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Original poster

what do you think of a school that makes the children wear short trousers and during the winter

144 replies

espares · 05/10/2008 19:10

Hi
My ds has just started at a new school and has to wear short trousers and long grey socks.
Do you think its reasonable to expect the children to wear them during the winter also. we have to walk to school and I am not sure about this.

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StripeyKnickersSpottySocks · 18/11/2008 15:54

Put him in long trousers. Sod the head. Ask the head if they would like to wear little shorts in winter.

TsarChasm · 18/11/2008 15:55

How horrible!

The teachers should lead by example and do the same then.

brimfull · 18/11/2008 15:55

It is the schools being poncy

saying that ds quite likes wearing shorts sometimes

piratecat · 18/11/2008 15:55

meemar it encourages freezing bollocks imo!!

Toffi2604 · 23/11/2008 13:30

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn

cory · 23/11/2008 13:46

rofl at Toffi

cory · 23/11/2008 13:47

I had never actually seen a chilblain until I moved from Central Sweden to the English Sout Coast. Also seem to hear an awful lot more about gout and arthritis these days. Oh well, as long as it builds your character. Mine, I suppose, is past praying for.

piscesmoon · 23/11/2008 13:51

All it takes is for the parents to band together and insist on long trousers.

treedelivery · 23/11/2008 13:57

Tru, wont do him any real harm.

But no good either and clearly bonkers!!

Sod 'em and put him in 'temperature appropriate clothing'.

The silly buggers.

treedelivery · 23/11/2008 13:58

True

Tru??????? MAybe I needed shorts in winter. Maybe that's why I can't spell and know nowt?

cherrylips · 23/11/2008 20:23

Agree whole heartedly with Morocco. I can't believe this cruel and poncey custom still exists. I think its awful, and weird.

Ask other parents. If anyone feels the same as you, club together and complain to the head about this practice.

abraid · 23/11/2008 20:30

You're talking about a country where winters are mild. Where boys run around for short periods of time (max. about 30 minutes by the time they've had lunch, etc) outside. If you watch them they are on the move constantly, chasing balls, playing tag, etc.
At my son's prep school they stick tracksuit trousers on if it snows/becomes seriously unpleasant.

They're boys, not delicate little petals.

nell12 · 23/11/2008 20:39

DC's school uniform for boys is shorts and long socks up to the end of year 5; he survived! In fact he got so used to wearing shorts that he would choose to wear his (non uniform) shorts at home during the Christmas holidays!

Good grief, why is this an issue???

nell12 · 23/11/2008 20:39

DC's school uniform for boys is shorts and long socks up to the end of year 5; he survived! In fact he got so used to wearing shorts that he would choose to wear his (non uniform) shorts at home during the Christmas holidays!

Good grief, why is this an issue???

Dottoressa · 23/11/2008 20:45

DS's prep school gives them the choice of shorts and long school socks or long trousers and short school socks in winter. DS would kill me if I ever bought him a pair of long trousers!!

Personally, I think they look very nice, even if I wouldn't choose to have bare legs in winter myself.

Come to think of it, I don't remember the last time he wore long trousers at all. They do have a track suit for outdoor games in really foul weather, though they must bribe him to wear the bottom half...

As for DD: she lives in thin skirts and short-sleeved t-shirts whatever the weather. I think they are just hardy northern children.

MmeLindt · 23/11/2008 20:48

ROFL at Toffi

If it is an option, then shorts are ok. If compulsory then not acceptable.

School uniforms should be individual, as our children are.

nell12 · 23/11/2008 21:28

Look up the word uniform MmeLindt

piscesmoon · 23/11/2008 22:24

Boys used to wear short trousers until they were 12 or 13 yrs old. I don't know when it stopped -either late '60's or early '70's. It was the norm, everyone did it without question (probably because washing clothes was more of a problem). Now that we have automatic washing machines, and it isn't the norm it is silly to get in some sort of time warp-rather like getting little girls to wear panama hats.(Older ones no longer put up with it!) I don't think the fact that they look 'cute' is fair when the weather is bad.
However it only exists because parents let it-all it takes is for the majority of parents to say they are sending them in the same colour but they will be long.

Dottoressa · 23/11/2008 22:30

Our children may be individual, but DD and her little friends all seem to have a home uniform consisting of an M&S reversible Cinderella dress..

MmeLindt · 23/11/2008 22:42

nell
I have been living on the continent too long, it all looks hopelessly old-fashioned to me. ;)

Saying that, DD decided she wanted a school dress when we visited Scotland last year, one of the blue gingham ones

Waswondering · 23/11/2008 22:49

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

MatBackFeck · 23/11/2008 22:51

my ds has to wear shorts and long socks for the first couple of years - I do think it is a bit of a silly old fashioned tradition but it doesnt concern me too much - not enough not to send him there anyway when everything else is ok. becasue he is short his shorts will actually come over the top of his long socks so i think he will be ok. I have also bought a couple of pairs of black tights which I will put on underneath on really cold snowy days. I dont think they can stop me as long as he has the sorts and socks on as well. What does annoy me about it is that I cannot find grey shorts anywhere in the shops for him as everwhere has trousers now so I will be forced to get them from the overpriced uniform shop ...

what as shocked me is the price of the blazers but that is another story ....

MatBackFeck · 23/11/2008 22:52

Actually when I went out running today I saw 3 other runners in shorts - I did think that was crazy! But they seemed ok so maybe men/boys have unusually hardy knees or something!

DrZeus · 23/11/2008 22:56

DS's wear shorts and haven't complained. Well, actually, ds2 did say on Friday that he was cold so I have the trousers ready for tomorrow. DS1 wants to stay in shorts. He's nearly 7 and in year 2. FWIW the classrooms do seem very warm and I don't think they get much chance to feel the cold with the amount of running around at break/lunchtimes!

stealthsquiggle · 23/11/2008 22:58

DS wears shorts. Nice warm cord ones, which I prefer to thin, cheap trousers any day. Also, I would have had to replace trousers at least twice as often as he is growing so fast.

Girls and boys wear waterproof over-trousers and wellies for outside play in winter and DS has never complained of being cold.

When they cancel lessons in favour of playing in the snow they feed them all hot chocolate and put any damp ones in their games kit (tracksuits) while their uniform is in the drier.

My father had to wear shorts until he was 16 - now that is cruel and yes he was mentally scarred for life