Why do kids hate this

[disneylovin24]

All three of my children wore uniforms from K-12. They never once complained. Yes, the shirts, skirts, and jumpers were expensive up front, but they wore them for years. Overall I am sure we saved money.

I agree that I think in the long run it saves money, it just is expensive up front. For high school I wore my skirts and sweaters for all 4 years, the only thing I had to buy new were socks, shows and button up shirts all which I could buy on my own so they were not ridiculously expensive. It also saves money though because technically you only need 2 or 3 shirts instead of 5 for a week, I don't believe girls actually buy less clothes due to uniforms but it is a theory.

 

[tinkerbellandeeyor]

I agree that I think in the long run it saves money, it just is expensive up front. For high school I wore my skirts and sweaters for all 4 years, the only thing I had to buy new were socks, shows and button up shirts all which I could buy on my own so they were not ridiculously expensive. It also saves money though because technically you only need 2 or 3 shirts instead of 5 for a week, I don't believe girls actually buy less clothes due to uniforms but it is a theory.

I did not know I can get away with only two that is what I have, you just made my day

 

[MSLRAC]

I agree that I think in the long run it saves money, it just is expensive up front. For high school I wore my skirts and sweaters for all 4 years, the only thing I had to buy new were socks, shows and button up shirts all which I could buy on my own so they were not ridiculously expensive. It also saves money though because technically you only need 2 or 3 shirts instead of 5 for a week, I don't believe girls actually buy less clothes due to uniforms but it is a theory.

I've actually not even found it expensive upfront. This is my kid's first full year in uniforms and since so many schools in our area wear uniforms, you can find the basics everywhere from Goodwill to Macy's. Most schools also do a uniform sale/swap event a couple times a year. I actually ended up spending less money on more clothes this year which was great.

I also like the uniforms because they are pretty cute IMO and the kids have lots of choices. The kids all look similar but rarely identical. Plus, they can accessorize however they wish.

 

[goofy4tink]

Wish more schools would go the uniform route. There is way too much time focusing on what everyone else is wearing, or whether or not your clothes measure up! Uniforms do away with that. I know that back in second grade, there were girls that wouldn't play with my dd because they didn't like her coat! Seriously? Where does that come from! The poor kid had a pretty standard coat....saw a ton of them hanging o hooks. Nice LL Bean coats. Nothing out of the ordinary.
This whole individuality thing is for the birds. There is plenty of time for that after school and on weekends. But, then again, I'm an old fogey.

 

[Schmeck]

Too militant for my taste - reminds me of the Chairman Mao days. Kind of communist? Perhaps if they could pick colors that weren't military issue colors (khaki, navy, royal blue, etc)?

But I agree, my kids would have hated to wear uniforms. Makes them look like little lemmings, and squelches out their individuality. And then there's the Catholic school stuff, eww!

 

[tinkerbellandeeyor]

Too militant for my taste - reminds me of the Chairman Mao days. Kind of communist? Perhaps if they could pick colors that weren't military issue colors (khaki, navy, royal blue, etc)? But I agree, my kids would have hated to wear uniforms. Makes them look like little lemmings, and squelches out their individuality. And then there's the Catholic school stuff, eww!

I am at a public school and kids still have to wear (sp) uniforms

 

[disney1990]

Almost all of our county schools have uniforms. The kids were beige pants and a plain colored top. So much cheaper than other clothes to buy.

 

[diamondpixienc]

All three of my children wore uniforms from K-12. They never once complained. Yes, the shirts, skirts, and jumpers were expensive up front, but they wore them for years. Overall I am sure we saved money.

My older kiddos are in elementary school now and I have already saved money and I know I will continue to due to the fact that they all both boys and girls wear either the red or white shirt with the school's logo so I just handed my son's down to my DD. DD also has the jumper (3) total in 3 different sizes and she is now in 3rd grade and when DD#2 starts TK next fall she will be wearing the smallest sized one. BTW I take good care of their uniforms. I wash them separately in color safe detergent with fabric softener and they have never been placed in a dryer; always hung dried and then ironed before being placed in the closet.

