Toddlers in Overalls...?

[gummibear]

I need a bit of advice.

DH & I bought 3 pair of OshKosh overalls last week while shopping for DS's next-year wardrobe. They're super cute and were on sale, and we love dressing him in overalls generally.

But it occurred to me belatedly that overalls might be a problem if he's really got to go to the bathroom. Currently, DS is in diapers but I'm presuming he won't be using diapers come next year, when the overalls might fit him.

He can put his current overalls on fine now, all by himself, but we haven't really practiced taking them off yet, and definitely not in a hurry. Plus, unlike the current OshKosh overalls we have now, these new ones have real buttons on the sides.

Anyone have any experience with this sort of thing? Should these go back? Thanks in advance!

[crl]

I would not put overalls on a potty training or potty trained kid.

Catherine

[edurnemk]

I used to love dressing DS in overalls but we stopped when we PT'd. I really don't think he'd be able to unbutton them when in a hurry to go to the bathroom. DS is just over 3.5 and he's just now mastering buttons, I don't think he'd be able to undo them under pressure. They need pants they can pull up and down for that stage.

If you really want to keep the overalls, I'd only put them on him on days he'll be with you the whole time so you can help him with them, i.e. don't use them for preschool. (DS's preschool specifically asks not to dress them in overalls, belts and other complicated outfits, to avoid PT accidents.) But I probably wouldn't keep the 3 pairs.

[bubbaray]

I would not put overalls on a potty training or potty trained kid.




:yeahthat:

[Uno-Mom]

Wouldn't it depend on the fit? If he can figure out how to manage theshoulder straps, they might just slide down easy without having to unbutton the side. If they fit loosely.

[gummibear]

I would not put overalls on a potty training or potty trained kid.
I LOL'd at this!

Thanks ladies! They'll be going back in the AM.

I showed the thread to DH; you all helped me to convince him. I think he loves the jumpers more than I do. When I first mentioned my concern to him, he insisted that they all had a zipper fly (they don't) and that it'd be fine.

@edurnemk, I'm a SAHM, no preschool here yet, so the messes & cleanups would all be on me. Thanks for the tip though - it's great to know what's permitted clothing-wise, if/when we enroll DS in preschool. DS is working on buttons now, but I just don't know what he'd do if he was in a hurry. No need to add unnecessary complications to his early life, haha.


Wouldn't it depend on the fit? If he can figure out how to manage theshoulder straps, they might just slide down easy without having to unbutton the side. If they fit loosely.
That's a good point. When DS has outgrown the current pair, maybe we can shop for a new pair at that time. We can't check the fit right now since I bought a size up. They looked pretty big to me - in the legs, not sure about the shoulders.

[ciw]

I'd keep the cutest pair. I'd return the rest. DS turned three in March so he's about nine months older than your son. He was potty trained (well day potty trained) by 2 1/2. By this summer, he was fiercely independent about using the potty at home. He's adamant that he doesn't want help or even the semblance of help. If DH or I dare enter the bathroom while he's in it, he shouts, "I need my privacy!" He would have an absolute fit about wearing overalls or shortalls at home. He'd find it way too frustrating if he couldn't undress himself. And I don't want to discourage that independence in any way.

But, like you, I love little boys in overalls. It's hard to give those overalls up as a boy mom. Little girls get to keep their cute dresses for years. But for little boys, once they're potty trained, there's not much in the way of clothes that are truly little boy. There are still cute clothes to be found but they're basically the same types of clothes teenage boys and grown men wear (i.e. DS wears lots of polos and plaid shorts now). So I kept a pair of short overalls for DS this summer. But I really kept them for me because I wasn't ready to dress him like a grown-up all the time. He's only worn the shortalls a handful of times and only for an hour or so at a time (to have his picture taken, to a short family event, to church) so that using the bathroom wasn't an issue. I'm glad we had them, particularly for the pictures, because I enjoyed dressing my little boy like a little boy a few more times. But there's no way I would have wanted three pair. I look at it this way -- if I was a girl mom, I might want one twirly picture-type dress for my daughter in the summer But I'd buy it knowing she'd only wear it a few times and spend the rest of her time in more comfortable play dresses or shorts. Some clothes are cute but they're just not practical. And when it comes to potty-trained kids, I think practicality has to trump all.

