Gransnet forums

Ask a gran

Too cold for shorts ?

(60 Posts)
NanaandGrampy Tue 19-Jan-16 17:14:40

Just had DD1 on the phone . Her little son aged 6 has come home from school and said one of the teachers asked him if Mummy MADE him wear shorts to school !

I should explain . He has a choice of trousers to wear to school but prefers his shorts - always has. He's a hardy little chap, wears his big coat, gloves and scarf and hat but prefers his shorts. He says he's just not cold. He has no walk to school, he goes by car so he's only outside at playtime where he is on the go permanently.

His mum was the same as a child and even now is never cold.

As this was not the first comment made my teachers my daughter phoned the school to arrange to come in and defend his choice of clothing only to be told by the receptionist that she was a bad mother not to force him to wear long trousers.

I'm stunned !!

He's a much loved little tearaway. I've seen him swimming in April in the sea before now. Given the choice he will be outside in all weathers rather than indoors. He's well fed, clean, cared for, indulged to within an inch of his life and yet of all the children in the school apparently my daughter is a bad mother. I don't think hes had a day off sick in his life so far .

What do you think? Force him to conform and wear long trousers or trust him to have some judgement in whether he is feeling cold or not. My daughter has encouraged both her children to take some responsibility for their choices etc since they were very small and feels this is one he is capable of making . If she felt he was in any danger she would obviously intervene.

Is this the Nanny state interfering or is he in imminent danger?

Granarchist Tue 19-Jan-16 17:20:41

Nanaandgrampy - that is ridiculous - after all years ago all small children wore shorts all the year round. I've just come back from a walk with 3 yr old GD - she was wearing: tights, tee shirt, gloves and NOTHING else. She throws a tantrum when we try to put more clothes on her. We take coats and a hat with us for when she says she is cold. In November she went for a walk in the pouring rain in a swimsuit and wellies. When I dropped her off at her nursery last week, I tried to apologise for her lack of suitable clothing and her teachers both said "that's fine - no problem - some children just don't feel the cold" sensible women.

NanaandGrampy Tue 19-Jan-16 17:24:03

Thanks Granarchist I was just checking I hadn't lost the plot totally. I did say to my daughter that it wasn't long ago all boys wore shorts at least until secondary school.

I should mention that in his toasty centrally heated home he can often be found naked !! I've lost count of the times I've said - put your pants on !!

Ana Tue 19-Jan-16 17:25:12

If the receptionist told your daughter she was a bad mother for not forcing him to wear long trousers, she should be reported. That's a totally unacceptable comment to make.

Granarchist Tue 19-Jan-16 17:34:40

Nanaandgrampy - my DGS (from other daughter) likes to run around naked from the waist down - DD is at her wits end - luckily when they were here at Christmas he decided to stay fully clothed! Phew! I had a vision of church on Christmas Day causing a bit of amusement!

PS I know of at least one school where ALL boys had to wear shorts up to the age of 18 - (only changed in the 1980s). And that was before central heating too.

Luckygirl Tue 19-Jan-16 17:41:32

I agree with Ana's post - I would make a complaint about this - it is completely out of order. The whole darn thing is out of order of course.

thatbags Tue 19-Jan-16 17:45:41

Your DD should remind the school receptionist that all little boys used to wear shorts to school right through the winter. My brothers did. They are all still alive to tell the tale.

I don't think a school receptionist/secretary has any business speaking to a mother like that. I wouldn't put up with it. I'd complain to the headteacher.

I wonder if the same person would say the same thing to the mother of a girl wearing a skirt and socks rather than tights?

Jalima Tue 19-Jan-16 17:53:44

Boys never went into long trousers until they were about 13 or 14 many years ago and girls wore skirts. We used to wear woolly socks up to our knees (with garters that cut in).

Our postman wears shorts all the year round.

It is absolutely none of the business of the receptionist and I agree that the HM should be told. The teacher must surely realise he is a well-cared for child.

annsixty Tue 19-Jan-16 18:32:15

My 45 year old son was at a junior school were shorts were mandatory. I don't know how long it continued after he left at age 11. A neighbour who had been away for a weekend and hadn't done the laundry,sent her son in long trousers was rung by the HM to fetch him and not to take him back until he was in shorts. Mind he was a very unpopular HM. Tell DD to stick to her guns.

tiggypiro Tue 19-Jan-16 18:58:36

Yesterday in Beijing it was between -6'C and -12'C. 6yr old GS went to school in his thinnest summer weight trousers and was fine (another one who doesn't feel the cold). I'm not sure what the Chinese teachers thought as Chinese children are usually wrapped up in so many layers they look like Michelin men.

rosesarered Tue 19-Jan-16 18:58:41

What all the other posters say.It is not acceptable for your daughter to be insulted by anyone at the school( least of all the school secretary.)Is it the school rules that all the boys wear long trousers?My DGS has to wear long grey trousers to school.

