Do you/kids have a "uniform"?

[JeneralMom]

Bear with me while I try to explain.

 

Dh and I were talking the other day about how the way we dress affects behaviour. This lead to wondering if having a "uniform" would help the kids differentiate between school time and not-school time (a problem we have been having). Then, we started discussing how one of the things I miss about working is the ritual of it - get up, eat, get dressed in a proper/appropriate fashion, etc. I wondered if devising a "uniform" for myself would help me feel better about being home ***

 

The past few days, the kids have been wearing their "uniform" for school - a pair of jeans, and a polo shirt and it really does seem to signal to them that now is not play time. I too have been making sure not to just wear pjs and sweats, and have been putting on an apron in the morning. I know it sounds silly, but it seems to be working.

 

So, so you have a "uniform" for yourself or the kids. By this I mean, every day do you have the kids dress a certain way for school even it is just "you have socks and a shirt on while we school but you can take the socks and shirt off when it is playtime". How about you? Do you have a ritual/uniform that helps you with your day?

 

 

****I have had a very hard time making the adjustment from primary breadwinner to stay at home mom. DH and I used to divide childcare and working evenly so that if I was at work then he was home and vice versa. I did not take to it gracefully when I became incomeless and at home all the time. Now, I work as a private tutour at night and it helps and I have adjusted to being home, but really want to embrace this new role and am looking for ways to really solidify in my mind that my role is worthwhile and purposeful even if I no longer contribute monetarily to any great extent.

[spaceman]

Sounds intriguing.

 

I do believe what we are wearing, and the effort we take to get there can really affect the day.

 

I'd love to gear another update after a few weeks.

[anabelneri]

I've been thinking about this for a while. We haven't adopted a formal uniform, but I think it might be a great idea. There is a Catholic homeschoool website somewhere out there that advocates for uniforms during "school" times; I think it makes similar arguments to what you've experienced.

 

Thanks for posting! I'll keep thinking about it.

:)

Anabel

[Sputterduck]

Not really.

 

I do wear jeans and a t-shirt for dirty work, which is almost every day. That's my work "uniform".

 

My uniform at home is pj bottoms and a t-shirt. I'm no help here, am I?

[BatmansWife]

We don't. But, I certainly don't think it's a bad idea. I think if you feel it would help you...then go for it. I can still remember when I was a kid how much fun we had when it was time to shop for school clothes. I'm not sure if you are thinking of one outfit to wear every day....or maybe finding 5 outfits that would be "homeschool clothes" and are only worn for school each day. Kind of a neat idea.

 

but really want to embrace this new role and am looking for ways to really solidify in my mind that my role is worthwhile and purposeful even if I no longer contribute monetarily to any great extent.

 

Would it help if I told you that your role IS worthwhile and purposeful?? Probably not...but it was worth a shot. :D

 

Just keep remembering that your kids will only be school age for a little while. It may not seem like it, but it does go by sooo fast!! Your being home with them is a real priviledge. Enjoy it!! :001_smile:

[DawnM]

No. I wouldn't want to either.

[Jenny in Atl]

Nope, I'd never do uniforms. For us, homeschooling was just one aspect of our life, but we never delineated when "school" began or ended. And honestly, it seems a bit silly to me, unless you have a large family and feared one would get lost while on a trip to the zoo, etc.

 

:iagree:

[Koerarmoca]

No "uniforms" however my girls do wear their old private school uniforms from time to time :lol:. I do require that we do not begin school until they are dressed, hair brushed, teeth brushed etc. The last Thursday of every month we have pajama day though. At their private school they had dress down day at the end of the month so we adopted it as our pajama day at home as our form of dressing down. I do get dressed daily as well from head to toe so to speak. I can't really expect them to be motivated if I am going to sit around in my pj's. On the weekends if we have no plans I don't care if they get dressed or not. On the weekends I even wear dh's basketball shorts :lol: if I am not leaving the house (I only wear skirts so I don't have any shorts or pants of my own)

[justamouse]

 

 

****I have had a very hard time making the adjustment from primary breadwinner to stay at home mom. DH and I used to divide childcare and working evenly so that if I was at work then he was home and vice versa. I did not take to it gracefully when I became incomeless and at home all the time. Now, I work as a private tutour at night and it helps and I have adjusted to being home, but really want to embrace this new role and am looking for ways to really solidify in my mind that my role is worthwhile and purposeful even if I no longer contribute monetarily to any great extent.

