Opting out of swimming unit in PE

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You are being absurd and ridiculous.
And I don’t believe that you take her swimming a lot if you are ‘opting her out’ at school. You take her swimming all the time but she doesn’t have a swim cap?? Really?

Why does she have hair so long that she can’t get it into a swim cap for gym class? What is wrong with you?? Sounds like you don’t think much of basically handicapping your daughter.

We live near a pool and swim all the time, but she has plenty of time to let her hair dry after. I don't want to handicap my daughter due to letting her have long hair, that is exactly why I feel a little conflicted and asked this question on DCUM. But, should she have to cut her hair short so she can get it reasonably dry in the 10 minute changing time they have for PE swim for six weeks?

What would happen if she went to class with wet hair?

She'd be uncomfortable, which would be terrible, and so she should be allowed to vary the curriculum. Because no 9 yo should be mildly uncomfortable.

FFS, OP, can't you see how ridiculous this is?

THIS.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP since your daughter is already an accomplished swimmer and if the reasons stated are the only issues-I’d push for allowing her to sit out or being given more time to dry her hair. Some really angry people on this forum!! Also-I would question why her grade has to be lowered.

Nine year old girls-whether this is an all girls school or not are also in the first throes of puberty (one of my DD friends started her period over summer so was 9y 7m old): just another layer to consider.

If she has a habit of not wanting to follow activities-that’s a different issue.

Thank you, if there is some sort of swimming assessment at the end of the unit I would be happy to have her do that because I think her swimming skills are probably much better than other kids in the class (because she has the opportunity to swim outside of school more often). Being in the first throes of puberty is also a factor, she doesn't feel comfortable being in her bathing suit around the boys in her class, especially because it is a short-lived activity and they don't have time to get used to it.

The response from the PE teacher was that all children should participate in all units to the best of their ability. I agree with PP's suggestion that DD shouldn't be in the habit of not following activities. She won't be, this is literally the only one. Shoudl I tell the PE teacher that?

There we go. That's the real reason. Not the hair.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My 9 year old DD's class has jut started their annual swimming unit in PE. The whole PE period is about 40 minutes. My DD has long, thick hair and it is quite uncomfortable for her to change into her swim suit, swim in the water (which is really quite cold) and get dried off (especially her hair) within this time period. She always says she doesn't have time to get dried off properly and is uncomfortable for the rest of the day. We swim a lot, including doing laps and practicing strokes, outside of school so I really don't see much of a benefit to her participating in the swimming at school. I let the school know, and both the classroom and PE teacher seemed less than pleased. Her PE grade will be lowered, which I don't care a lot about, but am just wondering if I am being unreasonable.

Yes, you are being unreasonable. Try and find some other solutions that have been suggested in this thread. I totally get what you're saying in that its inconvenient, troublesome, and unnecessary - but welcome to school, work, and life!! She is not 3 or 4 years old. Bottom line, you are saying : your daughter has long hair which makes part of her school day for 9 weeks hard, SO, she should be allowed to circumvent the curriculum??? Surely, you must see how this is a very bad argument and bad idea. You are creating a snowflake that will feel the rules don't apply to her = entitled. Please don't.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP since your daughter is already an accomplished swimmer and if the reasons stated are the only issues-I’d push for allowing her to sit out or being given more time to dry her hair. Some really angry people on this forum!! Also-I would question why her grade has to be lowered.

Nine year old girls-whether this is an all girls school or not are also in the first throes of puberty (one of my DD friends started her period over summer so was 9y 7m old): just another layer to consider.

If she has a habit of not wanting to follow activities-that’s a different issue.

Thank you, if there is some sort of swimming assessment at the end of the unit I would be happy to have her do that because I think her swimming skills are probably much better than other kids in the class (because she has the opportunity to swim outside of school more often). Being in the first throes of puberty is also a factor, she doesn't feel comfortable being in her bathing suit around the boys in her class, especially because it is a short-lived activity and they don't have time to get used to it.

The response from the PE teacher was that all children should participate in all units to the best of their ability. I agree with PP's suggestion that DD shouldn't be in the habit of not following activities. She won't be, this is literally the only one. Shoudl I tell the PE teacher that?

There we go. That's the real reason. Not the hair.

That is one of the reasons; being wet and uncomfortable is the main reason and I didn't mention every single factor to avoid writing a long OP. What is your point, does this make my decision not to have per participate in swimming more or less valid?

[Anonymous]

You are doing your child no favors. She will have a lifetime of doing things that she doesn’t like, or will be embracing while she adjusts. She needs these minor experiences to build upon, to make her more able to cope with bigger lessons to follow. You are also undermining her school and its teachers.

