AIBU to think school cricket in 37 degree heat is dangerous?

[Worriedmummy1244]

DS prep school have just sent a letter about a cricket match 2-3pm on Tuesday with another school (we’re in south east it’s currently predicted 37 degrees) this is first we’ve heard of it and the letter says it is going ahead.

Their sports day is going ahead tomorrow

Are they insane?!

I don’t want to be that mum but I don’t want my child playing

I used to let DS skive on sports’ day.

He wasn’t athletic, very much an indoor boy and the bullying would increase. Also, it was always hot AF.

He did one on the first year and came home in tears and with heatstroke.

If it’s too hot to walk your dog it’s probably too hot to force children to run around with eggs on spoons.

If it’s too hot to walk your dog it’s probably too hot to force children to run around with eggs on spoons.

@TheLightSideOfTheMoon this hits the nail on the head
it’s my kids sports day this week - nothing has been emailed yet but I am hoping that they postpone it - last year was horrendous so so hit. I have never understood why they don’t do this in April/May time before it gets too unbearable.

Life doesn't stop in hot countries

No it doesn’t… but ‘hot countries’ are acclimatised to the heat..
Many hot countries arrange their day to not be out at the peak of it .. they play sport in the evening AFTER school .. name me a single hot country that plays sport in the heat of the day ? (I’ve lived in Thailand , Malaysia and India - so pretty damn hot in the afternoon)

Actually it does. Have you lived for an extended time in hotter climates?

Outdoor work and sport are shifted to early morning or evening. Schools have longer midday breaks, air-conditioned buildings, shaded playgrounds and heat policies. Sports are often cancelled, shortened or rescheduled when heat reaches dangerous levels. People become acclimatized over weeks and months, which improves their ability to cope with heat. Buildings are often designed differently for heat management than UK buildings.

Children in the UK are not acclimatized to these temperatures. Schools often have limited shade and little or no air conditioning. Sports days can involve prolonged exposure, waiting around in direct sun, and repeated physical exertion, and risk of illness rises significantly during activity, especially for younger children.

Ignorant comment.

Hot countries have more heat-aware architecture, which means for example cooler school buildings.

And noone would schedule a match 2 pm in June there.

Italy has shut schools for the summer Remember Google is your friend

No. But they tend to plan around the hottest times of the day/hottest times of year

Er... Siesta anyone? What an uninformed comment! Never visited Spain I guess?

It’ll be cancelled today @Worriedmummy1244
i can guarantee it

When was the last time you travelled outside the Uk in summer @PollyBell ?

Our prep school cancelled all after school sports clubs and all fixtures and they're going in tie less and blazerless (shocking scenes!!) - this is for the whole week.

It literally does from about 1pm till about 3pm in Spain and Italy- it's a nightmare trying to shop/get anything done plus the Italian schools have the whole summer period off from June to mid Sept, whereas spain stop end of June to mid sept. Anywhere outside Europe (us, middle east etc) air con everything to 16 degrees and stay indoors/in cars. If anything we are seen as cavalier about heat/hot weather here "only mad dogs and English men go out in midday heat". We live in a tourist area and rent out our guest rooms, the amount of Americans bemoaning the heat and lack of air con is incredible despite nobody in the UK having it or us advertising it.

Life doesn't stop in hot countries

In many hot countries such as those in south america and asia (and others I can't think of right now) school starts at 6.30am.

Come lunchtime, life stops. Nobody plays sport in the middle of the day.
Shops shut.

Normally I'd be against cancelling stuff just due to a bit of weather, but 37°c is extreme. YANBU they'd be foolish to make kids exercise in that kind of heat.

To be honest, cricket, assuming they wear proper whites and hats, would not be too bad. The kit is specifically designed to be cooling in direct sunlight. And of course most of the time you're not actually really doing anything that is particularly demanding of the cardiovascular system.

Do you have a class WhatsApp group? I guarantee that you’re not the only parent who thought WTF when you got that letter.
I’d have no qualms being “that mum” in this situation, though. It is insane.

No life in hot countries is planned around avoiding strenuous activities in the heat of the day.
What a silly comment.

Youngest grandchilds sports day and picnic was cancelled because of rain. Just been told now booked for 13th July! What's the chances?

Many hot countries’ schools break off for summer holidays end of May (younger children), middle/ end of June (oldest).

Famously, in hot countries they have kids running around outside at 2pm, right?

It actually does. Have you heard of siestas?! In many warmer European countries they cease all activities for 2-3 hours around midday.

There's a reason Noel Coward came up with the line "Mad dogs and Englishmen go out in the midday sun".
It's foolish at best, and dangerous at worst. Heat stroke is a thing, and why a school would actively encourage children to suffer that is beyond me - and probably beyond negligent too.

School sport is often moved in side in parts of America I know. My relatives have their “soccer” fixtures in the air conditioned hall when it’s very hot outside. So let’s not say that all hot places just get on with it in the heat when they don’t.

I’d be surprised if they do carry on with sports day now there is a red warning. I do think the day needs to be modified a bit when it’s this hot and sport outside at lunchtime isn’t really that sensible for small kids in 36-38 degree heat. I’m hoping our sports day is amended. It’s 3 hours wandering around a field in the heat with no shade which I’m not looking forward to and I don’t have to actually do any sport. The probably is we’re not very good at adapting to different times. 8am was lovely this morning as was 9pm last night. I’m expecting 12-3 to be horrid every day this week.