ETA: I was at Target recently and saw tons of OshKosh shortalls on sale -- and the only size left was 5T. There's a reason for that! :wink2:

[gummibear]

He's adamant that he doesn't want help or even the semblance of help. If DH or I dare enter the bathroom while he's in it, he shouts, "I need my privacy!"
This. Is. So awesome. Hehehehe.



But, like you, I love little boys in overalls. It's hard to give those overalls up as a boy mom. Little girls get to keep their cute dresses for years. But for little boys, once they're potty trained, there's not much in the way of clothes that are truly little boy.
Thanks so much for understanding! They're just so.darn.cute!!!

[citymama]

I would not put overalls on a potty training or potty trained kid.

Catherine

:yeahthat: if your kid is born in 2008, he's 3, and I think just the age when overalls are hardest. 2-4 was a no-overalls age for us (actually, anything past 18-24 months except for dress-up!).

[mecawa]

At the height of potty training I keep my girls out of overalls. There just too hard when they are trying to concentrate on holding it, making it to the bathroom, and trying to get undressed all at once. Once their potty training was very well established and they were very comfortable with it I let them wear them again on weekends (DH loves overalls, DD1 had at least one pair until she was 6!!!) when they were home with me, but never to school.

[wellyes]

For PT there was maybe 8 weeks of big risk for messes before DD got it. Since then, she's been OK with undressing herself to go to the bathroom out of bathing suits, leotards and some rather complicated dress up clothes. Takes a while but she seems to enjoy the challenge. (Not to say she doesn't still has occasional accidents, but those aren't because she can't get out of clothes in time). The only thing she really struggles with at 3.5 is getting shirts off.

[AnnieW625]

I would not put overalls on a potty training or potty trained kid.

Catherine

:yeahthat:

I had a super cute pair of Osh Kosh overalls for DD1 that I got as a hand me down and DD1 never wore them because when they would've fit her it was either prime potty training time at 2/1/2 and then the following fall at 3/1/2 she was still in that need to rush to the potty stage. It's such a shame because I just love overalls on kids.

[carolinamama]

I would not put overalls on a potty training or potty trained kid.

Catherine

Another :yeahthat:

DS1 wore overalls alot before he potty trained. But I've found that elastic waist pants are a necessity for kids to be self-sufficient with toileting. DS2 trained last winter at not quite 2.5 yo. I put him in sweat pants everyday (and I am NOT a fan of boys wearing sweats all the time) so that he could easily pull them up and down and use the bathroom. It made my life easier.:)

[gummibear]

Wow I'm starting to feel totally behind on the PT. DS is 2 years 8 months. I asked my dad (a pediatrician) about PT'ing a while back, and he said to have DH show him. DH has been promising he'd do it since March or April, but weekends come and go... I started to PT some time ago and then stopped. I think DS is ready, and we just haven't been on top of it.

A related question that probably belongs in the PT section, not in kidswear, but do you skip the pull-ups while PT'ing? I tried leaving him naked for a bit but he seems to dislike it and will go to his closet for clothes. Did your kids wear pull-ups while training, or just underwear & pants, or just pants?

Too bad they don't make overalls with snaps for toddlers. We had the Gap Baby overalls (for infants) with snaps for easy diaper changes, and we just loved them. It was so sad when he outgrew them...

[wellyes]

For PT, use undies. The kid needs to figure out to go to the bathroom by himself, and to feel uncomfortable if he has an accident.... pull ups are diapers, basically, so I'd definitely skip those. They can be useful for nighttime since night training takes longer. Especially for kids whose motivation to PT is to be a "big boy/girl" and don't want to wear diapers at night.

