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Original poster

“No onesies please as it makes the children in school jealous”

954 replies

Lemons1571 · 30/01/2021 15:43

A message from the head of our primary. Please could all parents at home please ensure their primary children are fully dressed in day clothes ready for their class 9am zoom. No onesies. Apparently the children actually allowed to go to school are annoyed seeing their classmates lounging at home in onesies / pj’s / loungewear.

Ummm, I’m sorry, I thought I heard you issuing instructions on what I must / must not do in my own house. What possible authority does a school have to do this? Kids forced out of face to face education. Being shown some lovely examples of the artwork done by the kids at school over zoom with the caveat “oh don’t worry I know you can’t do this at home”.

Read the room ffs. Just another request to put other people’s children before my own. As it happens my primary child gets dressed of his own accord, but if he wanted to wear a onesie then quite frankly anyone else’s opinion can fuck off.

Physically going to school = uniform worn as per school rules.
Physically barred from school = my house my rules.

No doubt I’m overreacting but it annoyed me!

OP posts:
kowari · 30/01/2021 15:53

@LadyCatStark

I agree actually. They can’t tell children what to wear in their own homes as long as they’re decent. Also, some children might have cold homes if their parents can’t afford to keep the hearing on all day when they’d usually be out of the house and therefore might need to wear a onesie or dressing gown.
They can wear a jumper or hoodie
Original poster
Lemons1571 · 30/01/2021 15:54

We’re not being asked to do this so our primary children are ready to learn. We’re being asked to do this specifically for the benefit of the kids that are getting a classroom education.

OP posts:
cardibach · 30/01/2021 15:54

We have a weird obsession with appropriate dress for school age people in this country. In universities you’ll find a lot of lounge wear. Do they entirely fail to learn because you have to be dressed formally to do so? We have a camera off rule anyway so nobody knows. And I’m wearing loungewear (tidy loungewear, but loungewear) as the teacher, but since all they can see is my head and the top of my shoulders which has a round necked, soft sweatshirt type top on they would never know...

JanuaryChill · 30/01/2021 15:54

OP the pandemic and WFH/remote learning has completely blurred the boundaries between home and work/school. It's new to all of us.

Many schools insist on children being dressed for safeguarding reasons.

WorraLiberty · 30/01/2021 15:54

I can imagine the kids who feel forced to go to school and sit in cold 'well ventilated' classrooms, would feel it was a bit unfair the other kids can lounge at home in warm onesies/pyjamas tbh.

cardibach · 30/01/2021 15:55

Oh, and if I needed a zoom with my doctor, or accountant, or other professional in their own home, I wouldn’t expect them to wear business war either.

Cattitudes · 30/01/2021 15:56

Can't understand why people can't think/work in pj/onesie. Takes all sorts I guess but wouldn't bother me what the teacher was wearing in their own house.

Toorapid · 30/01/2021 15:57

I do think they should be properly dressed but the head could have come up with a far better reason than because it makes the others jealous

NoSquirrels · 30/01/2021 15:58

@WorraLiberty

I can imagine the kids who feel forced to go to school and sit in cold 'well ventilated' classrooms, would feel it was a bit unfair the other kids can lounge at home in warm onesies/pyjamas tbh.
School are welcome to relax their uniform policy and allow the ones in the classroom to wear onesies...
louisejxxx · 30/01/2021 15:58

I sympathise with why your upset if you’re having things thrown in your face that the other kids have been able to do at school; but otherwise it is a very normal request.

lunar1 · 30/01/2021 15:58

Mine have to be in uniform at home!

SionnachRua · 30/01/2021 15:58

Very reasonable request imo. My school have a no PJs rule for similar reasons (none of us are in school, all remote learning). If you're in a lesson then you dress appropriately for the lesson.

...was more of an issue in summer tbh when we had kids turning up in swimwear...

WorraLiberty · 30/01/2021 15:58

@Lemons1571

We’re not being asked to do this so our primary children are ready to learn. We’re being asked to do this specifically for the benefit of the kids that are getting a classroom education.
I would imagine it's one of the reasons though

Did they really use the word 'jealous'?

LaceyBetty · 30/01/2021 16:00

YABU. It's a school day and I think children should be dressed in actual clothing. For their own sake. Agree that the jealously angle is unreasonable.

HalfTermHalfTerm · 30/01/2021 16:00

I think you’re overreacting. Your children are allowed to wear their ‘home clothes’ so they are having some degree of choice already whereas I imagine the children in school are having to wear their uniform. If they have their cameras on then they should be dressed appropriately.

I would have sympathy if the school were expecting your children to wear their uniform (although I still don’t think it would be the worst thing in the world) but I don’t think it’s too much to ask for them to be dressed.

MakeWorkYourNewFavourite · 30/01/2021 16:00

Just get your kids dressed for school for chuff's sake. They'll learn better. They need the routine.

Squashpocket · 30/01/2021 16:01

Our school simply said children must be wearing school jumpers on zoom calls to promote learning and engagement. I agree with them. When I worked from home I still put smartish clothes on and did my hair, to put me in the right frame of mind to work.

Your school should probably just have explained it better.

firstimemamma · 30/01/2021 16:01

Yanbu and I used to teach!

EnemyOfEducationNo1 · 30/01/2021 16:02

You are perfectly within your rights to dress your children how you/they want.
However the school is also in their rights to not allow your children to participate in any video sessions if not appropriately dresses.
Just keep your camera off, or just have an initial headshot if you're that bothered.

NovemberR · 30/01/2021 16:05

Yabu. It's not unreasonable to expect children to be dressed for lessons, rather than in a 'onesie '. There's no requirement to wear uniform. Of course they should get dressed.

mamaduckbone · 30/01/2021 16:06

The school is being reasonable asking for children to be dressed appropriately for a school day. Their reason for this is unreasonable, as is showing children at home work that children in school have done.
In my school we are very mindful of this - not providing more at school than the children at home are getting. I'm delivering paint and wax crayons around the village next week so they can all do the art lesson!

kowari · 30/01/2021 16:07

They could just wear a jumper over the onesie if they need the onesie for 'warmth' (I fail to see how it is warmer than other clothing).

GintyMcGinty · 30/01/2021 16:08

YABU

It's a fair request.

Bettina500 · 30/01/2021 16:09

Yanbu. What about all the children who are stuck at home and jealous seeing lots of their classmates allowed to go into school? Works both ways.
Just turn your camera off. It's a hard enough situation to be in as it is. If they're turning up for zoom meetings and doing the work then that's what's important, not what they wear.

Blessex · 30/01/2021 16:09

Wtaf. We are all trying our best to stay afloat during this crisis. If my DD chooses to attend school from home in a onesie and I am too freaking busy to get her to change eg I am a single mum working from home too - then so be it. And if you you or the school judge that then shame on you.