4 year old freezing cold at school

[Owlsoutsidethewindow]

Just wondering if anyone would say something to school.
Temperatures are currently around -2c on average where I live. Yesterday DS (4, reception) came out of school looking upset. I asked what was wrong and she said she was cold. She had literally just walked out of a heated classroom.

As the hour went on, what had transpired is that she asked to go indoors or home at lunch time because she was freezing. She was wearing a vest, uniform, jumper, thick parka, earmuffs and gloves. The teacher was dismissive.
She doesn't generally run around when it is that cold because she knows the ground will be icy.

She then said she was cold all afternoon. She was physically cold to the touch when I felt her. No fever etc.
She didn't warm up until she had a bath, then she went to bed with fleecy PJs and a hot water bottle because she felt miserable.

Should I ask the school to make a warm area available for her to go to in these sorts of temperatures? It wouldn't surprise me at all if she was ill today when she woke up.
She probably also has the onset of a cold because 4 people in her class have been off this week, so playing out in freezing temperatures probably isn't ideal.

She does play with the others. She's 4, they have a smaller playground area and they spend a lot of time outside in it, not getting really running around all the time.

Of course it's not. However the point is that children really do get treated like second class citizens.
We all know people who are always cold and others who walk around in a t-shirt in winter.
Why can't some dc stay indoors if they prefer?

I disagree I think it's cruel to make anyone stay outside in this weather. Our kids can chose when it's this cold. Tell the school she must be in at break time for medical reasons and if they can't accommodate I'd take her out for lunch.

Just put another layer on. She can always take her cardi/jumper off in the classroom if she's warm. It's supposed to warm up after today so it won't really be an issue. And being cold doesn't cause colds so unless she has caught a cold from another child, you don't have to worry about it making her ill.

A parka isn't a warm coat though? Dress her appropriately in layers. She can take off her cardigan or jumper inside.

Really, while fully dressed and playing and running around for exercise?

I'd give you short shrift if I got that referral from you

OP, she really needs thermal layers, so not a vest, but an actual thermal long sleeved top under her clothes, possibly 2 if they will fit, also thermal leggings, double socks or thermal socks, can you fit a fleece liner in her shoes (might make them uncomfortable), thermal gloves, I assume she has a hat (if she will wear it)

Im freezing at work all the time and have to double layer up

Being cold weakens immunity, so being cold can cause you to catch cold germs more easily.

Really you need to put base layers on her and layers she can take off if too hot. An extra vest isn’t going to do anything.

She needs proper base layers (thermal long sleeve top and trousers too - they’re thin, but effective if you get the proper ones), fleece layers, ordinary uniform, extra jumper, thick warm coat. It is very cold at the moment, she needs to wear more. And she definitely needs to keep moving.

It was freezing in my work the other day. So I wore extra layers the next day and I was fine.

Is she definitely wearing her hat and gloves and zipping her coat up at lunch and break? I've worked in some schools where the children aren't reminded about these things and the staff don't notice if little ones are out with open coats and no hats etc. So I would raise it with the teacher and say she came out of school very cold yesterday and you think maybe she isn't wrapping herself up enough when she goes outside and ask if she can please be reminded.

A proper hat rather than ear muffs, gloves and an extra layer should do it. Maybe warmer boots for playing out.

Given that most of your heat gets lost from your head, I'd say that what's missing here is a nice big wooly hat, (and scarf) earmuffs won't do a lot on their own.

Meantime my crazy child is still insisting on his shorts in -5 and gets a right grump on because the teachers insist they wear coats outside.😆

There will always be adults on duty outside in the playground with her. Every teacher has to give up a break at least once a week to be on duty. Would this happen in other jobs I wonder?

She needs to be outside for a bit, it is good for her. Encourage her to remove about- Im sure the other children do and it being a bit slippery is nothing to fear.
She also needs the right clothes- children in countries with proper winters do not spend all winter indoors. So, if she doesn't have them get her some proper mittens (the ones they use for skiing), perhaps a fleece she can put on under her coat when she goes out, and some sturdy shoes (or otherwise while the weather is like this, some proper (grippy!) winter boots). Girls school shoes are IMO often the culprit when girls are cold- thin soles, open tops etc. If she is in a skirt will school allow leg warmers at break?

Sorry for the short replies I'm just sorting out both kids.

The parka is just the easier thing to call it? It is a very thick winter coat.
The vest is thermal.
I have been doubling up on tights & trousers but she really dislikes the feeling of this (same tbh) and finds it hard to get them back up after the toilet.

I'm not sending her in in summer clothes....it is just really cold.

Cold doesn't make you cold, germs do.

Cold definitely makes you cold if you aren't wrapped up enough or standing still in it even when you are wrapped up.

Also cold weather does make us more susceptible to picking up viruses going round.

https://www.healthline.com/health-news/scientists-finally-figure-out-why-youre-more-likely-to-get-sick-in-cold-weather

Though separately she may well be coming down with something. I'd ask the school whether she is on her own at playtime or running round with other kids. A lot of schools try and look out for kids who may feel left out.

Standing still in this weather will be freezing. She should be encouraged to run around if possible.

I've got the opposite problem where I can't get my 5 year old to keep warm clothes on. (She is very active though and wouldn't be standing still in the playground).

I was outside yesterday for a while, well wrapped up with base layers, and had to spend half an hour sitting right against a radiator with a hot drink to warm up when I got home. It used to happen occasionally when I had to watch DSs play rugby too. There isn't anything wrong with me (that I know of!) and I'm not sickening for anything. It could just be one of those things where she's not warmed up enough between periods of getting cold or something.

I agree that she might be coming down with something. Complaining of cold is one thing, but going to bed early because she was miserable about feeling cold earlier, even after a hot bath, is not normal and probably means she is fighting off some virus or other.

It sounds as if she's well dressed, so I would encourage her to move around to stay warm. It

Though separately she may well be coming down with something. I'd ask the school whether she is on her own at playtime or running round with other kids. A lot of schools try and look out for kids who may feel left out.

I can physically see her (I live next to the school), she has a few groups of friends she plays with on breaks, they also play in the playground before school so she isn't left out.

They don't stand still in the playground but they aren't legging it around either. I'm not sure how to quantify the pace at which they move.

Btw does she have warm boots? Cold feet will make anyone miserable.

Children usually run around and play. Adults may walk on their lunch break.

What?

Just because a child doesn't like the cold doesn't mean op should lie to get them inside.
That's pathetic.

Btw does she have warm boots? Cold feet will make anyone miserable.

School don't allow them

My granddaughter is the same so I sympathise. Miserable when it is cold at school. I think some children do feel the cold more.

It would likely be mostly the children that need the exercise and fresh air who sit inside