What do you do with a child who is extremely stubborn about clothes

[BabyBearsMom]

DD1 is 3.5yo and adament that she does not wear pants. At first, I thought this was a stage that would pass, but that was 6 months ago. She will wear leggings under the dresses or skirts but no pants. This is fine right now, in the mild weather, but when it gets really cold in winter, I'd like her to wear jeans to stay a little warmer. I've asked her if the pants are uncomfortable and what if I bought some nice soft pants and she responded "I will wear nice soft pants with a dress." So what do you do? Do you make them wear more appropriate clothes? Do you let them be cold? Do you send them to school looking ridiculous with jeans under a dress? I've tried buying tunics to kind of wean her off dresses but she takes one look at them and says "I need a skirt with that, it isn't long enough to be a dress."

[wellyes]

I never fought it. And judging from some of the crazy fashion combos I see in my daugther's pre-k and kindgergarten classes, neither do a lot of parents.

[MaiseyDog]

DD2 wore only dresses or skirts for about 2 years. She now will wear pants and shorts, but only if they don't have buttons. We did a lot of tunics and jeggings. I also was able to find some fleece leggings at a sporting good store and she wore those with dresses. Luckily it doesn't get really cold for very long here so it worked for us.

[TwinFoxes]

My DDs' couldn't care less what they wear (it's actually kind of amazing, they're so opinionated about everything else...I can barely get a response to the "pants today or a skirt?" question.) But, I think when she gets cold she'll start wearing pants. Or, buy her jeggings and have her wear dresses over that. Or even something like the fleece pants from Garnet Hill with a dress over it. Those are nice and toasty.

http://www.garnethill.com/microfleece-pants-baby-girls-26-girls/girls-clothing/microfleece-collection/165006

You might wait until they're deal of the day, or until another flash sale.

[crl]

I'd buy her the warmest leggings or tights I could find and some knee high boots and let her wear what she wants to. I basically intervene in clothing choices only when I think my child is risking hypothermia or heat stroke or sunburn. (I haven't faced immodest choices yet. I'll with hold judgement on how much I will crack down on that until dd is a teenager.)

Catherine

[fedoragirl]

Or you could do what I have seen a lot of parents do here --layer tights over leggings. I would find that uncomfortable on me but I did try it with DD once and she didn't complain. Of course, my kids couldn't care less about clothes (yet) but she would have told me if it was uncomfortable. Jeggings are also a good alternative--thicker than regular leggings.

[abh5e8]

my dd didnt' want to have anything to do with pants until this fall (she is almost 7) and it was fine with me. she wore leggings or tights and boots. she was never cold and i didnt' think she every looked inappropriate. she always had somethign on her legs and long sleeves, plus sometiems a vest or sweater. i'd let her be. and just buy some warm leggings.

[BabyBearsMom]

Thanks ladies. Unfortunately no fleece leggings for us, I am allergic to fleece so folding and dressing the girls in it makes my hands break out in hives. I guess I'm going to hope for a mild winter or for her to have a change of heart.

[Philly Mom]

I don't like jeans and prefer leggings. I don't think jeans are much warmer. It is all cotton. Fleece is warmer but if you are not using fleece, the difference isn't huge.

[wellyes]

Or you could do what I have seen a lot of parents do here --layer tights over leggings. I would find that uncomfortable on me but I did try it with DD once and she didn't complain. Of course, my kids couldn't care less about clothes (yet) but she would have told me if it was uncomfortable. Jeggings are also a good alternative--thicker than regular leggings.

Tights over leggings, or leggings over tights? I've done the former, but, I've never put the leggings underneath. Huh.

[BunnyBee]

I don't like jeans and prefer leggings. I don't think jeans are much warmer. It is all cotton. Fleece is warmer but if you are not using fleece, the difference isn't huge.

Jeans have an open weave to the cotton so they aren't very warm unless lined. I'd buy thick leggings and let her be comfy. If she's cold, she is old enough to tell you. Heck, they even make jeggings for little kids! :)

[hillview]

Well no DD here but the boys (DS2 specifically) like to wear shorts in winter. I let it go until January (coldest here) or snow. I do make sure that ONLY appropriate clothes area available. So DSs can pick whatever is in their drawer. I prefer not to make clothes a battle.

[Green_Tea]

I'd either go with tights/leggings and dresses (I assume of it's REALLY cold she'd be wearing snow pants for outside play time?), or put the dresses over jeans. I see lots of girls with dresses over pants - even jeans - in K-2 at the school where I teach! I say if she's warm enough and happy, it's not something to battle. And I think a-line dresses look cute with jeans!

