To think that leggings as school uniform is not 'lazy parenting'?

[NewStateswoman]

Had a bit of a debate last night with a friend.

My DD wears black leggings to school. Her school isn't that strict about uniform; ties are optional, polo shirts are normal, etc. They do a daily mile run and lots of outdoors activities, and gym 3 times a week.

She's comfortable in leggings, they keep her warm, so that's what she wears (sometimes - she also has skirts and a summer dress).

But my friend was very scathing about the leggings! She says it's lazy parenting, to which I asked in which way I was a lazy parent for sending my daughter to school in comfortable clothes which adhere to the dress code.

She had no reply; essentially she just doesn't like leggings. It's sloppy, apparently, to let kids wear leggings, but other forms of black trousers are ok. I think she assumes it's to save me on ironing, maybe? Which it isn't.

So AIBU to let my daughter go to school in leggings?

Imho leggings are akin to footless tights, they're not trousers because the material on them is very thin and they are designed to be skin tight. However lots of people wear them as trousers, I think this looks bloody awful on anyone over about 10 but each to their own and all that.
There's nothing wrong or lazy about the Ops DD wearing leggings rather than trousers, if the school are fine with it then it's no one else's business.

My DD has school trousers which are basically thicker material leggings that flare out a little at the bottom to make them look more trouser like. She finds them really comfy and they seem to wash and wear well. Hers come from Asda but I'm sure other places do them too.

DD has had pairs like that before too Windward.

What I find weird about this is saying leggings look awful, but if they slightly flare out around the ankle, then that's alright. That's just a style choice then.

the material on them is very thin

Are you all buying really shitty leggings?

I've got many pairs and wouldn't describe any of them as thin, and certainly not akin to footless tights!

White shirts are see through.

As are summer dresses.

It's easier to get non see through leggings than it is to find a shirt thats not see through.

I find leggings a lot smarter than saggy, baggy, scruffy, track suit bottoms.

One of my DDs wears patterned leggings every single day to school, with a long cardigan over the top. They are eccentric with every pattern from math and chemical equations, to muscles, bones, Cheshire cats, cartoon villains, and Mardi Gras themes. I don't see that it is lazy at all. It is actually more laundry and more effort to buy.

Your daughter sounds very cool Jackelope!

Jackelope, I like the sound of your DD's leggings! Do they do adult sizes?

NewStateswoman you're welcome! No charge for you either 😀

I don't understand why people think all leggings are thin and see through. None of mine are.
I buy thick leggings for dd to wear to school sometimes. Mostly on PE days because they are easier for her than tights. I think they look fine with a polo shirt, school sweatshirt and black boots.
Tbh, I think you friend sounds like a twat. Who criticises their friends perfectly reasonable choices to said friend?

If my 'friend' called me a lazy parent, I'd be reconsidering the friendship. Who needs a snotty, judgemental person in their life?

Maybe it is a style choice thing, all I can say is I strongly dislike leggings worn as trousers on adults. It just looks totally wrong and unfinished to me, like going out in tights without a skirt or a dress over the top.

Callenetics unfortunately I changed a minor detail and it was actually my mother... so I'm sort of stuck with her!

I wouldn't do that but that's because I think it's important for children to learn how to dress appropriately for the situation.
Leggings for me are a weekend thing, confortable but not 'smart' so it's not something I would say YES to my DC, even if there was no uniform at the school. Just as I would say no track suit bottom etc...

I'm not sure what it has to do with lazy parenting though unless you're ur friend believe that yur dd is going to school with leggings only because you can't be bothered to make her wear trousers instead??

Provided school are happy (I'm sure they would have said if they weren't) then go with it - sadly our school are full tie, etc. Ignore her!

Xpost.
You have a generational issue there too....

I was always very pro uniform. My kids were turned out in exactly correct school uniform with daily polished shoes for years.

And then we moved to the USA and a non uniform school.

I have completely changed my mind.

There is no difference in behaviour, concentration, school spirit or any of the usual things uniform is meant to engender.

