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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

Three pairs of ripped school trousers in as many days...

50 replies

ThisMustBeMyDream · 04/02/2020 23:31

My 4 year old DS has come home from school on Thursday, Friday and today with ripped trousers just below the knee (Monday he was in someone elses trousers coming home - typical PE day!). We've had plenty of ripped trousers over the years but three in a row?! I had ordered him two new pairs at the weekend (he needs M&S skinny fit, nothing else will fit him). So our three pairs are now back down to two. He ruined three relatively new pairs (bought in December as he went up a size) in three bloody days! Would it be unreasonable to ask school to check if there is something at child knee height that may be broken, causing this? Two damaged pairs I would have brushed off, but the 3rd has tipped me over the mad woman edge!

OP posts:

Eemamc · 05/02/2020 21:29

I’d just patch them tbh.

HerkyBaby · 05/02/2020 21:46

Asda school trousers stopped this from happening reinforced with Teflon! You can also buy patch repair kits that you iron on.

KittenVsBox · 05/02/2020 21:54

Patch the new trousers NOW!
And shorts as soon as you can.

Looks like hes been crawling round on the floor to me.

Witchend · 05/02/2020 22:03

Ds wears shorts to school all year round (year 8 state comp)
It's great. Not only if he falls is his knee self healing, but he's currently growing quite fast and all that's happened is his shorts are about 2" above the knee. If they'd been trousers they would be too short.

User7429001 · 05/02/2020 22:09

Now if only I could find a solution to white shirts being ruined with black pen marks day after day

OMG the pen marks I've lost count of the shirts we have been through! Is there a solution?

woodymiller · 05/02/2020 22:13

I patched DS's after a similar run of ripped knees (all football related) He's never torn anything since.

Knittedfairies · 05/02/2020 22:21

It looks more like a worn through patch rather than a rip; is there carpet in his classroom?

ShinyGiratina · 05/02/2020 22:22

Shorts and knee length socks (if it's below 3oC). There's some advantages to him stubbornly refusing to wear trousers The other advantages and that it's years before he grows out of the length, and I don't have to worry about his waist being 4 years younger than his length in age-sizing.

DB spent his primary years having knees patched up most weeks due to football related tumbles. One boy at school was banned from wearing trousers until secondary as his mum was too fed up... but at least the football kept his legs warm!

picklesdragonisawelshdragon · 05/02/2020 22:24

With school's agreement, I bought black jeans for my son at this stage. When he was able to keep the knees in, he went back into trousers.

FixTheBone · 05/02/2020 22:26

Can confirm, as a child I did this frequently by knee-sliding on polished floors.

The shame of having to wear trousers that had been converted into Bermuda length shorts soon stopped me.

noeyedeer · 05/02/2020 22:31

Mine is a small 5yr old who also wears M&S skinny fit trousers. I've got some very strong grey thread and just sewn them up. One pair I've had to patch. He WILL wear them until they're outgrown!

RandomMess · 05/02/2020 22:40

I bought extra long trousers from Asda so could go down in age to get them slim fit enough. Shorts do seem like the answer though...

yikesanotherbooboo · 05/02/2020 23:01

I kept my sons in shorts for as long as possible as I am a rather inexpert mender. Agree though, patch/ darn rather than new trousers.

itsamood · 05/02/2020 23:26

OP I had a minor flaky at my son at the weekend and it turned out he’s been skidding on his knees when the teacher calls them out to sit on the carpet.

Pain in the arse though. He’s 5 and wear the super skinny marks trousers.

To a previous OP. I live in Scotland - if I put my son in shorts to school in January or February they’d call social services. It’s bloody freezing

BlackCatSleeping · 05/02/2020 23:50

I still remember at primary school, there was one boy who wore shorts all year round. We all used to feel so sorry for him standing in the playground while it was snowing. I'm not sure if he was bothered or not I remember he had bad eczema, so it might be because of that. It certainly made him stand out anyway.

Original poster

ThisMustBeMyDream · 06/02/2020 00:13

He won't wear shorts. He already pulls his socks to his knees, and wears a vest, as well as never removing his jumper. I think he feels the cold! He only just tolerates shorts in the summer.

Slim fit isn't the same as skinny fit. M&S are the only current option no matter where else does true skinny fit. We tried them all over the summer holidays, much to my annoyance. He needs the M&S to keep them from falling down. I can't pull another pair in snug enough.

I will google how to patch, but I don't really think I'm happy with that idea, because I wouldn't wear my own clothes patched, so not sure I would want the other kids to notice mine wearing patched clothing. As irritating as it is, I'd rather buy the new ones.

OP posts:

TinklyLittleLaugh · 06/02/2020 00:39

Neither of my vary active lads has ever put a hole in their school trousers. We favoured NEXT extremely skinny fit until recently when DS2’s unending growth forced us to switch to M&S. I don’t like the look of those holes though. Hope Markos doesn’t let us down.

Ariela · 06/02/2020 00:47

Your child won't be the only one with patched knees, I can assure you.

TinklyLittleLaugh · 06/02/2020 00:56

Kids are not bothered by patches OP. DS(13) has just come home with a pair of sock football boots from the spare box at school (apparently £250 new kangaroo leather ) and sewed up all the tears in the socks (under my supervision) and they are, if not quite as good as new, perfectly functional.

Mending and recycling is very cool apparently.

CherryMaple · 07/02/2020 06:37

Have you tried the John Lewis slim fit ones OP? Adjustable waist, Teflon, reinforced knees. My DS gets holes in the knees of his jeans, but his school trousers stay looking great.

QuixoticQuokka · 07/02/2020 16:45

I still use patches off eBay for my secondary school aged child, trousers are worn until outgrown here. They go on the inside of the trousers, so they stop cold air in the winter and the black looks less obvious than a knee showing through, but aren't invisible. I would put schoolwear in the same category as workwear (not officewear), so serviceable is fine.

RatherBeRiding · 07/02/2020 16:49

If he goes in patched trousers he will probably start a trend and they will all want patches!

If you don't fancy sewing, there are plenty of self adhesive patches - or you can get fabric/tent glue. I have patched many a horse rug this way and horses are far, far harder on their clothing than a 4 year old child!

myself2020 · 07/02/2020 17:03

Patch them. mine wear patched trousers from mid september - record was 5 patches on one pair. nobody cares

Pardalis · 07/02/2020 17:52

I have this problem. Drives me bonkers. And I buy reinforced knee ones. I can't wait for the warmer weather and shorts!
I also have to deal with yellow school jumpers that get covered in pen on day 1 !

Formermousemat · 07/02/2020 18:16

I think M&S school trousers aren't as good as they used to be. My son has also put holes in two pairs so far this year. I never had this problem in previous years and he was falling over and climbing a lot more back then, then he is now.

It's frustrating because they seem to be the only ones that fit him due to the adjustable waist. I've had other versions but they just gape.

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