To ask what you think to this school new rule?

[Redsatin109]

Just heard from other parents that apparently they’ll be reducing the amount of water y2 and upwards can have next year. So limiting the amount of times they can access their water bottle. This is because they’re only allowed to go to the toilets at breaks/lunch and it’s to limit toileting accidents in the classroom.

I think it's awful. Schools are like little prisons. Not about education and all about control. It's why l left teaching.

Years ago we were only allowed a drink at break and lunch. We all survived.
I’m not sure why kids have to permanently be attached to a water bottle nowadays.

Pretty shit IMO.

I would check with the school whether this is actually true before getting worked up about it.

To be honest at that age they can definitely learn to manage their water intake and that there are times to have a drink and times to work.

Constant access to water bottles must be a nightmare for teachers in terms of kids fiddling with them etc, let alone the loo issues.

Completely ridiculous and asking for trouble especially with the climate getting hotter and hotter! Sometimes I feel like schools don’t understand they’re not prisons and that children have basic human rights and needs, access to water is a pretty crucial one… In addition children with toileting accidents at that age and stage may well be either be struggling with constipation or irritable/overactive bladder and limiting water will actually make those things worse…

Well firstly I’d be clarifying with the school if it’s actually true, parent rumour mills are rife with misinformation.
Then I’d be clarifying what restricting means. Does it mean no filling up during lessons or not filling up all day? When I was at school we had a drink with lunch and that was it all day. That wasn’t enough, but I think say 2 bottles full in a school day is enough.

That’s what I thought. That’s why I said apparently. But a number of parents of DD class (going into y2 in September) have said it

Sounds fine to me. Sadly some children ruin it for others by constantly being in the toilet and often these parents then also complain that their child doesn't understand the work.
I assume those with medical conditions will still be able to access water and toilets as necessary.

When I was at school drinking during lessons was unheard of, have bodies changed so much that they now can't survive ?

Primary school so guessing say start at nine break at 1030 lunch at say 12 until 1 then another break at 2 then home at 3.
How long will they be without their water? Hour and half at the longest?
What's the issue?

Ridiculous. If they had access to a toilet anytime there wouldn't be any accidents.

Yeah. I hear ya,

Sounds sensible to me, children often use it as an avoidance technique so much better to have certain times they can refill. They won't dehydrate if they have a drink at break and lunch.

Depends if they allow exceptions for medical circumstances- DD has to drink tons because she suffers with bowel issues and if she doesn’t drink loads she gets constipated and then she gets bowel leakage which is awful
for everyone. Her school is constantly trying to get her drinking!

Presumably they also make exceptions in extreme heat. But for a healthy child in average weather conditions it’s fine I think.

I think it’s a poorly thought out rule.

Since dd has specific instructions from her neurologist to consume a certain amount of water each day, I would message them and get them to issue a note so dd could keep her water bottle.

Some children spend half the lesson getting up for a drink and then going to the toilet.

having to wait half an hour for a drink until the lesson finishes isn’t going to harm anyone.

Perfectly sensible. I think it's daft they take water bottles in at all. Water fountain available in breaks and jugs on the table at lunch would be much better

Why do kids need water bottles attached to them though? I don't get it. We never took a water bottle anywhere, I never even owned one as a kid and now I send one everywhere my kids go! This rule would be fine by me.

I agree with limiting access to water bottles, no need to be drinking every 5 minutes but I really don't agree with limiting toilet access, kids going in to year 2 are 6 years old, far too young to be making them wait a long time.

I would be telling my kids to ignore that particular rule, and to drink, and go to the loo when they need to

I would really like to see some actual scientific evidence-not sponsored by a bottled water company, which the initial 3 litre a day idea was-about the amount of water we need and what happens to us if we go a couple of hours without drinking.

Where has this obsession with kids having water in school suddenly come from? I can’t remember my 2 having water bottles and I know I certainly didn’t. I genuinely don’t understand what people think will happen if kids have to wait until lunch or break times to have a drink? I’d hate to be a teacher with them faffing around every two minutes and having constant interruptions because someone always wants a drink.

If you worked in school, as I have, as a teaching assistant for over 20 years, you would understand the reason for this new rule . The constant interruptions that occur because of claims of needing a drink are absolutely unbelievable. It’s disruptive for everyone - the child wanting the drink, the teaching/ support staff and very often the rest of the class as someone ( or even multiple children) is getting up and wandering around the classroom etc. I have been teaching small groups of children where on some occasions as many as 60% leave what you’re doing in order to fetch a water bottle & drink. By Year 2 they should be able to manage the gaps between periods which are considered to be learning times without being desperately in need of water, unless of course there is a clear medical need.