Children in Need

[Finteq]

It's that time again.

When you child springs the news upon you that they need a spotty outfit or some pudsey inspired clothing because the school is fundraising for children in need.

Obviously they don't have any clothes with pudsey on. And as luck has it,no clothes with spots.

Luckily the youngest ones (6) school has said they can wear spots,pudsey clothes or non-uniform.

The older ones (9) has said spots,pudsey clothes,or normal uniform. If wearing normal uniform they can choose if they want to donate or not.

As much as I've told the older one- people will wear what they want- boys always come in football strips no matter what the theme is, she isn't happy unless she is wearing spots or Pudsey clothes. Because
" that's what the teacher said" ,and apparently she'll get in trouble if she wears other clothes, she does have a bit of a nervous disposition.

And the youngest who probably wouldn't mind wearing normal clothes will not be happy if her older sister gets a brand new pudsey top and she has to wear something out of the cupboard.

How like am I to find something with spots on that doesn't cost too much as short notice.

So I'm probably gonna have to buy 2 pudsey themed clothes. ( That's if they are even in stock).

Anyway coming to the AIBU. Am i being unreasonable for being annoyed that the oldest kids school havent given them the option to wear other non- uniform if they dont have spotty clothes?

Obviously I can afford to buy the tops but there would be plenty of families left in the position of letting their kids down or spending cash they don't have.

Sorry children come before animals.

As for elderly this is MN World where all elderly are rolling in it. Own their house outright, good pension and all done on one salary, while the wife walked the children 40mins to school and back daily.

As the OP says it's that time of year again.

Unless your kids are in reception most people would expect it and buy second hand in advance. Also, you can very easily get creative as pp said with sharpies.

Our school did what your youngest school did I.e. normal clothes was an option alongside yellow or spotty clothes. I've just dropped in my dc in his* old Pudsey T-shirt. He was the only child in yellow or spotty or even bright colours! All the boys in his class (6-7yo) were dressed in their dark joggers and hoodies. I thought how sad. Why would you not have fun with it for one day and dress your kid in happy bright colours! (And most of them would have the yellow PE T-shirt, anyway.) Let them be little for a bit longer...*

Anyway, I prefer what your older kid's school have done. Be creative, expect and prepare in advance - it's only fun when everybody makes an effort, and not when those who have embraced it are the odd ones out.

@autumnfloor doesn't your 6/7 year old have his own views on what to wear? By 7 DS1 was clear that he preferred more muted colours. I don't go for the whole black tracksuit look that a lot of boys at our school like but I don't try to dress them like Mr Tumble either.

Just send them in uniform 🤷🏻‍♀️ my sons wearing his uniform today, wearing own clothes wasn’t an option it was spots or stripes and he doesn’t have any of those

I buy his clothes at this age and he chooses what to wear from what he has in his wardrobe; his style is influenced by what I've been putting on him since he was a baby and we do all wear colours as a family.
When comparing to Mr Tumble are you mocking bright clothes on kids?

Try buying this weekend when some of the pudsey stuff is reduced in a couple of sizes too big, just a t shirt or headband or whatever. Then youve got something for the next couple of weeks tucked away :) I know that doesn't help but with this years, just I did that last year and it was nice this year to be prepared! Consequently our email came out late last night so if I didnt know that would have been exceptionally short notice!

Pudsey has a bandage over one eye so the kids could get a simple white pillowcase, cut it along the seams and make sure there is enough material to make a bandage from and then get markers and draw spots (use a side plate and a mug to draw the outline of as there are different sized spots on Pudsey's bandage) and then colour them in.
Wear what you like in relation to clothes then as it's clearly fancy dress/non-uniform day.

That's what I'd do

I can't bear (no pun intended) the idea of buying clothes for a sake of one days wear at school, so decided to use the face paints we have at home to do some colourful spots on DC's faces. Job done 😂

Not mocking, we all have a different view on what constitutes drab and what is garish. My point was more on the choice element.

Also, my kids are quite fair and bright colours that would look striking on another child overwhelm their colouring. Some of the bright stuff also looks quite toddlerish to me.