 

You know, I honestly wonder how many Moms don't fall into "What the heck am I doing here!" mode. I'm willing to bet it's minimal because society places so much value on income/purchases. I fall into those times often, and I don't even run in circles of career women. If I did, I would be doubting myself so much more.

 

I guess what I'm saying is that it takes a long time, and it's a slow process with many bumps. :grouphug:

 

Uniform? no. Only because I have to be out of the house at a certain time each day which lends itself to a natural up and ready schedule. Next year that may be a problem for me, though.

 

I DO start the day reading to them while I have my coffee and they eat their breakfast if that's any help.

[Tarreymere]

Well, I DO make everyone get cleaned up and dressed in the morning but that is mainly because we all stink. :D

[elegantlion]

I used to work in the corporate world. Business dress, then business casual everyday. Then I quit that job and went to work with dh, we cleaned houses. It certainly was a change of attitude for me when we would go out to lunch. I felt less than because I wasn't in business dress. It took a few months to find the adjustment I needed. I loved the freedom of being out during the day.

 

Then when ds was born I stayed home. It was another adjustment period. I quit wearing a watch shortly after that. Another step down on the casual scale.

 

All that to say I understand the attitude thing. But no way could I do uniforms. Ds only wears a shirt to school most of the time. It's a part of the freedom of homeschooling I love.

 

I do get dressed, but it's usually casual. We use read-aloud time as our transition into school time.

[Virg]

The twins are my only issue, the step-children ALWAYS get dressed. Mine take after me :tongue_smilie: We have a rule that applies to homeschooling and eating, you must wear a shirt at the table. My little boys have always preferred the minimum amount of clothing allowed. I don't get dressed until I get a shower, sometimes that isn't until DH gets home!

 

I think that clothing definitely affects behavior. I think it is a great idea. I just don't think I could apply this at my house. One twin always wears pjs unless he is going outside and the other one wears shorts year round. They do have to take their shower, brush teeth and do the morning routine before we start school, I just don't care what they put on after they shower as long as it is clean and includes a shirt.

[Sahamamama]

Let me 'splain. ;) My girls are 4, 4, and 6 and full of energy. I am... relaxed? about "on" days and "off" days. (Translation: We have no set schedule this year, we're just rolling along and doing fine). We live in New Jersey, which only gets about four nice days per year. On those four days, we go outside.

 

There are some mornings when, in the interest of signalling to them that "today we are doing school," I lay out their little white polo shirts and navy skorts. They LOVE this, they enjoy matching, they jump around, "Hooray! We're doing school today!" This is especially useful for getting us back in the mode after a break. But we also "do school" wearing other nice, neat outfits. They don't HAVE to be in a uniform, and most days they are not.

 

But it helps me. It helps them to realize that we're not having a free play, do-whatever-you-do day. It gets me going sooner. ;) And it reminds anyone "just dropping by" that we do, in fact, do school here.

 

I will add that we are always dressed when we do school. We could never do school in our pajamas. HTH.

[nono]

Oh no, but my dd is only finishing first grade. My mind may change as she gets older. As it is, she does her best work if I wake her up at 6:20 and start school at 6:30 with her. So, generally, I'm in sweaty running gear, so who am I to complain about her being in pjs? :)

 

But, I remember my Dad...he always wore a suit to the office...which was in the walkout basement of our home. One morning, I had some quick work to do for him, and immediately after breakfast, I said, "I'll go do it now." My Dad, looked in horror at my bright pink nightgown and said, "In that???" I said something like, "Dad, I can type W2s in my nightgown. Do you want them done sooner, or not?" He allowed it. It was a weekend day, so no one was in the office... Funny how I can still remember the color of the nightgown. I couldn't have been more than 11 or 12 yrs. old. My Dad would clearly agree that a uniform is a good idea. ;)

[TheAutumnOak]

Bear with me while I try to explain.

