How Do Uniforms Save Time for Kids?

No matter where you sit on the school uniform debate, it's hard to deny that there are a few benefits. Many argue that the uniforms act as a great equalizer between students, helping them to focus on studies rather than fashion, or that they save parents money. It's important to note, though, that wearing a school uniform can certainly save a student time in a variety of ways.

Shopping Time

As the start of the school year approaches, everyone starts hitting the back-to-school sales to buy clothes for the new year. Without a uniform, this might entail a trip to the mall, browsing through stores, trying everything on and going to other stores to find just what your child wants. Buying a uniform, though, is much easier. The parent and student simply have to go to one store that sells uniforms -- and the school should provide a list of stores that sell them, so there's no guessing -- and buy everything that the student needs at once.

Morning Time

Some students are happy to roll out of bed, throw on any old clothes and head out the door to school. Many, though, carefully pick out their outfits for the day, searching for coordinating clothes that are comfortable and look cool. When your child has to wear a uniform, there is little planning necessary for getting ready in the morning. The child might have to choose between khaki or navy blue pants, for example, but the options are much more limited than those of a student who has her entire closet to choose from.

Discipline Time

Schools without uniforms often have dress codes that are open to interpretation. They might say that a shirt can't be "too revealing" or that it can't have an "offensive message." In these cases, students, teachers and administrators might argue over what is and is not appropriate. School uniforms, however, set clear-cut lines 1. If the student is not wearing approved uniform pieces, he needs to change.

Laundry Time

A school-age child is old enough to help out with the laundry. Even if he's not actually doing his own laundry, he should be able to sort it for you and put it away. A school uniform makes this easy to do 1. Since uniforms are usually in standard colors, he won't have to spend time thinking about whether an item is a "light" or a "dark." For example, he might be able to just sort pants into one pile and dress shirts into another -- no thinking involved.