Coatless kids

I think maybe it’s more a case of no common sense in the pupils. I noticed, in freezing weather, a couple of girls yesterday with bare legs and skirts that just skirted their bottoms. The last think they’d want is clothing to cover themselves.

Usually carrying their blazers too. Trying to get high school kids to wear coats is worse than herding cats. It’s like a badge of honour the less they wear. Girls with skirt and short socks brrrrrr!

I do not understand show so many secondary schools have no where for coats to be hung, etc.

These youngsters have to carry around with them all day a heavy back pack. Surely cannot be good for their growing bodies to have to do this. Ans this is the reason why so many of them will not add to that a heavy coat or jacket, etc.

Wonder how many people in employment would put up with these conditions

Kids around here are the same but they are teenagers and I guess they don’t think they look cool.

What I don’t understand is how parents can take tiny babies and toddlers out in hardly any clothes. I’ve seen tiny babies with no hats, no gloves and just a little cardigan and socks while the parents are wearing great big puffa coats and furry parkas!

We have had icy cold winds here the last few days and seeing little cold fingers and ears sticking out makes me shiver. Teenagers have a choice but babies don’t.

I work with pre school kids. 3/4 year old. We go out in all weathers. Last week two girls turned up in fancy dress sparkly shoes to match and two boys no coats or wellies.do they not listen to monthly newsletter or look outside.😏

Thing not think

In primary schools many peoples arrive by car, leave their coats on the seat, then try to stay in at playtime because it is too cold.
Secondary schools have to sacrifice cloakroom/locker space for teaching accommodation, plus the fact that so much property is stolen by other pupils.

Our Boy Wonder started high school last September. His outdoor coat was navy and Jasper Conrad but it had a faux fur trim on the hood. Fine for junior school but he wanted to be the same as all the other (older) lads and not stand out in any way shape or form. Fair enough. So his mum bought him a plain black Adidas jacket with a hood that he happily wears now over his blazer. Blazers apparently have to be worn all day. If too warm he takes his jumper off (he’s got more skins than an onion now) and stuffs it in his locker with his outdoor coat. By the sounds of it he’s lucky to have a locker! Crams everything in it, next to his PE kit.

My two used to be the same, wandering home in near minus temperatures, shirts only, ‘where is your coat’ was often their welcome home comment. Said coats were often left at school and the children were frequently sent by me to search the lost property cupboard.

Yesterday morning at the beginning of an hour bus journey two young women came and sat on the seat in front of us. Chatted animatedly about their university courses and the foibles of lecturers. One wore jeans and a crop top with a short waistcoat. The other had a thin denim jacket. Neither appeared cold, it was 1 degree outside and not much more on the bus. We were chilly in several layers topped with a thick coat. Different internal thermostats for sure.

My GC have come home nearly every week without their cardigans that have never been seen again! They were not cheap either it’s so annoying their coats haven’t gone missing yet.

Here in the NE it's practice for when they grow up. They shed clothes year after year until they are old enough to go clubbing, girls in skimpiest dress possible, boys in short sleeved t-shirts.
I on the other hand have reached the stage of adding a layer every decade.

I was interested to find that my GD seldom does her coat up. I never did when I was her age and all the time I was at school. I can't help wondering if there's some connection...

I feel the cold more now so my coat is done up more often - but not always!

Schools would have to have a lockable locker for each child - and room for the lockers. When I went to school we hung our coats on our named pegs and they stayed there. No one ever had their coat taken. I don’t think that would happen today.

Last night I came out of choir rehearsal at 9pm, the same time as a girls’ netball practice ended. Girls came out in the cold with no coats, in just their PE kit, some with T shirts and totally bare legs, just black knickers! We adults wore coats, scarves and gloves.

We have an alleyway alongside our house which is used by many secondary school children morning and evening. We often see coats being taken off as they turn the corner out of parents' view and being put back on again in the evening. It's quite a ritual! Some girls roll their skirts up at the waistband too.
I remember my daughter doing just this - and I did too, though the skirt had to be unrolled again once I got to school as there was a strict 'inch above the knee' rule.

We call it ‘wine bar uniform’ Glorianny? Hardy up North.

I just don’t think they feel the cold. My GS has always fought tooth and nail not to have to wear a coat in any weather. I’ve never ever heard him say “I’m cold”. He’s now a teenager and like most of his friends, when not in school he wears shorts even at this time of the year. I remember years ago, we were coming back from a day trip to Boulogne on a coach where the heating had broken down and there was ice on the inside of the windows. I’ve never been so cold. We drove through a town and youngsters were turning out of a nightclub wearing next to nothing but jeans and tee shirts not a jacket in sight. They didn’t seem to notice the cold.

When I went to secondary school (1956-1960) we had a cloakroom which was locked during the day except for lunch time. This was to prevent theft and also to stop children nipping off early.

Unfortunately it was made of open metalwork. So those of us who were smart (and wanted to skive off) hung our coats on the outer wall. There we could unhook them so that they dropped to the ground and we pulled them out through the 6 ins gap.

When we got to age 14 we had free periods. About once a month my friend and I used to get signed in on our class register and then "bunk off" for the afternoon. Once you were registered it was just assumed that you went off to another class. We were never caught.

However I can never recall girls wandering around with skimpy clothes. That must have come later.

Some of us still don't use a coat if we are in the car and not going to be outside for long...I don't use it to the gym for example or to the library or supermarket as there is parking right outside. I do wear it to the hairdressers because of it's location in relation to parking - and if needing to be outside for some time eg if I need to navigate pedestrianised town centres or am out "walking".

I have a padded fluorescent jacket in the boot of my car in case I break down but realised only yesterday that I hadn't worn an ordinary coat for ages.

You live near me gloriagranny!

It was ever thus, I think! My small GC don’t seem to notice the cold at all. That’s weird to me, having grown up in a house without CH and feeling perpetually cold.

I imagine these half-dressed children are the offspring of the men I see around wearing shorts in sub-zero temperatures! 😂

Definitely georgesgran!

I laugh at some of the lads around here hat on adidas jacket gloves and wearing shorts!