What do your kids wear to daycare?

[mlewis]

Camden starts daycare on Monday and I'm a little bit at a loss as to how to dress him, and more specifically, what kind of fall clothes I should be buying. He is 13 months old if that helps any.

[gracies mom]

Gracie wears soft playclothes that are okay to get dirty. I used to send an extra outfit with her each day, but lately, she's been staying cleaner.

She wears alot of gymbo leggings and tshirts, and lately I've been putting her in playdresses. I'd say whatever you'd put your kid in to go to the playground would be good for daycare.

[dules]

I do a mix - my daycare wants me to leave a couple of changes there, so those are mostly things I don't like so much (!) but are comfy and soft.

I used to do mostly Carters and Old Navy but then realized that this way all the clothes I love are just sitting in her drawers - so lately I've started sending her in her Hannas, Gymbo, etc. I bought them for her to wear, so if a few outfits lose their resale value, oh well.

Good luck, I know it's tough to be away from baby!

Best,
Mary

[jpang]

Lena just started daycare last week. She's just on the cusp of walking, so I try to send her in clothes that will be comfortable for her to crawl and cruise in. I also don't send her in her best clothes, but I think as time goes on, I'll just give in and send her in her Hannas and Gymbo. I did buy them for her to wear, after all.

Good luck with daycare. It takes them a while to adjust. And I think it takes longer for the parents to adjust!

[mlewis]

Mary, I've been thinking I may have to do the same thing. He has TONS of Gymbo and nicer clothes that were given as gifts from baby showers. I think since the daycare doesn't take the 1 year old class outside that I may be safe from getting them too messed up.

[khakismom]

>I used to do mostly Carters and Old Navy but then realized
>that this way all the clothes I love are just sitting in her
>drawers - so lately I've started sending her in her Hannas,
>Gymbo, etc. I bought them for her to wear, so if a few outfits
>lose their resale value, oh well.

Mary took the words right out of my mouth!! :) When Kathleen was a baby and only going 1 day, it was OK to send her in the Target stuff. Then when she started going FT, I was still sending her in Target and meanwhile the clothes I loved were sitting unused. So about a year ago, right about the time Ellen was born, I stopped buying "daycare" clothes and sending her in her Gymbo and Hanna and other cute stuff.

Ellen, on the other hand, has been able to wear K's HMD daycare clothes so she hasn't worn too much of her good stuff--some of K's old Gymbo and Hanna. Well today she is in new Hannas, and I made sure to send a bib because that is where she gets messiest--eating.

Good luck--I hope the adjustment for you both isn't too difficult!

[LucyG]

Well, I'm not yet to the point of feeling OK with her wearing too many nicer things to daycare, so I mostly send her in less expensive things, but ones that are still cute and comfortable. In a way, it's kind of a relief to me (and to our family budget :-)). I guess I was putting a lot of pressure on myself about her clothing (finding the cutest, the best, the name brands, etc.), and now I actually like being able to just take out an outfit from Target or JC Penney or Old Navy and send her in that. I still buy some Gymboree and Hanna, but she never had a ton of that to begin with! I don't like for any clothes to get ruined, no matter how much I paid for them. So, I put her in nicer things on the weekends, or after her nap at home. I work mornings only, so I often change her outfit when we get home at noon. I'll probably send her in nicer clothes this winter, once they are playing outside less. I find that denim shorts, overalls, pants, etc. work well to hide dirt.

Once you determine how grubby your DS is going to get at daycare, you'll probably have a better idea of what to dress him in. In the meantime, though, I wouldn't send him in anything that you love too much!

[sntm]

He doesn't do anything at daycare he wouldn't be doing at home, so I send him in his Hanna, Janie and Jack, whatever. Why buy it if not to wear, and to me daycare is like school -- I'm more likely to put him in random pieces on the weekend when he won't be seeing anyone.

My only rec is to avoid outfits that are hard to get on and off, especially for diaper changes. I can put up with stuff for 5 or 6 changes a day, but imagine doing 40!
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shannon
not-even-pregnant-yet-overachiever
trying-to-conceive :)
PREGNANT! EDD 6/9/03
mama to Jack 6/6/03
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Breastfeeding 14 months and counting