To think she shouldn't put him in tights?

[TotoroElla]

Just trying to understand and find a way forward.

A family member's little boy is in foster care currently. He is 4 yo. The FC keeps putting him in tights. His mum is getting upset with it and doesn't understand why she keeps doing it. She has asked for her to stop and the SW has asked her to stop too. Mum doesn't feel it is very dignified for him to be at nursery wearing what is culturally a girls' clothes item. He was getting so hot in them the other day as of course he has trousers over them.

Can anyone shed any light as to why she is doing this or what his mum can do about it?

Ultimately, it's up to parents what their children wear, however, the mum in this case should realise that tights are no longer female clothing, they are unisex and it's now acceptable for males to wear them. Perhaps the FC should show the range of tights available for boys now and hopefully that should make her aware that it's socially ok.

This thread is more than a year old. They probably wont see your reply.

Thanks, I didn't realise there is a time restriction.

There isn't, but the matter will have been resolved by now. It was never about tights being for girls only. It was about the boy being hot and uncomfortable.

Thanks, the OP clearly says, and I quote "Mum doesn't feel it is very dignified for him to be at nursery wearing what is culturally a girls' clothes item." I was just assuring OP that it is ok for boys to wear tights as well.

Could it be cultural? My SIL put her boys in tights when babies/toddlers, it's normal in eastern and northern Europe, I believe?

That fact that it's supposedly "girls clothing" in the UK would not bother me, if the kid is overheating as they are overdressed is more the point.

Black teen boys in London sometimes do this, at the insistence of African parents who think the UK is a place of such punishing cold that you risk hypothermia by going out with just one later on in July. (Source: male friend who teaches PE in a London school and sees the boys changing). What culture is the foster parent from? Perhaps she could at least be persuaded to go for more masculine long johns?

Absolutely correct, my ex used to do this, as a second generation windy. I've also been reliably told that scaffolders put tights on under trousers to keep warm when it's windy.

@AdrianGreenwood if you read the whole thread it becomes clear that the main issue is the boy being hot and uncomfortable but not being able to communicate this for himself.

That's fair enough and understandable.