When Mr. A was three, I remember all he wanted to wear was shirts with a character on them. If it wasn’t a Super Hero or Mickey Mouse or some other cartoon character, he refused to wear it.
It made dressing up for special occasions really fun.
But the phase ended and while he’ll tell me if he wants to wear something specific, it’s pretty easy to get him dressed in the morning. I simply say “here’s your clothes” and he puts them on.
Not with Miss E.
I’ve tried the whole – lay out two outfits and let them choose – tactic but that is a big fat FAIL in this house.
For the most part, if it’s not a dress, she pretends it doesn’t exist. It’s fine, except we have an entire dresser full of shorts and t-shirts that don’t get worn…EVER. Hear that? That’s the sound of money being flushed down the toilet.
We have seven weeks of camp this summer and I’ve already started telling her she can’t wear dresses everyday. But explaining paint and dirt and stains to a three year old is pretty much futile.
This morning, for instance, I picked out two dresses and told her to choose. No dice. She wanted something else. I told her if we went upstairs to her room then I was picking out shorts and shirt and there’d be no arguing. She agreed.
What happened when I handed her the outfit? She decided she actually did want to wear one of the original dresses.
It’s like this every morning – World War III with my THREE year old over her clothing. What’s going to happen when she’s 15?
She wants to be beautiful; that’s what she tells me. Of course, I tell her she’ll look beautiful in everything she wears, but she doesn’t fall for that trick. If it doesn’t twirl when she spins around, she’s not interested.
Big, flouncy skirts/dresses = a win! Shorts = a loss!
Which means I’m at a of a loss.
I’ve hit up Target and Old Navy for a few more cotton dresses that will work for camp. I’m currently on the hunt for gym-type shorts (cartwheel shorts?) to go under her dresses since she’s notorious for pulling up her skirt and flashing everyone. Leggings work for fall/winter, but in 90 degree weather, just no. She’s also a fan of the sandbox and, well, that just doesn’t sound very pleasant.
SOS. SOS. What’s a mama to do?
My oldest has started only wearing skirts and dresses lately. I think part of it is that she only wears a uniform to school so when she can dress in what she’d like she wants to go all out. We had shorts for last summer that sat untouched in her drawers so this year I’ve only purchased sundresses that can hold-up to play and skorts. I feel for you.
While we don’t have the DRESS problem, we have the costume problem. E wants to wear a costume everywhere, but at least he knows it’s off-limits for school. I have no ideas for ya, but I do have sympathy!
Yeah, my son doesn’t even LOOK at what I put out. Just wants to know it’s covering his body.
And Miss E? TOTAL sassypants.
Oh, Hon. Colin wears pajamas 90% of the time. Finished off with gold sparkle Toms. They have so little say over their lives. Everyone has to choose their battles. I’ve chosen not to fight the clothing one 🙂
She’s adorable. And how about bike shorts? Or cut off some leggings and hem them?
Is it bad that I’m sad it’s “camp” and not “preschool.” I feel like at school she can wear her dresses and that makes me happy. Shorts. Blerg. I’m with Miss E. I’m still putting Charlotte in leggings and sundresses for camp. I don’t care. I mean, some days she’ll have to wear shorts, but I’m going to try to get away with as many dresses as I can.
Amy, I guess I just need to stock up on play dresses. She has a few but not many. We have a few that I’ve deemed too fancy for school but maybe I’m being a stick in the mud. I just don’t want her to ruin them.
Mine is 2 and already only wants “twirly” dresses and “princess” dresses! Just took a bunch of shorts and shirts to Once Upon a Child and got dresses instead. I have gotten away with a few shirts that have sparkles, ruffles, or kitties but for the most part I am embracing the dresses. I will sometimes hide certain favorite dresses that get a lot of wear when I am tired of seeing her in them.
Girl, this post is EXACTLY what I am going through with our 4yo! Every day I try to convince her to wear shorts, tees, anything other than a twirly dress. She gives me the “beautiful” bit, we go though the whole beautiful speech, and it’s exhausting! I’ve had a little luck with Carter’s cotton dresses that are camp/school friendly. I’ve yet to find bike shorts in Carter’s… But they have them online. It’s making me crazy having a ton of clothes getting wasted and I’m going loony trying to get her dressed in the morning. What’s hardest for me is giving in and picking my battles. 😛
Those photos are adorable. But sadly having two boys I can offer absolutely no help. 🙂