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.

@Hazil it's a mistype. Cold doesn't cause a cold.

Colds are caused by germs.

But if a child has been cold for a prolonged period of time their body will have been using up so much energy that they are more susceptible to germs

@Helpordontthen that is not my understanding. Energy levels don't impact on immune system they are separate.

Generations have been pushing that myth for a long time. Colds are caused by germs germs impact where immune systems dip.

With my dc if their bodies are working hard to stay warm or cold their blood sugar levels drop so low as they are using up so much energy, if this carries on they always seem to then get unwell.

It may not directly cause illness but I think it does contribute

It is very cold and they can soon get chilly outside if they aren't running around much. I suggest you buy some thermal vests over the weekend to help. I would also suggest that a hat will.keep her warmer than ear muffs...or even.both. my students often seem to feel the cold in their feet first so you could add some thermal socks along with tights. On Monday there is no harm at all in letting her teacher or TA know how cold she has got. I would definitely want to know if one of my students was getting this cold. I'm.not sure how old she is, but it wouldn't seem.unreasonable to maybe allow them to come in sooner after being outside once they have had some fresh air. That will all be down to the setup at school though and the staffing possibilities. It's been hideous for our children this week because they haven't been able to go out and cabin fever has definitely set in!

She needs to get outdoors a bit more.

I too would be interested to see how this is worded on the uniform policy. Apart from one or two private schools where particular brands and styles are specified, I've only ever seen policies stating that trainers, branded shoes, slip on shoes etc are not allowed and that shoes should be of a sensible style and a particular colour, but never that girls must wear feminine, open styled shoes.

Honestly just sounds like shes coming down with a cold. Anyway it will be 5 degrees at least warmer by Sunday so problem solved.

I don't understand the hysteria over a bit of cold weather.
Honestly my child happily played outside (in warm clothes) for over an hour most days this week. Maybe I should report myself to social services! 🙄

Half the boys in my class had to be forced to put on jumpers to go outside today. Children need to run around and get fresh air. Anyone who has taught a class of children who've been kept in all day knows that!

The OP needs to get her child more weather appropriate clothing. School budgets are v tight. Rethinking won't change the school budget. What would you cut to pay for an extra midday supervisor?

Child care settings can't operate under a certain temperature - if it is less than the set temperature, they have to close.

Yet another reason to keep kids off until they're five. Poor little mite. Hardly a drippy drawers. I would remove her at lunch if possible in this weather.

I think some children do just get colder
We had a power cut due to snow when I was little and obviously my parents did everything they could including me sleeping in their bed, loads of layers etc etc
I ended up hypothermic and remember going to hospital and how bright and warm it was. Wasn't an unwell child but I was blue with cold and stayed in hospital for 5 days

Sounds like she’s coming down with something but aside from that what 4 year old actually “doesn’t run around in these temperatures because she knows the ground will be icy”? Seriously?? Stop mollycoddling your child and let her have fun and be a child ffs. It honestly scares me how much you helicopter parents are destroying children’s confidence in literally everything they do.

Its funny that so many people think I'm lying about the shoes policy. How bored do you think I must be to go to such effort. I won't be screenshotting and posting it because it is insanely outing, but under footwear, under the girls section, it just says "trainers and boots are not permitted".

Unfortunately I have been very ill all night so I imagine DD is slightly under the weather (not to this extent) which will have contributed to this.

Really hope our baby doesn't get as poorly as I have been overnight, he still hasn't shifted the last bug that came home from school a few months ago.

@Snowonthebeachx isnt it just madness! Helicopter parenting at its finest! 🙄

Sounds like she’s coming down with something but aside from that what 4 year old actually “doesn’t run around in these temperatures because she knows the ground will be icy”? Seriously?? Stop mollycoddling your child and let her have fun and be a child ffs. It honestly scares me how much you helicopter parents are destroying children’s confidence in literally everything they do.

Can hardly helicopter parent when I'm not there. If you read my updates, she slipped on ice in the ungritted playground recently and split her lip, so she is slightly cautious because she is four years old.
She also prefers not to run around and plays imaginative games instead, with her friends.

How about instead of accusing people of being helicopter parents we just let kids be themselves?

@Isthisexpected WHAAAAAAATT????? It’s hardly Antarctica ffs 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣

Oh I believe you about the shoes! DS’s school is ridiculously strict with uniform! Can only wear school scarf, beanie, coat, jumpers, tie and black school shoes so no boots or anything. We get weekly emails about uniform reminders and the headmaster stands at the front gate every morning checking uniforms 🙈 the school coat is ridiculously thin and it’s been a massive topic of discussion at the school gate this week as you can imagine!

@Owlsoutsidethewindow you were going to ask the school to make her warm area in temperatures like this 🤣🤣🤣🤣

@Rosiiee does no one actually challenge the headmaster at the gate when he does this?

God forbid I try to take care of my child when she has told me she's been freezing, ESPECIALLY when there is a member of staff that remains in the classroom anyway.

You clearly have nothing better to do than try to wind people up online, get a life.

My dd 10 feels the cold and wears thermal layers to school, decent gloves, padded coat etc. I’d make sure your dd has really good warm layers.

Ubiqlo heat tech long sleeve tops under her uniform. Really soft and they wash so well

Fleecy over trousers to pull on at break, or waterproof ingres with fleece lining are evert warmer. We have cheap ones from primark and sports direct. Maybe warm boys or socks for outside? Ask the TA to help her. This is the norm at Dds school she's 6.5. Teacher andTA bundle the childten up to go outside, the do spend longer than average outside compared to other schools i believe. School is in a forest and its bitter. The lake has been frozen solid for several weeks. We're very lucky to have such amazing teachers ( I wish I was as fast as dressing her as they are at getting a whole class of children dressed and organised!)

@Heyhoherewegoagain checking uniforms? It’s pretty normal in private schools I think. My school used to check uniforms too.