 

Dh and I were talking the other day about how the way we dress affects behaviour. This lead to wondering if having a "uniform" would help the kids differentiate between school time and not-school time (a problem we have been having). Then, we started discussing how one of the things I miss about working is the ritual of it - get up, eat, get dressed in a proper/appropriate fashion, etc. I wondered if devising a "uniform" for myself would help me feel better about being home ***

 

The past few days, the kids have been wearing their "uniform" for school - a pair of jeans, and a polo shirt and it really does seem to signal to them that now is not play time. I too have been making sure not to just wear pjs and sweats, and have been putting on an apron in the morning. I know it sounds silly, but it seems to be working.

 

So, so you have a "uniform" for yourself or the kids. By this I mean, every day do you have the kids dress a certain way for school even it is just "you have socks and a shirt on while we school but you can take the socks and shirt off when it is playtime". How about you? Do you have a ritual/uniform that helps you with your day?

 

 

 

 

I just searched "uniforms" because my husband and I just had a very similiar conversation...He really wants the boys to wear a uniform this upcoming year and I was wondering if it was worth it to buy the extra outfit...I was going to post to the hive...

 

Any more opinions about this?

[twoforjoy]

We don't have uniforms. I do try to have us all showered and dressed before we start school, though, at least most days.

 

You know, I honestly wonder how many Moms don't fall into "What the heck am I doing here!" mode. I'm willing to bet it's minimal because society places so much value on income/purchases. I fall into those times often, and I don't even run in circles of career women. If I did, I would be doubting myself so much more.

 

I completely agree. I feel like that often, too, and I work part-time during the academic year and live in a neighborhood where being a SAH or part-time working parent is very normal. It's very, very easy for me to feel like I'm not contributing anything worthwhile to my family because I'm not bringing in a decent amount of money. And, I know how stupid that is. I know that our value and contributions aren't determined by our income. But, we are just bombarded by so many messages that our worth is determined by how much money we make that I think it's really difficult to not fall into feeling like you aren't contributing if you don't have paid employment.

[Haiku]

Do you have a ritual/uniform that helps you with your day?

 

Nope. Sometimes we are in pajamas and sometimes we are not. I don't care what the kids (or I) wear during school time. for us it doesn't seem to have any bearing on how well we learn or concentrate.

 

I was a SAHM for five years before I started officially homeschooling, so that was already my role.

 

I have an out-of-the-house part-time job (20 hours a week) and dress there is very casual, so I rarely think/worry about what I wear.

 

Tara

Edited July 6, 2011 by TaraTheLiberator
formatting

[Julie Smith]

First a disclaimer. I have two boys who use to both sleep naked, and we would listen to books at night.

 

No uniforms anymore. But when they were younger I had to insist that they covered there privates during read aloud time. Or else I couldn't concentrate on reading with them playing with there boy parts. :glare:

 

That is no longer a problem, and privates are almost always covered now. That is my dress code for all things. "Cover your Privates!". But I don't have to enforce it anymore.

[Lily_Grace]

We wear whatever, but one of our house rules is chores/dressing must be done by X time, about half an hour before we start working. It gets all of us ready to DO, and if we choose to go school elsewhere we don't have to stop what we're doing and get dressed then. The routine really helps our frame of mind, I think. When we lounge around in our pjs we don't feel the urge to get much accomplished.

[twoforjoy]

That is my dress code for all things. "Cover your Privates!".

 

:lol:

[Parrothead]

No uniforms here. No school in pajamas though. We don't start school in anything more casual than jeans. Often times dd and I are in skirts (not denim jumpers or "religious" wear) or casual slacks - what some would consider business casual. Most days I do my hair and make up with no intention of leaving the house.

 

I remember last year when I signed dd up for dance. There was a very large group of moms standing around waiting to queue up. Every single one of them (30 or so) was wearing jeans and some type of T or knit shirt. I felt so weird because I was in a skirt.

[Julie Smith]

That is my dress code for all things. "Cover your Privates!".

 

:lol:

 

I can laugh about it now. But I did have to work to enforce it. I also remember conversations explaining the importance of such a strict dress code. :confused:

[Gailmegan]

I can laugh about it now. But I did have to work to enforce it. I also remember conversations explaining the importance of such a strict dress code. :confused:

 

 

You're not alone. I was coming to post asking if underpants counts as a uniform.

