Do Uniforms Make You Spend More?

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  • Candy
    Daycare.com Member
    • Jan 2013
    • 223

    Do Uniforms Make You Spend More?

    I know some schools wear uniforms and some don't. Parents says it cost more when kids have to wear uniform. While I see that it's just seems so much easier for them to wear them. You don't have to worry about a kid fighting you in the morning about what to wear.they do get free dress once a month tho. Do uniforms seem to cost you more?
  • Margarete
    Daycare.com Member
    • Jun 2013
    • 290

    #2
    Costs more in that you generally have to have separate clothes for school, or if you typically buy second hand that is generally not an option with school uniforms.

    There are some programs around here to help with school uniform costs for students. I was a shopper assistant for a sibling group where some of the neediest students were given a shopping budget, and a list of their clothing needs (and uniforms were marked significantly down for this event). The older sibling was so sweet, saying his little sister just starting out needed more, as he still had some from last year, and gave a huge chunk of 'his' spending money to her so she could get a belt as the smallest sized uniforms were still too big for her.

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    • jenboo
      Daycare.com Member
      • Aug 2013
      • 3180

      #3
      Uniforms generally cost more than regular clothes (in my experience) and then the children need two wardrobes (school and home/weekends).
      When my niece and nephew went to a uniform school, my sister would buy 5 uniforms. She kept it at a minimum because they were expensive. Then after school she would have them change into regular clothes so that their school uniforms wouldn't get ruined and would last most of the school year, hence the two wardrobes.

      Like the pp said, it is also hard to find second hand uniforms unless your area does a uniform trade in day or similar event.

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      • _Dana_
        New Daycare.com Member
        • Apr 2013
        • 87

        #4
        As a parent and teacher, I LOVED uniforms!!!

        As a parent, it was super easy to get ready in the mornings. No struggle over what to wear. Kids and I both knew what to expect day to day in the mornings. Yes, uniforms initially cost more, but considering that you end up buying less clothes, it costs much, MUCH less. I've considered changing my child care over to uniforms and with my kids' schools would.

        As a teacher, uniforms ensure that children are more likely to be dressed in appropriate clothing.

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        • Kelly
          Daycare.com member
          • Dec 2011
          • 150

          #5
          As a former catholic school student, I hate uniforms. Our public high schools started requiring uniforms a couple years ago and my daughter hates them too. I think kids should be treated as individuals, not as just a part of the herd. As for cost, I don't think it's been too bad except for the first year when my sons were also in school. They both graduated in December that year so I had to buy uniforms for them that they would only wear for 3 months.

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          • safechner
            Daycare.com Member
            • Jan 2010
            • 753

            #6
            Yes it costs more. I hate uniforms but I never wear it in my life (not my style). My older daughter have to wear the uniforms for private school. She dont mind but I dont like to pay too much money on it.

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            • Candy
              Daycare.com Member
              • Jan 2013
              • 223

              #7
              I must say I do hate schools that require girls to wear dresses or either skirts. No girl wants to have a dress on in the middle of winter. Thankful not many schools where I am require girls to wear just that.

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              • Starburst
                Provider in Training
                • Jan 2013
                • 1522

                #8
                Originally posted by Candy
                I know some schools wear uniforms and some don't. Parents says it cost more when kids have to wear uniform. While I see that it's just seems so much easier for them to wear them. You don't have to worry about a kid fighting you in the morning about what to wear
                That's not exactly true. My elementary and middle school (all public K-8 schools in the county I grew up in) had uniforms and there were times my mom had to take my brother to school in his underwear because he refused to get dressed. Plus, if the child is overweight (as I was) it is hard to find uniforms that fit right (and the ones that do cost more) and the material that most school uniforms are made of wear out easily. NOTE: If they are expensive and hard to find, you most likely wont have many different pairs, which means you have to wash them more often (especially if you only have 2 or 3 sets of uniforms and there 5 days in an average school week). Which costs more for washing (we lived in an apartment; no in-unit machines & laundry mat= pay per wash) and it also causes the uniforms to fade and wear out faster.

                Plus, most school uniforms are just plain ugly (Elementary schools were dark green {some were navy blue} bottoms and white tops; middle schools white shirts w/ black bottoms) which can lead to lowering self-esteem (which is already an issue with most children these days).

                Another thing to think about, it may make it even harder to pin-point neglect because one of the signs of child neglect is not only wearing dirty clothes but the same clothes multiple days in a row. How can a teacher tell if all uniforms look pretty much the same?

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                • countrymom
                  Daycare.com Member
                  • Aug 2010
                  • 4874

                  #9
                  my odd wears a uniform to highschool and we both love it. Now I know everyone thinks that girls wear skirts but hers is acually a skort. She also owns shorts and pants that she can wear to school. They can wear any time of shoe and most of the times the socks can be anything but the color is blue or grey or black. Does she need 2 sets of clothes, yup but its no different than some parents who make their kids change when they come home from school into play clothes.

