To expect my 9 year old to be allowed to wear a coat...

[amy85]

Aibu to expect my 9 year old to be allowed to wear his coat for pe when the school insist on outdoor pe even tho it's cold and raining???

Rained all afternoon here and ds came out of school soaking and shivering

@Wetweekend99

You just need to buy more appropriate outdoor pe clothes. A light weight jacket and maybe thermals on pe day.

You can buy what you like but if the school won't let the kids wear it, it's pointless.

Stuff like this is why I loathed PE. The teachers used to be dressed in sensible clothes and we'd be running around in shorts and a t-shirt. Did cross country running in the snow in shorts and a polo shirt. I was blue with cold because I could only walk due to an injury yet was forced to take part.

@FreekStar

Stop exaggerating OP!

If DS had been siting in wet clothes all afternoon, then he wouldn't still be 'soaking wet' at hometime. And if he had a hoody on, then his t-shirt underneath would have been pretty dry.

It's only September, not January! it's been around 15 degrees in the UK.
this afternoon.

It's weird to do exercise in a coat unless it's a specific running jacket or something.

The PE teacher isn't doing PE- they're teaching it, and if out all day will need to wear a coat- kids are are probably only out for about 40 minutes and should be running around so not cold.

I don't know where you are in the U.K. but it's been absolutely bucketing it down here pretty much all day. I wore wellies to drive to the dentist as the rain was so hard and I only have canvas trainers which would have been soaked through in seconds.

If I'd been out in it for PE for an hour it would have been horrible. Soaked through to underwear type rain. Trainers soaked through and sodden. And then have had to sit like that for the rest of the day! No, would have been hideous.

I'd not be happy if that were my child.

@FreekStar

I live in a pretty rainy part of the country. I walked home in the pouring rain- about a 20 minute trek - and by the time I got home, the rain had soaked through my quite thick hoodie.

So OP's son would have been sat in wet clothes, in a school with windows open. On a cold day. His clothes would not be dry by the time he got home.

I hate this sort of school rule. It wouldn't be allowed in a workplace.

@FreekStar

You haven't been in cumbria today then. It has been icy here and I'm someone who normally doesn't need a coat until November time. Sometimes the temperature can be mild, but feels colder because of a breeze/wind etc. School playing fields are often cold because they are so open. If you get wet, and then you have to sit in a classroom with windows open, you would feel cold.

I would raise this with school. Hopefully, it will be one of those Covid things that they just haven't thought through and they will change their policy. Unfortunately, at the moment, there are rather a lot of those! I had to find spare clothes for a child today who had fallen in a puddle (bum first obviously)!

I would politely ask the teacher for more information. I'd want to know if you have the whole story. Sometimes kids don't hear instructions, so it's possible the teacher told them to bring jackets but yours didn't. Or sometimes kids just make bad decisions and are sorry/embarrassed for it later. Even good kids are strange creatures at times.

One teacher in primary stipulated that they wanted all the kids to have waterproof coats and trousers and a jumper in their house colours for PE which wasn't part of the PE kit. They wanted to do PE whatever the weather. You wouldn't believe the complaining on the parent's WhatsApp.

What is the logic behind them wearing pe kits to school on days when they have pe? I don't understand

@mynameisigglepiggle

What is the logic behind them wearing pe kits to school on days when they have pe? I don't understand

Hard to change in classrooms/changing rooms without bursting bubbles (if children too old for boys/girls to change together) and wanting to limit things brought in from home are the two justifications I've heard.

@mynameisigglepiggle they aren't allowed to go into changing rooms is my understanding so no changing fromuniform into pe kit

@FreekStar its been pouring down and cold where we are and if you get wet clothes it takes hrs to dry
I have got clothes on my airer now from this morning that are still damp in a warm house
Let alone a school which likely has windows etc open as many do
If its raining heavily a lightweight waterproof isn't a bad idea or maybe not doing the pe if rain is too heavy
A classroom if wet cold children certainly not going to make a good afternoon of teaching
Op def bring up with schools as many have pointed out other schools are being more sensible

@youdidask

One teacher in primary stipulated that they wanted all the kids to have waterproof coats and trousers and a jumper in their house colours for PE which wasn't part of the PE kit. They wanted to do PE whatever the weather. You wouldn't believe the complaining on the parent's WhatsApp.