 

Mine will start out dressed and then I turn around and find they have disrobed. they get "hot" apparently. :tongue_smilie:

 

I have thought about enforcing a stricter dress code in effort to set the tone, like - hey, we're working now. Maybe this fall...

[UnsinkableKristen]

That is my dress code for all things. "Cover your Privates!".

 

 

This is totally our dress code :lol::lol:

[Haiku]

I can laugh about it now. But I did have to work to enforce it. I also remember conversations explaining the importance of such a strict dress code. :confused:

 

Been there, done that! Getting the kids to wear underwear (ONLY underwear, not underwear+clothes) used to be a huge battle. Of course, that was when they were much younger. Now the battle is "Don't wear the same dirty shirt that you've worn four days in a row!"

 

Tara

[Julie Smith]

Now the battle is "Don't wear the same dirty shirt that you've worn four days in a row!"

 

Tara

 

Oh, now you tell me that I need to fight that battle. I just assumed that the kids could wear the same outfit till it becomes so icky that they stick to the walls.

[1GirlTwinBoys]

No, that's one of the benefits IMO of homeschooling. It's especially nice on those cold winter days when we just stay in jammies and be comfortable at home. For us, it's more important to have organization, order, and a fairly clean house to have a good start to the day. I do want everyone to have their teeth brushed and hair combed before we start.:)

[Karis]

Yes, somewhat.

 

If we are at home, must be dressed for the day and be neat & clean.

 

They do have a dress code for field trips & co-op days.

 

They look great and since I have a mini fashionista on my hands - it cuts down on the drama.

(Hey, some people need boundaries. I don't have time for multiple wardrobe changes throughout the day.)

 

I also don't want to see someone in the same funky jeans and a t-shirt. In the real world you get up, and get dresssed. You look and smell good and I expect the same in my home. No slacking.

 

What folks wear on the weekends is their business - but holey, soiled, too tight, too small, too raggedy... is NOT happening.

 

I expect them to have some pride in their own appearance and how they present themselves to others.

 

Clothes do affect attitude. And how we present/ carry ourselves says a lot about us.

[silliness7]

We are very lazy/sloppy with our homeschool dress, except on Wed. when we have band and *do* have a uniform. However, I am *very* intrigued by this idea.

 

The other day I got a postcard in the mail with some shirts and hats pictured with our homeschool name emblazoned across the front. I must be on a mailing list somewhere. :glare:

 

I was completely shocked at my big kids reaction. All 3 boys thought the shirts were totally cool and want to save up their money to buy one. Not that they were that expensive. $13/$16 for a T depending on size. Free shipping if we order more than 6.

 

Here's the link. The shirts on the homepage aren't that impressive. But there is something very enticing about seeing our family's shirt already done up on the postcard. Very Enticing. :D

[Skadi]

I like the idea of uniforms. There are uniforms in The Sound of Music, Harry Potter... And I remember reading an article published by Harvard recently about the "halo effect" -- a psychological effect of uniforms that produces better academic performance and more disciplined behavior. Plus, there's the added benefit of not having to worry as much about getting kids dressed in the morning, because they already know what's expected.

 

In a way, I feel our job is to prepare children for the adult world as much as possible. Uniforms (in one form or another) are almost ubiquitous in the work field, so why not help them adjust to it early? Plus, the uniforms here are so cute.

Edited July 6, 2011 by Skadi

[2cents]

No uniform and wouldn't want one. We school in our pj's and it's all good! :)

[Garga]

I like to feel dressed well. Even when I'm alone. I feel grungy when I'm in my pj's all day. The kids wear their pjs, but maybe having them wear "school clothes" would signal to them that it's time to get serious (the way it does for me.)

 

P.S. I also had a very hard time leaving my job to come home. I had a lot of my self-worth tied up in my job. It took me a long time for the sting of being a SAHM mom to fade. It's gotten better, but sometimes I still wonder if I'm really living up to my potential.

[justamouse]

I can't function well if I've not had a shower. From there I can get into sweats, but I NEED a shower to have all the gerbils on the wheel.

