVERYONE else! Now it’s kids constantly asking for one and then complaining they need the toilet lol. I think this is a great idea and she just needs to learn how to look after her things. It’s not hard.

I used to work with a guy who seemed to make his bottle a prop - the water hit the top then back to the bottom then back to the top next drink. He didn’t drink gently it was like bang bang bang in that bottle. And the noise as he popped it out of his mouth. Hated it!!

And pissing vsco shite.... bloody scrunchies and doing this weird hand thing: don’t get it and I tell them to get a grip lol.

Wowww I missed that she was 12!!!!!! I thought she would be about 6.

she'll get a demerit tough shit... Being absent minded isn't a personality trait, it's a lack of caring/respect. I bet she doesn't leave her phone behind...

sksksksksksks and I oop..... the call of the vsco girl! Who all wear clothes that look like a 90's revival, bless'em!
I'm all for reusable bottles as long as they aren't those ones with the fiddly valves or ones that go manky and black in the drinking part which are impossible to clean.

dd has ruined a few school books over the years from water bottles leaking.

I agree it's stupid, if the rule is girls have to have pink bottles

You need to teach her some strategies for remembering things and don't moan about this rule in front of her. I'm a forgetful fuck and need all the help I can get but I take responsibility for it.

Of course coloured/named/printed bottles aren’t allowed in gcse/a level exams....

Our primary school have their own water bottles although you can take any reusable one in. Their rule is only water, no squash/fizzy drinks. However the school ones are absolutely brilliant and I always buy more!

I can't understand your DD leaving her water bottle in her English class and not getting it until she has another English lesson. Surely all she needs to do is go back to the room at break time and ask or hang around at the staff room to catch her English teacher (any teacher probably) who can help her get it.

At the moment she just leaves her litter for someone else to clear up.

I can’t believe anyone sends in their child with a single use bottle of water.

Dd2 has had the same water bottle since year 3. She’s now in year 8 (and everyone takes in water bottles, unlike pp who said no one bother after year 7).

Dd1 has had the same 2 drinks bottles since she was 8 or 9. She has 2 as she has SN, and while she is greatly encouraged to be independent in packing up her bag at school, it doesn’t always quite go to plan and sometimes her drinks bottle gets left behind. So I send in another and collect the first one as I drop her off.

Ds is only 7 and is on his second water bottle, but only because I dropped and broke his first one. He has otherwise remembered (mostly, occasionally with some prompting at pick up) to bring it home, not left it on sports field or at other schools if in an away match etc.

It’s really not hard.

If absent mindedness is the issue, then it might be time to start teaching g her how to focus a little better? I doubt she’d always forget something which was important to her, so maybe she needs to start caring about the environment a little more?

Evian backwards
Naive

Great initiative by the school. I wonder where they found the money?

You're not supposed to reuse single use plastic, OP. It leaches chemicals into the water, apparently. Stick with the bottle she's got and teach her some responsibility.

You're not supposed to reuse single use plastic, OP. It leaches chemicals into the water

No it really doesn't.

"PET plastic (which single use water bottles are made of) is approved for both single-use and repeated use as a drink container by the European Food Safety Authority, U.S. Food and Drug Administration, Health Canada, European Food Safety Authority and other health and safety agencies worldwide. PET has been tested extensively and no evidence of migration of toxic amounts of chemicals from the plastic to the contents has been found"

So your daughter is forgetful, you contribute to landfill but it's the school who is at fault?