I Forgot to pack 5 year old DD's trainers for PE so she was told to pick up rubbish from the school field instead - am I right to be angry??

[mumtochloe]

I feel this is more akin to a punishment. DD said she had been given a really important exciting job to do instead of PE but to be honest I am angry about the whole thing. Would you be angry too or am I being a bit silly?

I wouldn't accept this. I'm glad your dd wasn't upset, but I would be, I'm afraid.

At one of my primary schools the protocol was that children who hadn't got PE kit stood on the hot pipes in bare feet throughout the PE lesson. It was very painful.

Anyway, I would have a word with the teacher and make it clear that if your child can't do PE for whatever reason, she should be given an appropriate alternative activity to do. Not forced labour.

Standing on hot pipes is not on, but to describe litter-picking as forced labour is a bit emotive, is it not?

A worksheet is forced labour too. Actually, so is PE (well, that's how I used to view it anyway).

I don't see why being outside picking up litter is any worse than having to sit inside, in another class, doing some work.

Hot pipes - not acceptable, but not comparable either.

mw14 - well it is getting colder so not sure how pleasant bare feet might be outside. Anyway how can the school guarantee that the op wouldn't get upset about her child being made to do PE in bare feet? I wouldn't personally but some parents might. I can just imagine - "school made my DC do PE in bare feet! Am I right to be annoyed?"

If the child wasn't upset and it wasn't intended as a punishment I can't really see the problem.

Sadly true that some people (not including OP heer) wuld complain about their child doing PE in bare feet inside, never mind out. Quite why this would be seen as unacceptable though I really do not understand.

greenlumpytonsils - how do you define "appropriate" - what do you suggest? presumably mumtochloe's dd had to be on the playing field as she had to be under the supervision of the teacher doing pe (they can't just magic extra supervision from nowhere) and she couldn't do pe cos of the lack of plimsolls. I really see nothing wrong with this, especially as she thought it was exciting and important.

I hated PE with a passion from the word go.
Would rather pick up litter any day.

I'd be livid personally. Fancy singling out a 5 yr old like that when it's clearly not her responsibility, yet, to remember PE kit!

Why did you hate PE? The activities, the teacher, the kit?

Gobbledigook - she had to be singled out in some way, because she couldn't do PE.

Hated it because I was no good at it. It was humiliating - you are on view whereas you can be lousy at acadmic work in relative privacy. Losing/forgetting plimsolls at my school was not an option as they lived in lockers at school so I invented some verrucas. That worked a treat.

It does smack a little of a community service sentence, but many schools have a litter problem so it may be better viewed as something everyone does when the opportunity arises. The old head at my son's school made it a punishment and failed completely to tackle the problem. The new head has sorted it, not sure how but I don't think it is/viewed as a punishment any more.

I think you need to find out whether it was intended as a punishment or not before wading in.

I think we're putting adult "community service" connotations on it that children just don't have.

Picking up litter is only a punishment if you perceive it as such. If it's sold to you as a responsible, important job, not a punishment, then that's how you'll see it. This child didn't see it as a punishment, so it wasn't one. If they paid £40K pa to you to do it, and didn't make you wear an orange suit, then I wouldn't see it as a punishment either, and I'd do it.

Well said.

Fair enough. Litter picking was a punishment at my school. I can see that wasn't how it was used here. I still wouldn't like it for my child though - I would rather the school kept some spare kit to be issued to children who hadn't got theirs.

There's probably some insane health and safety rule about it now, which means they're not allowed. (Or not "insured", as the other excuse always is)

I experienced a bout of vomiting and diarhhoea when a small child around 24 hours after I decided (voluntarily ...I was a bit bored) to do some litter picking in the streets around our house.

Don't think it was an appopriate thing to get your daughter to do!

Although why you would need to be insured against dangerous PE kit...

You need gloves and extensive hand washing afterwards. That's not being overly fastidious, that's fact.

All forms at my old school used to litter pick. We had a rota. Each form did it about once a month during registration. We made sure hands were washed afterwards.

At a kid's school? I don't think there are going to be used condoms and needles are there? (not even Mars Bar wrappers at my DS's school if the bloody parents would follow the rules)

"I would rather the school kept some spare kit to be issued to children who hadn't got theirs. "

My child was forced to use shared plimsolls. Am I right to be angry?

Sorry couldn't resist.

I wouldn't like it

Well obviously not Fluffy, but I contracted d&v after litter picking with not a condom or used needle in sight

I'm very, very, very against the idea of children being held responsible for a parent's failings/minor mistakes. Very unfair imo. However, it does sound like this was sold as a fun alternative activity, so i'm not sure what to think in this situation really.

So, a spectacularly helpful post from me then!

I reckon the school will be trying to teach the kids that it is their responsibility to remember trainers, scummymummy, and not the parents'. It probably wasn't a punishment so much as a consequence.