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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

To think they should not have been allowed to do PE in this heat?

179 replies

Teacherinatutu · 30/06/2015 19:31

I am willing to accept IABU if you genuinely think I am.

It's very hot here today (around 33 degrees).

Ds came home tonight very hot and red. They did an hour long PE lesson in the afternoon heat. He said they weren't allowed back in for a drink until the end of the lesson and they were on the field with no shade.

I don't think they should have been in the sunshine at all when it's at its hottest let alone doing P.E.
Plus, the school also has a rule where sun cream is banned and parents must apply the 8 hour protection before school which isn't as effective by 2.30pm.

AIBU?

OP posts:

TheTravellingLemon · 30/06/2015 21:51

I burn very easily and factor 50 applied in the morning will not last me until the afternoon. I have also had heatstroke a number of times. It's perfectly possible for me to get heatstroke after being in the sun for an hour.

For those of you who are saying it won't do any harm, you are wrong. It's so horrible. Vomiting and passing out and feeling just dreadful. It really is nasty, not to mention the risk of skin cancer and the pain of sunburn.

WhirlpoolGalaxyM51 · 30/06/2015 21:59

Even just sunburn is nasty. It hurts and is sore. And of course there's the damage you can't see (I have permanent skin damage quite extensively on my chest from the sun, and have never been madly cavalier, got burnt a few times as a kid and a couple of times on hols as per standard in the years I was growing up).

The advice for years has been, cover up where poss, long sleeves hats etc, sunscreen, and stay out of the sun in the hottest part of the day where you can.

I can't understand why people think the rules should be different for children. the only reasons given seem to be "they won't die" and otherwise they'll be"fat little fuckers".

WhirlpoolGalaxyM51 · 30/06/2015 22:01

TheTravellingLemon I also burn even with high factor on.

I think that people think you & I and other posters who have said this are lying though? What our motivation would be, I can't imagine. Maybe we are lying because we are looking for any reason to get our fat little fucker children out of PE.

brickinit · 30/06/2015 22:06

Mad dogs and Englishmen go out in the midday sun. Remember that song?

I think it CAN do children harm if they exercise at the hottest part of the day and aren't getting adequate water.
Especially seeing as they are not used to it. They haven't built up as much tolerance to heat as children from hotter countries would have done.
So it can be dangerous and lead to heat stroke.

I bet countries that are used to hot weather manage their school day so that PE is done during the cooler hours.

AngelsWithSilverWings · 30/06/2015 22:08

My DD age 6 is due to take part in a whole day of rugby tomorrow and I'm really worried about the heat and the sun.

Our school won't usually allow sun cream to be taken to school but they have made an exception for tomorrow and have said that they will supervise the children reapplying it.

They have also arranged to borrow some gazebos to put the children under when they are not playing.

I'm not usually one to worry about stuff but even I think they should probably cancel the event.

brickinit · 30/06/2015 22:10

Angels, if enough parents complain, they may just cancel it.

I would complain.

Gummygummygumdrops · 30/06/2015 22:14

I, being a teacher, have been in a similar situation today. We went on a trip to a place where no (or very little) shade was available! Although they were asked not one of my children bought sun cream! I am not allowed to put sun cream on children. Many of the children got burnt and I am feeling awful about it!

Coffee1234 · 30/06/2015 22:16

Whirlpool - can you get zinc in the UK? Nippers (surf lifesaving) can be a challenge with regard to burning in Australia. Their bodies are usually fine but noses and cheeks can get pink after hours at the beach. Zinc works brilliantly. They're socialised to think that's it's ok to have bright white/vivid flouro faces though

TheTravellingLemon · 30/06/2015 22:16

WhirlpoolGalaxyM51 people in RL think I am lying too though, or at least exaggerating. The amount of people who tell me that I need to expose my skin the sun a bit and then I wouldn't be so prone to burning is unbelievable. Or I shouldn't use factor 50 because I'm not giving my skin a chance to get used to it. I've had this skin for over 30 years. I know how it reacts to sun. Badly. < that's me.

SayThisOnlyOnce · 30/06/2015 22:17

At my DC school they will not be allowed outside tomorrow if they haven't got a hat. I imagine they have made a big announcement as even DS seems to have listened!

blendedfamilygrinch · 30/06/2015 22:19

The soldiers who died in SAS training last year were doing a bit more exertion than an hour's PE!

I don't think OP has said that dc was burnt - just hot & red after walking home.

