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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To be so frustrated with slack parents...(sunshine)

91 replies

ShabbyButNotChic · 09/07/2013 09:25

Basically i work in a school club attached to a primary. It is bloody hot today (16c and glorious sunshine at 7.15am) and also school sports day today. The kids will be on the field all day, with only a break for lunch. Luckily the school has a few gazebo type things set up for shade. It is supposed to reach 28 degress here today.
I was talking to the kids this morning, and of the 16 children that were there (aged 7-11) not a single one had suncream on! Only 2 had brought their (school issued) sun hats, and 1 child had remembered their (school issued) water bottle.

Ffs sake! They are small kids who are having sports day on the hottest day of the year! Its not like parents could have missed this info as it has been forecast/was hot by 7am, AND school sent a letter last week reminding parents to prepare the kids before school, and a bloody text last night! It really winds me up, as we are going to be all over the situation now today, making sure they dont burn, provide them all drinks etc.

Cant decide if this is more annoying than the parents who send their kids to school in 2foot of snow in ballet pump style shoes.....just look out the window and dress your kids properly for gods sake!!

Rant over...

OP posts:
Original poster
ShabbyButNotChic · 09/07/2013 10:06

Wander off round school, they go in for a drink, then have a wee, then play with the water in the sink, then have a look at the displays in the corridor, then before you know it they have been gone 15mins and people are looking for them.

Its mainly the disruption with regards to the water tbh, school will now have to provide extra beakers, kids will be getting up and down for a drink, water will be spilt/flicked at each other. If they had all brought their bottle they could stay sat down, drink the amount they want and we wouldnt have to go round picking up a million cups.

The field does have trees round the edge, this is where the gazebos are being put next to so the shade will be quite a big patch.

Im on a break at the minute and the head has just told me they are thinking of stopping at 12 then doing the rest tomorrow morning, when its supposed to be cooler :)

OP posts:
Altinkum · 09/07/2013 10:06

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Mumsyblouse · 09/07/2013 10:06

And- I must admit I do follow the stay in the shade/don't go out in the hottest part of the day philosophy of prevention rather than cream at all times. But I for sure do put cream on on sports day although the way our sports day is done, they are only out for 1.30-2 hours each stage (stage 1 morning/stage 2 afternoon), because it's fairly obvious children shouldn't be sitting out in the sun for 7 hours on a day like today.

Mumsyblouse · 09/07/2013 10:09

Shabby I think that is the right answer, not all the children have to watch all the races, either stop at 12 and do two mornings, or split them up so half watch one set, half watch the other, and no-one is out for more than an hour or so. They don't need to be out all day long.

RussiansOnTheSpree · 09/07/2013 10:13

The problem actually with the school. What sort of ass backward school goes ahead and runs a sports day on a day as hot as this?

JuliaScurr · 09/07/2013 10:14

dd's primary had suncream attached to the wall by the door to the playground :)
the kids helped each other put it on

Original poster
ShabbyButNotChic · 09/07/2013 10:16

And he has made the decision! Y5 and y6 carrying on, stopping at 12, then y3 and y4 tomorrow morning :)
To be honest staff have been suggesting this for years, even when its not hot the little ones are still totally shattered after a full day.
We suggested two mornings/a year group per day, but always had arguements from parents who had children in different years etc but hey ho you cant please everyone.

Regardless of sports day though i still think the children should be more prepared as they would still have at least 90 mins outside with lunch/playtime. But i also see the school is BU by trying to go ahead with a full day initially :)

OP posts:
libertine73 · 09/07/2013 10:18

No YANBU kids should be able to play out int he sun even when it's really hot, and they can....with sun screen and a fucking hat!

LydiasLunch · 09/07/2013 10:20

I am a cm and I had four kids arrive ten minutes before we left for school last week, no sun cream, no hats, no water. I have bought cheap hats for the kids because they are out in the sun and they have all been left elsewhere. I can put cream on them with enough time but can't magic up extra hats every day. And I shouldn't have to.

HeySoulSister · 09/07/2013 10:22

Ah let yes 5 and 6 struggle... Makes sense Hmm

HeySoulSister · 09/07/2013 10:22

*years

RoooneyMara · 09/07/2013 10:23

Sun cream is very difficult.

So are hats. At home I struggle to make my children keep a hat on SO they come in from the garden, that's what I have to do.