I’ve had long hair my entire life. Yup, not enough time to dry it after swim, so ponytail or braid. Teach her to rub it dry with a towel so it isn’t as drippy and move on with life. If she doesn’t have a uniform, have her keep a hoodie for swim days for extra warmth and extra barrier from drips.

Pulling her from a a required class and having a lowered grade is absurd.

[Anonymous]

If this were my kid-I’d allow her to sit out and fully support her in it.

I’m so often shocked by the the rigidity of so many of you. I truly don’t get the thought process of where you must be forced to do something you viscerally don’t want to do. It’s not a quality I’d want my kid to learn. It’s not that my kid’s school wouldn’t push back for something similar but I feel confident even at 10yo my DD could advocate for herself on this and if she had to-would face the consequences and own them.

[Anonymous]

Did anyone love being around the boys in gym? Didn’t we all have to make the leap of learning to love our bodies for being strong and powerful instead of something to be embarrassed about around boys? This is the time to work on self love and confidence. It is also the time to learn that sometimes we DO feel embarrassed at new activities, but that the feeling is normal and how to manage her thoughts and actions.

This is part of puberty that everyone deals with and you have to guide her through it, not run away.

[Anonymous]

If you won't try any of the other suggestions, can she bring in a mini hair dryer or something?

[Anonymous]

OP here; thanks for all the feedback. My DD had the same issues last year and I had her suck it up for exactly the reasons you all have said. Another factor is that this year she has a very difficult classroom teacher (I know you may want to jump all over me for saying this, but this teacher is so difficult that one family got their child moved to another classroom, which is almost unheard of at our private school). I am normally more inclined to the "let them take their lumps" school of parenting, but am being more protective and involved this year because I think DD has enough to deal with.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP since your daughter is already an accomplished swimmer and if the reasons stated are the only issues-I’d push for allowing her to sit out or being given more time to dry her hair. Some really angry people on this forum!! Also-I would question why her grade has to be lowered.

Nine year old girls-whether this is an all girls school or not are also in the first throes of puberty (one of my DD friends started her period over summer so was 9y 7m old): just another layer to consider.

If she has a habit of not wanting to follow activities-that’s a different issue.

Thank you, if there is some sort of swimming assessment at the end of the unit I would be happy to have her do that because I think her swimming skills are probably much better than other kids in the class (because she has the opportunity to swim outside of school more often). Being in the first throes of puberty is also a factor, she doesn't feel comfortable being in her bathing suit around the boys in her class, especially because it is a short-lived activity and they don't have time to get used to it.

The response from the PE teacher was that all children should participate in all units to the best of their ability. I agree with PP's suggestion that DD shouldn't be in the habit of not following activities. She won't be, this is literally the only one. Shoudl I tell the PE teacher that?

There we go. That's the real reason. Not the hair.

That is one of the reasons; being wet and uncomfortable is the main reason and I didn't mention every single factor to avoid writing a long OP. What is your point, does this make my decision not to have per participate in swimming more or less valid?

It would be hard to find a way to make your decision less valid . . . but you managed to do it. Congratulations, I guess.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP here; thanks for all the feedback. My DD had the same issues last year and I had her suck it up for exactly the reasons you all have said. Another factor is that this year she has a very difficult classroom teacher (I know you may want to jump all over me for saying this, but this teacher is so difficult that one family got their child moved to another classroom, which is almost unheard of at our private school). I am normally more inclined to the "let them take their lumps" school of parenting, but am being more protective and involved this year because I think DD has enough to deal with.

Your daughter can't go to class with wet hair, or learn to use a swim cap, because this year she has a very difficult classroom teacher?

[Anonymous]

So why start the thread? Almost no one agrees with you, yet you haven’t expressed any reconsidering. You clearly aren’t going to get the validation that you needed (because in your hearts you know you are wrong) so may as well move on at this point b

[Anonymous]

Don't worry OP. In a few years, She will be able to use the "I have my period" as an excuse to get out of swimming. I went to an all girls' school and apparently, most of us had our periods at least twice our of 4 swimming classes each month. Use two swim caps and send her in with a sweater if some of her hair gets wet. She will live.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP here; thanks for all the feedback. My DD had the same issues last year and I had her suck it up for exactly the reasons you all have said. Another factor is that this year she has a very difficult classroom teacher (I know you may want to jump all over me for saying this, but this teacher is so difficult that one family got their child moved to another classroom, which is almost unheard of at our private school). I am normally more inclined to the "let them take their lumps" school of parenting, but am being more protective and involved this year because I think DD has enough to deal with.

Your daughter can't go to class with wet hair, or learn to use a swim cap, because this year she has a very difficult classroom teacher?

C’mon, OP. You know the answer. You’re being unreasonable and this is just the tip of the iceberg as far as life’s difficulties will go for her. You’re doing her a huge disservice if you try to make special arrangements for her.

[Anonymous]

Braid her hair and have her put it in a swim cap.