Big C, aged three at her nursery graduation in 2002
I know this is such a teeny tiny glitch in the grand scheme of life but one that is bugging me today and I know will annoy me for a while to come.
My daughter has gone on a taster day today at her new school. It’s not the school she was supposed be going to but then that choice has been taken out of my hands.
Last night she came home saying that all the girls were taking handbags…. “Handbags?” I said in a high pitched voice, ” But you’re only eleven!” We don’t have a handbag that you can take ( I was thinking, well she’s jolly well not taking one of mine and how ridiculous is this?) “You can take your rucksack” I could see her face fall and I know that awful peer pressure and the teasing if you don’t conform but come on….
“And all the girls are wearing tight skirts.” “What??” I squeaked. “Why?, This is silly, you are all only eleven, why on earth are they wearing tight skirts?” Am I naive? I’m still a young-ish, funky *cough* mum….but I really don’t get it. I cannot for the life of me understand why parents would allow and want their daughters carrying handbags at that age or wearing totally impractical tight skirts. I’m not even going into the what the tight skirts imply. I cannot bear this….I’m not ready for this and I was hoping that the image ‘thing’ would be a couple of years away. I know we’re not talking about alcohol or sex….yet, but life in general just seems to happen too quickly and surely we as parents are to blame. I don’t understand what the rush is to allow children to become mini-me’s…..
I just want our children to grow up at a natural pace, not feel under pressure to be a fashion victim, or anything worse……at the delicate innocent age of eleven. Is that too much to ask?
I think the best way to go (from personal experience) is speak to some other like minded parents and then you all insist together that no this and this is not done. Your daughter’s everyone-may not truly be everyone but may have other kids with parents who are thinking the same as you.
Stick to your guns for something you think is so important.
.-= Susie´s last blog ..Make An Effort To Introduce Yourself- Remember How It Feels To Be The Outsider =-.
I’m definitely sticking to it…..I think 11 is different to 16. I hope that most are sensible really.
I am so not ready for this! You will have to let us know what happens.
.-= Capital Mom´s last blog ..Driving =-.
I will do…. ;0S
Agree with you, bloody stupid. Wait till first day of term, although the girls may have planned this, I am sure lots of parents will put their foot down and waistbands of skirts will be rolled over when the parents have all gone!
.-= Lookingfabinyourforties´s last blog ..Theres something about Mary Portas =-.
You’re probably right….well, I hope you are anyway. ;0S x
This really does upset me and I can understand your worries. I went to a school with a very strict uniform code, we even had our skirt lengths measured at assembly every now and again, long shocks (no ankle socks), ties and blavers. So we could not have got away with this. I think it should be the case at all schools, then this wouldnt happen.
I am glad that I have boys for this reason alone. girls should be girls and not have to grow up too soon, there is planty of time for short skirts etc.
.-= TheMadHouse´s last blog ..Childrens Craft Showcase – Gifts for the Teacher =-.
My uniform was strict too….I think all schools should be. :0(
So glad I have a boy! The things I see some of these really young girls wearing wigs me out. And what wigs me out even more is that their mother’s allow it (which I’m sure of since these girls are out and about with their moms). This is just one more reason why I don’t think I could have dealt with a girl…..
.-= Gigi´s last blog ..Its all gonna be about me- =-.
Exactly! If they didn’t let them then none of them would do it. X
When I first read this, I must confess my first reaction was one of horror. Then I took a step back and cast my mind back to my first couple of years at secondary school, and actually it wasn’t that different then! Whilst we didn’t quite have handbags, I do remember EXTREMELY tight, short as possible skirts (totally against uniform regulation of course), wearing ties the wrong way round, and having kneesocks pushed down around ankles. Anyone wearing sensible, round-toed shoes was considered a freak (this was the 80s, pointy was everything!). Whilst I know it won’t be much consolation to you seeing your daughter starting to mix with this sort of thing, perhaps I can reassure you that I don’t think I turned out that badly in the end.
.-= JulieB´s last blog ..On A Day Like This In June =-.
Haha….I’m sure you are very lovely. Looking back we tried what we could but my school was very strict so maybe it’s just me being boring and naive….and having two boys before that really couldn’t care less about what they look like in their school uniform it’s a shock. I wasn’t expecting this to come up at eleven. 😉
My daughter is only four, and we see the pressures now and then. Happily for the moment, her best friends are boys so they don’t expect anything like that of her. 🙂
Hang in there.
.-= Leanne Bennett´s last blog ..Will I Ever Get Over It =-.
Thanks Leanne, fingers crossed it will all be different again by the time your daughter is eleven. 😉
What? Are they not going in their current school uniform? That’s what happens here. DD and DS2’s school (where I’m governor) has just sent a letter home saying if girls want to wear skirts they MUST wear the one which will now be stocked by the school…very good idea IMHO!
.-= Chris´s last blog ..Castles and Kids =-.
They did go in their uniforms but I’m assuming some girls bought new skirts….the criteria isn’t very strict. I think they should have the same skirt but then I know girls just shorten them or take them in. :0S
Oh lovely, I feel your pain. My 12 year old boy is already demanding Calvin Klein boxers to wear under his half-mast school trousers. At 12! It’s bad enough that my 15 year old has to walk around with his backside hanging out… I know some of my friends with girls are having similar problems to yours too. I agree – why the rush? x
LOL…..my 16 yr old demands Calvin Klein’s although I make him buy them….my thirteen year old son isn’t quite there yet, thank fully. X