The dress code at your kid's school

Ruchel

Tue, Sep 14 2010, 9:33 am

Sorry for all my questions, but it's my first so I have no experience and wonder what is normal/common!

If you could tell me when (if ever) these come mandatory?
skirts/dresses
tights/knee socks
sleeves to the elbow

Hashem_Yaazor

Tue, Sep 14 2010, 9:42 am

I'm curious why this matters? If you have a choice of schools, you find the one best suited for you. If you don't, you go wherever you can.
The norms in a different community have no bearing on what to expect in yours.

amother

Tue, Sep 14 2010, 9:44 am

In our Bais Yaakov the rules are as follows:

Nursery & Kindergarten: no pants, no bare feet, no sleeveless shirts, no mini skirts. (Skirts above the knee, short sleeves, and ankle socks are ok.)

Pre-1 A - 5th Grade: long sleeves, knee length skirts and knee socks are required.

6th Grade and Up: tights are required

Mrs Bissli

Tue, Sep 14 2010, 10:02 am

At my kids school, nursery (3-4yr)--anything goes so long as the kids wear T-shirt/sweatshirt with the school logo. reception onwards (4-11yr)--official school uniform. Girls winter ones are long-sleeve blouse, skirt (used to be pinafore dress), jumpers (sweaters), school tie and blazer for 7yr and up. Very Harry Potter, as my American friends and family say...

Mirabelle

Tue, Sep 14 2010, 10:11 am

Hi Ruchel,
We are MO and will be sending our DD to a zionist/bnai akiva MO school next year for Kindergarten (she will be turning 5). The dress code for her there will be no pants, skirts below the knee, but tights and sleeves to the elbow are not required. Also, no sleeveless shirts/dresses allowed.

ididit

Tue, Sep 14 2010, 10:13 am

in our school, tights and skirts below knee, sleeves below elbow, collarbones covered, no words emblazoned on chest, at nursery level (age 3) and above. the girls switch to uniforms with tights in first grade.

as a mother of many girls I found it easier to dress them according to our rules from when they're too small to have an opinion LOL

then they grow up thinking it's "normal" to dress that way. I can't imagine trying to convince a 12 year old to switch from socks to tights.... but that's just my opnion. 8) you, of course, are entitled to your own!

Chayalle

Tue, Sep 14 2010, 10:15 am

Where I live, most schools start with Primary - Pre-1A - which is turning 5 by January of that school year. The dress code is similar to that described by amother about Bais Yaakov - above.

Before school, most kids go to playgroups. There's no dress code at all, but my DD did not want to wear pants/leggings in the year before school because no one else did. It was skirts/dresses/jumpers and tights or socks depending on the season. Length of sleeves was up to the family, most still wore short sleeves.

Chayalle

Tue, Sep 14 2010, 10:18 am

Quote:

I can't imagine trying to convince a 12 year old to switch from socks to tights.... but that's just my opnion.

It was no problem at all, since her entire grade was doing it at the same time. She knew that when she got to 6th grade that was the rule. Period.

Now if that was my family minhag but I sent her to a school where everyone was still wearing socks...I'm sure I would've gotten opposition. That's why it's such a blessing to send her to a school where the rules are ones we're comfortable with and enforce at home.

RachelEve14

Tue, Sep 14 2010, 10:20 am

Ruchel wrote:

1st grade here and all those things are mandatory (sleeves covering the elbow, not to it, they have a uniform shirt)

Hashem_Yaazor

Tue, Sep 14 2010, 10:25 am

Ruchel wrote:

Thanks!

Anyone has a dress code for pre-kindergarten/ganon/pre-gan (18 months to 3)?

Why would they? Maybe closed toe shoes for safety, but for tznius?! Even the Chofetz Chaim who is the more machmir opinion (compared to the Chazon Ish) is not makpid on girls under 3.

ididit

Tue, Sep 14 2010, 10:26 am

Chayalle wrote:

Now if that was my family minhag but I sent her to a school where everyone was still wearing socks...I'm sure I would've gotten opposition. That's why it's such a blessing to send her to a school where the rules are ones we're comfortable with and enforce at home.

yeah, well, we switched schools some years ago just because the school officially listed the same rules, but it seems no one else in the class thought it important enough to enforce. my daughter was the only one wearing tights in a class of 30, year after year, and she was constantly ridiculed for it. when I asked the hanhala about why they wrote the rules in the rule book and no one was enforcing them, I got a wimpy answer.

so we switched to a school where the rules match our family's rules. when choosing a school for your sweet little maidel, make sure that the rules and the actual way it is abided/ignored fit your family rules. saves on much angst and misery Crying

Ruchel

Tue, Sep 14 2010, 10:29 am

Hashem_Yaazor wrote:

Ruchel wrote:

Thanks!

Anyone has a dress code for pre-kindergarten/ganon/pre-gan (18 months to 3)?

Why would they? Maybe closed toe shoes for safety, but for tznius?! Even the Chofetz Chaim who is the more machmir opinion (compared to the Chazon Ish) is not makpid on girls under 3.

and now you see why I compare!

hannah95

Tue, Sep 14 2010, 10:34 am

Dress code apply for pre-gan at the heder, they are not really makpid on tights, but they still expect skirts. You won't really get told off for sending with short sleeves, but it's not really the norm. And the mommies all want to keep up with the norm Smile

ididit

Tue, Sep 14 2010, 10:37 am

Ruchel wrote:

Hashem_Yaazor wrote:

Ruchel wrote:

Thanks!

Anyone has a dress code for pre-kindergarten/ganon/pre-gan (18 months to 3)?

Why would they? Maybe closed toe shoes for safety, but for tznius?! Even the Chofetz Chaim who is the more machmir opinion (compared to the Chazon Ish) is not makpid on girls under 3.

and now you see why I compare!

dress code for babies? maybe I'll give my two year old a burka Rolling Eyes

forgive me if I am treading on politically incorrect ground here, but somehow I find the excessiveness of Rule Interpretation to be somewhat like the Taliban. I really hold by learning Halacha, picking a rav/shita that fits your spiritual path, and sticking to it. As a long-time BT, I have found that knowing the Halacha, constantly reviewing it, asking sha'alos, and learning from people who KNOW what they're talking about is really important for my spiritual peace of mind. asking for the source is a good habit to get into, too, as it keeps you grounded and doesn't let you get caught up in a whirlwind of emotional debate.

Hashem_Yaazor

Tue, Sep 14 2010, 10:41 am

Ruchel wrote:

Hashem_Yaazor wrote:

Ruchel wrote:

Thanks!

Anyone has a dress code for pre-kindergarten/ganon/pre-gan (18 months to 3)?

Why would they? Maybe closed toe shoes for safety, but for tznius?! Even the Chofetz Chaim who is the more machmir opinion (compared to the Chazon Ish) is not makpid on girls under 3.

and now you see why I compare!

No, I still don't understand what benefit there is in comparing.
If you have a choice of where to send, you pick where you are most comfortable.
If you don't have a choice, it won't help matters at all by giving yourself more reason to be upset at anything.

Chayalle

Tue, Sep 14 2010, 10:41 am

Quote:

Chayalle wrote:

Quote:

Good point, ouch. Yeah that happens. When I was in high school it was "cool" to flaunt the dress code rules and not abide by them....makes it really hard, peer pressure is awful.