Home School kids & Uniforms?

[frugalmama]

Just curious - what are your thoughts on Uniforms for home schooled kids?


I tend to buy them used as they meat our criteria for modest children's wear, and I will admit the Parker ones stay looking nice. We also live within 2 blocks of a elementary, and across the street from a high school so uniforms help eliminate the call the to school of "some kid at XYZ address is skipping" {Our district isn't the friendliest to home schoolers and I've already had someone call once on DD playing out in the front with me working nearby - DD is not even school age yet!}. The public schools here also use uniforms, but theirs are Navy/Khaki bottoms with different colors of shirts for each grade level to make it easy to spot kids who do skip. The uniforms I buy are plaid - normally catholic school uniforms.

Am I correct in thinking that by putting DD in a uniform during school hours it might help eliminate the skipping problem?

[luv-my-boys]

wow! Just wow! It seems your area or neighbors need to find something else to occupy their time. I personally wouldnt feel that it would detract from that. If anything it would make them really stand out for instance if a ps safety officer was passing by and saw your child my first thought would be here is a kid in uniform and not in school.

We homeschool so I get the "no school today?" question alot and usually formt the same people Our state allows Hser to apply to be private schools so I typically carry a copy of the affidavit with me in my purse to whip out in case, although I have never had to. My children are younger elem. school so they assume either they are sick or not in school.

[elizawill]

public school kids in my town have uniforms as well. i think the bonus of homeschooling is that my kids escape such ugly outfits, lol. i wouldn't consider putting my children in a uniform, and i don't think it would be of any benefit whatsoever. homeschooling is not illegal. if you have records, attendance, a portfolio (or whatever your state requires) that is sufficient and all you need. in my state, i have to keep all of those things, and if someone tried to challenge me because we play outside during school hours, well...they would lose and i would continue to play outside. my homeschool association would protect me, and i have everything required to protect myself. hth.

[mama2mygirl]

I don't buy uniforms for my dd. Won't it confuse people if you say they are homeschooled but then have your children in catholic school uniforms?
We always say, "Oh, we are homeschooling."

[lotusdebi]

I hate uniforms. I strongly believe in the freedom of the individual to express him/herself through his/her clothing. I cringe when I see kids wearing uniforms. I don't even like dress codes.

No one (as far as I know) has ever called any authorities on us for the kids not being in school. It's a non-issue for us. I know my rights as a homeschooler, and I'm not afraid of anyone trying to make trouble about it.

[pageta]

If it's more practical for your kids to wear uniforms, such as for the reasons you stated, by all means, I would do it. If it's just going to complicate your life to wear uniforms, then don't bother. Having 'school clothes' can help children get into the learning frame of mind which could make homeschool easier for you. When I was a Mary Kay consultant, I always got better results when making calls if I dressed as though I were seeing customers in person even though I could have been wearing my pajamas since I was just talking on the phone. So I do believe what you wear can affect how you think. And if it helps you relax so you don't have to worry about answering for why your kids aren't in 'school', even though you are within full rights of the law, then do it - I'm all for being practical and avoiding trouble unnecessary trouble.

[robin4kids]

I once ran into a woman that HSed her 2 girls. They were older and were wearing uniforms. I asked what Catholic school they attended and she said they HSed and she just buys the uniform so people would not ask why they were home.

At the time it struck me as SOOO strange. I would never put my child in a uniform to avoid a question or phone call. Of course I challenge someone to call the school district. I am in the right and I know the law. I guess if your child is fine with it then do it, but remember that you don't have to.

[kittywitty]

No. Again, no.

They're going to think they're skipping if in a uniform, too. It just doesn't make any sense to put them in a uniform and suppose that will make people think they're NOT in school. Why not just make up some "we're homeschooling" shirts instead if it's that big a deal?

[BedHead]

Originally Posted by lotusdebi

I hate uniforms. I strongly believe in the freedom of the individual to express him/herself through his/her clothing. I cringe when I see kids wearing uniforms. I don't even like dress codes.

[SagMom]

Originally Posted by frugalmama

Am I correct in thinking that by putting DD in a uniform during school hours it might help eliminate the skipping problem?

I'm not really following your line of reasoning. If a child is out and about during school hours, wouldn't that lead to questions regardless of what they were wearing?