Now, I also like uniforms because I think cuts down the distraction of who got or has what on their bodies. Everybody should look the same even the girls should have to wear pants too. I personally think they should have a shoe restriction too. It's only a few hours a day spent at school anyway save the fashion self expression for the weekends and before and/or after school.

 

[Pre]

I wore uniforms K-12 and never minded it. I was one of those kids who liked being equal in uniforms because I was picked on a lot for my height and weight, so at least I wasn't picked on about what I was wearing.

When I went to college I had zero clothes, I spent the whole summer after high school graduation buying clothes and trying to find "my style." THAT was the real pain! Now as an adult you will not catch me in: a polo shirt, navy blue pants, and I NEVER "tuck my shirt in." I made it out to the other side and I like picking out my own clothes, so as an adult I think that's when you really find your style.

Sent from my iPad using DISBoards

 

[disneylovin24]

I wore uniforms K-12 and never minded it. I was one of those kids who liked being equal in uniforms because I was picked on a lot for my height and weight, so at least I wasn't picked on about what I was wearing.

When I went to college I had zero clothes, I spent the whole summer after high school graduation buying clothes and trying to find "my style." THAT was the real pain! Now as an adult you will not catch me in: a polo shirt, navy blue pants, and I NEVER "tuck my shirt in." I made it out to the other side and I like picking out my own clothes, so as an adult I think that's when you really find your style.
Sent from my iPad using DISBoards

I agree with this. Even now in college my style is a lot different than it was in high school, so I am glad I didn't buy more clothes when I was younger and I think it is ok if students don't have a lot of time to find their style. They will find it eventually!

 

[Schmeck]

People really believe that wearing uniforms cuts down on teasing, bullying, and other social issues? If anything, it just makes kids more cruel, as they look for other ways to set peers apart. Uniforms are an avoidance technique.

 

[U2_rocks!]

There are several reasons for uniforms where I live:

- everyone looks essentially the same - there are no clothing, make-up or jewellery distractions. Even the socks, shoes and hair ponytails are regulated.
- the uniforms aren't that flattering and aren't meant to be - they don't want the girls looking "sexy" at school. Some are quite colourful though.
- there are many schools in this tiny island because we have a large population - uniforms are a way of quickly identifying what school a child is from if they are seen loitering outside of school during school hours.
- there are poor kids going to school to with rich kids, and uniforms do help to equalize. Sure there are other ways of expressing your wealth, through shoes or backpack for example, but at least the poor have the same clothes as everyone else.
- uniforms are not expensive here (warm climate, basic cotton fabric) and there are all sorts of programs that make them available if you can't afford them. No-one knows if you have 2 uniforms that you keep washing, or if you have 10. If you had to wear your own clothes the kids who are very poor would stand out right away, not only in what they had to wear but in how often they had to wear it. We don't have as many resources as some places when it comes to ordinary clothes.

Kids do grumble about uniforms, but it's not exactly a big life issue. It's just clothes, and they are all in the same boat. The kids can wear whatever they like outside of school hours and all weekend - that's plenty of opportunity to express themselves. There are rules about sports uniforms too - I don't hear as much complaining about those.

 

[Mkrop]

People really believe that wearing uniforms cuts down on teasing, bullying, and other social issues? If anything, it just makes kids more cruel, as they look for other ways to set peers apart. Uniforms are an avoidance technique.

Yes.

 

[luvsJack]

The uniforms in public school don't really cut down on the differences in clothes that it was first said to have. They said, the kids wouldn't be able to see who has expensive "name brand" clothes and clothes from Walmart. yeah. . . NO.

Since all the higher end "teen" stores carry uniforms, there is still a difference. Maybe not so much in the pants but the shirts are just cut differently. And the kids can tell anyway.

I still like them and even though dd loves clothes, I think I spend less on clothes since there aren't a lot of choices for the school day.

This year, she didn't have to have much at all to start school. Now shoes--she does love shoes, so she may make up the difference there.

 

[roliepolieoliefan]

The uniforms in public school don't really cut down on the differences in clothes that it was first said to have. They said, the kids wouldn't be able to see who has expensive "name brand" clothes and clothes from Walmart. yeah. . . NO. Since all the higher end "teen" stores carry uniforms, there is still a difference. Maybe not so much in the pants but the shirts are just cut differently. And the kids can tell anyway. I still like them and even though dd loves clothes, I think I spend less on clothes since there aren't a lot of choices for the school day. This year, she didn't have to have much at all to start school. Now shoes--she does love shoes, so she may make up the difference there.

