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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To have put my child in a high vis jacket at the park ?

141 replies

Shinyshoes1 · 07/05/2013 07:45

We went to the park yesterday it gets pretty packed . There's a closed off area with all the swings , slides etc in and there must have been about 50 children in there .

My friend came with her children and the little ones went and played we sat and had a picnic

The little ones were in the play area with my friends 12 yo daughter but after a while all the children blend into one another and I get panicky if I can't see my daughter straight away do I put a hi vis bib on her .
Straight way I could pick her out from the crowd

My friend thought this terrible , even saying it was cruel as she's " never ever in her life seen a child in a high vis bib before at the park"

My dd is in a school trip today and I'm thinking of putting the bib on her today , just so she stands out and is visible to the teachers amongst 30 other children
She is 5 yo

AIBU and OTT !???

OP posts:
BikeRunSki · 07/05/2013 08:15

A bit OTT, but only the same principle my mum worked on 30 ish years ago. We didn't have school uniform, and all the other local schools wore navy/dark green/grey. So we always had red coats! This winter DS has had an H&M ski jacket that is as bright orange as my hi vis jacket I need for working on railways (civil engineer; yellow for roads, orange for rail).

NotTreadingGrapes · 07/05/2013 08:16

I work next to a nursery, and notice when the assistants take them to the park behind the school they have wee hi-viz bibs on.

But to do it on a daily basis would be whackjobbery.

the paedo behind the bushes will spot the hi viz first as well remember

LadyintheRadiator · 07/05/2013 08:17

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

ArabellaBeaumaris · 07/05/2013 08:18

You can buy the jackets at a well known Swedish retailer.

I do find my DC yellow coats useful in playgrounds.

HeySoulSister · 07/05/2013 08:18

Poor, poor child.

Bumply · 07/05/2013 08:19

The boys after school/holiday club have bright coloured tshirts as their 'uniform' to make them more obvious as a group when they take them out places. This was the result of a trip to the zoo where they nearly came back with more kids than they took! (Small boy thought this group were having way more fun than he was with his parents)

NotTreadingGrapes · 07/05/2013 08:21

Are we not allowed to say Ikea anymore?

Has there been a She Who Must Not Be Named incident?

littleducks · 07/05/2013 08:21

At 5 I think you are being OTT in the park. There are more subtle ways to make it easier to spot your child without making them stand out to everybody else too, mine have had bright t shirts and hats.

At dd's school all the children and helper parents and teachers wear high vis vests. The point is to make them stand out as a group that should be together, they travel by tube alot and I think it is a good idea. I think one child in a vest would be pointless, the immediate at a glance reaction would be that she was not part of the group.

comedycentral · 07/05/2013 08:24

In the nicest way possible...because I realise you are anxious.... get a grip

MrsMelons · 07/05/2013 08:24

Very OTT.

The whole point at school is that they all look the same so are easy to spot surely? Usually a school would put high vis vests on pre-school age children as they don't always have uniform but once they are school they either all stand out as a group in uniform or all have high vis vests on.

When my DSs were little (and even now at theme parks - they are 7 & 5) I will usually put them in the same tshirts or jumpers so I can spot them easily.

pumpkinsweetie · 07/05/2013 08:25

Way overboard and OTT!
If you are that worried about visibility of your child you could try a less embarrassing approach such as a bright dress/top or coat that stands out.
At 5 my dc would have been so embarrassed if i had have adopted this approach!

CrowsLanding · 07/05/2013 08:25

I have to agree with other posters. You are being ott and your dd is going to feel like the odd one out. I think you possibly need to see someone about your anxiety issues.

ArabellaBeaumaris · 07/05/2013 08:30

not treading grapes

This is how my broken keyboard writes it - ikra. I suppose people would have guessed it! I rely on auto correct but for some reason ilwa doesn't come up.

Wishiwasanheiress · 07/05/2013 08:35

Shiny, it's weird to do this on ur own/with friends. Most people just remember the outfit their child was wearing. Jazz them up with ribbons in hair or even a balloon but a high vis vest is very precious.

It's plain petty at a school. Your child is not more important than all others. If you have anxiety issues, and it really sounds possible, see ur GP.

aufaniae · 07/05/2013 08:35

Ah, why not?!

I can usually pick out DS fairly quickly as he's usually in really bright clothes. I've not chosen bright clothes specifically so we can pick him out in crowd - we just like bright colours - but I do like it that I can see him easily.

If it makes the mum happier and as long the DD is genuinely happy to wear it, there's no harm.

I don't get the school thing at all though - the teachers have to look after loads of kids, no point in one being in high-vis.

As to where you get them from, IKEA!

GirlOutNumbered · 07/05/2013 08:38

We saw a family on the beach a couple of weekends ago. They had their kids in high vis vests. I felt sorry for them as people were laughing.

I don't think they were local.

MyHeadWasInTheSandNowNot · 07/05/2013 08:39

Yes, YABU and before long you will make her the laughing stock of the playground and classroom :( What are you actually worried about?

HootShoot · 07/05/2013 08:48

I never knew you could get high vis for kids! I shall know where to go if I ever get the urge.

lljkk · 07/05/2013 09:09

Mostly OTT.

If everyone did as OP then no child would stand out, right?

Our school has its own high vis jackets, recent purchase. DD's brownie leader also got all the girls something like a t-shirt (can't remember) what exactly, but distinctive. Unique swim caps, too, on pool trips.

If your school doesn't have own, maybe OP could fund-raise to buy some? They are very useful on group trips out, not just high-vis but with something like the school logo on them.

On trips to big places like amusement parks, I tend to put DC in a distinctive colour, or with a distinct hat. I have 4 and I can't say it's difficult to spot them unless they actively run off to hide in bushes.

FuckThisShit · 07/05/2013 09:20

Massively OTT, but I imagine you've probably grasped that by now.

CalamityKate · 07/05/2013 09:25

Weeeelllll.....I often used to put matching, brightly coloured hats/caps on my boys when they were little, if we went to a busy park or the zoo etc. doesn't replace vigilance but it makes it far easier to be vigilant when they're instantly spottable.

Hi viz might be taking it a bit far though especially on a class trip.

cory · 07/05/2013 09:32

On a school trip you don't want to stand out and be different. The safest way to make sure that you are kept with the group is to look like them.

whatamardarse · 07/05/2013 09:33

YANBU to feel anxious ! My dd was a wanderer when she was little and also my niece. Her mother regularly had security closing doors on department stores. She would would be often caught leaving the premises of her own will! And then be brought back, fuming. She was 7. Thankfully my dd grew out of it a lot earlier I literally hand cuffed to me

Your not a wack job. Most schools will have a tab on when they go out, just have a chat with teacher and see what safety measures they have in place.

Maybe buying a fluorescent jacket or top for the summer so she is easy to spot when you go out, a little less obvious.

I wouldn't give a flying fuck about other adults laughing, they should no better . My nephew would love a little hi vis , he is obsessed with dressing up!

On Sunday me and DH went to a very large Carboot in a field and found a child had wandered off and was crying, I noticed his "oh shit , I'm lost " face. My DH went and got the organiser while I stood still with him. Kids do wander off!! I don't know why you gave got such a flaming .

whatamardarse · 07/05/2013 09:35

*got

badguider · 07/05/2013 09:36

schools at popular school-trip places (museums etc) often have high vis vests or other ways of identifying their group, if you put one on your DD and the others don't have them she's more likely to be gathered up into the wrong group. Let the school do their job on the trip the way that's easiest for them.

In the park - whatever, it's up to you, i've seen plenty high vis vests on littlies who cycle or go on a bike tagalong...

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