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.

Go into a school for one day. Any school. You will realise why they’re putting this rule in place.

That's brought back flashbacks to "the pencil sharpening club"
Gosh that class could rattle through a pencil, yet strangely make few marks with it

It's not worth even explaining anything to you. You have no clue and you won't listen anyway.

But no, most primary classes don't have TA these days, and virtually no secondary classes do. And arranging for another member of staff to come in? That's frankly, laughable. There are none.

As an anaesthetist I can tell you that happens rarely and only during operations that are many many hours long - surgeons (and anaesthetists for that matter), like people in many other jobs where they don’t have constant access to water, are perfectly capable of going a few hours without drinking.

This idea that there will be adverse health outcomes from not constantly slurping water is a (highly successful clearly) marketing construct of the bottled water industry. It’s bizarre how quickly it has become accepted as a basic truth.

Thank you.

School milk was awful when I went. It was in small cartons that had been left in the sun. And it was always lumpy

Do you how many times teachers have had to get children who are messing around in toilets....? Yes some children have toilet passes but the others have ample time to go to the toilet at break and at lunch. Its so hard for teachers when they don't have a TA and a child or children are missing from the classroom.

I think that you just reminded me of one of Hugh Grant’s rants, and they are delightful to watch. So thank you!

WHY DOES EVERYONE NEED A WATER BOTTLE!!! 😁

That's fair enough, however we are talking about children here. Plus some people have undiagnosed bladder/bowel issues and is it really worth embarrassing a child by them having an accident in class? I had undiagnosed IBS as a child/teen and I am incredibly fortunate that teachers didn't stop me going to the toilet because I absolutely would have shit myself several times in front of the entire class.

Gossipy parents are the worst 🙄

Children don't need a water bottle on hand at all times. Brain hydration is important, absolutely, so a glass of water in the morning before school, water laden fruits and vegetables and regular drinks of water during the day is plenty. Water during breaks satisfies that requirement

I agree, worked in a school and most of them tipped it over their head! If they are genuinely thirsty of course they can help themselves to a drink!

Gosh just realised I went through the whole of my school career without carrying around a water bottle! How did I survive?

(Water fountains at break, drink at lunch)

Wow this has really upset the mumsnet village. The petty insults are flowing. I have told my children if they need the toilet, they are to go and I have informed the school similarly. It has never been an issue for the kids or the school. Its a non topic as far as I'm concerned, I'm not really that sure why my children's toilet and drinking habits is such a problem for mumsnet.

As a teacher, I’d never dare limit water or toilet trips. Children would cope, but it’s not worth the grief I’d get from parents.

Most kids manage their intake just fine, but some kids just permanently sup on their straws all day long. They’re usually the kids whose parents sneak squash into the bottles and if you dare to remind them of the rules, you have a parent complaining that their child can’t possibly drink water, so it’s best just to ignore it.

Th culture has changed and many children have no idea how to manage being slightly uncomfortable due to having every slight urge of hunger or thirst met instantly. You should see the size of the ‘healthy’ snack boxes they all cart about at break.

I don’t think it’s great, but ultimately it doesn’t affect my teaching, if I’m interesting enough they tend to hold their bladders until I’m finished talking.

Edited to add - and it’s usually not possible for me to nip to the loo until break or lunch. I’ve come very close to wetting myself - usually the first day after a holiday when my bladder has forgotten the schedule.

The NHS website recommends that everyone (baring medical conditions and extremely hot weather obviously) should aim for 6-8 cups of liquid a day, water, tea, coffee etc all count.
Children could have two before school, one at break time, one at lunchtime and two - four after school before bed that’s plenty - there is no need to be slurping continuously throughout the day.

You know very well nobody cares about your kids' toilet and drinking habits. You are being disingenuous.

But you're right that they haven't really warmed to you. I guess you'll never know why 🤷🏻.

First, there are plenty of jobs where you can't have a drink whenever you fancy and you have to manage both your fluid intake and your loo breaks.

Second, school children aren't adults in the workforce. There is a reason there are adults in charge of them, and there are good reasons for putting rules in place about when and in what circumstances children at school can eat, use the toilet, etc.

At school in the 80s/90s I didn't ever have a water bottle. Can't remember anyone having one. We had a drink at lunchtime but otherwise I guess we just didn't drink much 🤷‍♀️.

Edited to add, I've just remembered we had drinking fountains at primary. At secondary, I really can't remember. Did we drink after PE? I have no memory of doing so but it would seem crazy not to.

Another 90s kid who never had a water bottle in school lessons and managed to survive. From hearing first hand about the pressure over stretched school teachers are under, I’m not surprised this has been limited. Absent a medical need, I’m positive the children will be fine.

Firstly, check how true and the exact rules.
Secondly, I would say - as a Y2 teacher! - that constant requests for water and the toilet ruins the flow of a lesson or activity and causes no manner of disruptions, so it may not be a bad thing! Obviously on hot days it would be different, but on a regular autumn day, say, children don’t need to drink or use the toilet that much, illness/conditions excepted.

Bless!

Parents would expect someone stand at the water fountain to disinfect it between uses!

I work in a one form entry school. In September 3 of the classes will have a TA for the morning. One for the afternoons. That’s not unusual across schools I know. The teacher can’t just magic up cover while they go to the toilet.

When I was at school it was a small carton of milk we got in the class before Thatcher the milk snatcher took it away.

Do kids really need constant access to water? How often do kids ask for water if they are playing in their room? I understand it feels like a big deal when they've had something and it gets taken away, like the milk, but they will survive until lunch.

If they can’t go 2 hours without a drink then there’s something really wrong. How about you teach them, and yourself, that we actually need to live by rules in life - these ones, and later, and forever. I bet my life they’re not stuck to a water bottle all evenings and all weekends at home. Funny that 😉🤷‍♀️