Girls only allowed to do handstands and cartwheels on the field IF they wear shorts under their dress

[CrackerOfNuts]

Is it me, or is that just barmy.

Both dd's have come home moaning as they like to try and do cartwheels and handstands on the field at lunch time. The dinnerladies have now said that unless they take in shorts to wear under their dresses, then they aren't allowed to do it because the boys will see their knickers.

From what Dd1 said, the majority of the boys are not even on the field, they are in the playground playing footie, so can't even see the girls letalone their knickers.

OK - I think all you mothers of no-trouser schools should write to the head and the chair of governors immediately. Outrageous!

I think that no state primary can actually enforce uniform anyway, they can only encourage. So you don't have to adhere to the rules if you don't like them.

My dd1 sometimes wears navy shorts and school polo shirt instead of her dress, like the boys, it's not official uniform for the girls (though trousers are) but noone complains.

If it's very hot at our primary school everybody changes into their PE kit. It started becaue we have a couple of old fashioned hut classrooms which get very hot in the summer, so the children in there were allowed to change. It was such a good idea that everyone does now when it's hot. They have to change back to go home - someting about corporate image, I suppose!

Quick update : have today sent dd1 undercover lol, to make sure of the actual rule. She is to do as many cartwheels and handstands as posible, with knickers flashing to get the dinner ladies attention.

Have then told her to ask dinner lady why they have to wear shorts and if it has come from the head.

We used to do gym in our vests and knickers and boys in their vests and pants.

I confirm what Threadwworm says about boys is absolutely true. Boys are completely not interested in girls of their knickers. When my son was 8 there was a girl in his class who kept chasing him for a kiss, and repeatedly telling him she loved him. His class teacher told me she overheard the girl saying 'I love you' and my son replying 'That's very nice but if you come near me again I'll kill you' If she'd been able to do keepie ups he would probably be engaged by now.

I know its very MN to say so, but I think these skorts are the ideal summer uniform for girls, if indeede they need to wear skirts at all.

I prefer dresses in the summer - no waist bands or anything.

I am oddly anti-school girl trousers anyway Much to DD's disgust.

My friend is a dinner lady or lunchtime supervisor as they are now called and you should hear the list of what they aren't supposed to do.
No handstands or cartwheels
No rolling or skidding on grass
No throwing grass I can understand this

She thinks it is a health and safety issue.

God i have a 8 & 5 daughters 5 son they have all gone through flashing maybe in a song or just for the sake of it now my 8 year old would not purposely flash her pants at anybody but would happily do handstands etc all day I would be disgusted if my girls were told to put on shorts so boys couldn't see thier knickers boys untill at least 11 are not even intrested and alot of girls by 11 and 12 aren't doing handstands anymore.
Politically correct brigade will have our girls dressed in Burka's soon just so we dont offend our multi racial society

Re: handstands. Whilst I get as cross as the next person when I hear of conkers etc... being banned in schools, I would point out that one pf my pupils landed awkwardly from a handstand onto her friend, breaking her leg so badly she was off school in traction for a couple of months! So, I'm afriad we now ban them. Shame, but....

LOL crackerofnuts, I trust you didn't attach a merkin to her pants?

clam - a little boy at ds's school fell down the staid and got concussion. Should we have banned stairs?

Of course not, seeker. But have you watched the handstand brigade at breaks. They merrily fling themselves upside down (as you do, although I've not attempted it myself recently) without looking who's nearby. The number of kicks in the face there are, and near misses, is a worry to lots of Heads who, frankly, are going to be in the firing line with any litigious parent. Unfortunately, that's the workd we live in nowadays. I suppose one concession is to train the children in "handstand awareness" but it even that wouldn't stand up in court. And, if it was your child off school for several months, you might be asking some questions of the Head too.

Best if children aren't allowed to move or go out to play at all, I think. That way there would be less risk of damaging themselves. Though they could all die in middle age of sedentary and obesity-related diseases instead.

I was watching my dds and their friends yesterday, 6 utterly naked girls, the oldest was nine, capering around the garden (not particularly private, all the neighbours can see). And I am really glad my dds and their friends aren't yet bothered by "modesty".

You've BANNED HANDSTANDS?

Words failed me!

Thinking of health over a lifetime though a broken limb in childhood is actually less dangerous than a sedentary lifestyle. The current generation of children is predicted to have a huge problem with inactivity and obesity, life expectancy for them is predicted to be lower than for our generation. If you're health and safety conscious, then discouraging children from strenuous physical activity is not the way to go.

How ridiculous! My dd2 was chatting on the way to school today and told me that she and her friend were judging the other girls doing handstands on the field at playtime. The only thing was, they weren't judging the quality of the handstands themselves, they were choosing the knickers they thought were the best

My friend dislocated her baby's shoulder putting a babygro on her. A and E said it was quite common....Not sure what to ban - babygros, mothers, non-professional baby dressers, clothes in general...

Oh god, this is mad, agree with enid et al.

I think the blue shorts thing is ridiculous. We have the same rule at our primary school..apparently due to there being one male member of staff - the caretaker.

Dd's friend broke her leg when her little sister sat on it. Dd is firmly of the opinion that younger siblings ought to be banned in the interests of health and safety. She might well have a point.

There are always going to be unavoidable accidents in life - babygros, vicious flights of stairs, whatever. BUT, if your child suffered a serious injury at school (or anywhere else) wouldn't you want to know that the school was taking steps to prevent it happening again? So, while I agree that handstands ought to be a rite of passage for small children out on the grass in the sunshine, if the practice is leading to accidents because there are too many kids milling about for it to be done safely, then it is surely the Head's duty to avoid them. They can always do them at home in the garden, or in the park with fewer people about and you in charge.