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                  • Laurel
                    Daycare.com Member
                    • Mar 2013
                    • 3218

                    #10
                    When I was a child I wore uniforms and loved them. Not as much in high school as elementary but the high school one was still okay. In high school we even had to wear certain shoes (saddle shoes). This was in the 60's. The school was brand new so they wanted the floors to stay nice.

                    I still have fond memories of my elementary school beanie and my high school blazer.

                    As far as not being individuals I think it did just the opposite. It made our individuality stand out more. I say that because I specifically remember an incident where we were allowed to not wear our uniforms. They did this occasionally for a treat I guess. It was high school and I remember thinking of one girl "Wow, I always thought she was kinda cool and never thought she would wear an outfit like THAT." So I was actually judging someone on what they wore but when I only had their personality to go by...well...(by the way I'm not proud of that but it was just a thought..it never changed anything). So I think uniforms can be an equalizer.

                    I'm sure ours were expensive but we only wore them to school and changed right away.

                    Laurel

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                    • Laurel
                      Daycare.com Member
                      • Mar 2013
                      • 3218

                      #11
                      Originally posted by countrymom
                      my odd wears a uniform to highschool and we both love it. Now I know everyone thinks that girls wear skirts but hers is acually a skort. She also owns shorts and pants that she can wear to school. They can wear any time of shoe and most of the times the socks can be anything but the color is blue or grey or black. Does she need 2 sets of clothes, yup but its no different than some parents who make their kids change when they come home from school into play clothes.
                      I keep wondering what odd means in your posts. :confused:

                      We only had skirts or jumpers in grades 1 and 2 but we wore tights, knee socks, etc.

                      Laurel

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                      • Play Care
                        Daycare.com Member
                        • Dec 2012
                        • 6642

                        #12
                        Originally posted by Kelly
                        As a former catholic school student, I hate uniforms. Our public high schools started requiring uniforms a couple years ago and my daughter hates them too. I think kids should be treated as individuals, not as just a part of the herd. As for cost, I don't think it's been too bad except for the first year when my sons were also in school. They both graduated in December that year so I had to buy uniforms for them that they would only wear for 3 months.


                        I went to catholic school from K-12. We could only purchase the uniforms at an expensive uniform shop. And then you needed "play clothes."

                        I guess the one good thing is that kids were always appropriately dressed, but let's face it, parents shelling out extra money for private school aren't (usually) going to have inappropriately dressed kids.
                        That said, You always knew who had money and who didn't, the uniforms are not the great equalizer everyone thinks they are.
                        I worked in an office during college where they suddenly required uniform shirts - I quit pretty quickly after that .

                        Comment

                        • Meeko
                          Advanced Daycare.com Member
                          • Mar 2011
                          • 4349

                          #13
                          Depends on the "level" of uniform.

                          My daughters attended a charter school until 8th grade. School colors were white, red, navy and khaki beige. Tops were polo style shirts. Bottoms could be pants or skirts. They could wear a variation of whatever they wanted as long as it was school colors. So one daughter could wear a navy skirt and white shirt and the other one could wear khaki pants and a navy shirt and they were still in uniform. The items were easy to find in any store anywhere.

                          On the other hand, I was educated in England. My school uniform was extremely strict...right down to underwear. It could only be bought in John Lewis in London...an expensive department store. It was painfully expensive and my parents loathed having to drive into London to buy it. Our outerwear was uniform, we had to have a blazer AND a raincoat....our shoes were uniform....gym wear was uniform, swimwear was uniform......etc etc......all identical like the military. It was a ghastly green and grey ensemble...

                          I personally think the IDEA of uniform is great. I also think that it should be easy. Jeans and school t-shirt in the summer and jeans and school sweatshirt in the winter!

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                          • SquirrellyMama
                            New Daycare.com Member
                            • Mar 2012
                            • 554

                            #14
                            I had to wear uniforms from 2nd-5th grade. I loved it and would have preferred to wear them all through school.

                            Play clothes don't have to be more expensive. Since the kids aren't wearing them to school you can buy less clothing. So what if your kid wears the same pair of pants after school 2 days in a row.

                            I think kids generally have way to much clothing.

                            Kelly
                            Homeschooling Mama to:
                            lovethis
                            dd12
                            ds 10
                            dd 8

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                            • Blackcat31
                              • Oct 2010
                              • 36124

                              #15
                              Originally posted by Laurel
                              I keep wondering what odd means in your posts. :confused:

                              We only had skirts or jumpers in grades 1 and 2 but we wore tights, knee socks, etc.

                              Laurel
                              odd = oldest daughter
                              mdd = middle daughter
                              ydd = youngest daughter

                              Here is the acronyms page... The initials throw me for a loop once in a while too. Sometimes I "get it" just by the content of the sentence/post but other times I am scratching my head...

                              Daycare Center and Family Home owners, Directors, Operators and Assistants should post and ask questions here.



                              (of course reading over the list of acronyms, I see "odd" isn't included... LOL!)

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