 

My kids are the same-BUT they're old enough to manage their own showers and dressing so it's not labor intensive for me.

[myfatherslily]

Growing up homeschooled, my mom made us get dressed. I've carried that over to our own homeschool and almost always make DD get dressed in actual clothes (not pajamas) before we start school. I'd like to continue it with the boys as well.

[LaxMom]

****I have had a very hard time making the adjustment from primary breadwinner to stay at home mom. DH and I used to divide childcare and working evenly so that if I was at work then he was home and vice versa. I did not take to it gracefully when I became incomeless and at home all the time. Now, I work as a private tutour at night and it helps and I have adjusted to being home, but really want to embrace this new role and am looking for ways to really solidify in my mind that my role is worthwhile and purposeful even if I no longer contribute monetarily to any great extent.

 

I had the same problem. It wasn't so much the financial aspect, it was that I was *good* at my career and, quite frankly, being a stay at home mom is a job that I am a) not good at and b) never wanted. (and, yes, b is probably the direct cause of a)

 

My kids don't have uniforms. They are required to be dressed. I have the conversations about wearing clothes, wearing shirts, wearing something that has not been on your body for the past 3 days...

 

In the summer, I'm in shorts or skirts and a tank top. Hair up, what makeup I wear on. Winter, it's jeans and a sweater. I don't wear shoes, but I didn't when I was working, unless I left my desk.

[NicAnn]

No set uniform, but I do require the kids to be clean and dressed each morning. I don't like to rush if we want to make a quick trip for coffee or library books. I always wear a skirt/dress, and when I'm at home, an apron. That is my uniform. :)

Dressing a certain way makes me feel like I deserve respect and that my role as homemaker is "real".

[greenvneck]

No uniforms here, nor with any homeschoolers I know. I do ask them to get dressed before we start schoolwork, but it's usually not an issue because they have already been outside riding bikes or scooters or taking out the garbage, etc. I don't require *myself* to be dressed, though, as long as at least one of the teenagers is home to answer the door. :lol:

[greenvneck]

You know what, I just realized that I think I DO know a homeschooling family who requires uniforms. I am in a homeschooling group of 140+ families but this particular family escaped my memory until I started thinking and remembered that they're not in our group. I have seen their kids outside of the usual (non-uniformed) areas that I know them from and they have always been wearing same-color polos and navy skirts/pants. I know the mom is WAY controlling, in every way you could imagine, so I chalked it up to that, but maybe that is their uniform.

[Mom22ns]

Uniforms... no. No way. I think that avoiding uniforms would be one of the reasons to homeschool. I just can't imagine wanting them or forcing my kids to wear them.

[Hillary in KS]

Well, we all dress and shower before school every day. No school in PJ's unless it's a special occasion: someone's birthday, maybe.

 

Years ago, when eldest ds was in 2nd grade, he had a hard time separating playtime from schooltime. So we bought 3 polos and a pair of khakis for a "uniform." It really did help differentiate the time for him.

 

Plus, when we went out during the school day we didn't get as many questions from people. Everyone assumed he was excused from school for a dentist appt., or something. :lol:

 

When he outgrew the pants we stopped with the uniform. By that time there was no need.

[Hedgehogs4]

their uniform is often known to people as "pajamas."

[FO4UR]

Nope. My kids wear hand-me-downs and the evidence of Grandma's affection for shopping.

 

There have been days that I've dreamed of ds8 owning nothing but blue polos/khakis, dd6 nothing but red polos/khakis, and ds5 nothing but green polos/khakis. Can you imagine how SIMPLE life would be, only if...

 

Our days go more smoothly if we are all dressed for the day, but my kids play hard. Those pretty khaki pants would be annihilated in one hour. Jeans are much more practical. For trips to the library and museum though, it might be nice to dress up a bit...then again, in our area it might make us stick out like a sore thumb.

[brijen97]

We don't have a uniform but we do "clock in and out" each day with a pocket and special card.

[texasmama]

My uniform at home is pj bottoms and a t-shirt. I'm no help here, am I?

 

Pretty much this, though I do have some outside the home professional work which scratches my itch to wear something besides pjs, as well as to fix my hair and wear make up and jewelry.