To be honest, if I was expected to buy a new waterproof coat, trousers and jumper in a specific house colour, in addition to DS’s existing waterproof coat and trousers, just because the PE teacher wanted them all matchy, I think I’d be bitching on WhatsApp too. It’s a complete waste of money. Give them a tabard or something to wear over their existing clothes.

And where do you even find a red, green or whatever house colour pair of waterproof trousers? They usually just come in blue or black.

My 8 year old hasn't been doing PE at all. They don't have a PE uniform anyway, they do PE in their normal clothes and just change their shoes. But we haven't even been allowed to send in shoes this year.

It was pouring with rain today where I am, and felt very cold. I would not be pleased if my child was sent out to run round in that without any way of keeping dry, or any way of changing into dry clothes.

I absolutely loathe getting wet, unless I know that I can get dry immediately afterwards. Even getting the cuffs of my shirt or the hem of my trousers feels unbearable to me. I'd have found this really upsetting when I was that age.

I'd question the outdoor pe in wet weather myself.

@caughtalightsneeze

My 8 year old hasn't been doing PE at all. They don't have a PE uniform anyway, they do PE in their normal clothes and just change their shoes. But we haven't even been allowed to send in shoes this year.

It was pouring with rain today where I am, and felt very cold. I would not be pleased if my child was sent out to run round in that without any way of keeping dry, or any way of changing into dry clothes.

I absolutely loathe getting wet, unless I know that I can get dry immediately afterwards. Even getting the cuffs of my shirt or the hem of my trousers feels unbearable to me. I'd have found this really upsetting when I was that age.

I find no PE more sad than soggy PE. There will be children not developing their physical skills. I'm not saying going out when it's pouring is appropriate, but no PE at all is an awful solution.

I agree. I don't think it's great. My son is someone who really needs PE because his coordination is poor and his motor skills aren't great.

This just shows how dated the school system still is. Pointless rules that benefit who? Old fashioned stiff upper lip BS

[quote lizbetlizbet]@Grobagsforever getting cold and wet weakens the body, exposure to cold adversely impacts the body's immune system.[/quote]
@lizbetlizbet

Link to actual evidence of this pls?

My DCs' primary has both indoor PE and children changing in / our of their PE kits as normal.

@grobagsforever it speaks for itself surely? But if not, a quick google will be your friend - the major med sites all say the same thing.

@lizbetlizbet

No it doesn't speak fo itself which is why I asked for evidence...

How good is your knowledge of the body, how the immune system works, how the body reacts to being cold and wet for any period of time?
I am not being facetious just confused about your question.
Have you googled?

Do you think the main med sites are talking tosh and you want to see the actual research?

I wonder if the posters saying “skin is waterproof”, “it’s not cold in the UK”, and “being a bit cold won’t kill him”, have ever experienced sitting for hours in the cool with wet clothes on? It's very unpleasant, not fucking character forming! I bet they'd have trouble concentrating on lessons if they were in that position

Jeez, I see there are still some PE teachers seemingly doing their utmost to put children off physical activity 🙄 Back in my day we had to do PE in the cold and wet with short-sleeved tops and tiny PE skirts, whilst the PE teachers were wrapped up warm and dry 😠 It was bad enough but at least we were able to get changed and warm up afterwards. I fucking hated them and hated PE, and it put me off sport for life. I wish I wasn’t such a good pupil back then or I’d have refused to do it. Sod detentions. Yes, I’m scarred and bitter about PE lessons, and angry that we don’t have a better system for encouraging physical activity for life.

No-one should be sitting around in sweaty/damp/wet clothing as they will be getting very cold (due to evaporative cooling) and miserable, which is not conducive to engaging with learning. Last time I couldn’t get out of sweaty clothes quickly I became very cold indeed, and (whether it was a coincidence I’m not sure) ended up with a pukey migraine and was out of action for the next 2 days🤮🤒. I’m a keen walker, will go out in all weathers, but it’s only enjoyable because I have suitable clothing that keeps me dry and warm and I’m able to get changed straight afterwards.