Parents.......do you make your child wear an undershirt???

[hlbtimes2]

No. My dd (9) does layer clothes now and then, but not what I would call an undershirt. Its more for fashion then anything. My almost 6 year old would roast if he had to wear an extra layer. The child is like a little furnace. He is always warm. He doesn't even like to wear a coat most of the time.

 

[elgerber]

Not since they outgrew onesies. My dd is 12 now, and she does wear a cami style one, on gym day, so when they change she doesn't have to be topless. But other than that, no. It would never even have occured to me. I never wore them myself.

 

[DVCLiz]

Oh, this thread brings back such memories!!!

I had to wear undershirts - far longer than I wanted to. My mother insisted that I wear one until I started wearing a bra. I hated them at the time, but it must be one of those things you forget like the pain of labor because when I had daughters, I made them wear one, too.

They started with onesies, of course, and then went into the little over the head short sleeve ones. I did it for two reasons, well three, actually -
one being the memory of wearing an undershirt being the "right" thing for a little girl to do. I think this was more from a warmth standpoint than a covering the chest standpoint.

My thinking that they would be warmer with a thin extra layer underneath their outfit was the second reason. I don't know whether this was because I was always cold or whether they really needed it, but I felt good and motherly doing it - until they rebelled when they were old enough to complain about being too hot!!

The third reason was for comfort. They both wore lots of those little outfits you could order through home shows - with the appliqued design on the front. The backside of those appliques was very scratchy, and their chest would be uncomfortable without an extra layer. If they didn't need a turtleneck or other shirt under those outfits, I made them wear an undershirt. Once they outgrew those styles, again before elementary school, they stopped needing undershirts so often.

We had a few years of wearing one sometimes if they had on a
"scratchy" shirt, then they went into camis, thank goodness. That was a happy time for everyone - I felt they were warm enough and they felt stylish.

I always found them through the Hanna Anddersson catalog or Talbots Kids.

Ah, the good old undershirt days. I miss them, now that all I have to fold are these exotic bras from Victoria's Secret that they insist on wearing.....

 

[lillielil]

As soon as I was physically capable of putting my clothes on, my parent's stopped having anything to do with it. If I felt like going to school wearing a dress with a slip over it, 20 different bangles, every barette I owned, and galoshes, that was fine with them. I never even owned an undershirt as a child, probably because we lived in Miami, where "formal" means you should wear socks.

I'm planning on doing the same with my kids. If they put on something that's wildly inappropriate for the temperature I'll suggest that they change or add something, but other than that, they're free to make fools of themselves.

 

[beckanoah]

I don't "make" my dd wear one (almost 8)... unless she's wearing a sweater to school, however I ask her to wear them sometimes anyways, to help transition her to when she WILL need to put on a bra layer.

I found my dd's made by hanes near the panty aisle. They're spaghetti strap ones (cami-esque). She does have thicker strapped ones too.

 

[themarquis]

I've actually never heard of this whole undershirt thing

If it's because "they might get cold", why wouldn't you have them wear a hoodie or sweater or something?

Or is it secretly about something else ... modesty? The fear that someone might see their nipples (not sure if that word will get starred out)? That also seems strange to me ... they're little kids ... who cares?

Is this a regional thing?

I don't get it

 

[Bob Slydell]

Yes, we have our son (he's 7) wear an undershirt beneath his uniform shirt, especially during the winter, when he gets cold during the day. He hates sweaters and can't wear anything else over top of his uniform, so the extra layer (albeit a thin one) helps him a little.

 

[DVCLiz]

I've actually never heard of this whole undershirt thing

If it's because "they might get cold", why wouldn't you have them wear a hoodie or sweater or something?

Or is it secretly about something else ... modesty? The fear that someone might see their nipples (not sure if that word will get starred out)? That also seems strange to me ... they're little kids ... who cares?

Is this a regional thing?

I don't get it

I don't know if it's regional or if it's modesty or warmth related. I just know that in my Southern town growing up, every little girl wore an undershirt until she and her mother came to blows about them, usually in about the 5th or 6th grade. I do think it was more of a warmth thing than a modesty thing. If your mom is worried that you won't be warm enough, which is going to make her feel better - knowing that you have on an undershirt and a blouse, neither of which you can remove during the day, or a blouse and a sweater that you take off and leave on the schoolbus? I just think that's a mom thing.

