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MOM: “Ok, so tomorrow you want to wear this outfit, right?”
CHILD: “Yep!”
MOM: “OK, so I am going to just put it on your dresser and when you wake up, just get dressed, Ok?”
CHILD: “Ok, Mom.”
NEXT MORNING…
“MOM?! I CAN’T FIND ANYTHING TO WEAR! CAN YOU HELP?”
Please tell me that you can relate… even just a little? I will pick out clothes for our kids and in the morning, they change their minds, or the clothes feel itchy, or the shirt is suddenly too big or too small. This used to happen to us all of the time! I finally found a solution for When your kids won’t wear what you’ve picked out … and it works. (yay!)
I lay out TWO outfits every night. Two of everything. Every single night.
I lay out two shirts, two pairs of pants, (they all match one another, so they can go any direction), two pairs of socks, two pairs of underwear. They get to decide in the morning which outfit they are in the mood for and it eliminates all of our morning “clothing wars”. I have not had an issue with any of our kids getting dressed since we started doing this. I just put both outfits right on their floors by their dressers and they can decide when they get up. I let them help me pick out the first outfit and then I decide on the second on myself.
Want a few more tips? I am excited to partner with Schoola to share a few more tips if you are letting them pick out their own clothes:
- What is appropriate? It is a life-lesson that your kids are going to need to learn. They need to learn how to match, how to dress for each occasion (jeans are good for school… not for a fancy wedding)
- Be sure that your kids know that you love that they are independent, but you ultimately decide what they can or cannot wear.
- Keep up with the trends. Just because you don’t like it, doesn’t mean that it isn’t popular with your kid’s friends and classmates.
- Be consistent with rules. If you don’t let your daughter wear dresses above a certain length, don’t give in or they will ask every time.
- You get to pick sometimes, too. Our kids know that on church days, we pick their outfit. They will have on a nice polo shirt or button-down shirt and it isn’t up for discussion. They need to look nice. (If they want to pick which one, that’s fine with me, but they need to know that they dress nicely on these days.)
- Plan for the week if you can. This might be easier for your older kids. They can mix up the days however they choose.
- Shop for clothes TOGETHER! We love to look online for clothes that the kids can wear.Our recent find is one that I have to share, because it not only is great for you, but also helps others! Our family joined forces with Schoola – an online second hand shop – and we are shopping for clothes while helping those in need. I think this is a win-win! The clothes are adorable and they do so many amazing things for the community! Schoola is an online shop dedicated to recycling brand-name women’s, children’s and babies’ clothes, with $2 of every $5 spent going to fund school programs like art, music and PE. Schoola brings new paints to art classes, new instruments to the orchestra, new books to the libraries. Quality clothes get a second life. Parents help parents. Schools help schools. Schoola makes all this happen by giving children the tools they need to succeed..
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Today, they are 10,000 schools strong! Schoola was founded in order to help children reach their full potential at school. Even now… They will be accepting clothing donations on behalf of the Malala Fund (The Malala Fund’s aim is to raise girls’ voices and ensure every girl has access to 12 years of free, safe, quality primary and secondary education), with the goal of raising hundreds of thousands of dollars for her foundation through sales of the items on Schoola.com.I’d like to invite you to take a small step to show your support for Malala today: request a donation bag and clean out your closet to support this incredible young woman with a powerful mission.Plus, the clothes are great! This year, they joined with Moxie and they are able to bring you thousands of new clothing choices every day!
DID YOU KNOW…. 1st time customers get $15 off and you get $15 for sharing. find your link here: www.schoola.com/share
Here are a few examples of some clothes that we have ordered from Schoola.com (with 3 out of our 4 kids as my little models)…
I know that you are going to love shopping on Schoola as much as we did! Just knowing that you are helping others makes it so much more fun… don’t you think? GET $25 off BY USING THIS LINK … CLICK HERE TO SHOP NOW. (PS- YOU MUST SPEND $25 OR MORE FOR THIS TO WORK)
WANT TO WIN?? ONE WINNER WILL GET AN ADDITIONAL $25 GIFT CARD! Just leave a comment letting me know how you give back to others!
I volunteer at the food bank and at the botanic gardens and for a chorus and for PFLAG. (I have volunteeritis…)
Thanks for the contest.
I always try to help out when I can – whether it’s donating to local charities, or giving the couple at the gas station crying wondering how they’ll pay for gas $5 for a few gallons.
We donate clothing, food hygiene products, & blankets directly to the local homeless, as well as work with neighborhood teens.
I’ve use Schoola before and I loved it! I always try to find a way to spend money at local businesses and places that donate back to the community. I regularly donate to the Salvation Army too!!
I am teaching my three children the importance of giving back to others. My nine year old daughter bakes cookies and bread at the holidays to pass out to elderly people in our neighborhood. My ten year old son will also do lawn work for those same people if they cannot get out to do it. My seven year old son feels called to help the homeless panhandlers that live in our city and passes out blankets.
Love schoola! We like to do a yearly purge and donate our things
We donate food to the food bank and local donation centers. We also do service projects throughout the year.
We donate toys and clothes. My kids are finally old enough to understand the importance of this and willingly donate!
I donate my time and supplies at our local school. And I help with the food drive every year.
I love to give back anyway I can that involves children. My family’s favorite way at Christmas is packing shoe boxes filled with goodies for kids in need.
I give back by hosting a free costume swap every October and by holding coupon classes and giving out coupons to older folks at the senior community center.
I have purchased groceries for others, helped them pay rent so they would not get evicted and even helped a friend’s friend buy medication. I haven’t received much help personally, not even when I really needed it. That’s life, it isn’t going t stop me from others when I am able to and see a need.
We donate to an outreach that gives things away-no cost (like a goodwill would be)
I’m a volunteer driver for the American Cancer Society. They provide rides to patients who need to get to doctor/chemo appointments.
I give my kid’s outgrown clothes away to someone else that can use them.