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Hi all....I need some advice from savvy parents. My 14 year old son is now a freshman in high school, and has apparently decided that, although he lives in New England, he can wear shorts and a sweatshirt year round. It seems that he is not alone in this way of thinking, and I notice a majority of his buddies behaving the same way. Whether they are suffering from a mass delusion, simply trying to be "cool", or are just all not that bright, I haven't figured out yet. We live almost two miles from the high school, and there is no school bus service, so much of the time he walks home.
This insanity started in middle school, where I would often show up in my toasty warm van during single-digit weather after school, to pick up half a dozen hypothermic, shivering, boys-with-no-coats-who-don't-really-need-a-ride-but-thank-you-Mrs.-F-yes-I'll-get-in-the-van. After several lectures regarding the inability of warm blooded mammals without fur or layers of blubber to retain life-sustaining body heat in sub-zero weather without the benefit of warm clothing, I still find my self fighting this battle. I do understand that they do not have much space in their lockers for a bulky coat, so I was wondering if any of you are aware of some miracle space age material that will be extremely lightweight, yet pass the "cool" test. I have already tried the Lands End Tamarac, but the boys won't wear anythiong fleece. I already tried the sweatshirt with the fake pile inside, but it was deemed too bulky.
Any help you all could give me would be greatly appreciated.
They are in HS...."cool" outweighs pretty much all discomfort unfortunately. The only place my 16yo son would wear a coat is snowboarding. They also have no room in their lockers (3 kids share a locker in their school). I suspect however, that if your son is still wearing shorts instead of jeans, it wouldn't matter what kind of coat you found him. At some point, he'll just figure out that he's cold enough and wear longer pants and something warmer on top or he'll just be darned cold.
After a few years of wearing only hoodies, these are similar to the type of leather jacket my son now puts over a hoodie.
(Neither are exactly like his. I'm just trying to show the straight cut without ribbing on the bottom. This is the cut that layers best.)
The added laywer on top of the hoody helps keep him warm in addition to breaking the wind. (Hint: real leather is warmer than the fake stuff.)
(I don't recommend buying the coats with the fake zip out hoodies. They are fake leather and the hoodies get wierd looking---they want to wear their own actual hoody.)
I don't think a leather duster is appropriate for the type of kid who is only wearing hoodies. The leather duster look is an entirely different type of kid.
I don't know, but you are not alone. On a 20 degree morning with my kindergartner all bundled up, we stood at the bus stop with a 6th grader (I'm guessing) in shorts and a hoodie.
When my son was in 6th or 7th grade, he invited a friend to go skiing with his boyscout troop.
The kid showed up at our house in shorts! No coat. No gloves. No hat. Nothing.
I couldn't believe the parents didn't make sure he was dressed properly for skiing.
I quickly scoured the house for hats, gloves, old snow suits, etc.
That was taking natural consequences a little too far.
It's one thing to let them go to the bus or out with their friends the way they want.
It's another thing to let them go in a pair of shorts to spend 18 hours on a mountain with snow and potential freezing rain.
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