To ask if you can think of an excuse which will get 11yo off PE for the rest of term?

[HelloKittyGirl]

Just that, basically. What would get her off games for a few weeks?

Walking to and from school isn't plenty of exercise unless it's a couple of mile hike.

Judging by the comments here my mum must be an awful parent as she wrote me a note every week excusing me from PE. No reason given in the note. She knew what it was like to hate PE. Granted I was probably more like 15 then not 11. But I personally think people here are taking it too seriously.

I suspect that if secondary schools carried out an anonymous survey especially with girls on their views on PE it wouldn't be overwhelmingly positive so I don't think it's all projection.

As for whether I’d let her skip maths, I don’t see that as comparable. Most further education courses, degrees, jobs etc. will want to see a good GCSE maths pass. Not so PE.

Most further education courses and jobs will have elements she doesn't enjoy, detests even. Enabling her to wriggle out of things she doesn't enjoy now isn't preparing her well for the future, even if it is 'just PE'.

God, you are 'that parent' aren't you? Is mummy always going to be around to get her out of things she doesn't like?

Surely this can't be real. No parent would pander to their child this much would they? She doesn't want to do PE for a few weeks because it's too cold! You can buy thermal base layers to wear under PE tops, most sports people wear them. Doesn't the school have a PE tracksuit they can wear for colder weather. Most secondary schools have them.

@Mamamia7962

Surely this can't be real. No parent would pander to their child this much would they? She doesn't want to do PE for a few weeks because it's too cold! You can buy thermal base layers to wear under PE tops, most sports people wear them. Doesn't the school have a PE tracksuit they can wear for colder weather. Most secondary schools have them.

I'm sure they do. I've seen the results of such pandering in the workplace and they really aren't doing their kids any favours.

Pulled ligament in knee. Worked perfectly for me when I was 11. No judgement from me.

Also I tell my dds - who are fine with pe - that I'm grateful daily as an adult that pe is no longer compulsory!

I think you'd be setting her a really bad example if you did this.
I'm surprised to hear the dc van go to the library instead, I've only ever heard of still having to get changed and sit on the sidelines/ref/collect equipment, depending on reason for sitting out.
Not sure what excuse would cover several weeks anyway

Surprised by the number of people who seem hell bent on making kids doing PE. It took me years to get over my self consciousness and realise sports could be enjoyable after I left school.

@HelloKittyGirl

I don’t have a problem with it to be honest. I never liked PE either and she already gets plenty of exercise walking to and from school everyday. I’m not worried about her fitness levels. If she’d rather spend the time in the library doing homework, I’m happy with that.

Yes teach your child that she doesn't need to follow any rules that are there for her benefit. She of course is a special snowflake, and lying is okay! Ffs!!

@MilduraS

Surprised by the number of people who seem hell bent on making kids doing PE. It took me years to get over my self consciousness and realise sports could be enjoyable after I left school.

Completely relate to this

@Mamamia7962

Surely this can't be real. No parent would pander to their child this much would they? She doesn't want to do PE for a few weeks because it's too cold! You can buy thermal base layers to wear under PE tops, most sports people wear them. Doesn't the school have a PE tracksuit they can wear for colder weather. Most secondary schools have them.

They definitely do. God forbid their little darlings should have to do anything they don't want to do.

@MilduraS

Surprised by the number of people who seem hell bent on making kids doing PE. It took me years to get over my self consciousness and realise sports could be enjoyable after I left school.

It's not so much PE! It's teaching your child that lying is okay! Disgraceful!

The thing I find a bit sad is say if it's maths or a language or any other subject, if someone is behind they offer help for them to catch up. With PE, it isn't a level playing field. Some people will have been doing sport from 2-3 years old with multiple sports and sports clubs, so they have a massive advantage when it comes to PE. PE was my favourite lesson - I loved it (apart from I hated swimming) but part of that was because I'd been doing sport outside of lessons anyway. People should be offered a chance to catch up and get better. My best friend in high school decided to train for the 800m and after only about six weeks or so finished 3rd in the school sports day at that event. Improvement can be huge in children/high school age.

People say PE isn't important for jobs but life isn't solely about jobs. I'd say it's arguably more important than some other subjects as a lifelong thing. Children need to be active and so many aren't now.

If this is literally just about the weather you need to look at what she's wearing as she shouldn't be that cold. It's 10C here which is warm for January.

DD didn't like PE when she was 11. Now (15) she loves it, and PE is one of her favourite lessons. Tell your daughter to get on with it.

I would write a note for my kids if I could see it was torturous for them to do it. I hated it, it ruined my whole day when I had PE. So I got out of it as often as possible.

@user1496146479 lying isn’t always disgraceful that’s really dramatic; humans lie ALL THE TIME, including you. It’s inbuilt within us to lie to maintain social politeness.

crimereads.com/lying-is-fundamental-to-who-we-are-as-humans/

[quote FTEngineerM]I would write a note for my kids if I could see it was torturous for them to do it. I hated it, it ruined my whole day when I had PE. So I got out of it as often as possible.

@user1496146479 lying isn’t always disgraceful that’s really dramatic; humans lie ALL THE TIME, including you. It’s inbuilt within us to lie to maintain social politeness.

crimereads.com/lying-is-fundamental-to-who-we-are-as-humans/[/quote]
But this isn't to maintain social politeness!!!
And is it any wonder if parents teach their children that lying like this okay?

She won't be left alone in the library. There will be a member of staff there. If they don't have a library lesson going on, normally they would be getting on with other tasks, that often would take them out of the library. They will have to stay in the library to supervise. Screws up their day.

Your dd needs to learn that sometimes in life you have to get on with stuff you don't enjoy. She will never get better if you dont let her take part. The weather won't be significantly better end of February than the start of Feb, so unless you are going to make up excuses until a summer heat wave, you need to give up this idea and let her get in trouble for refusing to take part. Let her have the argument. Let her face the detention for refusing to join in. Let her see the consequences. Dont lie.

No judgement here either, OP.
As someone who was humiliated by other kids during team sports, I'd say use your discretion but find a balance where DC doesn't feel they can get their own way all the time.

@DamnUserName21

No judgement here either, OP. As someone who was humiliated by other kids during team sports, I'd say use your discretion but find a balance where DC doesn't feel they can get their own way all the time.

The thing is, the only reason the OP has given for getting her dd out of PE is "the weather". Nothing about SEN, being humiliated etc. And she's also included swimming which is a bit confusing as I'm assuming that the pool is not outdoors and unheated.

@Thesearmsofmine same here. I learned and gained zero from it. It was just miserable and soul destroying. I really don't care if my kids never do PE again. They do activities out of school. Unless you want to work in sports PE (as in compulsory team sports) is a waste of time for academic kids who'd rather be building skills in important subjects. So I'd say if OP's child really hates PE and is being made miserable by it then it's fine to skip it. Desirable in fact. PE kits sometimes go missing and they are very costly to replace......(I got about 4 months out of that one in year 8 )

@Itsalmostanaccessory

What schools did you all go to? I loved PE at my high school. Set me up with a life long love of trampolining and handball. Wasnt great at racquet sports but badminton was always fun.

We didnt have bullying or jeering or anything during PE. There were the popular kids who were good at all the sports and the kids who were totally rubbish, but the bullying being discussed on here didnt happen. Not in my uesr group anyway; I cant speak for the rest of it. But I'm getting a shocking idea of PE from this and that doesnt go along with my experience at all.

Have you asked the rubbish kids though? bullying can be invisible for the majority.

The humiliation argument doesn't really wash either. Being crap at maths isn't easy and there is plenty of stigma attached to that. Not being good at something is not a reason to not do it.