AIBU not to send DD in tomorrow due to dress code?

[SmoothPorridgeOats]

Name changed as this has been debated in the class chat and I think a few people use this forum.

DDs class (reception) have forest school tomorrow. They pride themselves on doing forest school come rain or shine which I usually do completely agree with. However, they must be in full length trousers and full length tops tomorrow, and they walk from the school up to forest school and back, and will be there in peak heat hours tomorrow. My weather app states it will be 34 degrees.

There is no budging on the clothes, as a couple have suggested going in PE kits (which they did today due to heat)

AIBU to think this is absurd? I'm in the Home Counties where the hugest of temperatures are.
Not to drop feed but DD does have a medical condition which means she does get dehydrated more quickly than usual but she is very very good at drinking her water. I'm worried about her overheating in her clothes.

Keen to hear others opinions! Thank you

I would suspect the long sleeves and trousers are to protect against stings and bites as well as sunburn.

I’ve no problem with their uniform. Keeping skin covered in this case not just from the sun but bugs and such. She won’t burn and if she’s wearing the right materials shouldn’t be too hot.

Full length sounds a sensible way to avoid sunburn.
I guess it depends whether she has suitable loose lightweight uv protective full length clothing.

Very lightweight long sleeves are usually cooler than bare skin. Do you have any really light tops and trousers? My kids are very pale and we lived in the ME and they were always in long sleeves and trousers to keep the sun off.

YANBU because of the heat and your DD's medical needs but shorts and Forest school don't go together well think of all the nettles thistles and brambles they will need to walk through
I'm surprised school hasn't cancelled the session tbh.

Sorry I should have said, it's not her own clothes she's wearing. It's PE clothes so jogging bottoms and long sleeved shirt (T shirt material)

she has lightweight clothing here I would happily dress her in, but its uniform tomorrow.

I’ll be going out in full length trousers and tops this week, but prioritising silk, linen and lightweight cotton. Much better than exposing bare skin to the sun for a host of reasons. Most Arab countries will have people dressed head to toe in the height of summer, it’s for good reason.

For health reasons I have to be very careful with sun. I’ve been advised to 1. Stay indoors;or else 2. Loose, UV blocking full cover up, head to toe.

Edited to add: This is in Scotland, even when the sun is not shining.

I agree, there's also ticks here too so I do agree in principle. I just think they should be allowed to wear clothes from home. I have plenty of light weight clothing for her here but it's stipulated joggers and long sleeved T shirt. Tempted to send her in some grey thin PJ type trousers

Yes very good point. I'd send her in linen if she was allowed!

Keep her off. And tell them why so they can learn from it

Just wear cotton long sleeve top and leggings - i always wear long sleeve shirts and skirts to protect myself from the sun,

OK, I have changed my mind on reading your updates. I would send her in full length clothes you feel appropriate. I would not be sending in joggers. X

Of course you can. You don’t have to send her in heavy jogging bottoms- it’s just a guide As long as she’s covered they’ll be fine with it.

We've just had an email to say it's been cancelled.
Sorry to waste your time, there's been a bit of commotion in the group chat so I gather that's why they've cancelled it. Multiple parents stated they wouldn't be sending their child in if that was the clothing choice which was my original stance on it.

They should have let it go ahead with parents choice of clothing I think, but there we are!

edited because I cannot spell this evening!

I think if you would dress her in joggers and a long sleeved top and take her on a day trip to a local National Trust place including an outdoor walk of however long in 34 degree heat, then send her in. I wouldn’t personally do that and I’d write a letter stating that to the school.

I kept one child off due to poor conditions once, I said to the school that I wouldn’t walk that distance (to get to school) in those conditions so I wasn’t going to make my child do it, and they just said ‘fair enough’.

I’ve heard Forest School is brilliant, and school in general is extremely important, but 34 degrees? It’s not that important. Records are going to be broken, if she started vomiting tonight she would miss two days and no one would think anything of it.

And yes, I know other countries have it hotter. But OP isn’t asking about other countries.

PHEW!

I agree with PP. In brutal Mediterranean heat we always try to cover up in lightweight cotton, silk or linen. Dressing this way and staying hydrated is the best protection.

Also, wearing a sun hat with a wet handkerchief underneath, and possibly another wet cloth around the neck, is very helpful.

Thank you, I completely agree. We aren't used to, or conditioned to such heat here. Children so young don't regulate their temperatures like adults do, and being busy and active in forest school it's easy for a class of 30 for some of them to forget water or to sit in the shade to cool off for 10 minutes. Sounds like my idea of hell!

This is a good idea for future, I hadn't thought of that!

I don’t know about the OP but I don’t have any silk trousers and tops for my 7 year old DS to wear to Forest School. Just the navy joggers and white long sleeved t-shirt that is the Forest School uniform, as requested by the school.

Send her in lightweight clothes and give her a note to say she's in them for medical reasons.
Loose light long sleves and trousers will be better than shorts and t-shirt.
If thats really not an option or if her medical condition means she'd be better at home, keep her home. Her health is more important.
The UK seems to have ridiculous rules about wearing school uniform in conditions those uniforms were not intended for. As someone in a county without school uniform, I find it bizzare.

Same here

My sons forest school still plans to run but has shortened the day 9-3pm and altered the uniform to shorts and T-shirt.

Tbh, the site is very sheltered and almost totally shaded, so I think he’s better off there than he will be at his other nursery where the only options are an old building without air conditioning, or completely exposed playground.

Also to anyone suggesting that you dress your kids in lightweight pure cotton or linen, well I tried that my son’s first year at nursery - I really wanted to do the long light clothing thing - and it’s impossible to find that kind of clothing for kids that doesn’t cost a bomb.

They should have let it go ahead with parents choice of clothing I think, but there we are!

Then probably some parents would have sent their children inappropriately dressed. Shorts and vest tops.