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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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. Shock 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:
HelenaDove · 01/07/2015 18:36

Why are some of the schools doing this Is it a massive power trip or something because its beginning to look that way.

Doyouthinktheysaurus · 01/07/2015 18:49

I wish an hour running in the heat was all it took to stop me being "a fat little fucker"Grin

I did run today, no choice but to go at lunchtime and it was bloody hot. I wouldn't have been comfortable without a water stop halfway and running at a much easier pace. I applied sun cream before as well.

I do think schools should make reasonable adjustments for unusually hot weather. Let's face it, we'll be back to rain within a few days. It's not like we are going to have weeks of this heat. No child will become obese because pe is cancelled for 1 day.

WhirlpoolGalaxyM51 · 01/07/2015 18:59

"Why are some of the schools doing this Is it a massive power trip or something because its beginning to look that way."

Well judging by this thread they would have the full support of lots of parents Confused

Something to do with children these days being fat little fuckers and it'll do them no harm to run around and factor 50 will always work all day on all skins and so forth.

WhirlpoolGalaxyM51 · 01/07/2015 19:00

Oh and WHO NEEDS WATER and well they do it in Australia and it never does them any harm and so forth.

DD was burnt on her face again despite 3 layers of factor 50+ this morning, a hat, and it was a normal day with no PE so 20 min walk each way and usual playtimes.

WhirlpoolGalaxyM51 · 01/07/2015 19:04

Oh Helena just seen that link how awful.

HelenaDove · 01/07/2015 19:10

Whirlpool i said on another thread yesterday that unfortunately i think its going to take a death at a school or workplace before our schools and workplaces start getting their act together over this.

And our public transport system needs to as well.

AuntieStella · 01/07/2015 19:14

BBC article on the death of the 7 year old

It does not say anything about cause of death, other than it not being suspicious.

Poor girl Sad

nellieellie · 01/07/2015 19:15

My DS and DD had sports day this afternoon. They sat in shade when not competing, had water bottles, and we're allowed to apply sun cream. All necessary. Banning water bottles is silly. Kids get dehydrated very quickly, and all very well to say they can drink before and after, but I know that my kids would forget to drink before.

WhirlpoolGalaxyM51 · 01/07/2015 19:17

I don't know that will be enough to get people to rethink, they haven't said what happened yet and many on this thread very firm in their stance that children can and should "take it" even without suncream to apply, shade and so forth. I mean the campaigns around sun safety and stuff have been going for decades and obviously message not getting across all that well at least when it comes to children. The idea that running around in the sun can only be a positive thing is pretty ingrained.

HelenaDove · 01/07/2015 19:19

Whirlpool there is a possibilty that it may not have been the heat of course

She did collapse at lunchtime which is the hottest part of the day so it will be considered as a possibility.

ltk · 01/07/2015 19:32

Some classrooms are just not built for heat. It was hot in mine today, but the classrooms across the corridor were broiling after the sun hit in afternoon. I think sending the children home is essential if the school cannot keep them cool enough.

AskBasil · 01/07/2015 19:40

God the world is full of really stupid people isn't it.

Why bother to take the risk?

Really, why bother?

We live in a very moderate climate, there are about 355 days of the year where it's sensible and healthy to run around outside.

Why bother to do it on one of the days when it could result in sickness or worse?

What's the big deal?

That BBC link specifically mentioned sportsday being cancelled, apropos of nothing. I wonder why.

NeedsAsockamnesty · 01/07/2015 19:49

I was brought up in a hot country. We did not do sports in the middle of the day most were done very early in the morning,our playground was shaded by design and even 30 years ago access to water all the time was the done thing. If we didn't have hats we couldn't go out

YouTheCat · 01/07/2015 19:50

To those saying we need to lighten up because it's just a bit of sun and heat, would you send your children out in -5 temperatures in sandals and a t shirt? I bet you wouldn't.

Everyone should be dressed for the weather, drinking enough water and covering up with sun cream and avoiding the hottest part of the day if possible.

