to be quietly horrified at the state of ds's school uniform

[Honeydragon]

but buggered if I'm buying more with only six weeks of term left.

I've just ironed this weeks uniform, and was . It mostly fits just, but not a single shirt doesn't have some kind of stain on and they are now beyond bleaching. The jumpers fit but are becoming an interesting shape from repeated bunging in bags as it's the summer and the elastics going on his trousers and shorts but a belt is doing us proud.

His feet are costing me a fortune at the moment in shoes, without paying out for uniform to last till the summer holidays which he will have outgrown by September- he already needs clothes for the holidays too.

I know this has been done before, but please please tell me I am not the only person sending a raggedy urchin into school until September?

DD1's PE kit is still immculate and she hasn't outgrown it. I bought her two new sweaters after spring half term - went up a size so they are big now, with growing room left. Polo shirts are not brilliant but bearable, and she will be wearing them again next year as they are not outgrown and I refuse to give the Tru-Tex ripoff merchants and their ripoff school partners any more of my hard-earned cash than I have to! Trousers from M&S bought at Easter are immaculate and still fit, last year's are outgrown but still great and will go to DD2 who can wear either black or grey (yay school that's sensible about uniform!)

DD2 is in DD1's outgrown polos, which are fine, still has a batch of school skirts to grow into. Will need some new school trousers, but still has DD1's school cardis waiting too - these are quality as well.

Shoes - both DDs outgrew their expensive Ricosta shoes by Easter (first time in 2 years this has happened, they're also suddenly very tall!). Shoes have gone to developing countries as still in excellent nick, polished them first . DD2 has posh Ricosta sandals, DD1 is not allowed anything open toed but has a new pair of Ricostas with growing room (bought at Easter) DD2 is wearing last year's school dresses too (from ASDA, have washed and worn really well and with high cotton content). A bit of judicious shopping does work wonders.

I'm buying a next size up school sweatshirt which will be worn purely on school photo day and then not until next term. The school colour is bright yellow, and it has to be the least practical colour ever.

YANBU my dd's uniform is looking worse for wear...paint, pen, thread bare, a bit on the small side....what the hell do they do to them? And as for her shoes....

This is a thread were you can without too much shame NG

Right have two presentable shirts, Aced and ironed perfectly. If I am lucky I can wash the nicest one to use again on Wednesday.

I'd still like to know how pen gets on the shoulder blades and underarm . It's not just ensuring your child is careful....it's everyone's.

I once taught a child in Reception who constantly chewed one sleeve of his jumper. His mum refused to buy him a new one on the basis that he would only keep doing it, so instead she cut off the chewed bit and hemmed it. It made me laugh that his sleeve got progressively shorter as the term went on!

Well, this seems to me a very good argument against school uniform.
If they could just wear normal clothes, buying new stuff at this time of year wouldn't be an issue.

And no, YANBU.

I still like school uniform.

I don't know, if the clothes were for me to wear for 6 weeks day in day out, would be justification enough for new ones.

then again I don't have school aged children.

Would ordering some stuff online with your grocery shop be enough of a compromise. Not too pricey as only 6 weeks left, but too shabby either

Penguin, you know those days where you wonder whether your going to get through everything in your dc's wardrobe? It's like that but more expensive and soul destroymg

Ds is not bothered at all, it's me that ironed this afternoon and thought WTF!

Or even soul destroying

fair do's. We've actually brought her very little and it's still stressful trying to make sure she wears everything people have given us. Luckily she's such a slow grower we're getting there

well if he don't care and you know you don't care about the people that would judge you then carry on :)

Your lucky dd has got though about 5 tops today a combination of

refusing to drink from anything other than a big people cup

making scones, what was I thinking?

and

washing the dog, with her own water bowl ..... TWICE

School dresses are fine as i only bought them in April, cardies look a mess but i only bought them it April at £15 each so they will have to do. Probably could have done with some new socks though

I live on an Estate where theres a mix of children from 2 schools. Our kids always look quite tidy but the other ones look like they have slept in them. They allways play out in them as well which i wont let mine do.

Ds has no buttons on blazer which also has. Paint down it, holes in both shoes and tears in both trousers. He will have to do for another four weeks. Next year theY weaR business suits and hoping one will last for two years. Mustn't complain, the fees aRe only 18k

DH just doesn't change her. She might be in her vest when I get home but more often than not she's covered in peanut butter and jam plus normally mashed banana and other fruits

He cares very little about these things