A school one.

[Inthepurplerain]

I have a son in reception, at what point do you turn your niggles into a complaint?

For example- freezing cold winds today and I hear from my son that he’s been playing outside- with water. When I took off his coat when we got home from school it was absolutely soaking wet. He has been full of cold and poorly a lot since the end of October, with all the viruses spreading recently (i am not referring to coronavirus here) I can’t help but feel that this should be something that can be avoided?

I guess I just feel a bit let down? I try hard to keep my house warm so I’m disappointed that I’m sending him to school to be stood outside in a soaking wet cold when the wind is so cold.

Would you complain about this or just let it go?

suddenly wondering if this is the same school as ds

We had outdoor water play for ds today too.

He had to wash baby dolls to show the importance of health care

No coat on either but he seemed happy enough in pictures

Having worked in Reception, you'd be amazed at how the little darling sneak water out of the bathrooms via cups, buckets, any container they can find, to play with outside when they're not supposed to.

And it's a choice to play with water as well. They don't have to!

Has he previously been in nursery or other childcare?

@reefedsail does it feel good to insult a 5 year old?
He can do up his coat, I’m not even sure if it wasn’t done up- it’s purely an assumption.

And of course I’m happy for him to play outside, I just don’t appreciate him getting soaked and having to walk home so when the wind is very cold- I’m not that precious.
He’s not on an organic diet, and he’s allowed to play with plastic- haha.

& yes- thank for you noticing. I am completely run down with this, I did expect it- it’s only grating today because he’s unwell and has come home wet and cold with isn’t ideal since they’d be sending me letters if he wasn’t at school.

For context my son goes to forest school 3 times a week - all day outside in water, today he was in a stream. Soaked and muddy! But bloody happy and hell!

reefedsail 😂😂😂

I’m on your side op. I wouldn’t like to outside in the cold with wet clothes on so don’t t see why toddlers should have to be.
Can you imagine the stink if you sent him in wearing wet clothes.

Why do people keep referring to “toddlers”?

The child is in reception. He’s not a toddler.

Just tell him not to play with water.

He is very likely choosing to play in water, the staff are not making him play in it. He must really enjoy it. Encourage him to learn to roll up his sleeves and put an apron on.

I wouldn’t make a complaint but I would just mention it in passing during drop off. Something along the lines of “x came home wet yesterday and I’m a bit worried as he’s been off so much due to illness. I’ve spoken to him about keeping his coat done up when playing outside. If you notice it’s undone, please could you remind/help him and steer him away from water if possible ”. I wouldn’t be very happy if my ds came home wet either but I would put the onus onto my ds when talking to the teacher even if I thought otherwise.

Wouldn’t hurt to mention it but teachers and staff do not micro manage out door clothing, a child that is not complaining will be assumed to be ok. Teach your child to ask for help with things.

I’m sure in the early years (pre school and reception) they have to go outside for a certain amount of time per day unless the weather is absolutely terrible! To follow the early years frame work.

I work in a nursery and we free flow which means the children have free access to the garden. If a parent came in and said please could you keep my child in today as they have a cold etc then we'd tell them if they can't participate in the whole day then they shouldn't be in. It's the same for nursery.
I'd be wondering why your child has such a low immune system and I'd be trying to boost that rather than complaining to the teachers who are just doing their jobs and following the eyfs/curriculum

I work in reception. The children are given access to continuous provision, meaning they get to choose the activities they wish to engage with, indoors and outdoors, in most weather conditions, of which water play is one of our daily available outdoor activities. That said, we do insist our children put on waterproof coats, trousers (supplied by school) and wellies if they wish to play in the water area or mud kitchen. However, they don't always stop water running down sleeves and, as others have said, it does rely on the child keeping the coat done up. We do what we can, honestly, but sometimes things just happen. Having said that, if we notice a child has got wet outside, we change them into dry clothes so they're not sitting there wet and cold. But water play is part and parcel of reception, as is being outdoors in all weathers hence me thawing out in a hot bath as we speak! The children don't seem to notice the weather though 😂

My child liked putting mud in his mouth when he was a toddler. Should I have let him do that?

Slightly different I think? Nor should you let them play with sharp knives, or matches..... not quite the same as water play! Dogs

Firstly, children are notoriously constantly ill when in the younger years in school.

Secondly, yes you are being slightly precious. Children love to play, no matter the weather and will get wet.

Your best bet is to make sure DS always has a spare change of clothes at school (this is what all the children in my class have as they love the hosepipe!) and politely say to the teacher “DS has come home a few times wet, would you mind just giving him time to get changed if it happens again?”

Not sure where that random dogs came from

I’d definitely let it go. At least it’s just a cold. My child was playing outside at school after the storms where it was muddy and icy and ended up in emergency surgery. And I’ve had to let that go as frustrating as it is, kids get ill and they have accidents it’s life.

He does have a change of clothes in his bag- however, not a spare coat.

The water play doesn’t bother me, neither just the wetness either really- however, it’s absolutely freezing outside and it just doesn’t seem appropriate.

I understand that might be a bit precious now.

Where are you @Inthepurplerain that it was freezing today? It was double figures here!

Send in a change of clothes for him. In my dd creche if they get wet muddy etc they are changed into spare clothes ive sent in for her.

Children in reception are supposed to have access to outside, no matter the weather, and they are supposed to have access to water play. At my school they are meant to put on one of those plastic waterproof aprons with elasticated cuffs to stop them and their sleeves getting wet, but they don’t always do it, despite knowing they should. It only takes a second for them to get wet.

Coats that are waterproof and have their own elasticated cuffs seem to fare better in my experience. If they’re done up, then the cuffs might get a bit soggy but that won’t lead to a cold child. The coats that have an inner fleece layer and a waterproof outer that you can separate from each other are useless for playing outside, and more often than not, the children struggle to sort the sleeves out without having to ask for help. I will never understand why parents think they are a good idea for school.

If you really don’t want him to get wet, then your best bet is to encourage him to choose other things to play with instead of water. Maybe give him an incentive to come home dry.

This would annoy me. Before Christmas our school had them walking across the street in pyjamas for nativity with no coats on. Having said that, there will be lots of things you will want to complain about so you do need to pick your battles. I complained very early on about an issue and then about 4 more far more serious things happened and I ended wishing I hadn't already complained about the first thing.