Help your little boy to dress himself by making sure his clothes don’t have tricky fastenings.
- Boys are usually slower than girls at learning to use the potty, so it is particularly important to avoid awkward fastenings on your little boy’s pants
- Look for adjustable straps on overalls, or add a button so the straps can be lengthened
- Pants with elastic waists are easiest but, if he has trousers with zippers, show him how to pull the zipper away from him as he closes it to prevent it from catching
- Show your little boy how to sit down to put his feet into his pants legs, then stand up to pull them up
Your little girl will try to dress herself now, so choose clothes that she can manage easily.
- Buy dresses with fastenings at the front; once that fasten at the back are too difficult for toddlers to manage
- Show her how to get her tights the right way around, and how to roll them up before she tries to put them on
- Avoid very fitted clothes; they don’t leave much room for growth
As your child becomes more involved in dressing herself, she will become more conscious of the clothes themselves. Babies are largely unaware of what they are wearing as long as it is comfortable and does not impede their activities, but toddlers gradually begin to notice the colors and type of clothing they put on, and your child may develop preferences. Clothes that seem similar to those worn by mommy or daddy might be especially attractive. The feel of a garment will also be important to her whether, for example, it is soft or itchy, tight or stretchy. If she takes a dislike to a garment, it may be because it doesn’t fit properly and is therefore uncomfortable to wear.
Your child’s concerns should be taken seriously when you are buying her clothing. Once your main requirements, which are practical ones – warmth, durability, washability, and cost – are met, there is no reason why you shouldn’t indulge her; the image of a favorite cartoon character or a particular color may be the deciding factor as far as she is concerned. Allowing her to choose which clothes to wear each day is also important. You may want her to wear long pants on a cold day, but let her choose which pair.
She may develop seemingly irrational likes or dislikes for certain items of clothing – insisting on wearing a particular T-shirt every day, for example, or refusing to wear the hand-knitted pullover that Granny gave her for her birthday. The easiest policy is to go along with these preferences as far as possible, though occasionally bribery, or at least negotiation, may be in order: you could offer a special treat in return for wearing that pullover on the afternoon that Granny comes to dinner.
Choosing fastenings
Until your child has enough dexterity to manage buttons and zippers, you need to choose clothes and shoes with manageable fastenings.
Shoes
Velcro fastenings rather than laces or buckles will allow your child to fasten his own shoes very easily.
As your child grows older, she’ll develop the coordination required to dress successfully. You should encourage her in her attempts at dressing or undressing, however slow or awkward – they’re a sign of growing independence and maturity. Learning to manage by herself will improve a child’s coordination and increase her confidence, so be patient with her first clumsy efforts.
Lay out your child’s clothes in such a way that she can maneuver them on easily. For instance, you could drape a cardigan on the back of a chair so that she just has to sit down and slide her arms into the sleeves. Let her do as much as she is capable of, and don’t step in to help unless it’s really necessary, though you will have to deal with most of the fastenings yourself until your child is old enough to manage them.
At 18 months she will already be trying to manage fastenings, and by two and a half she will be able to close a button in a loose buttonhole, and put on her own pants, T-shirt, and sweatshirt. By the age of four she will probably be able to dress or undress herself completely and will have enough dexterity to put her clothes away tidily. There are several things you can do to make getting dressed easier for your child.
- Teach her how to button from the bottom up.
- Sew large buttons onto a toddler’s clothes so that she can handle them easily.
- Velcro fastenings will be easy for her to manage, but don’t use them where they might chafe her skin.
- Buy pants with elastic waists to avoid zippers.
- Children find it difficult to put sweaters on the right way around, to explain to her that the label always goes at the back.
Dressing himself
By the age of three your toddler may be able to dress himself completely, though it will take him a long time. Allow him his independence, and don’t step in to help unless you’re really needed.
Room for growth
Loose-fitting clothes with adjustable fastenings are most suitable now that your child is growing fast.
Choose a sturdy leather pair for outdoor wear. Your child’s feet must be unrestricted but held firmly in place and unable to slip out. The toes shouldn’t curl up or hurt when he walks. Never buy secondhand shoes.