Submitted by the Regional KidsFirst Community Developers in Southeast Saskatchewan
When you... Let your preschooler decide what to wear - your preschooler will develop a sense of skills and self-esteem in areas he likes. He will understand that he can make some decisions that are respected.
It's 9 a.m., you have all slept in and there is somewhere you need to be by 10 a.m. After a quick, but healthy breakfast, it's time to get dressed and be on your way. But your preschooler has different ideas he's not ready to start the day quite yet.
What can you do if your preschooler refuses to get dressed in the morning?
Here are some strategies you can try:
Stay calm. Try to keep your sense of humour.
Give your preschooler two options for clothes the night before. He can choose his outfit for the next day and leave it where it will be ready for him to wear.
Establish a morning routine where you all wake up, wash up, get dressed and eat breakfast together. If it's an everyday occurrence, he will know what to expect.
If he insists on wearing the same clothes every day, consider buying the same sets of clothing in different colours.
Distract him with stories or talk about the upcoming day while getting dressed.
Try using reward charts and lots of positive reinforcement.
Seek out other parents to find out what has worked for them.
Remember to give your preschooler lots of time to get dressed, and to let him make mistakes so that he learns from them.
For more parenting tips, visit www.shareitforward.ca."
