To think that teacher should make sure 4 yr old has a drink?

[aliharris]

OK, DS just started school, had 7 half days and then started full time this week.
All the children have to take a water bottle in, and as DS won't drink anything else, this isn't anything unusual for him. However, he always needs to be reminded to have a drink as he won't stop playing etc to have one unless he is absolutely desperate.
I quickly realised that he wasn't drinking very much and put a note in his home to school book (the messaging system). TA wrote a note that she would encourage him to drink plenty.
Today I picked him up to find he hadn't had anything to drink from his bottle at all. He said he had had one drink from the water fountain, but nothing else, not even at lunch time. I waited to speak to the teacher and she just said, "Well I remind them to have a drink, I can't check individually".
Now I realise he has to learn to drink more, but I am so, so cross that he has gone a whole day at school without a proper drink - his bottle is transparent so it's not like you can't see.
AIBU? If it continues what can I do?

He will drink when he's thirsty. He will be fine

How do you expect a child in a class full of children to be sourced out by the poor overworked Teacher to be treated so well. You need to lower your standards.

I second WipsGlitter - get a grip woman.

Blackholes

Our school have standard water bottles. The water is contained within a simple £1 bottle that we buy.

Because the water is contained in this way, the bottles can stay on their desks and they have access to them and stuff would not get wet.

LOL out at someone thinking all the children would have to actually get up away from desks to drink, when they could have a simple water bottle on their desks.

Even if the water bottles are on the table the teacher can't stand over every child to make sure they are drinking. DS2 keeps his bottle on his table - sometimes it comes home empty, other times it's still full. C'est la vie.

Why do people have to be so mean and say 'get a grip' repeatedly on threads like this? It is aggressive and unnecessary imo.

However, OP I think really YABU sorry. I have a 4 year old too who has just started school. Slightly different but I noticed that she was not wiping her bottom properly at school so I had a chat with her about it and this week her knickers have been in better shape when she came home! She is in a small class but I still wouldn't expect the teacher to be responsible for it. If I were you I would have a chat with him and say to him that he must try to drink more while he is at school.

I am amazed at some of the attitudes on here.

These children are just starting school and are so young.

Our school also has 30 to a class and a TA and yet they have managed to make sure - for a few days that my DD was drinking to help get her into the habit. They also still managed to teach her to read, write and do basic maths and all the other stuff they are supposed to do.

I think beyond what OP is asking, its a basic duty of care, a simple human thing that would take two seconds and was managed perfectly in my school with no adverse teaching problems.

another in the get a grip camp.

also this: a pause somewhere mid lesson for "everyone have a drink now please" is hardly taxing or disruptive to implement surely??"

You've never been in a Reception classroom then, I take it!

@ ...but I am so, so cross that he has gone a whole day at school without a proper drink

YABU

Your child won't miss out on becoming the next Einstein just because he hasn't had a drink of water. It's very unlikely he will get dehydrated in 6 hours, unless you don't give him water in the morning and evening.

Take a chill pill.

There is a point to be made about dehydration though. My 9 year old was doing the bleep test in PE last term and a girl in her class collapsed and was taken to hospital and was found to be dehydrated. But obviously in reception the kids would not be doing this yet and there is time for them to learn the importance of using their water bottle.

sirchenjin

The op asked that her son, her son was reminded to drink.

Can you point out where she said she wants the other children to be also individually monitored?

YAB ridiculous. She is a teacher, not a parent. And if the child is thirsty it will drink.

IAMSlave - And what if several other children are to be 'monitored'? She wouldn't know that because it was confidential, which is why - rough guess - it's not on her OP.

As others have said, if the child is thirsty it will drink. It's not rocket science.

No Sir, not ...what if...I want to make up and project onto op

Where did she say she wants every child to be stood over and encouraged to drink.

Some of the parents on here would do well to remember that, whilst they only have their own children to tend to at home, at school it's very different.

My school do not allow water bottles on desks. Been there, done that, and a cheap £1 water bottle, once it's been kicked around and chewed at the spout by your average child, WILL leak. Ours are kept in a plastic box by the sink, and they can get sips when they need to in class, although NOT during specific instruction time. No one needs reminding, (Yr 4) as it's fairly obvious at the end of playtime/lunchtime, when there's a mass crowd at the sink area whilst others are taking their coats off/going to the loo/settling down. If a parent specifically asked me to remind a child I would, but can do no more than that.

If a parent specifically asked me to remind a child I would, but can do no more than that

I don't think op is asking for more than that Clam?

I am just struggling to see how it was no problem to simply remind my DD for a few days and yet it seems like an enormous le impossible leap for others in schools?

The teacher reminds the class to drink. The OPs doesn't drink. She asks the teacher why not. The teacher replies that she can't check everyone individually.

Do you expect the teacher to remember which children are to be reminded to drink throughout the day and then make a point of reminding them individually?

Yes she is. She said the teacher had said she'd reminded the child, yet then implied that she should have been checking the water level in a transparent bottle at regular intervals as well. Who has time for that, fgs? Not to mention that it wouldn't take 5 minutes for a canny child to evade detection by tipping some out.

Sir

I am not sure if you are reading my posts.

I did ask this, it was done, there was no problem with doing so and the problem was, solved.

What can I do

Talk to your child, not his teacher. Make sure he understands you think it's important he drinks enough in the day. But given it's only a few hours he's at school, he will survive even if he doesn't drink at school.

Dd2 had nearly 3 weeks of school in January, due to a combination of constipation, dehydration and a chronic urine infection (they were all linked in a cycle). On that occasion I did ask her teacher (she was yr 1) if she could have a drink on the table, and if it would be possible to make sure the bottle was finished by the end of the day. Her teacher was fine with this, as it was important at that particular time.

But ultimately it was down to me to teach dd2 how important it was for her to drink regularly through the day.

I waited to speak to the teacher and she just said, "Well I remind them to have a drink, I can't check individually"

Am I mis reading something here? ^

Yes, I am reading your posts IAm. The OPs child's teacher has explained that she can't remind each child individually. Your DD's teacher was able to, but this thread isn't about you and your DD.