Uniform staying on after school?

[MissJ87]

need other Mums advice Here, as i dont think I'm being unreasonable. Two daughters, 15 and 16, one happily stays in Her uniform after school, the other doesnt like to. Ive recently noticed how much money ive saved on electricity by doing half the washing i normally would, if they both changed. Is it that unreasonable for me to insist they both stay in uniform after school? To have Her tell it i'm made out to be the devil. Money is tight right now, and any money i can save, i will. Its not like it isnt a nice uniform, smart white shirt, nice tie. Ie got so much to do around the house, an extra pile of washing isnt a nice sight lol.

Are your kids happy staying in uniform? does it save you time and money also?

Thanks in advance.

You need to clarify this dramatic reduction. Is she wearing a fresh outfit each day? If so, that is the problem. You only need to wash clothes that are dirty.

I beg to differ. What child wants to sit around in a shirt, tie & blazer all evening?

exactly this. It all adds up

Just wash clothes less, rewear outfits

"Should I force my kids to stay in uncomfortable clothing because it makes my life more convenient?"

Get them two or three sets of comfy clothes to wear in between school and bedtime. Problem solved.

Blazer is a jacket so I'd remove that like I'd remove any jacket indoors.

Never bothered taking off my tie. Don't remember ever seeing my brother do that either or my dad when he came in. Changing is more faff than it's worth.

Don't think I've ever been in any outfit that was so uncomfortable I felt the need to change when I got home. It’s all quite a weird idea to me.

My DM’s view was always that you didn’t want to spoil school uniform which was some of our
most expensive clothing by wearing it at home! Save urgent washing/ironing/mending.

Because my dc get unwell all the time and school are threatening court even though we got drs letters so I’m trying this in case it reduces the frequency of norovirus and nasty viruses with high fevers

My DS just sits in his uniform, he doesn't seem to find it uncomfortable (neither did I at school) so unless he's going out swimming he doesn't change. The top and bottoms he wears to swimming he'll also stick on on Saturday as it was only worn for a few hours.

We've always done this so I couldn't say how much washing it saves, but we create three loads of clothes washing per week and I do it all at the weekend. No doubt a bigger family creates more loads.

Make them wear the same items as loungewear and just wash those. No need for fresh stuff every day if yesterday's aren't stained or sweaty.

Why are you telling your DDs what to wear at 15 and 16?

I don't understand how leaving uniform on is saving you money OP.

It's the correct way to get changed when you come home from school if you want to wear it again the next day. I wouldn't expect DS to lounge I'm his uniform all evening and re wear the same clothes the next morning.

Surely your DDs can just shower and PJ'S on?!

DS1 strips off the second he's through the door. He usually changes into pajamas.

DS2 wears his uniform, although usually ditches the tie.

I've never said they couldn't change out of uniform, but I don't think I've suggested they change either!

My DC have to wear their blazer all day at school so it’s not considered an outdoor jacket in the same way a jacket usually would be.
DS5 starts removing his uniform in the car; tie and blazer straight off. DD9 takes hers off as soon as she gets home. It’s definitely uncomfortable for children.

Er, mine? He'd change if he was uncomfortable. He's clearly not, because he doesn't.

I try to encourage my DCs to look and see if clothes genuinely are dirty or can be re-worn. They're too lazy to change without a particular reason.

I can get through a few outfits a day (exercise, casual, activity uniform) and have an open basket that I can fold re-wear clothes in to if they're not dirty/ sweaty so that they're not put back in with totally fresh clothes.

Constantly washing clothes for the sake of it costs time, money, resources and wears the clothes out quicker.

Imagine telling your 15/16 year olds what to wear! That's crazy and controlling

If its not dirty then don't wash it. I remove stuff from the wash basket and hang it back up in their wardrobes if they've dumped it in the basket after only wearing it a few hours (obviously only if its clean and doesn't smell). They're none the wiser and it saves on my washing

Which is fine but OPs daughter clearly isn't comfortable in her uniform all evening

I don't underrsrand hiw wearing 2 outfits a day instead of one saves money?

DS1 (13) changes out of his uniform as soon as he gets in. Shirt goes in the wash. Trousers and jumper get worn twice (unless they have been spilled on/got muddy).
He changes into joggers and a tshirt which he'll wear two evenings in a row.
If he sat around in his school trousers all evening they'd probably need washing after every wear as they'd be all creased? So the amount of washing generated is surely the same...

You can't stop your kids changing out of uniform when they get home!!

Ds always changes out of his straight away.

It's the opposite in our house. Uniform off as soon as you get in. Clean shirts each day (skirts/trousers/blazer worn for a few days or more before washing).

Lounge clothes / pj's / jogging bottoms and t-shirts worn for the evening - these don't have to be washed daily if they've only been worn for an hour or two after school.

No way I'd want to sit round in my work clothes all evening.

Do they just need to be taught to fold and re-wear things?

Why?

I don't like to sit in my work clothes all evening and I wouldn't expect my kids to. They shock horror wear their uniforms for a couple of days and their home clothes for a few evenings .

Clearly she's not. I never said she was. Meandfour stated "what child wants to sit around in uniform?" like no child does, and I was responding to that I beg to differ comment.

“Comfies”

Only on MN.
Never hear it anywhere else.

She's 3... It's a bit different when you're 16 and hormonal.

YABU to make them wear uniform. But asking them to rewear trackie bottoms and hoodies is fine. Also teach them to do their own washing.

mine get out of their school uniform straight after school, they put tracksuit or loungewear on for the time between school and evening bath, this outfit will last them 4 or 5 days before washing unless anything spillt on it. Then put PJ's on after bath, which are worn for two nights, then changed. They have a clean white school top every day, but change trousers/school jumper half way through the week. Works for us. I would feel a bit mean keeping them in their school uniform. After school is a time to relax or get on with homework, and getting changed helps them feel like they've really finished school for the day.