[carolinamama]

Wow I'm starting to feel totally behind on the PT. DS is 2 years 8 months. I asked my dad (a pediatrician) about PT'ing a while back, and he said to have DH show him. DH has been promising he'd do it since March or April, but weekends come and go... I started to PT some time ago and then stopped. I think DS is ready, and we just haven't been on top of it.

A related question that probably belongs in the PT section, not in kidswear, but do you skip the pull-ups while PT'ing? I tried leaving him naked for a bit but he seems to dislike it and will go to his closet for clothes. Did your kids wear pull-ups while training, or just underwear & pants, or just pants?

Too bad they don't make overalls with snaps for toddlers. We had the Gap Baby overalls (for infants) with snaps for easy diaper changes, and we just loved them. It was so sad when he outgrew them...


Just wanted to tell you not to feel badly about the PT thing. DS1 was over 3 before we even attempted it - he just wasn't ready until then. I remember my pedi telling me that 3.5 was fine for boys. DS2 did train when he was right over 2, but honestly, he kinda trained himself. After 2 kids that trained completely differently, I think it just has to do with the kid and when they are ready. *I* wouldn't push PTing.

To answer your other question, we never used pull-ups. We went from diapers to underwear. DS1 did some naked time but DS2 never did. Like I said before, I put him in sweatpants so he could go easily but now he can deal with any type of pants where he doesn't have to undo a button. He turns 3 at the end of the month.

[gummibear]

Thanks ladies, for the tips and the encouragement! I'll pick up some undies this week. =) Hopefully it goes well; DS has been pretending to use his potty standing up, lol.

[edurnemk]

A related question that probably belongs in the PT section, not in kidswear, but do you skip the pull-ups while PT'ing? I tried leaving him naked for a bit but he seems to dislike it and will go to his closet for clothes. Did your kids wear pull-ups while training, or just underwear & pants, or just pants?


Skip the pull-ups, they don't let them feel when they're wet. We used training pants (gerber brand from BRU, and some thicker ones my mom got for us). We've never bought a pull-ups, never missed them.

I stayed home for 3 days with DS in training undies, taking him to the potty every 20 minutes or so, I used m&m's as a reward when he managed to pee in the potty, and then we weaned him of those after a couple of weeks. Be prepared to do a lot of laundry and clean up a lot of accidents, but once they get it it's all down hill form there (for DS that was our 3rd day, just when I was ready to give up).

Oh, and DS peed sitting down for about a year, he started imitating DH about 2-3 months ago and now he pees standing up. I prefer that they start sitting down, to avoid splashes all over the bathroom.

Good luck!

[gummibear]

I had no idea what trainers were until a few days ago, when I read about it on this forum. **facepalm** When I read about potty training months ago, I just assumed we'd go with the naked method, but DS really doesn't like going bare.

Another dumb question - how many trainers should I get? DH thought 3 to start would be enough, but that does not sound right to me. I'm not entirely sure of DS's size either - he wears a mix of 2T and 3T clothes but is less than 50% on height/weight for his age (2 years 8 months).

I was thinking of checking out the outlet if we need to buy a lot. Did you use the Gerbers in the day and thicker ones at night or...? I saw the Hanna trainers recommended highly on this forum; we have one in our area so maybe we can check it out tomorrow too.

[crl]

Stick with diapers at night. Most kids aren't ready for night time training until after day time is done--lots of kids still need diapers, etc at night for a few years after they are day time trained.

Trainers never did us any good as ds always peed straight through them, so I probably won't bother with them for dd, probably will just go straight to underwear. But I know they have worked for others. It you want to go that route I'd get at least a half dozen, maybe more.

Catherine

[hillview]

I would not put overalls on a potty training or potty trained kid.

Catherine
:yeahthat: