One in four children start school in nappies

Farzanah

Thanks for putting me right re Scandinavian children Mollygo 😀

Don’t get me wrong, it was a great step forward when the EYFS curriculum replaced the “Reception class” so that other progress besides reading and writing is seen as important.

I made a nightgown for my firstborn. I even embroidered the bodice. Ofcourse I didn't know in advance if it would be a boy or girl.
He was quite the bruiser in it!
I drew the line at 3 ply pilches.

Yes, my DS wore nightgowns at night as it was far too hot that summer for Babygros.
Don't tell him!
He was quite the bruiser in it! Mine too.

So cute in those gowns though-like tiny angels. But they required more layers such as a sleep cardigan top sheet, blankets,,quilts, and mitts and booties in cold weather.
Shawls aren’t as common now either.

Babygros were just coming in in 1970 when DS1 arrived. There was a worry about them constricting baby's growing feet.
But booties were kicked off immediately!

Back on track with not being potty trained when at school for the first time.
The school have to take some of the blame,the schools are quit happy to take the money for each pupil they admit.
So maybe the school/s should ask if the child is toilet trained.

Its the same with being bullied at school,the school says we don't mind the money we get for the bully,but the school is quite happy to allow a bullied person to get bullied and won't do anything against the perpetrator.

infoman That's a very strange way of describing the supportive lengths school staff actually go to when faced with such problems.

There's no point in my writing what happens in the independent sector, it's different, but I'm sure someone will be along to confirm that the money issue is not the initial priority in state school settings.

infoman

Back on track with not being potty trained when at school for the first time.
The school have to take some of the blame,the schools are quit happy to take the money for each pupil they admit.
So maybe the school/s should ask if the child is toilet trained.

Its the same with being bullied at school,the school says we don't mind the money we get for the bully,but the school is quite happy to allow a bullied person to get bullied and won't do anything against the perpetrator.

Schools can ask, but are you claiming that they are allowed to turn children away if they are not toilet trained?

It would certainly be an incentive for those parents who want a place at a particular school.
However it doesn’t work like that, at least got LEA schools.
LEA schools admission arrangements are decided by the LEA. The school gets a list of children who have been given a place.

Academy admission arrangements are decided by the academy trust but are still administered by the LEA.

infoman

Back on track with not being potty trained when at school for the first time.
The school have to take some of the blame,the schools are quit happy to take the money for each pupil they admit.
So maybe the school/s should ask if the child is toilet trained.

Its the same with being bullied at school,the school says we don't mind the money we get for the bully,but the school is quite happy to allow a bullied person to get bullied and won't do anything against the perpetrator.

What a strange post.

LEAs have a duty to provide education for all children in their area. Schools cannot exclude children except on grounds of extreme behaviour.
Even then it can take a considerable time to find an alternative, suitable placement.

Exactly, Allira. A very strange comment.

I was enjoying going down memory lane with pilches and gowns.

When DD became a mum I found a book on the history of childcare through the ages to amuse her. But she found it horrifying and threw it out.
Another one was the Motherhood book.

Here's the front cover

There are washable nappies now that are incorporated into waterproof pants that come in a variety of fancy designs. No safety pins just lots of poppers that adjust for growth.

They aren’t white either, more a sort of greyish soft cotton and a liner is inserted that gets disposed of. Then into a sealed bucket with a solution, then into the washer at 40degrees.

In the very early 1970's in Britain, many mothers (like me) ignorant of how to care for a baby, bought the Dr. Benjamin Spock, "Baby & Childcare" book, for the latest trendy child- rearing ideas. I notice original copies of this book can still be bought on-line - and are ridiculously high prices for the second hand paper-back version! I am not sure if I read it again that I would still agree with Dr. Spock's ideas.

I had my children in the late 60s and early 70s and we only had Terry towelling nappies! No disposables! My children hated nappies when they started walking! Bulky and uncomfortable and were glad to get out of them! Also it was such a big hassle for mums!soaking, boiling, drying (nappies not children!) disposable nappies appear to be too comfy and don’t feel uncomfy when wet. Persevere with fabric nappies mums of today! Better for environment and better for your offspring! Mine were both dry and clean by 2 years old.
I expect some flak from this, time consuming washing drying etc, but give it a try,! Teachers and assistants have better things to do!

I find it quite worrying for the children, it takes a bit of effort to toilet train but it can be done!
My three with Down Syndrome were all out of nappies by their 3rd birthday, and I was lucky as due to their disabilities I was allowed free disposable pads …. they didn’t need them!

Mogsmaw

There are washable nappies now that are incorporated into waterproof pants that come in a variety of fancy designs. No safety pins just lots of poppers that adjust for growth.

They aren’t white either, more a sort of greyish soft cotton and a liner is inserted that gets disposed of. Then into a sealed bucket with a solution, then into the washer at 40degrees.

Yes, that is the way forwards. Disposables are also a total ecological disaster, from beginning to end.

That was actually my post Claremont 🫤

This does go on , I looked after children in a professional capacity and was asked by a parent about toilet training as child was big and no bigger nappies. We did it in a week, this was decades ago. Child was more than ready. I also worked in an educational setting and 10percent of the class need support with social skills. Really basic like using a cup . Parenting can be repetitive in parts but children need to gain skills and toilet training is a basic. It’s not as simple as changing nappies it involves body autonomy and safeguarding and where does this time come in a day of teaching?

My DD started playgroup a term later than the minimum age as she was not out of nappies in time. She was 3! By the time my DS was 3 he was allowed to start despite not being entirely dry as they had brought in nappy pants which he could pull down to go. However both were fine by the time they went to school at 5 apart from one accident that I was called in to deal with! Are they talking about 5 year olds still in nappies? Do some parents think it is the teacher's job?

I still remember in my first year at junior school (so about 7) a girl wetting herself. Her white dress went see through as she stood there peeing on the floor. But it was very much a one-off incident! There's a big difference between 'having an accident' and being sent in nappies!

All 4 of my children were toilet trained by the time they were 2 and a half. I helped out at our local mother and toddler group and can’t recall any of the children there still being in nappies. Yes there was the odd accident but it wasn’t a daily occurrence.

To Jo cork , children are being sent to school in nappies. Not special needs . Accidents are part and parcel of school but knowing that a child needs to be changed and not got going to toilet needs addressing . I understand it beggars belief but some parents don’t toilet train .

My daughters friend is a P1 teacher and she spends a significant amount of her time changing pupils nappies/teaching them how to use cutlery etc… there will always be “toilet” accidents of course but children should be able to use the toilet independently, dress themselves and use cutlery by the time they go to school…up to what age would teachers be “expected” to change non-toilet trained children. Teachers are there to teach not to “house train” children that is the parents or carers job.

Slight detour. But my bibles were Dr Hugh Jolly and Dr Miriam Stoppard. Read from cover to cover. I expect I passed them on.

Why do children have to go to school so young? Rising five shouldn't mean just four. I think children shouldn't have to start until the term in which they become five, by which time the vast majority have matured enough not to need nappies.
And I'd have thought that the expense of nappies would be as much of an incentive to get children dry as the washing of terry nappies was for us.