Against Socks

Jason is not yet 3 and a half, and I think he is too young for school. But Poo has put him into a classroom with other Thai kids his age. I guess you could call it "pre-school", but it looks like school to me. They give him homework (it's graded, too!) and he must wear a uniform.

The first day in school Jason peed in his pants. The teacher explained why: all that new regalia--briefs, pants with a fastener, a zipper, a belt, etc. He didn't know what to do. He came home in a t-shirt that said Nidhiprinya School. Now Poo packs an extra set of clothes in his little backpack.

I will say one thing for school: his motor skills have improved. That's because every day he needs to put on a pair of socks.

This is a tropical country and most Thais don't wear socks. In a hot, humid country they are just plain unhealthy. The feet get sweatly and moist, and this attracts bacteria and fungi. Besides, they stink.

But the school uniform is serious in Thailand. In post-war Thailand, Defeated Japan and Communist China were considered "bad" but victorious America and her British allies were considered "good" and Thais rapidly adopted western styles. Thais were told to dress like westerners, and ridiculous things like socks and neckties have been fashionable ever since.

Of course those silly ideas are changing, but not very quickly, and I imagine Jason will be wearing socks for the next 15 years.

Jason never has urination problems at home, but on Thursday and Friday he again peed in his pants at school. Maybe he has figured out that if he wets his pants, the teacher's aide will clean him up, and then change his clothes into his baggy pants and Doraemon t-shirt, which are more comfortable and more stylish than that damn uniform, so he might as well pee-pee in his pantalones!