Agreed!

My son went to a Catholic school for a while. K-2.

At that time there were only a few stores that sold uniforms but believe me some kids knew if your uniform came from Target or Gap. The Target kids were still teased.

I do like uniforms though. DS now a freshman in high school gives me no issues with clothes. As long as its Nike or UA , good to go. Since there are outlets by us, its really no issue.

DD ( 4th grade) is a whole other issue. I'd love to slap a uniform on her everyday.

 

[Mkrop]

The uniforms in public school don't really cut down on the differences in clothes that it was first said to have. They said, the kids wouldn't be able to see who has expensive "name brand" clothes and clothes from Walmart. yeah. . . NO.

Since all the higher end "teen" stores carry uniforms, there is still a difference. Maybe not so much in the pants but the shirts are just cut differently. And the kids can tell anyway.

I still like them and even though dd loves clothes, I think I spend less on clothes since there aren't a lot of choices for the school day.

This year, she didn't have to have much at all to start school. Now shoes--she does love shoes, so she may make up the difference there.

See our Catholic school uniforms come from one place only and even the shoes there are only 2 kinds to choose from, so you can get them at a place with a coupon, but no one is going to know. We have a used uniform sale but no one knows and I have seen people I know who have a boatload of money shopping there too.

We even changed the logo on our golf shirts and the kids can wear in the fall and spring, and people still used both bc they were hand me downs from older siblings and they were still in good shape, no one cared.

 

[Laura66]

Even if you wear the sane uniform - the shoes, socks, school folders or accessories. whatever else - kids know. Those who are inclined to to leave people out or tease will do so anyway.

I don't know what the big deal is OP. There will always be those who enjoy wearing uniforms and those that don't. Both preferences are valid.

 

[luvsJack]

See our Catholic school uniforms come from one place only and even the shoes there are only 2 kinds to choose from, so you can get them at a place with a coupon, but no one is going to know. We have a used uniform sale but no one knows and I have seen people I know who have a boatload of money shopping there too.

We even changed the logo on our golf shirts and the kids can wear in the fall and spring, and people still used both bc they were hand me downs from older siblings and they were still in good shape, no one cared.

yeah, my great-niece and nephew go to a Catholic school and I know their uniforms are like that. A friend at work, whose children go to the same school as them, complains about the shoes they are required to wear because they are expensive and not very good quality (even though they are name brand).

The problem with their uniforms is that the one and only place they can get them from is not cheap at all. Not sure if there is anywhere online they can get them but the school gets a cut if they buy them from the required place. My friend has the benefit of hand me downs, but my niece has twins, boy and girl in the same size so no hand me downs. They do a re-sell shop but she said its hard to find anything that isn't very worn--apparently not many people buy a huge number of items so the items are washed and worn a lot.

Another niece and nephew go to a different private school and their uniforms come from a choice of two places OR they can buy them anywhere and have the logo put on. She is able to keep the cost down that way.

 

[moon]

People really believe that wearing uniforms cuts down on teasing, bullying, and other social issues? If anything, it just makes kids more cruel, as they look for other ways to set peers apart. Uniforms are an avoidance technique.

Said by someone who never wore one. There are many of us who wore uniforms and liked it, so obviously we didn't experience what you posted.

 

[Colleen27]

As others have said, I hate it as a mom because it means a big back to school expense, not to mention double laundry because the kids wear a uniform and a play clothes outfit every day rather than just one set of clothes morning until night.

The kids dislike it because they want cute clothes. It really is that simple. My 5yo doesn't like not getting character clothes or being able to wear the dresses I make her. My 12yo hates the plain and frankly unflattering style of our uniforms, which are mostly (except her church day plaid) unisex, and is constantly asking for the better brands that some if the more affluent girls wear and which do look better... But I hate the idea of spending two or three times as much for better brands on clothes that never get worn outside of school.

Don't get me wrong, I'm not complaining. They're a necessary evil and a small price to pay for the education they're getting compared to the local public school. But I never understood why people love uniforms.