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Teenagers

Parenting teenagers has its ups and downs. Get advice from Mumsnetters here.

Original poster

Why don't teenagers wear coats to school?

63 replies

milkybarsrus · 25/11/2008 20:08

its freezing cold, it's been raining yet both of mine insist they do not need coats for school. they just trot off in uniforms complete with blazer and a scarf around their necks. Now they are getting colds regularly and i'm sure its because they refuse to take a coat! They said that there is nowhere to put them in school and they are to bulky to carry around all day! My youngest is nearly blue when he gets in from school, so any suggestions on how to keep him a bit warmer without wearing a coat would be appreciated TIA>

OP posts:
missingtheaction · 26/11/2008 10:59

tell them that under no circumstances may they wear their coats at any time at all, especially to school.

just let them freeze. they only learn by experience, and even then only bad experiences.

mrsmaidamess · 26/11/2008 11:00

cos they is cool, innit.

kiddiz · 26/11/2008 11:04

My dd wears layers. Today she has gone in a swimsuit (swimming first lesson...not normally!!!) shirt, jumper, plain black zipped 'hoodie' and her blazer. She has a showerproof jacket folded in her bag but won't take a coat cause there is nowhere to leave it at school. When ds2 was at same school I gave up after he had left his 3rd coat on the bus!!

sleepycat · 26/11/2008 11:05

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

herbietea · 26/11/2008 11:07

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn

themoon66 · 26/11/2008 11:14

DS never wears a coat either. This latest cold snap has got to him though because I notice he has suddenly started wearing a long sleeved t-shirt under his school shirt and a black wool jumper he bought himself from tkmaxx. Plus his blazer, scarf and fleecy gloves.

themoon66 · 26/11/2008 11:15

at schools who actually ban coats, gloves and scarves!

chopchopbusybusy · 26/11/2008 11:42

Not only does DD1 not wear a coat but she carries her blazer over her arm until she reaches school. It is compulsory to wear the blazer at all times in school so therefore she just won't wear it outside of school .

She has a locker. To my knowledge she never uses it.

Last winter she did wear a scarf to school, but scarves have now been banned in school so she doesn't even wear on for the journey now, according to her she might forget to remove it and will be given a demerit.

frogs · 26/11/2008 11:44

DD1's school have a compulsory uniform coat that has to be worn from October half term to February halfterm. The deputy head stands at the gate and checks them on arrival and at the end of the day.

It's a hideous thing, but at least it's a coat.

georgiemum · 26/11/2008 11:48

Coz it's like sooooo uncool, especially when your mum buys yout clothes. Duh!

I think they don't feel the cold. Must be the hormones.

mrspnut · 26/11/2008 11:53

My DD1 chose her coat and has still never worn it (I'm just glad I didn't buy the £120 Boden one she initially wanted).

We also paid for a locker for her, which she has never managed to locate and has now lost the key for.

I'm so fed up of buying things for her very strict school for her then to dump them in her wardrobe and they are never seen again.

Original poster
milkybarsrus · 26/11/2008 15:32

It's me again the one who started this thread and I have to say I am so glad I am not the only mother who has kids who insist on not wearing a coat! But, it makes me mad that there are no facilities for them to store them anyway . When its pouring with rain I find myself thinking I should jump in the car and pick them up which is totally against what the school wants i.e, making their own way and mums not clogging up the road!! I must admit I have even done it a few times .... maybe the kids are not so stupid after all!

OP posts:
wotsitallabout · 26/11/2008 16:07

milkybarsrus I'm so glad you started this thread. I was amazed to see how many messages flooded in so at least I know it's not just my DD. I got so excited I emailed my friend about it, sad pers that I am.

SexyDomesticatedDad · 26/11/2008 16:08

Can't believe so many schools don't have lockers (our secondary doesn't either) and as for some banning gloves / coats etc - what to the teachers do - they have places to leave stuff so pupils should too. My 2 eldest DS tend not to wear coats although DS1 now at college paid half towards new trendy coat and wore it during the cold snap last few days - so the penny does drop eventually. Also agree with poster on small handbags - see some girls wlaking to school too and knowing they don't have lockers - its not a crap school though .

IllegallyBrunette · 26/11/2008 16:11

Dd1 is the same and she is only 11. She will take her coat with her but rarely wears it.

Oh and asdmum, it might interest you to know that we live by a very good secondary school, with excellant results, and the majority of the girls use small trendy bags.

Tinker · 26/11/2008 16:12

Oh, am so glad this is a nationwide thing. My 11 year old has finally relented on teh shoes and got decentish ones (ie not £15 ballet pumps) But, no coat and a borrowed Jane Norman bag (out now, btw) because she still can't agree on a school bag!

random · 26/11/2008 16:18

Ds wears layers... longsleeve tshirt under his school polo shirt ..then his zip up school jumper..he has got thick hoodies he would wear to school that he could shove in his bag .. but hoodies are banned

beemail · 26/11/2008 16:39

Well I reckon much as it pains me to see them leave the house on a cold morning with no coat I have to remember my mantra - "choose your battles wisely" and just ignore it. They tell me they are not cold ,only their hands gert cold and they do wear gloves. Waste of coats though!

fizzbuzz · 26/11/2008 21:18

My ds won't wear one either. They are sick of dragging them round everywhere.

However I teach in a secondary school...and planty do wear them, as I spend the start of every lesson making them take them off

The girls usually wear them, and some of them are really nice! Lots of stylish bubble hemlines and sleeves.

I think we should make them all wear thermal vests

Milliways · 26/11/2008 21:24

DS wore 2 T-shirts under his school shirt today, + school jumper + suit jacket (& gloves). His coat won't fit in his locker so he is delaying as long as possible!

He said his problem is not the (heated) bus to school, more the cold classrooms.

atowncalledalice · 26/11/2008 21:49

DS1 wouldn't wear a coat until he started sixth form. All of a sudden they became cool, apparently. He's now 17 and seems to own about a hundred of the bloody things!

alleve · 26/11/2008 21:53

DD won't wear one, no lockers. Some of her friends do though! It really annoys me.

School bag is a biggish handbag on light days but mainly a rucksack.

deste · 26/11/2008 22:26

My son had to wear shorts to school till he was 12 and a half. When he moved up to the senior school there was not a coat on the uniform list so they just wear blazers. DD went to the same school but wore a scarf. We are in the frozen north so it was very cold but they did not seem to notice.

2shoes · 26/11/2008 22:29

NEWSFLASH
IN a seaside city down south, a mother brought her 16 year old son a coat.
she brought it from primark. he loves it.
affter sewing patches onto it. he can now be seen going to college wearing it.

snowcrystal · 26/11/2008 22:47

It's not just school,it's trips to town in the middle of stoorms.Asked if got wet ds 17 and dd 15 say i's boiling and wasn't really raining.Suppose it's hot in school and in shops and it's too much faff to take them off .Also want to look good in clothes not big coats.