Anne-Charlotte PasseraWell, it’s a new school year or maybe it’s the first steps towards kindergarten. Either way, this time of year is always full of changes. A new routine begins. You have to get up early every morning, prepare the lunch box, the school bag and get dressed.
When you only have yourself to dress, this is not a problem. After all, you’re used to it by now. But what about your child?
There will be mornings when your child doesn’t want to get dressed. It happens. You’ll lose time, and then nerves will set in because you’ll be late for school and then for work. It’s every mom’s morning nightmare.
We all go through this at some point, but how do you get your child to dress himself and avoid repeated crises? Unfortunately, there is no magic formula. It depends on your child’s personality.
Dressing oneself is an important skill to teach your child not only to develop his own motor skills, but also to give him a sense of independence. Sometimes he will go to school with different socks, but that’s not the end of the world. He may forget his lunch box too, but that’s okay, there will surely be a supervisor who will give him a little snack. It’s all part of the learning process.
So how do you get through this stage without leaving your panties in a bunch? Here is a list of tips to try out depending on your child’s temperament so that he can start dressing himself.
Take your time
Some children need time in the morning to get ready. Wake them up 10 minutes earlier.
Don’t give more than two choices to keep it simple. By having a choice, it gives him or her a sense of power.
Break down the steps of getting dressed so that your child knows what to expect. This will help him develop his various motor skills.
- Cognitive skills: which clothing should be put on first?
- Motor skills: learning to fasten buttons or manipulate a zipper. Putting on pants while standing on one leg.
(source: raising children)
Getting organized ahead of time
A well-organized closet or dresser will make it easy to find things to wear.
If you need ideas on how to organize clothes, I share some tips HERE.
Each night, show your child where to put his dirty underwear. For the rest, see if it’s clean or dirty and therefore in need of a wash. If it’s still clean, your child can put the clothing back on another day.
Be efficient
Show your child how to prepare his clothes the night before. Look at the weather forecast together so you can choose clothes that are weather appropriate. Just because it’s sunny outside doesn’t mean it’s hot.
You don’t wear shorts when it’s snowing!
Dressing for the weather or for special occasions helps children develop an awareness of time and space.
Make it a game
As a game, you can help your child develop language skills by naming the different clothes, colors, sizes, styles and patterns.
You can also turn on the timer and make it a challenge. Can you get your pants on in less than a minute? Which ever the result, praise him. Then ask him if he wants to beat his record. You can also do it with him.
It’s best to do it on the weekend when you’re not in a hurry or during vacation. This way, your child will be ready to get dressed on his own at the beginning of the school year or at least in a faster way.
