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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

to not get the judgey-ness about school shorts?

22 replies

mamadivazback · 14/08/2011 10:15

I know it seems a bit mundane but DS starts school on Tuesday and as we have had a few uncomfortable hot days throught the last few months I decided to get him some little grey school shorts as well as his trousers.

But strangely everyone I know in RL seems to be saying 'oh my god you did'nt they are horrid'

Am I missing something or do I just know weird people... Why is it fine to send a girl in a skirt when it's hot but expect a boy to wear trousers when shorts are available?

As I say sorry for being dull but I am starting to think my DS will be scarred for life if he wears them the way some people are going on :o

OP posts:

hocuspontas · 14/08/2011 10:17

When you say 'little' do you mean really short? Boys wear shorts that are knee length at our school. Maybe some people are thinking autumn term, long trousers.

mycatoscar · 14/08/2011 10:21

at the school where i work and at dd's school it is normal for children to wear summer uniform for the first few weeks back in september - some wear it up to october half term.

girls wear summer dresses and boys wear little grey shorts - and yes they come just above the knee normally, they are grey like normal school trousers. I think it's sensible as they cant learn properly if they are hot and uncomfortable.

mycatoscar · 14/08/2011 10:22

so YANBU and probably know some weird people!

feedthegoat · 14/08/2011 10:22

I love seeing little boys in grey shorts.

Loads of boys wear them at infant school ds goes too. And the hand me downs I have been passed from friends would suggest it is normal there too.

I think ds looks really cute in the grey school cargo shorts.

ChasingSquirrels · 14/08/2011 10:23

I personally think that those grey school shorts are horrid - but that doesn't mean that my ds's don't wear shorts to school, just that I really dislike those grey school ones.
How old is he?

mankyscotslass · 14/08/2011 10:24

Both my DS have knee length school shorts for the summer and hot days when back at school in September. Sort of cargo/combat style or Bermuda depending on what they have.

I don't know what's wrong with them? TBH I think they look gorgeous in them.

SJisontheway · 14/08/2011 10:24

I think they are adorable and your friends are weird

seeker · 14/08/2011 10:25

Depends on how little the shorts are and how old the ds is!

Ephiny · 14/08/2011 10:29

I thought these were totally normal for primary school boys, never heard of anyone having a problem with them . Surely more comfortable than long trousers on hot days.

I guess they're more for the summer term than autumn, but if it's still warm then why not!

PrettyCandles · 14/08/2011 10:30

I haven't a clue what you are talking about. Both my boys wear/will wear school uniform shorts (10yo, and 4yo starts in Sep) and dd can wear them, too, if she likes. Personally, I don't care for the knee-length ones, nor the cargo style, so my boys wear the standard pleat-front or flat-front grey uniform shorts. As do most of the school, though there are plenty of knee-length and cargo as well.

Sounds like playground one-upmanship has started early.

FranSanDisco · 14/08/2011 10:30

Ds wears knee length grey cargo shorts and looks very smart imho. I have noticed though that many of his peers have not worn them this year (Yr 3).

Original poster

mamadivazback · 14/08/2011 10:32

So glad it's not just me :o

They are just dark grey cargo shorts that come just above the knee.

He is only 5, it'll be his first day at school so I think I will be awkward and put him in trousers that day for photos etc tos top family whinging lol.

OP posts:

Catslikehats · 14/08/2011 10:33

I have never heard of there being a "thing" about shorts

At DS's school they aren't allowed to wear long trousers until the senior school. I think young boys look much tidier in shorts TBH.

Original poster

mamadivazback · 14/08/2011 10:34

Prettycandles - You have me worried what is this playground one upmanship?

OP posts:

issynoko · 14/08/2011 10:34

My 6 year old boy wears shorts - he has long trousers too but gets himself dressed and always chooses shorts if they aren't in the wash. His friends wear shorts too (only 4 boys in the class and all wear shorts most of the time). Only thing he insists on is that the shorts have pockets - otherwise any trousers are pointless for him! He is in a rural school and the pockets are traditionally filled with pebbles, twigs etc plus illicit Lego minifigures. My daughter (aged 7) also has to have pockets for her pet snails.

Memoo · 14/08/2011 10:35

All the boys in ds's school wear them in the summer term. Never heard anyone say anything negative about them before.

EdithWeston · 14/08/2011 10:36

There's a practical point here - grazed knees heal up for free, ripped long trousers may need to be replaced.

I like how uniform looks with shorts on little boys, and have never come across judginess about it. Mine had shorts in the summer R-yr2, and one chose to stick with shorts right through until yr6.

ChippyMinton · 14/08/2011 10:38

My boys wear shorts, if its warm enough, Easter through to October half-term. The cargo style, or knee-length. The short shorts are a bit naff.

joric · 14/08/2011 10:39

I'm presuming he's starting school (at 5) and not starting back at school (at 15) :o

Shorts on reception age children are lovely ! :)

Theas18 · 14/08/2011 10:41

Ds is 15 now and loved his school shorts to bits. Even till age 11 he'd have worn thennyear round if allowed

milkmilklemonade · 14/08/2011 10:48

Its inverse snobbery, grey shorts are what little boys wear to prep school. Ignore them, its pathetic that they even have an opinion.

jubilee10 · 14/08/2011 10:56

My ds's have all worn grey school shorts but when I passed some on to my step daughter for her son she was aghast and said he would be bullied if he wore them in his school!

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