Nelliemoser Tue 19-Jan-16 18:59:59

Yes all those poor little boys with red knees.

When I visted my Dgs last week we were round at t'other grans.

Dgs had a threenager melt down about wearing his trousers and he had gone round in his pyjama bottoms. When we came to go back to DDs he refused to wear any trousers so he walked the five minutes back home via the play ground with his bare legs sticking out under his anorak. This was last Tuesday and it was cold and windy. He really does not seem to feel the cold.
DD said he was out playing with the sand tray yesterday. All you get if you say "are you warm enough?" is "I am fine thank you"!
He is very unlike his nesh Nanan!

NanaandGrampy Tue 19-Jan-16 19:12:49

Thank you old ladies !

It's good to know he's not the only DGS who doesn't feel the cold!

I shall recommend my DD sees the headmistress and talks about how the receptionist dealt with this.

Me? I'm off out to buy the little lad a few more pairs of shorts smile

jinglbellsfrocks Tue 19-Jan-16 19:17:00

The shorts boys used to wear to school in opur young days came down to their knees, and socks came up to the knees. School short trousers these days are considerably shorter.

I would tell him to put his long trousers on like the other boys. And behave himself. hmm

Ana Tue 19-Jan-16 19:19:12

Less of the 'old' if you don't mind, NanaandGrampy! grin

rosesarered Tue 19-Jan-16 19:26:36

Haha?

NanaandGrampy Tue 19-Jan-16 19:28:07

shock

Omg I called you all old!!!

I'm off to lie down in a dark room young ladies !!

mcem Tue 19-Jan-16 19:37:33

What's needed is an appointment with HT to discuss uniform policy, to clarify that parents provide acceptable choices, to complain that school secretary's comments are totally out of order.
I had the opposite problem. School said shorts for 5yr-old boys. I said my asthmatic child with a history of chest infections would wear shorts in spring/summer but would be in long trousers in bad or cold weather. In Scotland an LEA-run school does not have the right to dictate the details of uniform to that extent so end of argument.

grannylyn65 Tue 19-Jan-16 20:04:48

Golly its a while since I heard 'nesh' Nellie!!

LullyDully Tue 19-Jan-16 20:05:11

My GS insisted on shorts until Christmas but we sent him back in long trousers this term as it is colder now it's January.

((((Our postman wears shorts and a shirt whatever. ))))

I do think the school are wrong to interfere unless the boy is shivering which it seems he isn't.

NB The shorts were very thick, as were the socks in 1950s.

Greyduster Tue 19-Jan-16 20:07:42

Young children don't seem to feel the cold at all. My GS has to be phsically levered into sweatshirt and coat to go to school, and always comes out of school with both in his bag whatever the weather and has to be levered back into them! The only concession he will make to warmth is a base layer under his polo shirt. He plays football and does cross country in driving rain and last weekend in sleet and takes it in his stride. He is not alone in this by any means. I agree with everyone who has said the school receptionist should be taken to task for her remark - it is completely out of order.

Penstemmon Tue 19-Jan-16 20:11:35

Unless the child had complained of being cold or had looked uncomfortable then really, if it is part of the uniform to wear shorts, there is no real problem.

However I can say that schools are under so much pressure to be aware of any child who may be at risk of lack of care/ abuse/radicalisation/FGM etc etc it is probably an over-reaction to some recent 'awareness' training.

Best just to pop in and clarify the situation. It is not a major issue after all.

My DGD (aged 10) refuses tights or trousers unless it is actually snowing!

Penstemmon Tue 19-Jan-16 20:14:39

I remember my brothers in shorts at secondary school all through their first year!

Synonymous Tue 19-Jan-16 20:23:51

DH was a big, tall lad at 13 so his mother was quite unable to buy him the shorts that the school uniform requirements stipulated much to his older but shorter brothers' disgust! MIL had to write to the school to excuse him for wearing long trousers. grin

LullyDully Tue 19-Jan-16 20:26:57

Quite a right of passage as I remember it. Long trousers as boys and stocking as a girl.I remember it so well.