[FTMLuc]

will she do something like Baby Legs over tights for warmth? I had done it with DD a few times last winter and was contemplating it this morning over capri leggins to extend the length on the leg and make it warmer. I know it will not cover her bottom, but I figured that is at least covered by the dress for a bit extra warmth, plus it in not too bulky/unmanageable for potty breaks.

[egoldber]

I think you live near me-ish?

The winters here are not that cold. My younger DD wears leggings and a long sleeve t-shirt pretty much every day from October - May! If she's outside playing in the snow for extended periods of time, that's one thing. But for typical walking around and playing outside for 15-30 minutes, I think leggings are fine.

[AJP]

I've seen ribbed, velour/velvety leggings at children's place in a few different colors. They may be warm enough. I've also seen a lot of ponte pants at Gymboree, gap, children's place and maybe even target. They are warmer than leggings but still soft. Most of these have a zipper and buttons so they may not work if she's opposed to those.

[robinsmommy]

For me, part of what makes wearing a dress cold is the gap above the tights where the cold air hits your stomach/back. I had Dd's wear undershirts, and on really cold days we'd tuck them in to their tights. Sizing up a bit on tights so they go farther up the tummy can work, too. I thought the Gap has some really snug legging/sweatpants hybrids last time I was in. There are also all manner of legwarmers, too. Or the layering of leggings/tights as PP's have mentioned.

DD1 gave dresses up when we moved to a climate that required snowpants - she didn't like how the dress felt underneath. DD2 is wearing them much less - she doesn't like to wear them on PE days. She never minded tucking them into her snowsuit, though.

I've tried to influence my kids' clothes choice, but I usually just end up with clothes that I bought that never get worn. So I pick reasonable limits related to safety/weather/modesty and let the rest go - even if it means that DD2 walks out the door in 3 different patterns. Sigh.

[momkay]

How about these sweatpant leggings ? I think they may be warmer than regular leggings
http://www.hm.com/us/product/15808?article=15808-A#article=15808-C

-Kay

[westwoodmom04]

I think you live near me-ish?

The winters here are not that cold. My younger DD wears leggings and a long sleeve t-shirt pretty much every day from October - May! If she's outside playing in the snow for extended periods of time, that's one thing. But for typical walking around and playing outside for 15-30 minutes, I think leggings are fine.

I'm with Beth on this, it rarely is truly frigid in the dc area. If she gets uncomfortable, she'll change her clothing choices, she's old enough for a "live and learn" philosophy with clothes.

[ZeeBaby]

DD2 is very opinionated about her clothing choices too. DH gets her dressed in the am and that helps. For whatever reason she is less whiney with him and wears whatever he puts on her She is also a big dress wearer but I told her she can't wear them everyday. She usually wears them 3-4 days of PreK. We also have tall boots and we do leggings under dresses with boots.

[acmom]

My DD went through a similar stage during preschool and it does get really cold here. We did a lot of undershirts/turtlenecks under dresses to help with the "draftiness" of dresses and then did leggings underneath. We had mostly Gymboree leggings and for the cold days, she wore their thicker velour material leggings. She often wore her Target Ugg like boots on those cold days too. She was fine - I probably would have been cold but she always runs warmer than me so I have learned not to fight it!

[citymama]

I hear you, and DD1 was like that. Enjoy it while it lasts - yes, enjoy it. Don't fight it. Dresses on little girls are fun. Make sure she has something warm to layer with if she does get cold at preschool - if she does, she'll put it on.

I say this because I'm struggling with the opposite scenario and dislike it: "what do you do when your kids DO care what they wear, and insist on wearing only comfy old t-shirts and knit leggings and you have a closet full of lovely Tea and Hanna and Boden dresses they refuse to wear?" Not to mention DD1's many hand me downs DD2 is never going to wear because they're too "girlie" (i.e. not s/s tshirts). Sigh.

[mom2khj]

I wouldn't fight it. Jeggings are a good alternative or I've seen velour leggings with Gymboree's winter lines. Those might be warmer than the regular ones.

[sweet_pea]

I'd just have her wear warmer dresses (velour, flannel..maybe even fleece?), or layer them over a tee or turtleneck...and then have her wear velour leggings underneath. Maybe warmer socks, too? Smartwool makes ones for kids.