is this cruel?

[lotty]

my 9 year old aspie was at school today, it was very hot today. he had drunk his drink i gave him at lunch, after afternoon break he told the teacher he really needed a drink, he was sweating she said no,,when i picked him up he cried all the way home. what do you think. should i be supplying loads of bottles or should she say yes. hmm peed off

[Emum]

My son's school (mainstream) has a policy that kids should bring bottles of water into lessons and drink as much as they can, because dehydration impairs learning ability. My daughter's school is a special school and there is no question that she would be denied a drink if she asked for one - in fact they go out of there way to give her anything she asks for, even biscuits, so pleased are they that she is taking the initiative and asking.

 

So in answer to your question, yes, I think the teacher was wrong not to give your son a drink, and it might be worth asking the head politely if water could be available to all the children at all times, particularly in this very hot weather, without actually making a complaint about this one incident. You could throw in the bit about dehydration impeding learning in support of your case.

[Flora]

I may be wrong here, but I'm sure a couple of years ago there was some sort of advice/policy sent out to schools highlighting the fact that children perform better if they are encouraged to keep up fluid levels and as a result many schools operate a policy where each child is actively encouraged to bring in a bottle of water to have in addition to whatever they drink at lunch time.

 

She was wrong for lots of reasons, not least because it's hot and preventing a child from topping up their fluid levels is dangerous and cruel.

 

Lauren

[mrs phasmid]

my 9 year old aspie was at school today, it was very hot today. he had drunk his drink i gave him at lunch, after afternoon break he told the teacher he really needed a drink, he was sweating she said no,,when i picked him up he cried all the way home. what do you think. should i be supplying loads of bottles or should she say yes. hmm peed off

 

best practice says that water should be available at all times. childrens minds are less focused disruption and irritability are increased and learning is impaired when dehydration begins. dehydration begins long before any symptoms are noticable. i would ask if X could bring in a bottle wih a sports cap to keep with them at all times and top up throughout the day,hence bypassing trips to the sink and disruption of lessons this is good practice for ALL CHILDREN and should be implemented NOW.

[Kathryn]

Last year my son's school introduced a policy of allowing children to have access to water at all times, especially during hot weather. All parents are positevely encouraged to provide water bottles that children can keep nearby, and we get periodic reminders about this. I think many other schools have adopted this policy in the wake of recent studies.

 

I can see that teachers don't want children getting up to get drinks all the time, it can be disruptive, but it's reasonable to expect a child to be allowed a drink of water which is close at hand. After all, adults can sip water all the time in most work environments, why not children?

 

I agree you could take this up politely and reasonably at a higher level.

 

K x

[lotty]

My son's school (mainstream) has a policy that kids should bring bottles of water into lessons and drink as much as they can, because dehydration impairs learning ability. My daughter's school is a special school and there is no question that she would be denied a drink if she asked for one - in fact they go out of there way to give her anything she asks for, even biscuits, so pleased are they that she is taking the initiative and asking.

 

So in answer to your question, yes, I think the teacher was wrong not to give your son a drink, and it might be worth asking the head politely if water could be available to all the children at all times, particularly in this very hot weather, without actually making a complaint about this one incident. You could throw in the bit about dehydration impeding learning in support of your case.

 

It was the head taking the kids?

[jen]

young hildren can become dehydrated far quicker than adults. Hence, they should be allowed to have a drink of water for safety reasons. Especially during hot days. Ask the school there policy on this and how the teacher will handle the same incidence in the future. Would she prefer for the parents to provide a bottle with water in.

 

All the children in my childs school are encouraged to drink water. They also have large bottles of drinking water where the children can top up their empty bottles. Obviously this can cause disruption but if the children are encouraged to have a drink at specific times of the day than the disruption is reduced. My childs class keep all there drinking bottles in a box inside the classroom which means there is mininal disruption.

 

There is a lot of research available for teacher that states children perform better when they are rehydrated hence encouraging the children to drink water is encouraged.

 

 

Jen

[justamom]

Its mad that she would not let him have a glass of water, its been so hot lately and we all know the importance of water... You need to have a word and maybe suggest that the children are allowed to bring in water bottles for this very reason!

[lotty]

thankyou, there just keeps being these things at school and i dont know what to do. i feel like im starting to overeact

[col]

That is so not on!!

DD8 is at a special school, DD7 mainstream, DS2 nursery and they have all been provide by their school/nursery a bottle of water.

[Brook]

When I picked my son up from school yesterday, he was telling me that they were all given new

water bottles, I asked if he could have a drink when he wanted one and he said yes.

 

I think most schools follow this route now.

 

Brook

[oracle]

Matthew's ex school has water fountains in all of the corridors and the children are allowed to freely help themselves. Can't say I was happy with this arrangement after watching some of the kids drinking. BUT it's much better than allowing the children to dehydrate.

 

Oracle

[Zemanski]

Dot's school sells water bottles at 20p each (in the past they have had donations from the water authority and given them away) and every child is expected to have one in class and there are water coolers in every corridor so they can be refilled

 

every child is also expected to have a hat and sunblock - we have regular newsletters reminding us

 

Dot's school is being responsible, this is how it should be!

 

Z

[Emum]

It was the head taking the kids?

 

Sorry, what I meant was that this is probably a policy decision which the school should make as a whole, therefore better to ask the head about it, than the class teacher.

[sue1957]

http://www.wateriscoolinschool.org.uk/faq.html#9 has some info.

 

http://www.wateraid.org/uk/get_involved/dr..._water/1416.asp for something more visual!

Edited June 8, 2006 by sue1957

[lotty]

thankyou for those replies.i am just going to give my boys huge bottles to take in so they have enough for the day, thankyou

[Anneuk]

thankyou, there just keeps being these things at school and i dont know what to do. i feel like im starting to overeact

 

 

I personally think that teachers want us to feel like we are over reacting, when I have had a 'go' at the head for one reason or another at my childrens school, she is ever so patronizing making it seem like it's me that is being too demanding, then all the teachers look at me in a certain way so i'm sure I have been talked about in the staff room.

 

The other day i was told I should start to 'give a little'

 

I told them that I had all ready given the most priceless things I had, ie my children and that she should be grateful as she got to see them more than I did... not the point I know, but it made me feel better!

 

Lottie, just remember when you are made to feel like this that you are the only person who will stand up for your child and if they think less of you for it, who cares?

 

Anne