I've never felt the need to, or liked the idea of, hiding out. What we do is within the law and I've answered many people's questions about why my kids weren't in school. I've also talked with my kids about how to respond when they're out without me (my dd has been stopped by the local police in the past.)

The fact is, our kids are not skipping school--sure, people can ask about it, suspect it, question it, but they're just not truant.

[CariOfOz]

Originally Posted by elizawill

public school kids in my town have uniforms as well. i think the bonus of homeschooling is that my kids escape such ugly outfits, lol.

can a pagan mama say Amen??

We get the 'no school today?' a lot as well, but my kids choose their own clothing every day (even the 3yo which gets interesting lol) ALL schools here, public & private, wear uniforms. I don't think I would get less of thse kinds of questions if I put my kids in uniforms though.

[Ruthla]

I see nothing wrong with dressing your DC in clothing that happens to be similar to what the schooled kids are wearing for uniforms, if that's the kind of clothing that you and your DC like to wear. It's even fine to purchase secondhand uniforms for your kids to wear as clothes. Uniform clothes tend to be very well made (if uncomfortable) so they're a frugal choice (if readily available 2ndhand.) I mean, why limit your kid's right to wear a plaid skirt and blue blouse if that's what she wants to wear? Similarly, let her wear the purple "princess costume" to the grocery store when she's not in the mood to wear plaid.

But I wouldn't think of it as a "homeschool uniform" or use it as a way to escape anti-homeschooling sentiment. If anything, imitating a local school's uniform might make that worse, leading people do beleive that your kids DO attend the local school but are being truant.

[zebra15]

Absoluetly NOT....one of my original reasons for HS was the whole uniform debate where we were living. Really your neighbors need to find something else to do. I also suggest you educate yourself on the HS laws in your area and get a bit more comfortable with them (not saying your not comfortable)

[onyxravnos]

Originally Posted by kittywitty

No. Again, no.

They're going to think they're skipping if in a uniform, too.

wouldn't it be more oviosus that they were 'skiping' if they were in uniform? If they were in regular clothing it would seem people would be more likly to assume that they were sick, off, or to young....

[frugalmama]

Originally Posted by onyxravnos

wouldn't it be more oviosus that they were 'skiping' if they were in uniform? If they were in regular clothing it would seem people would be more likly to assume that they were sick, off, or to young....

it's a different uniform - so far locally I've heard at least when out and about it cuts down on issues - they assume the kid is a private school kid who their parent took them out for some reason.

[Lillian J]

Originally Posted by frugalmama

Our district isn't the friendliest to home schoolers and I've already had someone call once on DD playing out in the front with me working nearby - DD is not even school age yet!}.

If you make sure to cover the legal obligations your state dictates once your child is of school age, you shouldn't need to worry about what some neighbor might think or what attitude your district has. By the time you need to navigate exceptions to the compulsory attendance laws, you'll have lots of time to have become very familiar with the legal details and to talk with local homeschoolers about how it works. Here are some good places to look up your state laws: in Home Education Magazine, and in A to Z HomesCool. Wearing uniforms could get to feel pretty stifling - I don't think any of you would want to keep it up for long. - Lillian

[Jenelle]

This is a new one to me, in the homeschooling world. I never would have thought, in a million years, that there were homeschooling moms who would dress their kids in uniforms. And to avoid comments from strangers, no less!

I thought all states had laws regarding homeschooling. Are you in an area where you are not protected by law? Or are you in some way not following the law?

And I am not following your line of thinking. So, if a child is out playing in the yard in a uniform, neighbors won't still wonder why that child is not in school?

[mum2boys]

If uniforms serve a purpose to your family and make you feel better, go for it. Personally, our uniform is pajamas.

[shoefairy3]

Originally Posted by mum2boys

If uniforms serve a purpose to your family and make you feel better, go for it. Personally, our uniform is pajamas.

us too

[Ravin]

I could see using a uniform of sorts if I had multiple children, mostly for outings. It might be handy to have T-shirts in a bright color that said "Yggdrasil Academy" on them, probably with hand-painted trees for a logo and a slogan picked by the kids.

Yesterday at the children's museum, I thought it would have been great if DD had had on a shirt that said "I AM the school group", preferably in a bright shade that looked nothing like the school uniforms all around us.

As it is, the only uniform DD has is her Spiral Scouts uniform.