One of the highest stress moments for a parent is a letter home saying that the school is having a Dress Up Day.
My children’s school seems to have one every half term! Dress Up Days previously have included Spanish, Kings & Queens, Victorian, Pirates, Japanese, Superheroes, and many more I simply can’t recall.
Most fit in with classroom themes or topics; which I understand extends children’s learning, but this puts pressure on parents.
Christmas Jumper Day is part of Save the Children campaign although this seems to have been forgotten. Spending £10+ for one child’s jumper in a major chain supports the chain’s profits rather than supporting the transformation of childrens lives.
Putting pressure on parents to source or buy such items when family finances are budgeted at this time of year and time is limited and the feelings of competition with other parenths comes into these days too. As some order very expensive and elaborate jumpers for their child to wear whilst others struggle with the anxieties and worries of what their child could wear and what others will think.
When most schools have strict policies on non-designer or labelled trainers for PE, shoes for school, why do they encourage these Dress Up Days?
My solution and I hope it will benefit many more ….
“Christmas Jumper” is to buy a witer themed jumper or jacket, this gains more wear out of the item and less limited to one month wear. You could request school changes it to be a decorate a jumper with Christmas items, as this surely is more fun and much more of a festive spirit than paying lots of money to main chain stores. THe school can then create a donation to Save the Children in which the children uderstand the world around them.
“Dress up Costume” is asking the parents I know in higher school years for the dress up items they sourced the previous year for their child. If you don’t know parents with children in the higher years, then enquire at school reception or with class teacher. A Dress Up Costume is only worn once by one child for one day does seem silly, this is now openly used by many and items are passed through the years!
Motherwell MUM Blogger