In contrast to come as you please days in the U.K. which turn into a fashion parade, no one cares what anyone else is wearing.

Both my kids have a different sense of style from the others in their class and choose to dress differently, no one has ever said a word.

We live in a very prosperous area where there are lots of kids in brands, no one ever gets teased about not wearing brands.

Their clothes are a complete non issue.

My washing has halved and I spend less money on clothes because they don't now change when they get home.

In summary, IMO people worry entirely too much about uniform and your "friend" lacks manners, tact and kindness.

I'm really surprised that there are schools that accept the students wearing leggings as 'uniform', especially if it's a secondary school

You'd have really been shocked at DSs school then. Hes AS and cant do up his buttons. His trusty market stall that had the easy dress trousers (pull up ones) stopped selling them and DSs school let him go in tracksuit trousers all week until we could source another pair!

We might as well send the kids to school in tracksuits

I think this is an excellent idea.

I've taught children in trousers, shorts, skirts, dresses and jogging bottoms. What they wore never affected their learning.

I wear leggings under my dress to work as it is more practical in the early years as there is a lot of movement between desks, floor groups and so on.

If the child is comfortable, not breaking the school rules and the leggings aren't showing every detail of their underwear leave them to it.

Although I do agree that up the school there needs to be a push more towards a 'traditional' uniform to prepare them for secondary and the work place.

Sorry New. I would have avoided calling your mother a twat, had I known

I think that it being your mum puts a slightly different spon on it - maybe it is a generational thing where school uniforms were expected in the past to be much more formal and children were more classroom based. So maybe your mum doesn't see that leggings are better for the activities your dc are doing.

Ours don't allow leggings as a rule, but for the younger years they turn a blind eye, especially this time of year, not even 3 months left to the end of the school year. Leggings are cheap, kids are growing, not everyone can afford to replace outgrown trousers twice a year. They turn a blind eye if the leggings are teamed with black plimsolls instead of school shoes towards the end of the school year, for the same reason.

I don't see the problem with the leggings. If school is happy with them and your DD is comfy them great.
Dd doesn't have a uniform and lots of the girls (DD included)wear leggings in various colours and patterns. I've certainly never noticed any are see through!

If the DD is 6, there really doesn't seem to be an issue.

If she were 16, the 'lazy parenting' bit would presumably come from an assumption that the leggings are your DDs preferred choice and you are then not bothering to enforce the actual uniform policy, but instead letting her go in fashion clothes that vaguely approximate it, because you can't be bothered to enforce the schools' boundary.
That would be lazy in the same way that willingly letting your child skip or 'phone in' homework that they couldn't be arsed to do would be, or only sending her in with a packet of biscuits instead of a proper lunch, etc etc.

OP I have to say, I have never seen or heard of children going to school in leggings. I can only think of one alternative kind of independent school that's bilingual and lets the 6th formers start school at 1pm that may allow this. I'll be honest, it sounds odd to me.

I'm not sure where people are buying their 6 year old's leggings .

My almost 6 year old DD (Year 1), has lots of pairs of leggings and none are remotely see through!

I do know the style people speak of - for example, I worked as a Carer for many years and some colleagues did try to substitute their smart black trousers for leggings which were often pretty see through! Obviously in that situation leggings look scruffy, unprofessional and (if see through) highly inappropriate. But for a 6 year old? Really?

My DD's school doesn't allow leggings - although they do go to school in a tracksuit 2 days per week - but I really don't see the problem if your school does allow them.

Oh Callanetics it's fine, I was tempted too

I can't stand uniform in general. People always come out with the 'uniforms are a leveller' argument, but I don't buy it. Kids are mean, and they've got excellent radar; a uniform hides nothing - especially not in a village, where everyone knows everything about everyone!

I also got the 'but it saves time thinking about what to wear' argument, but in that case - well, how hard it is on non-school days to pick out clothes. It's not. And on school days, you end up with two sets of clothes being worn, which means extra laundry.