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I always get a kick out of watching the kids ages 10-18 stand at the bus stop near our home. It is 25 degrees and windy in the morning in January and they are wearing short pants and a tee shirt. At most they are wearing a sweat shirt and jeans but only if it is just super cold.
I think the schools should contact protective services and report the parents for not parenting. Why would anyone allow their kids to stand around in below freezing weather in short pants and tee shirts in mid January? Parents: What's the story with kids and coats?
Agreed. As teacher I see these things every day at school.
Quote:
Originally Posted by lkb0714
Some of us work, and are gone by the time they walk out the door.
Some of us, realize the best way to learn is through making mistakes. If a teenager is cold at the bus stop, the next day they will remember the coat.
Really, its best not to sweat the small stuff. And since we are not seeing widespread examples of hypthermia and frost bite, they are likely fine.
What kind of parenting is that? Work? Nothing comes before my children. If I can't do it in person for any reason, I take care someone else will.
I see the result of this (common) parenting approach on many other levels and am concerned with the future of the next generations in society, at work and in the family.
(BTW, hypothermia is not the only danger of exposure to cold. Other things, like pneumonia are possible).
Agreed. As teacher I see these things every day at school.
What kind of parenting is that? Work? Nothing comes before my children. If I can't do it in person for any reason, I take care someone else will.
I see the result of this (common) parenting approach on many other levels and am concerned with the future of the next generations in society, at work and in the family.
(BTW, hypothermia is not the only danger of exposure to cold. Other things, like pneumonia are possible).
1. The previous generations had to live in families with two working parents as well. And many single parents - the children come first - well sure, how do you expect these children will be fed, if mommy has to stay home to make sure they are wearing their winter snowsuits, and the only jobs available require that she leave a half hour before the kids go to the bus stop? Yes, the kids come first. And that means if mommy has to work for that half hour, then mommy has to work, and the kids will just have to learn how to dress themselves by the time they enter kindergarten. Fortunately, most of them learn it.
2. Once the kid is dressed, there's nothing preventing them from taking their jacket OFF when they leave the house. When I was a kid, I took it step further: I'd take my jacket off and fling it in the garage, so I wouldn't have to even carry it to the bus stop.
3. Kids being out at the bus stop in 25-degree weather, wearing sweat shirts (and which sick twisted adult "good samaritan observer" is checking UNDER their clothes to see whether or not they're layering?) for 5-10 minutes while waiting for the bus will not result in hypothermia or pneumonia.
4. When we went to Junior High, we had gym uniforms. They were a hideous green one-piece contraption that pulled on and had an elastic waist. It was made to resemble a pair of green cotton shorts and a green and white striped t-shirt. We wore those out three times every week, inside and outside the school during gym class. If there was more than an inch of snow on the lawn, OR if it was raining/snowing, we held gym class inside. Otherwise, it was held outside, and consisted mostly of calisthenics in the winter. No one ever got sick from this.
5. Mollycoddling children results in mollycoddled adults who don't know how to live independently, and spend their miserable lives wondering why the world doesn't cater to their needs like mommy did.
Agreed. As teacher I see these things every day at school.
What kind of parenting is that? Work? Nothing comes before my children. If I can't do it in person for any reason, I take care someone else will.
I see the result of this (common) parenting approach on many other levels and am concerned with the future of the next generations in society, at work and in the family.
(BTW, hypothermia is not the only danger of exposure to cold. Other things, like pneumonia are possible).
Fighting with the kids about their clothes is simply not something you want to do. Seriously, unless you are talking extreme cold and more than a few minutes, the child will not be harmed.
Obviously with the younger set, parents are in control, but with kids over 10, not so much. The best way for them to learn is actually by experiencing the cold and deciding on their own they need to put on more clothing.
Are you suggesting that parents should make a teen put on a coat and stand around at the bus stop to make sure s/he doesn't take it off? Honestly!!
I have noticed this, and it is more prevalent with boys than girls.
There are a million reasons a kid won't/can't wear a coat.
