Helping your children dress better.....

[Beth76]

My older son is 5 and will be starting Kindergarten in a few weeks. I've always let him pick out his own clothes and would only object if he wanted to wear shorts when it was 50 degrees out. But lately he's been coming up with bad fashion choices (if there's such a thing at age 5 ).

Like today, he picked out navy blue shorts and a black spiderman tshirt. I firmly believe that you can not wear black and navy blue together. Not to mention he'll be frying if we go outside. The other day he was wearing a nice polo shirt with athletic shorts. It just didn't match. If I say to him that his outfit doesn't match he says, "but I like it".

So what do I do? Do I continue letting him dress himself in (what I think are) silly outfits. Or do I insist he has to have his clothes match and try to give him some fashion "lessons".

 

[TheDisneyTraveler06]

Sounds like my DS, also 5. If he's outside playing, we just let him where "play clothes" regardless if they match or not.

However, if he's going to preschool, and soon to kindergarten, we will pick out his clothes for him. Ususally a nice polo and a some shorts.

 

[paigevz]

You can do it either way, it's your preference. However, I grouped my son's clothes for him, and told him he had to get his shirt and pants/shorts from the same place. Button-downs, polos and broadcloth short/pants were in the closet; white, blue, red and yellow tshirts/shorts/sweatpants were in one drawer; green, orange, black and gray in another, and I halfed his jeans and jean shorts into both those drawers. It worked well for us!

I let him wear any drawer or closet to school/preschool most days, but if it was picture day, Sunday school or an outing, I would tell him "Get dressed, closet clothes, please."

Also, (and here comes the teacher in me) if you label the drawers with a paper with each color word that goes in that drawer written in permanent marker, and then color a stripe of that color over it with a crayon, and stick it on with packaging tape so the tape covers it (lasts longer), then not only can he put his own clothes away in the drawers, but he will learn his color words too!
I just always separated the closet clothes and put them away myself.

 

[TheDisneyTraveler06]

You can do it either way, it's your preference. However, I grouped my son's clothes for him, and told him he had to get his shirt and pants/shorts from the same place. Button-downs, polos and broadcloth short/pants were in the closet; white, blue, red and yellow tshirts/shorts/sweatpants were in one drawer; green, orange, black and gray in another, and I halfed his jeans and jean shorts into both those drawers. It worked well for us!

I let him wear any drawer or closet to school/preschool most days, but if it was picture day, Sunday school or an outing, I would tell him "Get dressed, closet clothes, please."

This kind of reminds me... I have DS's play clothes in drawers, and his "nice" clothes hanging up.

 

[Christine]

My 11 DS still does this. It's a man thing and most of them don't care.

Just yesterday, my son came down with a navy blue polo shirt on (which was meant to go with his plaid shorts) and his medium blue shorts. The blues were totally unrelated and it looked AWFUL. I told him that it didn't match. He said it was fine and "they are both blue!!"

Last week, he came down in his blue/tan plaid shorts and a yellow and navy blue plaid shirt. He thought that since they were both plaid it was okay.

Anyway, his sister and I *work* with him on what goes with what and I do see that he sometimes tries to work on it. But he's very challenged. No queer eye there!

 

[debster812]

Honestly, at that age, this wasn't a battle I was willing to fight. Trust me, that the preschool and Kindergarten teachers have seen it ALL when it comes to kids clothing choices.

I would even let DS pick shorts if it WAS going to be 50 degress, and tuck a pair of sweats in his backpack.

As long as it's not dangerous, or distracting, I don't see it as a huge deal.

My personal favorite of DS's was in preschool, when he wore his Spiderman costume (one piece, tied in the back) with a black sweater over it, since it was January. His teacher convinced him to change once he realized how hard it would be to make a quick break for the potty.

 

[crazy4disney01]

My DD is going to Pre-K this August and I know I am going to go through the same thing. I plan on laying out 2-3 outfits at night and letting her pick one. Then, when she gets home she can change and wear whatever she chooses.

 

[TheDisneyTraveler06]

My DD is going to Pre-K this August and I know I am going to go through the same thing. I plan on laying out 2-3 outfits at night and letting her pick one. Then, when she gets home she can change and wear whatever she chooses.

Great idea! Then that way they still get to "pick it out themsleves"

 

[hlbtimes2]

Two ideas that have worked with my children:

Give him a choice of a couple bottoms (weather appropriate) and a couple shirts that can go with either bottom. He'll feel like he has a say in what he's wearing, but he'll match.

Get a closet stacker link Put one outfit in each cubby. Let him pick which outfit to wear.

And lastly- if you aren't going out in public, let him wear what ever he wants! Doesnt matter if it's his ratty looking sweats and a dress shirt and rain boots!- let him have it his way!

 

[Scutapipig]

My two are 8 and 10 years and I usually pick their clothes for family outings/church/school. They are welcome to wear whatever they wish if we're staying home and hanging out.

However, I do make exceptions. We had Vacation Bible School a few weeks back and one of the lessons was how God looks on the inside and not on the outside. The next day, she wore a jean skirt, a pink top, chose orange ribbons for her hair and wore striped knee socks in various colors of blue with her white sandals. When I asked her if that was what she really wanted to wear, she gave me an incredulous look, rolled her eyes and said, "Mom, it doesn't matter what you look like on the outside, it only matters what's in your heart! I look weird on the outside and that's ok!" And she happily skipped into VBS looking weird.

