To think I'm not an idiot so I'll dress my child in whatever coat I choose?

[Dollslikeyouandme]

Quite annoyed at what I've just read in ds school newsletter.

'Some children are still wearing thin Summer coats or fleeces, children not dressed appropriately with a warm coat may not be allowed to play outside'.

Ds is still in his 'Autumn' coat. Quite thin, with fleece lining inside and a hood. Yes it is thin and hasn't got much warmth, but, he'll be wearing a jumper underneath, and running around getting hot at playtime. I've got him a thick winter coat ready for when in my opinion it's cold enough to wear it. And he has had it on Fireworks night for example when it has been bitter.

He's sent in with hat, gloves and says he is warm enough and doesn't want his thick coat on as he's too hot.

Our choice or the schools?

Fleeces aren't waterproof

Summer coats (not sure what defines them really) are fine imo, as long as they're waterproof.

Perhaps the letter is just worded badly?

Yours, school is probably blanketing all parents with the message as a couple really do have thin coats on. Nothing like pissing the many off rather than tackling it directly with the few.

If it was a general thing I'd assume your child is dressed appropriately (I wouldn't put a kid in the coat you described in summer) and this was aimed at parents who aren't dressing their kids appropriately.

I would however, send a note explaining that you read and understood their letter but clarifying that your child will always be dressed appropriately and if they disagree to raise it directly.

The school are just trying to get the message over to the parents that are not sending their children into school with a suitable coat without starting a mass kick off.

Not working well obviously

The temperatures around here recently haven't been too toasty. brrr!

Well I got the coat specifically for Autumn when it's cold but not bitter/windy. He has a Summer coat that's thinner again, and short.

His coat is thin and not very, very warm, but imo its sensible and yes, waterproof.

I had a warm coat on at the weekend and got very hot just going for a walk.

Neither of mine have taken a coat at all yet

I do keep expecting to be spopen to but they say they don't need one and tbh I'm not fighting. They're not tiny though.

I don't think the letter's aimed at you op

It says "may not" not "will not"

That means that if the school thinks it's too cold to go out without a coat at any time the kids won't be allowed to go out with a coat. Not "as from the date of this letter, no coat=no play outside"

Has he been "not allowed to play outside"? If not, I would assume the teachers are sensible like you and have realised that his coat/fleece combo is perfectly fine. I don't know where you are OP but around here there has only been one properly cold day so far this season.

I think there are always going to be a handful of parents who really don't dress their children properly, unfortunately.

We've had parents who send their kids with no coat at all because they bring them in the car and just don't think.

I wouldn't worry about it, OP.

They'd love you then Atari! Ds is 5, but he'd sure tell me if he was cold. We're outdoors every weekend when it's not tipping it down, long walks, in the park, for hours and he hasn't froze yet. In fact he's always warm and toasty.

There's a whole bunch of children at DC's school that turn up with no coats at all whatever the weather.
A whole other bunch that turn up in just thin fleeces (in the rain).
And a whole other bunch that won't wear their coats for love nor money though they are forced to take it with them, looking at my DS here.

The school is targetting these folks, not those that make a reasonable attempt to provide their DC with something appropriate.

It's the schools choice because they are responsible got them whilst they are there.

Having said that is was a newsletter, not a personal one aimed at you. Discus it with his teacher or send him in with a letter if you don't feel it's appropriate to your situation but it wouldn't surprise me if there are many children at your sons school who aren't feeling as warm. The letter will be for their benefit.

In other words, don't take it personally as it wasn't a personal letter.

*for them

No, he hasn't been stopped from playing out, only on rainy days when it's wet play and no one is.

Just don't want them thinking I can't be bothered to get him a proper coat or anything. But November doesn't automatically = freezing, I haven't even had to de ice the car yet. If last year is anything to go by thick coats will be needed right up until April, we had snow and minus temperatures right up until early April.

I think there are very few days when boys children playing outside would be cold in UK. They're far too active. If you go to watch football in deepest winter the players are still in shorts even though it feels bitter as a spectator.

Pah. DDs school has a uniform coat. No arguing there. Black, John Lewis waterproof with inner, removable fleece. It is to be worn over a blazer.

DD does not wear this coat. Neither does anyone else. They all carry it to school and either stick it in their lockers for the week or just carry it backwards and forwards. She ^may> wear it in snow but very, very rarely otherwise.

It was in the Newsletter; it wasn't aimed at you.

The letter is prob not aimed at you but parents who send their little children in with no coat/v lightweight summer jackets. I am a nursery teacher and it happens a lot. Sometimes it's easier to send a general letter rather than speaking to individual parents. Sometimes I don't think parents of foundation stage children in particular don't realize quite how long their children spend outside.

I think you are taking this too personally - it won't be your DS's coat that they are worrying about.

Yes probably not MrsCakes, took it a bit personally as it mentioned thin coats/fleeces, and ds is fleece lined.

I shall just carry on as I think best.

If your child is wearing a thin coat with fleece lining inside and a hood, and a hat and gloves...the letter obviously isn't aimed at you.

Just ignore it.

YADBU

you know nothing.

nothing about kids. at all.
definitely nothing about your own kids. the notion! ha!

you don't understand about the weather either. It's cold when The School says so.
how dare you think you could choose what's best for your kids?! ever?!
you have to wait for The School to tell you what's best for them.

It's appalling really that you have dared to make any life choices at all without consulting The School first.
tsk tsk.
you should have waited for them to provide you with the relevant information about your job options, if & when to get married, when & how many children you should have etc.

but you didn't.
so you have failed as a parent, as a citizen and as a human being. fact.
shame on you.

btw, I was kidding.

of course it's your choice, and I don't think it was aimed at you.
but I would have gotten annoyed about that too.

same with the suncream & hat warning in the summer.