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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Staying in school uniform after school?

217 replies

Jupin · 13/10/2020 19:12

Thought I would start a thread to see what others do as my partner and his family always comment on the fact that my DS stays in his uniform after school and I don’t see the issue so wondered if it isn’t normal.

He has fresh uniform every day but keeps it on until he gets ready for bed. If he wants to get changed then he will just get ready for bed early but I’ve never got him to get changed into other clothes when we got home and partner thinks I should.

I never got changed after school apart from as a teen when I was going out with friends after school. But partner and family are really judgey about it like it isn’t normal and it’s not hygienic (not covid they have always felt that way).

So do your children get changed after school and Is there something I’m missing about why I should be making him change?

OP posts:
Dutchesss · 13/10/2020 21:05

Mine stay in uniform, they have the option to change if they want to, but rarely do. Primary school age.

Igotthemheavyboobs · 13/10/2020 21:07

The people saying it is about hygiene, covid excluded, do you make your children change every 7 or so hours on weekends too? I am imagining you all get them dressed at 9, then a random change at 4 then a bath a pj's 2 hours later.

Cheesypea · 13/10/2020 21:09

Sounds like your partner and his mum dont have enough to worry about tbh. Your alright op.

Serena1977 · 13/10/2020 21:09

My DC always got changed after school, as I got changed into chilling clothes after work for relaxing.

Now its strip off in hall, clothes into washer, up to bathroom for shower each, into lounge wear.

I change and shower after school run in a morning too.

winetime89 · 13/10/2020 21:11

Nope don't change mine, they have fresh uniform everyday, if I got them changed that's another set of clothes I'd need to wash.

BlueJava · 13/10/2020 21:13

Both of mind wanted to get out of their uniform and into "normal" clothes asap! And I don't blame them - hate school uniforms.

Misskittyfantastico85 · 13/10/2020 21:13

My dd(11) changes straight from school and always has done, and then changes into dance clothes 4 nights a week then back into normal clothes before finally getting pjs on. She doesn't feel comfortable in her uniform and does wear her normal clothes more than once so theres not massive amounts of washing. But yanbu I think it's an each to their own situation

crimsonlake · 13/10/2020 21:14

I always made mine change even when they were teenagers...get out of that uniform. For some reason I was very regimented about it, although certainly not other areas of life.

ChrissyPlummer · 13/10/2020 21:15

Always got changed as soon as I got in from school. Do the same now with work, I have never felt comfortable staying in ‘work’ clothes any longer than I absolutely have to. I wear a uniform in my current job and would NEVER keep it on any longer than necessary. I don’t even like going to the shop on the way home. I’m much comfier in trackies/PJs.

Rosebel · 13/10/2020 21:15

My middle child always does regardless of if she has an activity or not. My eldest is less likely to and just takes off her jumper and tie. If she does change it's usually in to her pyjamas.
I do prefer them to change just so I don't have to worry about getting extra marks off their uniform but I don't insist on it (I did when they were younger and more likely to get their tea on it).

User260486 · 13/10/2020 21:16

Always changed out of uniform into something much more comfortable, it is a habit now. It is much more relaxing to wear a jersey top instead of a shirt or blouse, joggers rather than school trousers or skirt And uniform gets quite dirty in primary - they sit on a carpet in a classroom, spill glue or paint, food gets stuck occasionally.
We also change out of our work clothes as soon as wr get home.

Redwinestillfine · 13/10/2020 21:19

Yes we change here. First thing they do when they get in is out of uniform and ( hopefully) don't leave it on the floor then changed into something more comfy/ onsie or ore Covid into whatever activity they had on clothes.

maddiemookins16mum · 13/10/2020 21:20

Mine changed out of uniform as soon as she got home.

mumof1879 · 13/10/2020 21:21

Uniform off and in the shower as soon as home from school. Did this pre Covid to save the pre bed ‘I don’t want a bath/shower moans’ and then pyjamas after shower.

Flanelle · 13/10/2020 21:22

Are they going to do the extra washing?

heymammy · 13/10/2020 21:25

It's only my primary school dc who wears a uniform and he doesn't get changed after school. It's a very casual, comfy uniform, basically jersey shorts and a polo shirt so there's no need for him to change in to a different pair of shorts and a t-shirt 😂

OnTheBenchOfDoom · 13/10/2020 21:25

Always.

