School and 'rules' re shorts under dress

[oblada]

Before I take this further quick 'poll'; does your school insist that girls wear shorts under their dress if they want to mess about at break time in a way that could involve someone seeing their knickers? Would you expect a rule like this? My daughter is saying that her school and her after school club have told her off for doing gymnastic 'moves' during break time whilst wearing a dress with no shorts or tights underneath. She says she's been told it's 'rude' because people can see her knickers. She is 6yrs old btw. I think this is completely bonkers and she should be allowed to do as she wish as long as she is not actually showing her 'privates' to people on purpose. Underpants are underpants and are not offensive (to me). Of course I don't know yet how much she has actually been told off, or whether it's peer pressure rather than school so I'll go and ask later. But thought I'd gather some views!

Us nowhere you mean ?
If it suits you I’ll try and write passively in future and with my best intentions I will try my upmost to not come across as a mansplainer or threatening male. I will however make my feelings known where appropriate. In the same manner.

Same manner I do mean passively

That’s all I’m asking, lay off the insults and the laying down the law because you’re a man, and you’ll get on better.

Call shit out you disagree with, I do (which is why we’re having this little snit). It was the manner in which you did it that ripped my knitting, not the crux of what you were saying.

As someone who worked in a couple of primary schools for several years, the problem is NOT THE KNICKERS! The issue is that many young girls’ knickers are badly fitting and rather baggy, so unfortunately their vulvas are quite often on show when sitting cross-legged on the carpet, hanging upside down from the climbing frame or doing cartwheels. It is a SAFEGUARDING ISSUE! If you don’t want your DSs wearing shorts or leggings then make sure that they are wearing darker coloured/opaque, shorts-style knickers with a bit of a leg. Job sorted.

Very good . We should proceed then . My apologies for your knitting analogy.
One other matter though, is it ok not to want men on mumsnet ?

Haha “ripping my knitting” is a Scottish phrase, I can’t actually knit more’s the pity

No I don’t think that’s ok, at all. It’s a site for all, and I see no reason why men should be made to feel unwelcome or unwanted.

I’m off for a bit, got reading and beds to sort . Thank you for the discussion. I hope we do chat more but in better light.

Ours doesn't have a rule like that! I have seen some little playsuits in a few stores now as a alternative to the normal school summer dress which I thought was a good idea!

@singledadstu bedtime here too (for the wee ones anyway). Sounds good.

Wow things have changed! When i was at primary school (im now 29) we were told off for wearing shorts underneath our dresses as it “wasn’t ladylike” and for hygiene reasons apparently.

Absolute nonsense imo. If you think seeing a pair of pants on a 6 yr old is rude then there is a problem with you...you’re sexualising children. They are not wearing black, see through, lace thongs are they? Children should be able to play freely without worrying whether someone catches a glimpse of thier pants. Btw, I work in a school and more often than not, it’s the boys pants we see most. Trousers falling down at the back and a pair of Spider-Man pants showing or flies undone...do they think this is sexually inappropriate aswell. Girls get to a certain age when they suddenly become self aware and conscious of thier bodies and this is when they ask to wear shorts. Until that day, leave them alone and let them enjoy the freedom of being a child!

I don’t think it's sexual, and I wouldn’t want my son’s pants being exposed either.

Underwear is private. That’s my take on it. Nothing sexual, just that.

It’s just an item of clothing. Vest and pants. No one minds seeing a vest do they? All the primary children get undressed for PE down to thier underwear anyway.

I've had the opposite trouble at my children's school. Both my daughters (nearly 9 and 6) wear navy cycling shorts under their skirts or summer dresses. Generally they can't be seen, unless they do gymnastics which they enjoy, and they were keen to wear them because some of the other children tease about seeing knickers. I have no issue with them wearing them, though the school is great in that it has a unisex uniform policy so girls can wear shorts or trousers and boys can wear skirts or dresses, it's personal choice.
However, my older daughter was told off in assembly for wearing her cycling shorts under her dress when the teacher caught a flash of them. I am rather concerned that teachers are interested in what my daughter has on under her skirt which is generally not exposed. (They don't object to them wearing them at playtime, just in class, which is when you generally can't see them!). I've told my daughter that if she is told not to wear them to say that her mother insists and they can have that discussion with me. Though it doesn't appear to have been said since. Personally, I think it should be personal choice what you wear under your uniform, though I take the point of the person who works in a school and says that some children have ill fitting underwear so that their private are on show, I can see why school would want that covered.

I don't think it's to cover knickers either. Little girls knickers don't seem to be made the same as when I was a girl. Mine were the Bridget Jones type with lots of elastic and tight around the leg holes. Some of the knickers for small girls just seem so loose around the legs and don't cover them as well as they should.

I agree with Soddingunicorns. I remember being put off doing handstands because I didn't want people to see my knickers. We had to wear skirts/dresses at school, it would have been great to be allowed to wear little shorts under them.
Just to add, both my boys didn't like people seeing their underpants when they were getting changed for PE. I think body awareness and a need for privacy develops quite young, and it's equally felt by boys and girls.

Rather odd considering all the schools I've worked in, the kids are encouraged to be active as possible in their short breaks, and at that age all stand in a spot in class and change from uniform to pe kit, so everyone sees each other in underwear, no fuss, unless parents stipulate otherwise then those individual children would go into the class loo. My ds is yr 5 and still does the same- I know because he likes to wear a vest on PE days.