I can't imagine a teacher being able to enforce hat wearing among 30 kids. There is no option to stay in on sports day.

I sent mine in all day sun lotion...but I am not sure if it has any effect by say 2pm, when it's been applied at 7am and they have been swimming in the interim Hmm

One of the many problems with schools tbh.

Original poster
ShabbyButNotChic · 09/07/2013 10:27

soul sister they arent struggling. Yes its hot but not ridiculously so, the really hot weather is due this afternoon. I see them running round this morning as no different to them playing out over the hot weekend we have just had. I presume they run around on holiday? They are fine. If they were dripping in sweat and shattered that would be different but they are perfectly ok in this morning sun.

OP posts:
FaddyPeony · 09/07/2013 10:29

YANBU. This is just so lax and would make me livid. Sunburn is very serious! I'd want some kind of suncream policy drawn up asap I think. I agree that it's hard to enforce hats but parents should at least be sending them in - same with water bottles.

I do not understand people, parents especially, who don't look at or listen to the weather forecast.

HeySoulSister · 09/07/2013 10:29

Yes but you said they didn't have hats/sun cream/water?

FaddyPeony · 09/07/2013 10:31

Lydia I'm actually fuming on your behalf. I've just sent dd to her CM in about 5 layers of suncream, with a giant water bottle, two choices of hats, and a choice of light long-sleeved vs. short-sleeved T-shirts. Lord knows I am a shit parent in many ways but this really isn't the stuff to cut corners on. Sunburn and sunstroke in children is so fucking dangerous.

Original poster
ShabbyButNotChic · 09/07/2013 10:33

The children i had at morning club had no suncream, i havent asked all upper school but assume it wouldnt apply to them all. About half of them have a hat on. They have shade to sit in, school has provided water. They are going before the hot afternoon.

OP posts:
HeySoulSister · 09/07/2013 10:35

Well sounds like its sorted shabby

Hope they all have a great day Smile

sneezecakesmum · 09/07/2013 10:36

You are being very unreasonable. Don't you realise it's the schools job to educate, raise, instil values, wipe bums and generally parent the children because some parents can't be arsed!

WeAreEternal · 09/07/2013 10:37

I think far too many parents assume that the school will supply drinks/hats/suncream to children who don't bring some with them.

There is a little (6) in DS's class who was badly sunburned at the weekend, all her face, her back and chest, arms and even where her hair parts are all burned. Her face and arms (that i could see) were bright red yesterday and looked so sore.
Her mum has let her play in the garden all day on Sunday with only shorts on but didn't think she needed sun cream as its only England.

I think it is so neglectful, it only takes a few minutes to rub some suncream on them, and hats take no effort at all.

hatsybatsy · 09/07/2013 11:19

it is bad when parents can't remember hats, water and sun cream for sports day.

BUT - I don't think sports day should be cancelled because of hot weather. They manage in far hotter parts of the world than this - the one year we have hot weather we should cancel the kids fun??

our kids sat outside for 3 hours yesterday- some of it was shady, some in direct sunshine. school provided water and squash in cups to top up the kids own bottles and parents were allowed to top up kids drinks/sun cream as necessary. Fun was had by all.

HoneyDragon · 09/07/2013 11:32

Hmmm I got the cant arsed face from a TA because she had taken it upon herself to ask which children were not creamed.

She then took it upon herself to have a word. I pointed out that as I knew the weather was hot and they had an outdoor activity I had dressed Ds accordingly in long sleeves and a brimmed hat. Ds is also olive skinned.

I also pointed out the long sleeves were because they had swimming in the morning and the school don't allow the children time to apply cream afterward, before walking back to school.

So I'm on the fence. I think the school should address activities better to keep them out very strong sun, but parents should equip children properly too, to whatever extent the school allow.

And I agree with the other poster who pointed out many secondaries don't let students wear hats at break times. That annoys me.

HeadfirstForHalos · 09/07/2013 12:17

I agree that parents should make sure their dcs have sun cream, water bottles and hats, but its bloody irresponsible for the shool to make them sit outside all day in the sun. Advice is to stay out of the sun during peak Uv hours (I think its 12-3pm?)

HeadfirstForHalos · 09/07/2013 12:20

Sorry, didnt see the update, sounds like a better plan!

SoupDragon · 09/07/2013 12:21

Glad the head has reconsidered the plans. All day on a field is far too much.