Both pre-covid and now. Think about primary school, children walk on the pavements where dogs have pissed and shat, children do walk through the remains of badly scraped off dog shit and then walk that into the school classroom carpet. Then those children sit on that carpet, sometimes they kneel down and put the soles of their shoes on their skirts or trousers. Those carpets are at best hoovered, never deep cleaned unless someone has been sick on it.

Even in year 5 I have had to tell children not to tuck their feet under their bottoms whilst sat on chairs is ridiculous. They also wee on the floor of the toilets and walk in there afterwards too. This is the reason we are a shoes off house too.

So yes, mine had a clean set of uniform every morning. When they come home from school they get changed into joggers and t shirts, and the joggers etc go into a "worn it once" drawer that they delve into the next day. They still do this and they are teenagers. Usually they would wear their school jumper twice at secondary but not now with covid rampant in the schools they attend.

Re slopping down tops whilst eating, we use napkins for meal times.

NRatched · 13/10/2020 21:28

@SpaceRaiders

One of mine strips to her pants the moment she gets in. The other stays in her uniform mostly but will also strip. I can’t stand all the extra washing so it’s either stay in uniform or early bath and PJs.
Ha have one of these Grin

DS is currently in a stripping phase. We seem to have almost one month on, one month off with it. While I don't make the kids get changed after school as I said currently DS (6) is stripping down to his pants the second he gets in the door, its at the stage where he pretty much starts undressing on the doorstep! I have no idea why he does this, or why it comes in phases, but MIL finds it hilarious as apparently DH was exactly the same and half the time she struggled to get him to wear anything at all! Weekends are spent in pants and nothing else (though sometimes socks Hmm ) too when in one of these phases, unless we are going out of course, at which stage I get deathstared for daring to make plans on a pants day!

anothermansmother · 13/10/2020 21:31

My dd (10) changes into her pjs as we don't get home until 630, if we go to the park then she changes. When we got home earlier she did change into play clothes.
Ds (14) changes out of his uniform as soon as he's home, as he feels too constricted in a shirt tie and blazer.

MintyMabel · 13/10/2020 21:31

Depends on their age. Fresh uniforms every day seems excessive if they are in primary school. DD wears leggings so they are fresh every day but a school top does 2 or 3 days, so she changes out of it when she gets home.

But it’s more a comfort thing for me. I changed when I got home from work into more comfortable clothes, to me a child getting out of uniform is the same.

Cecilia2016 · 13/10/2020 21:33

Mine primary and secondary school goes straight to wash their hands and then change uniforms.

jessstan1 · 13/10/2020 21:38

Mine used to change when they got home. School uniform is less comfortable than casual clothes and playing in the back garden could be messy.

I remember wanting to change out of mine and my mum not letting me. I have no idea why, she didn't give a reason. It meant I was in the same clothes from when I got up until I went to bed, eating, sitting in front of the telly with my dad smoking all evening. I must have stank to high Heaven and then had to put the clothes on again to go to school the next day.

Clymene · 13/10/2020 21:39

No, we just wear what we've been wearing outside. We're a really healthy family despite our lack of paranoia about germs.

musicaljojo · 13/10/2020 21:45

My DS is only in nursery but we change him as soon as he comes in.
Mainly because he's in for morning sessions and it's lunch when I pick him up so I'd rather not get food down a white polo as they are hard to keep white as it is!
(Why do they require white in an early years setting?!)

CovidCanFuckOffNow · 13/10/2020 21:46

Yes always

Coats hung up
Shoes off
Uniform in wash bin
Put on things for sport / activity if there is one or Joggers & t shirt / pjs if not

Even before Covid I hated the idea of germy school clothes ever since I watched a documentary about how quickly things spread (they did the UV thing at the end of the day - they were covered 🤢) at primary school

For my secondary school aged DC, they hang it up and spray it down and get changed because it is not comfy to be in any longer than needed.

I've always had work & non work clothes and hang around in sports leggings / tracksuit bottoms and hoodies at home