Yes, it might not kill you... yet.

My dad died of skin cancer. I'd rather not take the risk with my health or my kids.

maddy68 · 01/07/2015 20:05

Of course they should do it. Some people really moddle coddle

They will be done. Obviously if they aren't fine the teacher will address this

teachers are used to children

PHANTOMnamechanger · 01/07/2015 20:13

I'm in the no camp. Teachers are used to children, yes, but our children are NOT used to this heat, and nor are their teachers expert in spotting the signs of sunstroke etc, that's without the risk of burning.

DD was in hospital one year and there were about 4 children admitted overnight seriously poorly because their parents/carers had no idea about how dangerous it was to be out for a long time in the sun, even with factor 50 cream on.

WhirlpoolGalaxyM51 · 01/07/2015 20:14

I'm not sure that with the sort of issues caused by the sun, they are kind of immediately obvious in a way that could be "stopped". For eg sunburn comes out after the event - it gets worse over time, things often look "ok" at the time and it's only later that it becomes apparent that someone is terribly burned.

I don't understand why having to go out and exercise for an hour during the hottest hours with no option to put on more sunscreen / wear covering clothes / have access to shade / water is deemed a good thing by so many people. Character building I guess is the idea. It's all a bit Victorian Confused

AskBasil · 01/07/2015 20:20

"Obviously if they aren't fine the teacher will address this "

I wouldn't bet on it tbh.

Floggingmolly · 01/07/2015 20:24

Our school had Sports Day today... Despite furious protestations, they went ahead. How's that for stupid? I would willingly have kept my two off, but they insisted on going in.

tomatodizzymum · 01/07/2015 20:31

What is this 8 hour suncream? I can see that being ok on an overcast day at a temperature of say 18-20. Not an all day solution in temperatures exceeding 30! Factor 50 should be reapplied every 30 minutes-50 minutes max.

I'm not crazy about suncream we don't always use it but we don't toast ourselves either. We don't moddle coddle our kids, my son and his friends go out alone all day on Saturdays, they spend all day fishing in the river with their dogs, making rope swings and swimming, they are 12, they take water and suncream, none of them have ever had sunburn. The boys and the dogs stay in the shade and are adapted to the heat, for them 20 degrees means wear tracksuit trousers and a hoodie (the boys obviously, not the dogs).

People adapt to temperature. The UK is too hot and too humid in the summer. I was there last summer and I was hot. My children would not cope with being outside in the UK in the summer at a temperature of 30+ with no shade, water or suncream. I hope you spoke up OP. Please tell me you told the teacher about herself!

JassyRadlett · 01/07/2015 20:38

What is this 8 hour suncream? I can see that being ok on an overcast day at a temperature of say 18-20. Not an all day solution in temperatures exceeding 30! Factor 50 should be reapplied every 30 minutes-50 minutes max.

8 hour stuff isn't recommended by doctors or the cancer charities. A bit horrified that some head teachers are banning sunscreen in school and telling parents to use all day stuff.

tomatodizzymum · 01/07/2015 20:45

JassyRadlett you're not wrong! Sounds crazy to me, especially as (from reading the thread) it is not just the OP's school.

The thing is heatwaves are so short lived that by the time parents start complaining either school's out for the summer or the heatwave has passed and everyone forgets about it until it rolls around next year. Otherwise I think there would/should be some serious changes in the hot-day rules.

DancingHat · 01/07/2015 20:48

The head at the school my DH was sports coaching at today made the call to hold the PE lesson in the hall rather than outside because of the heat. Yanbu.

Greenrememberedhills · 01/07/2015 21:38

Well a child of 7 has collapsed and died in the SW of England, I suppose it could be heat related.

So YANBU.

However I have a confession to make. I went on a hill walk for just over an hour today and felt fairly woozy by the end of it. Very stupid of me at 2 in the afternoon, I see now. I came home and flopped on the sofa for the rest of the afternoon.

So I'm sure YANBU.