A recent headline to hit the news was “Parents asked to stop wearing pyjamas on the school run” – of course, due to its unusualness, the story was circulated a lot around social media sites and it received both support and backlash from parents, pupils and staff.

The story focused around a primary school in England which had sent out letters to parents and carers, asking them to stop doing the school drop off in their pyjamas and slippers – the school felt that this was not appropriate, and they wanted to help “raise standards” for the children, and to not lead them into the idea that it was acceptable to go out without having gotten changed from bed.

The letter argued that it was vital to ensure that children, from a young age, are made aware of what clothes to wear to suit the day e.g. a waterproof jacket if it’s raining, shorts/skirt for sunshine etc. It was feared that by ignoring the parents dress code, they may grow up believing that this is normal to wear pyjamas out in public. It was also noted about the personal hygiene behind this – many children have grown up in a routine where they wake up, have a shower in the morning and then put fresh clothes on. This encourages good habits for future. If a parent cannot be bothered to get changed properly, then how can the children be expected to?

On the other hand, it was noted by others about the personal choice regarding the clothing. If a parent wants to come and drop their children off in pyjamas, what exactly is the problem? Are they having an effect on others? Does it jeopardise the children education? Parents who had commented on Facebook posts had noted that surely “children getting into school safely was more a priority, not what the parents are wearing” and also that there was the possibility of underlying issues linking to the parents, in situations where they might not be coping/have mental health issues.

While turning up in pyjamas is not something which should be encouraged, it’s important to focus on the main aspect here – the child is at school; they are receiving an education, regardless of whether their parent is wearing a onesie or a pair of jeans.

(Source: ITV News, 2016)