To think that infant school pupils don't need special cover up knickers?

[DrSeuss]

A local FB seller is flogging gingham over knickers to wear with school summer dresses. Just in case a child of five should do a cartwheel and someone should see her underwear for a brief moment, presumably? My daughter is five. While I would not wish her to run around showing her Frozen themed undies to the world all day, I have no wish to teach her that she must cover herself at all times. Having taught as a peripatetic in primary schools, I always walked a fine line between wishing they could sit on a carpet without flashing me their pants and thinking that their innocence and lack of inhibitions were to be held onto as long as possible since they would be sexualised soon enough.
Would any of you want to buy the chequered modesty preservers?

DD hates dresses but will wear a summer one with cycling shorts underneath . She asked , I would never have considered it .
She also has gingham blouses and girls shorts , bit of a tomboy .
Gingham pants sound naff though !

TBH gingham knickers seem much more noteworthy and attention grabbing than plain ordinary ones.

My DD asked me for cycling shorts for her uniform. It was ANYTHING I'd done or told her...it was her choice. YABU Some kids don't like the feeling of lack of layers

I saw a girl who's summer dress had been stitched into a playsuit instead of a dress. It looked great and very comfortable, I'd much prefer that to gingham over knickers.

My dd asked herself to wear cycling shorts too.
I was perplexed, but obviously let her.
I don't know if it were suggested at school or what. I don't think so.

She would have been about 7. She wouldn't have worn gingham Big Knickers though.

This is why school uniforms are such nonsense.

My kids primary school did not have uniform. My dd wore shorts and trainers in the summer and jeans and boots in the winter. She was comfortable and could do what ever she wanted without showing her pants.

It was so much easier than uniform. I hate it that she has to wear it in high school.

A quick Google and they are actually a thing, M&S have them in red and blue.

The problem is that if half the class is wearing them, the other will feel as though they ought to be.

This particular approach doesn't feel like a step forward in terms of empowering girls.

My DD (4) wears boys underpants shorts instead of knickers (partly because we went to see the show 'Aliens love underpants' when she was just 3 and she wanted underpants too) as she spends most of her time climbing/ upside down/ feet around her head and I noticed that the knickers used to gape and show her tinkle quite clearly which when on a train isn't nice for the person sitting opposite! I have no problem with her knickers being on show, i just didnt think that the knickers were fitting well enough and the boy shorts do. Bizarrely, you cannot get girl short knickers for girls under the age of 7/8 which I find very odd, despite searching everywhere.

Slightly different to my childhood experience in primary school in another country - we used to be lined up to have knicker checks regularly to ensure we were wearing the right colour knickers... usually by the male teachers!!

We don't have uniform at my DD's school, but several other schools in the area do and the girls are allowed to wear the exact same uniform as the boys - long shorts in summer with polo tops, and long trousers in winter, with sweatshirts or shirts and ties.
What the jell is this obsession with little girls having to wear summer dresses?? Why in 2016 that is even necessary and they can't wear a unisex uniform, is beyond me.

The lady has been inundated so they must be popular.

How do you know Arkwright?

I don't think the girls mind wearing shorts and they seem to choose to wear this dresses and shorts combination in preference to wearing shorts and a polo shirt. It seems to become something of a summer ritual - they start going on the field at lunchtimes and then wear shorts under dresses.

Gingham knickers sound awful, reminds me of PE knickers at secondary school.

Or - worse- the frilly pants that go over nappies.

I don't think they want to wear a unisex uniform- it's not always prescribed. Even my dd, who rather glories in her androgynous appearance, currently wears a polo top, skirt and shorts underneath to school.

My DD primary school, girls can wear trousers. So I've been pondering sending her in boys grey school shorts/trouser shorts. But it's not on the lists for girls.

My DD doesn't seem to have any concerns re her knickers being exposed in the summer dress uniform, that said she doesn't do handstands or cartwheels so much anymore (11 hours intensive training a week at gymnastics last year sucked the joy out of that for her so she quit). That said, she does love wearing skorts.

My Eldest DD, yr 2, has shorts for under her dress because she feels self conscious about the wind blowing her dress up or falling over and people seeing her knickers. She stopped wearing dresses for ages because of it. I saw no harm in a pair of shorts to make her feel more comfortable.

So checked knickers are more modest than plain white ones? Because they match?
If schools have such an issue or parents have such an issue with the practicalities of dresses and underwear being unseen they should just put the child in cycle shorts or tailored shorts.

Most school uniforms are skirts, pink fires and summer dresses and then children are asked to sit crossed legged on a carpet.

I don't have girls but if I did I'm pretty sure I wouldn't be buying silly gingham dresses for school. They are ridiculous items and totally impractical.

In our school hardly any of the girls wear them. At my primary many moons ago we didn't have a uniform and I don't remember any of us choosing to wear a dress instead of something practical.

Mind you, whoever decided white polo shirts were a good idea for any primary school child needs to have a good word with themselves. Luckily our sensible school has dark green polos, much easier to keep looking presentable!

Yes, shorts under a skirt for KS2 standard here. Special frilly gingham knickers?! That match?! You would be laughed out the playground.

Asda pink & white stripey cotton ones are the most popular - & it doesn't matter if they don't match the uniform, no one can see them until your child is doing a handstand

My DD (4) loves dresses, especially flouncy full ones, and would hate this, she also loves her Frozen knickers.

DS (7) announced recently I should put shorts under her dress so nobody saw her knickers, I was quite shocked but apparently that's what they do in the junior class. I gently let him know I would not be doing this as she's four ffs

I feel very sad.

Quite frankly pants are supposed to be the cover-up. You don't need extra cover-up on top of the cover-up.

God they sound awful.

Dd wears shorts under her dress. her choice she's 9 and I guess at that age. I think.making a big deal about wearing them or not wearing them ate equally as bad so no fuss I just let her get on with it.

dd2 doesn't care yet.

Is this sexualisation of little girls doing handstands the reason why little girls are now wearing leggings with pretty dresses?

My GD does not wear a uniform and I so wanted to buy her the little gingham school dresses. I think they are cute.