Staying in school uniform after school?

[Jupin]

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?

DS does now he's at secondary as he has to wear a shirt/tie and blazer. He wasn't so bothered at primary when wearing a polo shirt and sweatshirt!

Always change. Read years ago how there is research to show that children who change our of their uniform/school clothes when they get home have far fewer colds/illnesses/sick days

As soon as I got home I was out of my uniform - and I was a teacher.

Home clothes said I was home, not at work.

Mine didn’t but then by the time we came home it was after six so apart of having a bath and putting pijamas on, there was no point.

By secondary school the habit was so ingrained that he only changed if his friends had.

@Branches1

Always change. Read years ago how there is research to show that children who change our of their uniform/school clothes when they get home have far fewer colds/illnesses/sick days

Ha! I would add to this: "chorister children". It's hard to describe this to anyone who hasn't experienced it, but there is no universe in which a child would miss a cathedral choir practice, unless they were so ill that they had to be scraped off their beds.

They are pretty hardy. I think mine probably didn't get changed after school, though. Though their attire is a complete irrelevance.

Mine don’t usually change. DS9 isn’t bothered either way so happy to stay in uniform even if he goes out to play; DD5 loves clothes so will sometimes change just for the thrill of it but normally won’t bother. They wear fresh uniform every single day and I really don’t wear to do any more needless washing.

I prefer it if they take their uniforms off straight away as I think regular clothes are more comfortable. I then fold what can be salvaged for the next day🥴 Not popular with many who seem to put on 6,000 loads of washing each day but each to their own.

@Mintychoc1 because I do t want to wash an entire set of high school uniform including blazer every single night and have it dry by the next morning. Most people only buy one or 2 blazers at the most!

As several others have said they didn't change at primary but then they wore joggers and polo shirts - DS1 wore a proper school sweatshirt but DS2 wouldn't wear his most of the time.

Now DS2 (year 7) comes home and doesn't go out again except now while Woodcraft Folk has started again. He changes into comfy clothes, which includes his WF tshirt on Tuesday, which is comfy and easy enough to wash.

DS1 can't be bothered most of the time plus he's outgrown most of his non school clothes - we need to buy him more but I'm not sure what size to buy as in year 9 and at 13 he's at tthe top of the kids' size ranges and I'm not sure what the men's sizes on things mean (he's taller than dp but much slimmer). So he hangs out in his school clothes which is a bit of a pain when he comes home muddy! He has one blazer and two pairs of trousers, but is slightly better off for shirts.

My Dc generally either had a club of some kind or went out to play so always changed out of uniform. DH wears a uniform that he changes out of and when I actually went out to work, i'd change when I came home. Clothes put on after school/work last more than one wear though.

I suppose mine goes back to a impoverished childhood when you only really kept your uniform on as you didn't have many clothes to change into.

Mine hangs in her uniform or changes after school. She’s 9. I’ve never insisted she change or otherwise. She now does her own thing (as I’m wfh). She grabs herself a drink and a biscuit and goes off to “do stuff” somewhere in the house. I call her when I finish work at 5 and she’s sometimes changed and sometimes not. I don’t change my clothes at 3pm! Not sure what’s unhygienic about wearing your uniform after school.

My DD generally changes into something more comfy.

My DS is of the opinion that any time spent thinking about clothes is a waste of time when he has computer games to play, so stays in his school uniform (but will probably remove blazer/tie).

I'm happy for them to do whatever they feel happiest doing.

They're teens, so shirts are changed daily anyway, blazers are washed weekly. Kilts/school trousers are changed two or three times a week.

Elkiedee lovely to see you :o
Your ds1 is obviously the same age as mine and I've started to buy men's clothes for some bits. Dd must be about 5'6". Mens small tends to fit quite well. He even has a medium for a hoodie where it doesn't matter. He's a 28"-30" waist if it helps.

Ds, not dd

DD often used to stay in uniform. Now we've got a box by the front door, LO puts her uniform in it as she comes home and washes hands. She doesn't mind. Just feels safer.

DD 8 doesn't like to change whereas DD 6 does. I don't mind either way - they are old enough to know if they are comfortable. Their uniforms are washed every day. It's not a battle I could be bothered to face!

The uniform is generally only fit for one wear anyway so they keep it on. No point in trashing another set of clothes. Less so at the moment, but some nights they have to change into kit for extra-curriculars.

Not worried about Covid. If my darling little disease vector has managed to get it splattered all over their clothes, the child is probably contaminated anyway and we're all doomed from the moment they charge out of school and hug me. Plus the inside of their coat would be contaminated and I'm not burning fresh coats every day.
Apparently the NSPCC frowns upon quarentining children in the garage overnight

Mine does, DD age 10 - especially now with covid on the go. Plus who wants to spend the evening in a shirt, tie, skirt and tights? She just gets into leggings and a hoodie and she's so much comfier for relaxing. I always did too and I get changed the minute I'm in from work too, on the rare occasion I'm in the office.

I changed when I got in as a kid - helped the transition between school and home. Plus when a new school jumper was more than our weeks food budget I knew I had to be careful.
Habit has stuck even as an adult the first thing I do is put on pjs or lounge wear. Even now I'm working from home I still wear what I would wear to work (helps with the working mindset) and still change when I finish!

We're in a low COVID area (last week there was 7 cases in 100000). My son will change into playing clothes if he's at his granny's or grandma's after school as he goes out to play. When he's with me he stays in the same clothes until bath time. I've enough ironing to do without making more for myself.

Mine have clubs/hobbies most days so need to change, otherwise no - no point in dirtying a second set of clothes and creating even more washing. I can't say I'm concerned about covid risk on clothing either now we know it's barely transmitted even by hard surfaces which it can live on for a significant time unlike fabric etc.

I have a few GPs in the family and even before COVID they advised change out of uniform and wash hands and face as soon as coming home from school to reduce chance of catching or sharing microbes.

Yes, my DD changes out of uniform immediately on arriving home. It's more hygienic, more comfortable, less hard wearing on the uniform and give us a chance to wash it - we only have three sets.

I was brought up that it was the kids of parents who didn’t care or where just lazy who stayed in their uniforms once home/out to play.

What a ridiculous, judgemental statement! 😆

Well most adults surely do change after work don’t they, into something more comfortable? I have never sat at home watching Coronation Street in my suit.

Not everyone wears a suit to work. Comfortable clothes are a must for me at work (not do I ever have the chance to sit and watch early evening tv, no point changing just to rush around delivering dc to various places). DC's uniform is leggings, polo shirt and jumper/cardi and they usually wear trainers so not the equivalent of a suit either, just basic comfortable clothing.

Mine tend to stay in their uniform if they don't have activities. DD sometimes changes for the fun of it and I'm a fan of early baths and spending the evening in pjs if I can persuade them.