My 9-year-old son informed me that his new year's resolution was to wear shorts every day this year. I think it's dumb but not the worst thing he could do. So I let him, and we stood together waiting for the bus this morning in 31 degree weather. I had on a parka.
I choose my battles with my kids. My older boys prefer to layer shirts and hoodies than wear a "puffy" coat.
Agreed. As teacher I see these things every day at school.
What kind of parenting is that? Work? Nothing comes before my children. If I can't do it in person for any reason, I take care someone else will.
I see the result of this (common) parenting approach on many other levels and am concerned with the future of the next generations in society, at work and in the family.
(BTW, hypothermia is not the only danger of exposure to cold. Other things, like pneumonia are possible).
Pneumonia is actually not from getting cold, penumonia is brought on from bacteria or viruses. It's a myth that cold weather makes people ill.
Believe it or not, there are people who will actually jump into ice cold water and swim -- polar bear clubs and they don't die from even that.
It would be neglect only if the parent failed to provide warm clothes for the child but it's not necessary to bundle up a child who is old enough to dress himself. Any child over age 6 should be able to dress himself and put on a jacket. If a 12 year old refuses to wear a jacket, it wouldn't work to wrestle the kid to the floor and forcefully put the jacket on. Certainly the kid could figure out how to take it off once out of sight -- and be more likely to do just that.
A parent can try to make sure the kid has long sleeve cotton t-shirts, and "hoodies" and at least have a couple layers when it's very cold, but forcing a child to show up to school dressed like an eskimo when none of the others dress that way only opens the child up to peer ridicule.
Pneumonia is actually not from getting cold, penumonia is brought on from bacteria or viruses. It's a myth that cold weather makes people ill.
Believe it or not, there are people who will actually jump into ice cold water and swim -- polar bear clubs and they don't die from even that.
It would be neglect only if the parent failed to provide warm clothes for the child but it's not necessary to bundle up a child who is old enough to dress himself. Any child over age 6 should be able to dress himself and put on a jacket. If a 12 year old refuses to wear a jacket, it wouldn't work to wrestle the kid to the floor and forcefully put the jacket on. Certainly the kid could figure out how to take it off once out of sight -- and be more likely to do just that.
A parent can try to make sure the kid has long sleeve cotton t-shirts, and "hoodies" and at least have a couple layers when it's very cold, but forcing a child to show up to school dressed like an eskimo when none of the others dress that way only opens the child up to peer ridicule.
I can not agree totally with your last paragraph actually the last two. Soooooooo if your daughter at the age of 12 wanted to wear a skanky mini skirt would you allow her to leave the house dress in such a manor because you feel she will just change into it once she's out of your sight?
I will reiterate one point here. Once kids hit middle and high school they have a small locker that just about accommodates their backpack and little else, and spend the entire day in heated classrooms. There is nowhere to store a snow suit. Most school buses are heated. If a tween/teen chooses not to wear a coat for the one minute trip from the car/bus into the school building, they may just survive.
Agreed. As teacher I see these things every day at school.
What kind of parenting is that? Work? Nothing comes before my children. If I can't do it in person for any reason, I take care someone else will.
I see the result of this (common) parenting approach on many other levels and am concerned with the future of the next generations in society, at work and in the family.
(BTW, hypothermia is not the only danger of exposure to cold. Other things, like pneumonia are possible).
God this makes me nuts. Illness is caused by bacteria and virus. Not cold.
I will reiterate one point here. Once kids hit middle and high school they have a small locker that just about accommodates their backpack and little else, and spend the entire day in heated classrooms. There is nowhere to store a snow suit. Most school buses are heated. If a tween/teen chooses not to wear a coat for the one minute trip from the car/bus into the school building, they may just survive.
You know me. I don't make my kid do anything. Anything I make them do is something that they aren't doing on their own. Maybe that is why they listened to me when I said, boy aren't you going to be bummed if the bus breaks down way out on the far side of town. Gonna suck for you big time.
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