Ideas for getting almost 5 year old DD dressed

[Abylite]

Anyone have ideas for getting almost 5 year old DD dressed in the morning....I'm so tired of raising my voice....she sits on her floor not knowing what to pick out, saying she doesn't know what to wear, doesn't want to go anywhere etc.

It's soooo frustrating. Going on for about 6 months now. I try a timer, reward chart, picking out clothes at night, etc.

anyone else having these issues?

[Grace and Granola]

Is it the picking out part or the actual dressing part? I have boys, so I'm sure it's different! But I get their clothes out for them, and always have. I put them in front of them and tell them it's time to get dressed! Occasionally my 3yo will give me a hard time about it, but my 4yo generally does fine.

Can you tell what causes her problems? Is she indecisive, dawdling, distracted, helpless?

[momtoTnT]

I usually pick their clothes out for them - although in the last 2 weeks, that's starting to change. I have had issues with them (particularly my DS) actually getting dressed in a timely manner though - since I have to get to work on time, and they have to get to daycare/school, we really don't have time for dawdling, and I hate yelling.

At our house, the kids always want to watch TV in the morning - our rule is that they can, but only after their "stuff" is done - which means they have to have their clothes/shoes on, beds made, teeth brushed (during the school year, we also have to have breakfast eaten and backpacks ready) before the tv gets turned on. Most of the time, they get everything done very quickly so that they can watch most of an episode of Curious George/Super Why or whatever is on while I get ready. Some days, they get 5 minutes, and still others, they don't get to watch TV at all.

Another thing I've done with my DS (the slow-poke of the 2) is challenge him to a race - can he get dressed/all of his stuff done before I get out of the shower? Can he get it all done before I get done in the bathroom?

[pianojazzgirl]

I would let her sleep in her clothes for the next day.
When dd was a bit younger and this was an issue for us that's what I did to avoid getting-dressed battles on school mornings.

Also, if it meant less of a battle I'd probably just dress her myself (or pass her her clothes one thing at a time for her to put on). I might even go so far as to allow one tv show in the morning, during which time I'd surreptitiously slip clothes onto my zombified child.

[Abylite]

Hello

Thanks for your suggestions...picking out clothes the night before worked at first then she "changed" her mind.

I like the no TV thing...that might work. I would have to keep her in her room until she did get dressed though since her almost 3 year old brother (I think boys are different!!) watches tv happily while I get ready.

And a challenge might help...thanks

[jillmamma]

My girl is almost 5 too, and some days are like that for us. One thing that helps us is that NOTHING fun can happen till she is dressed, no TV, no puzzles, no books, no playing with ponies, nothing. Or sometimes I make it a game, like you better not raise your arms up to get a shirt on or I will tickle you, and then help her get the shirt and tickle at the same time.

I wonder if you got one of those shelf things for the closet where you put clothes for every day of the week, and have her help pick out clothes for each day on the weekend, so she would have all layed out for the week. if that would help? Other things I have heard people do is limit to two things that they can choose, or have the kid sleep in clothes for the next day to eliminate having to get dressed at all.

[Evan&Anna's_Mom]

Our family has a very tight timeline for mornings -- everyone needs to get out the door by 7:30, so there is little leeway for not getting dressed. Up until the kids were old enough to worry about privacy, we had a "family dressing party" every morning. We'd all get dressed together. This way I could coach whatever child was having problems focusing while still doing the stuff I needed to do. Sometimes "get dressed" is just too big a job to figure out where to start. So, dending on age/child/morning mood, I would help pick out (more or less help, depending) and then it became a running patter of "Please take off your PJs. Put them in the hamper. Great. Now, put on the undies. Nope, writing in the back. OK, now put on your pants. OK! Now your shirt. Where is your hair brush? Am I brushing or are you? .... GREAT -- we're done and on time. High Five! We have 10 minutes till we need to leave so you guys can go watch TV." sort of deal. Breaking it down into steps and everyone doing it at the same time worked really well through about preschool.

We still have a "no TV before everyone is dressed" rule. This keeps each kid focused on getting themselves ready and not bothering each other (since they both have to be dressed). If someone wakes up early, they do get to watch before breakfast, but once it gets turned off for breakfast, it doesn't go back on until both kids are ready to head out the door.

[Abylite]

Thank you all for the ideas....just when I get desperate...I think of MDC! I like the idea of everyone getting dressed together...or at least her and I. The 3 year old boy is easy right now....

And definitely the no fun or tv thing until she is dressed! Thanks

[trebleme]

Oh, mama, can I feel your pain! I have so been there and 5 was a particularly hard time of getting dressed and morning meltdowns and the ol' refrain "I can't choose!!!" And so I thought maybe one of the issues was she had too many choices (mainly caused by an overzealous shopper of a grandma...)

So I limited the choices in her drawers to the following:

3 tops (all short sleeve - it was summer) and 3 bottoms total (a combo of skorts, shorts, and capris.) Whatever she chose got replaced from her stash for the next morning's selection.

That's all she had to choose from. The rest of her clothes were in the closet out of sight and out of reach. It made getting dressed much much easier. I slowly added items back when it seemed she was past the indecision, but it was like that for a couple of months.

Hang in there! I promise that this, too, shall pass!

Sharon

[AAK]

It sounds like you found a solution. But, just in case. . . maybe drop the whole thing all together. Maybe she does this because it is fun to irritate you. My 4 yr old prefers jammies, and I let her wear them a lot around the house. Jammies don't go outside though and we don't go places in them. She usually changes quickly when she needs to.

Amy

[Abylite]

thanks...we'll work on some things... I laughed when you suggested she may be doing this to irritate me That could be a possibility!

[cedoreilly]

The bus or car leaves in blank minutes. If I end up having to dress you, I choose what goes on your body and it will not be what you really want to wear to school. Took one trip to school in his crocs for my oldest to figure out that it might be a good idea not to take forever to find his shoes and put them on. I did warn his teacher that he had them on and why because it was the middle of the winter. He was six and a half at the time.