@Legomania Sure, style and what suits you better comes to it. But when did childhoods stopped being colourful- so many kids opting for the black tracksuit so early on; so many babies in beige clothes... Let them live in colour (muted or bright), let them look 'toddler-ish' for as long as you can get away with - it's more fun.

My boys school just has non uniform this year. Although my 10 year old is wearing his older brother's pudsey t-shirt with 2016 on it. I always hate the themed non uniform days because my 9 year old with ASD has a meltdown because he thinks he will be in trouble unless every item of his clothing fits the theme. No matter how many times I tell him that his teacher won't care that his pants aren't spotty and she isn't allowed to check anyway.

Sure, style and what suits you better comes to it. But when did childhoods stopped being colourful- so many kids opting for the black tracksuit so early on; so many babies in beige clothes... Let them live in colour (muted or bright), let them look 'toddler-ish' for as long as you can get away with - it's more fun.
I agree with you. There's so many nice things out there for boys and girls in a range of colours, muted and bright.

Why the need to dress boys and girls in either mucky dark sludge colour tracksuits for boys and girls/pink/beige/sparkles/frills for girls? I'm some people will claim it's totally a coincidence that their boy lives khaki tracksuits and their girl loves pink twirly dresses but seriously.

Honestly never known a school insist on pudsey clothes. It’s always just a usual non uniform day and the younger kids tend to be the most likely to turn up in Pudsey gear, year 6’s don’t often! The school can’t reprimand a child for turning up in usual non uniform provided they hand a donation in and that’s usually just £1 for most. Not really understanding the massive pressure tbh, it’s self inflicted.

My DS went in the same pudsey onesie and ears he wore to nursery last year because they still fit. I got the ears from greggs last year, think they were like £2 so didn’t break the bank and the onesie was from Vinted so also cheap. Have a younger DS who will wear it next year so no waste!

Ok, just because I'm interested, this is DS2 (5)

Where does this outfit fit on the bright/sludge continuum?

And @autumnfloor

I would say it's quite dark.

Although the dinosaur is bright but it's still a black t shirt. So dark for me

Ok, just because I'm interested, this is DS2 (5)

Where does this outfit fit on the bright/sludge continuum?
Darker side of middle and the dinosaur brightens it up.

It's a nice outfit. Darker than I'd choose, but doesn't fall into the sludgey colourless joggers look.

•Charity shop top and colour with markers.
•Or spotty top from charity shop, then send it back or to another charity shop afterwards.
•Or markers on an old top.
•Get DC to make balls out of old clothes and sew a couple or more onto their clothes or bags, which can be removed afterwards. They're still 'spots'!

I hate it when we are expected to pay towards these charities. Especially when they put upon the children that they'll have to wear school uniform if they don't pay!
At least you know it's for children in need, but oftentimes they won't even tell us which charity it is they're collecting for, and that is out of order in my books!

@Legomania
Aw, he gives me cute vibes! Is he your dc?
If put in the midst of other kids dressed in reds, blues, greens I'll think he's colourful. If with kids wearing black tops and navy coats - I'll think they are all dressed in dark clothes...
My comment was not intended to be taken personally or as a judgment of an individual. Just what I perceived as a trend in my dc's classroom, and what I would've preferred to dominate (I.e. some yellow, given the theme).

By the way, lighter coloured coats are definitely easier to spot on winter afternoons, and therefore safer while out and about. And imo, cheerful too.

My DD school relies heavily on fundraising for them to provide "extras". I personally feel at this time with COLC that I'd rather fundraise for the school over a large charity that makes organisations jump through hoops to apply for money

I don't think schools should be coercing children or parents to spend their limited funds on anything sponsored by the BBC. CIN has form for giving money to some pretty dubious organisations. I hesitate to call them charities.
Families have enough to worry about atm without this nonsense about special clothes and cash.
Parents can choose causes to support if they can afford it.

I agree with that - if it was for the school it would be different, but not this enforced fundraising for whatever…

I don't mind fund rasing for school, and to benefit the children in a school.
I accept that schools in better off areas will be able to raise money easier than schools in poor areas. But they shouldn't be trying to raise money for 'other' causes.