Although it could be modesty as well. I know for many girls, a little early development will make some "protrusion" a little uncomfortable, if you know what I mean. Sometimes a thin layer of cotton is more comfortable when a little girl doesn't need a bra but has a little bit of breast development. Again, I tnihk it's mostly a mom perception.

 

[disneygals]

Nope, I never did and my girls don't. I remember the nerdy kids always had undershirts (sorry )

Now for fashion...we now have bras, cami, 2-3 shirts for layering, a sweatshirt if it's really cold. Gee 3 girls...wonder why all I do is laundry.

 

[ProudMomTo3Boys]

Its funny that you posted this today, because I too was doing laundry and was thinking of this. When my older 2 boys were younger they wore one all winter long. But with my almost 3 year old, he has never worn an undershirt since he outgrew onesies. My older ones won't wear one now at all because the school is so HOT. Trust me its hot. So hot that they sometimes where short sleeved shirts to school. My sister makes her sons, ages 8 and 5 wear them all the time.

 

[DVCLiz]

Nope, I never did and my girls don't. I remember the nerdy kids always had undershirts (sorry )

Now for fashion...we now have bras, cami, 2-3 shirts for layering, a sweatshirt if it's really cold. Gee 3 girls...wonder why all I do is laundry.

Oh, no, I never knew I was a nerd!!!!!!!

 

[famofsix]

no but it's probably because my mom made me wear them and I hate them

 

[themarquis]

I don't know if it's regional or if it's modesty or warmth related. I just know that in my Southern town growing up, every little girl wore an undershirt until she and her mother came to blows about them, usually in about the 5th or 6th grade. I do think it was more of a warmth thing than a modesty thing. If your mom is worried that you won't be warm enough, which is going to make her feel better - knowing that you have on an undershirt and a blouse, neither of which you can remove during the day, or a blouse and a sweater that you take off and leave on the schoolbus? I just think that's a mom thing.

Although it could be modesty as well. I know for many girls, a little early development will make some "protrusion" a little uncomfortable, if you know what I mean. Sometimes a thin layer of cotton is more comfortable when a little girl doesn't need a bra but has a little bit of breast development. Again, I tnihk it's mostly a mom perception.

lol ... okay, that makes more sense.

I just remembered, actually, that for a while as an early teen, I used to wear undershirts to school because I hated undressing in the locker room .... oh yeah, and I hated wearing a bra! My mom used to do a bra check every morning by snapping the back of my shirt and then I'd go to school and unfasten it and throw it in my backpack!

 

[kimluvswdw]

My kids never wore them. I had no idea they even still made them.

 

[candykisses]

My boys haven't worn undershirts since they were about 3.

DS21 will sometimes wear a hoodie if it's around 0 and unless the snow is up to his ankles he wears his fur lined fur lined flip flops. He does have shoes, socks, hat, gloves and jacket in a backpack in his trunk.

Now DS14 will have a shirt, hoodie, winter jacket, hat, scarf and gloves.

 

[tchrrx]

I have DD almost 8 wear them under her t-shirts now. Mainly it's b/c I teach 3rd grade & I've noticed a few of my girls are at the point where they should probably start wearing training bras. I figure I'd rather have DD wear undershirts now so that the bra transition will be easier.

 

[jodifla]

In Florida, no one wears undershirts. Unless that is all they are wearing in the 99 degree heat.

 

[LadyyRedd]

I think I need glasses...I misread this title as "Parents....do you wear your child's undershirt?"

Kimya

 

[dogluva]

my daughter has one on now. She wears one everyday from Fall to Spring. I never gave it any thought-It is something she wears. She has two kinds the sleevelss ones and ones with short sleeves. My older five wore them until first or second grade, when they just stopped wearing them. Funny because my oldest son wears them under his shirts-the sleeveless ones (he call them wife beaters-I tell him not to).

I wore them growing up-I liked them. I put my babies in onsies all the time. Then on to undershirts. I live in MA-I just think it gives them that extra layer. My kids never minded. My mother used to get mad at my sister when she didn't put them on her children! I am not that obsessive with them (some days we just don't have any clean!) but for the most part-she wears them!

 

[mla2177]

I must say my 4 yr old DS wears an undershirt. There have been times when he asks for it if I forget it! LOL

I think it's because my DH still wears undershirts and I just feel like it makes them more comfortable.