Dd (yr2) has sports day tomorrow (London). There is facebook frothing that it hasn't been cancelled. They have cut it to 1 hour for yr 2+ & 1/2 hour for reception & yr 1. They are providing gazebos & water stations & sent a bunch of reminders about hats, water bottles & lotion. All done by 11 & then dc will be back in air-con classrooms. They will be fine.

Coffee1234 · 30/06/2015 22:20

This is all really interesting. In Australia no hat = no play all year round and re application of sunscreen during the day is a given. An eight year old should be able to put their own sun screen on though.

Bannerstaying · 30/06/2015 22:24

At our schools Commonsense flys out the door as they enter the scool building heads and teachers just going along with it because it's timetabled likewise playing out in the mid day sun at lunchtime. They never allow time to apply suncream and hats just add to making heads hot and sweaty so the kids don't want to wear them and shout because they struggle to change quickly etc.

Aeroflotgirl · 30/06/2015 22:27

It's really bad that the children were not allowowed water for one our, and were exposed in the heat for that time and no shade. I woukd be having words with the Ht.

Twodogsandahooch · 30/06/2015 22:28

Reminds me of the time 800 of us had to sit in 30 degree heat with no shade, watching Virginia Wade open our new school tennis courts. She even had a little knock about with one of our teachers whilst we frazzled on the sidelines. No hats and no suncream. Lots of pink schoolgirls.

Walked to the station after work with my Ghanian colleague today. He was wearing a black anorak. I think he thought London's attempt at summer was a little pathetic.

tomatodizzymum · 30/06/2015 22:34

No YANBU because of this

He said they weren't allowed back in for a drink until the end of the lesson

No No No just NO. We live in a hot climate. My children do PE everyday, with the exception of swimming it is (by law) under a complete cover and frequent trips to the water fountain are essential. Are they trying to kill the children? I'm gobsmacked!

coffeeisnectar · 30/06/2015 22:35

It was 33 degrees here today and a bunch of us took the kids to the beach straight from school where they all ran about until 8pm. They were fine.

Tomorrow is sports day and its going to be nearer 38 degrees but it's going ahead. Kids will be out from 1pm until 3pm.

Then we are all heading to the beach again. This weather won't be around forever. Enjoy it. I'm sure if you look hard you'll find a post on here somewhere saying "it's so hot, why was my child forced to do pe indoors today"

LadyPlumpington · 30/06/2015 22:41

I grew up in the Emirates and we did PE every week (outdoors) until around April when the temperature routinely exceeded 35 degrees celsius. We were then permitted to do PE inside. No water bottles, no shade, no sunscreen.

Ah, the early nineties.

I'm sure the kids will be fine as it's a one-off but I'd be less impressed if it happened regularly.

Happfeet2911 · 30/06/2015 22:42

It's warm, not life threateningly hot! How do people survive where today's temperatures are normal for 5 or 6 months of the year. All this rubbish about being too hot to do anything is pathetic, it's summer for gods sake!

AskBasil · 30/06/2015 22:43

"Why is it a Good Thing to make a bunch of kids run around without water in the sun for an hour?

Because it stops them turning into fat little fuckers."

But it doesn't, does it? Real food in proper amounts and regular exercise does that.

Not sure if what the OP describes is an effective method of producing kids with a positive attitude to sport, exercise and healthy living.

Then again, I don't know if that's the aim.

Happfeet2911 · 30/06/2015 22:46

29 or 30 degrees warrants cancelling a school sports day, pathetic! Stick some sun cream on them and let them get on with it.

LadyPlumpington · 30/06/2015 22:48

Oh god, I've just remembered our sports days. 3 or 4 hours at a time out in the sun with minimal cover or water! I can't say I noticed at the time tbf.

Our school also insisted that everyone left the air-conditioned buildings at breaktimes and lunchtimes and sat outside. We tended to cling to the walls for the shade. There was no free water available.

Our school was pretty rough now that I think of it

Aeroflotgirl · 30/06/2015 22:48

No water is extremely worrying, dehydration!!!!

tomatodizzymum · 30/06/2015 22:50

We don't make children go outside in the blazing sun, especially not between 12-3. All schools in Brazil have school playgrounds that look something like

To think they should not have been allowed to do PE in this heat?

vaticancameos · 30/06/2015 22:58

Last Thursday when it was very hot my DD 5 was allowed to run around in hot sun for an hour by after school club with no water, no sun hat and no shade. She ended up in a&e with heatstroke. So it's a completely unnecessary risk.

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