Lesson learned by Mom.

 

[Cindy's Mom]

Two ideas that have worked with my children:

Give him a choice of a couple bottoms (weather appropriate) and a couple shirts that can go with either bottom. He'll feel like he has a say in what he's wearing, but he'll match.

Get a closet stacker (http://www.target.com/gp/detail.html/sr=1-2/qid=1153238837/ref=sr_1_2/602-3206674-9025457?%5Fencoding=UTF8&asin=B00067WSUC). Put one outfit in each cubby. Let him pick which outfit to wear.

And lastly- if you aren't going out in public, let him wear what ever he wants! Doesnt matter if it's his ratty looking sweats and a dress shirt and rain boots!- let him have it his way!

Your link didn't work - and when I search "closet" at the Target site, about a million things pop up. Do you have the name of this product, I'd LOVE to see it. Its exactly what I think I need. thanks.

 

[allie&mattsmom]

Oh Beth, I wish I could tell you it would get better soon. I still sometimes have to send my DS9 back up to his room to change. OMG, just looked at him through the window as I'm typing this and now should be one of those times! He has on navy adidas shorts with orange & white stripe down the sides and his black Dueling Dragons t-shirt from Universal that says Choose Thy Fate on the back. I think he's just hanging around here till the dentist at 2:30 so I'll let him be for now. Anyhow, I'd say if your ds is just hanging around the house or out playing, let him stay in what he picks out. If you have to go out in public somewhere, tell him he has to match better. I know with my ds it helps if I lay a couple of choices out and say pick between these. I know this may sound mean to some but my son has had clothes that I absolutely despised that he would wear 24/7 if I'd let him, well, they'd mysteriously "disappear" if ya know what I mean. And ya know what? He never even missed them!

 

[hlbtimes2]

Your link didn't work - and when I search "closet" at the Target site, about a million things pop up. Do you have the name of this product, I'd LOVE to see it. Its exactly what I think I need. thanks.

Oh dang it! go to Target.com put in "closet organizer". It should come up with a yellow thing that hangs in the closet. Sells for about $18. I think there is called "jokari kids stuff weekly organizer" or something close to that. You can get them at other places as well. There is a spot for each day of the week, as well as a couple spots for shoes.

I use one for my dd8. I put everything- socks, undwear, etc in a cubby so she can get ready on her own. Daddy gets her to school, and I'm afraid of what she would wear if I didnt get it ready for her! Her and daddy can be a scary combo.

eta: try the link in my other post again. I think I fixed it.

 

[Eeyore'sthebest]

When DD was younger, I put outfits (even play clothes) on hangers. All her church stuff was pushed towards the rear so she would only concentrate on the stuff in front. She could pick any outfit from her group of play clothes and I was guaranteed that it would match. Oh, and I only bought white socks. Much easier. My problem wasn't the kid matching but my DH is your typical man. If it was clean, it was good enough.
I picked this habit up from my boss because her DH used to send her kids to school in each other's clothes (boy & girl - 18 mo. apart). One toddler even showed up at school duct taped into shorts. My boss ended up sending in several outfits in the school bags just in case. The school staff used to laugh hysterically and then change them. Good thing they were still young and hopefully not scarred.

Now both my old boss and I have switched our kids to Catholic school and uniforms. Much easier!!

 

[DisneyGirl4188]

Oh dang it! go to Target.com put in "closet organizer". It should come up with a yellow thing that hangs in the closet. Sells for about $18. I think there is called "jokari kids stuff weekly organizer" or something close to that. You can get them at other places as well. There is a spot for each day of the week, as well as a couple spots for shoes.

I use one for my dd8. I put everything- socks, undwear, etc in a cubby so she can get ready on her own. Daddy gets her to school, and I'm afraid of what she would wear if I didnt get it ready for her! Her and daddy can be a scary combo.

eta: try the link in my other post again. I think I fixed it.

I just saw similar ones at Walmart last night for $9.00. They had several styles and colors.

 

[Beth76]

Hmmmmm, ok. I like the idea of separate drawers. I kind of already do that. I have one drawer that holds 2 piece outfits. Then one drawer for shirts and one for shorts. I also have a similar closet organizer that we've just been keep "stuff" in. Maybe I could make my own outfits and stick on in each compartment and let him pick. I might just do that for when school starts.

And I'm not at all concerned about when we're home. In fact I didn't even really mind about pre-k or going out (depending on where we're going). But, I'm just concerned about starting at the elementary. I don't want older kids making fun of him because of his clothes.

 

[mickeyfan2]

Sounds like my DH. Do you mean orange and green don't look good together? How about sweatpants and polo shirts?

Pick out two outfits each day and let him decide which one he wants to wear.

 

[Beth76]

I just saw similar ones at Walmart last night for $9.00. They had several styles and colors.

Actually, I got mine at IKEA and I think it was $3. This is what I have except mine's bigger (longer) with more compartments.

 

[daisyduck123]

This kind of reminds me... I have DS's play clothes in drawers, and his "nice" clothes hanging up.

That's exactly how I do it.

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

lol!

We are trying to teach about pieces that complement in color and design--we're almost there...but she does get some unique combinations.

"But mom--it is pink and PINK". Yes honey--but hot pink, rose, light pink, and neon pink kinda clash when you where them all together.