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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

In being annoyed children were kept in ALL day yesterday?

90 replies

Dancergirl · 01/12/2010 11:10

We live in NW London/Middlesex borders and we had a few inches of snow on Monday night. School stayed open, roads were a bit icy but pretty much ok.

So I was v surprised to hear from my dds yesterday that they weren't allowed out to play at all yesterday. I had a governors' meeting last night and asked the head why and she said the playground supervisors made the decision as the snow was 'too deep' and some of the children didn't have wellies. Plus it was still (lightly) snowing.

FFS - there was barely a covering on the ground! When they finally got out of school at 3.20pm they all went mad after being cooped up all day.

AIBU?

OP posts:
DanZZZenAroundTheTreeAgain · 01/12/2010 11:12

I don't know. It is a long time to be cooped up indoors, isn'tit?

Was it at all icy? I ask because lest winter three people I know (adults) slipped on the ice with disastrous long term effects (spine, hip, jaw)

flamingpants · 01/12/2010 11:13

Yes if they children didn't have wellies they would have had wet feet, trousers/tights for afternoon. But I think those with parents with the foresight to be prepared with wellies should have been allowed out.

It is frustrating how the English (and yes I include myself here) just don't seem prepared!

MrManager · 01/12/2010 11:14

YABU

What should they have done, only allowed the children with wellies to go out?

And I suspect that the head's response omitted the fact that if one child slipped and fell, the school would be facing a lawsuit.

theevildead2 · 01/12/2010 11:14

Well if the children had been dressed appropriatly they'd have been allowed outside. So the parents were being unreasonable.

MeowyChristmasEveryone · 01/12/2010 11:15

What MrManager said.

DanZZZenAroundTheTreeAgain · 01/12/2010 11:15

me too really flame, I knew the winter was coming with a vengeanceand I still haven'tgot myself decent winter boots with a strong profile. A lot of us blank it out, dc's feet grow and suddenly the boots/wellies you have don't fit them, there is no time to get to a shoe shop etc. I think it is a lack of foresight/planning on the parent's part (myself included)

backwardpossom · 01/12/2010 11:16

Say the kids had been allowed out and someone's precious son or daughter had slipped and banged their head and was seriously injured, who do you think would have been sued got the blame?

PfftTheMagicDragon · 01/12/2010 11:17

at our school all children have a pair of wellies at school for such eventualities.

YANBU

backwardpossom · 01/12/2010 11:17

Why didn't the blimmin strikethrough work?

ClenchedBottom · 01/12/2010 11:18

I'm sorry, - how can you have had 'a few inches' of snow but at the same time there was 'barely a covering'?

frustrating for those parents who did send in their children prepared for the weather, but ice is a real concern - as is being sued by parents - plus then there would have been children outside needing close supervision and also the children without wellies inside, also needing supervision - difficult for school to arrange.

nannynobblystockingnobs · 01/12/2010 11:18

At DD1's school yesterday the children who had wellies/snow boots were allowed to play out.

pointydog · 01/12/2010 11:25

Unfortunately parents will sue these days if their child injures themselves at school.

Councils can't risk it.

Srtop moaning

Meglet · 01/12/2010 11:29

yanbu.

It was the same when I was at school.

I do wonder why the dc's nursery (0-4) can cope with sending them out in all weathers Smile but older children are considered too fragile Hmm.

duchesse · 01/12/2010 11:31

ffs this country is mad. My children were sent out in all weathers at school in Montreal. The only time they made an exception was for children below grade 2 when the temperature fell below -30C in the daytime. Healthy happy children. No-one injured or ill.

DanZZZenAroundTheTreeAgain · 01/12/2010 11:34

below -30 C is making me feel faint

Meglet · 01/12/2010 11:35

wouldn't your eyeballs freeze at -30?

pointydog · 01/12/2010 11:35

This country is not geared up for bad winter weather. POintless to compare it to canada or siberia or any other country.

DanZZZenAroundTheTreeAgain · 01/12/2010 11:37

what do you wear on your feet in those type of temperatures? Surely it would be painfully cold, whatever you wore?.... digressing...

lottiejenkins · 01/12/2010 11:42

At the school where i work, The children are only allowed onto the school field if they have wellies. No wellies no playing outside!!

duchesse · 01/12/2010 11:43

Very high performing snow boots that can be bought for 20 dollars. Outer garments in winter in Montreal is basically a good quality snow suit that costs less than $50 CAN for a child's version. Everyone has them- you have to. Also balaclavas, hats and neckwarmers along with high performance gloves.

backwardpossom · 01/12/2010 11:43

DanZZZ My snowboarding boots are cosy but they're a fucking nightmare to walk around in. Haven't slipped with them on yet though!

Hulababy · 01/12/2010 11:46

I work in an infant school with Y1. We took ous out for 40 minutes int he morning, whilst it was still snowing. They all had boots or wellies, bar two, who has waterproof trainer shoe things only. They all has coats and gloves and hats too. So we went and made snowmen for 40 minutes.

We then came back, changed shoes - did have to find spare plimsolls for some who didn;t have a change, had snack and milk and warmed up and then did some fab writing about snowmen afterwards. the children really got into it and as it was so real and straight after doing it they wrote some great pieces of work.

They also went out for about half the lunch break and for 15 minutes it the afternoon too.

duchesse · 01/12/2010 11:46

Like these.

DanZZZenAroundTheTreeAgain · 01/12/2010 11:47

they look really good, don'tthey? Look at thegreat soles on them too. Trust the Canadians to have winter gear totally sussed though

duchesse · 01/12/2010 11:48

Very warm and utterly waterproof too. You can wear them non stop from November to April without any visible signs of wear despite kicking around in snow and salt for a few months.