Does anyone have a two year old who wants to dress themselves?

Melissa - posted on 08/10/2010

My two year old loves to dress herself now...fortunately bedtime is her favorite time to choose clothes so often she goes to bed in shorts and tshirts rather than pj's.Oh well, it isn't hurting her.
I do encourage her to pick more appropriate clothing when we have outings to the store or the doctors, but if she is going to spend the day at the daycare I don't think it really matters what she wears.
She does seem to have a think for her rainboots - to the point where she's worn them through...but I don't argue over footwear. I think it's an awesome show of independence!

Sylvia - posted on 07/24/2010

my 2 1/2 yr old likes to pick out her own clothes there are times when i will let her wear them but most of the time she doesnt. when i get her dressed she will go in her room and take off her bottoms and put some different ones on. my gilr is only 2 and has a shoe obsession she is baby amelda marcos she has more shoes and than me and my husband put together.

Cathy - posted on 07/23/2010

My daughter wore her hot pink cowgirl boots with everything for about 6 months when she was 2. This included her swimsuit and church dresses. She finally grew out of the obsession and her feet grew out of the boots. We just let her wear them until she got tired of them.

Angie - posted on 07/23/2010

It is completely ok for you to say no to your 2 year old. It is ok for them to be angry with you because they don't like a descision that you make. Take away the boots if they are too hot to wear. Don't buy something a the store because your 2 yr old cries. That is going to cause problems for you in the future.

Ren - posted on 06/17/2010

:( My son doesn't seem to have any interest in picking out his own clothes yet. He does have a thing for shoes, I can't take him in a shoe store unless he's either getting some or I'm prepared for a battle.

I wouldn't worry about the boots unless they become a real problem though. He'll soon learn that they're too hot and wear something else.

Lola - posted on 06/11/2010

Hi, my daughter can wear her own clothes, its just dat sometimes, she wears the front to the back, but she can put clothes on and off, and sometimes she can be very choosy especially with shoes, its amazing.

Alice - posted on 06/03/2010

Lyndrill,
My girls started dressing themselves between 15 and 22 months. It's an independence thing and I let them choose their own clothes as long as "going out" clothes are within the family guidelines (we get lots of handmedowns, so some are "yard clothes"). Christina & Kimberly both have a boot thing. Christina was 16 months old when she got her pink & white cowgirl boots (they were handmedown & a little big) - she wore them until they couldn't possibly fit anymore (a little over 9 months!). We went to buy her shoes at Goodwill (she's 6 now)& I was trying for some girl-looking sneakers (or another set of feminine boots) but no, she chose to buy big brown boy's boots! She wears them all the time.
I would rather my girls dress odd than peel their clothes off all the time! :)
If your little one isn't hurting himself with the boots, I'd suggest just letting him get tired of them himself (maybe putting a new pair of "cool" sneakers or other shoes nearby might help him change shoes). When Christina's pink & white boots wouldn't fit anymore, we let her take her money & go buy shoes she wanted - which really helped.

Denise - posted on 06/02/2010

well...he is only 2 and unless its hurting him..let him have at it. Just make it ok there at home and if you go somewhere where it is totally inappropriate just try to explain its not right or not there. As moms we have to teach them and sometimes that will make them cry. It doesn't mean you're bad, they will get over it and you can establish a line with them that they will learn they cannot cross..No means no and its ok. Just my opinion.

Amisha - posted on 05/30/2010

hey my daughter has been choosing her clothes since 18 mths... i n fact i feel at times she correctly matches her own clothes with her shoes and all.... i guess once they learn to choose the sense of independence is too strong... i thought she would grow out of it but she just gets more n more adamant abt what she wants to wear... i think its just better to let them make their own choices while advising them too...

Lucy - posted on 04/05/2010

My daughter has been like that since she was about 20 months, and she puts together some shockers! Toddlers don't understand that pink stripes don't go with orange spots do they? She went through a phase of wanting to wear her pink earmuffs with everything, in the middle of summer, and then it was an apron and chef's hat.

I think it is great that our little ones are developing a sense of their own independence, and on the whole I let my daughter choose what she wears, but these days I have introduced guide lines she has to stick to. If, say, it is the middle of winter and she is going to play at the soft play, the outfit must be long sleeved and include trousers rather than a skirt. That way, she still gets the power of choice but is dressed practically for the activities in her day.

I have to say, though, that your little boy crying when you said no is no reason to give in and buy the boots. If I gave in every time my daughter spotted some shoes or a dress she liked in the shops we would be bankrupt! She has been familiar with the phrase "no, mummy doesn't have the money for that today" since she was very little :)

Heather - posted on 04/05/2010

My two and half year old picks out his own clothes and can put his pants on and off. Sometimes he has trouble getting them over the butt part of his diaper. He cant get the shirt all of the way on and off but he likes to try.
letting kids do things themselves improves their self esteem and helps them to learn the long road to taking care of themselves

Barb - posted on 04/01/2010

My daughter has been picking her clothes since she was 18 months old. As long as they are weather appropriate I let her wear them. The battles otherwise aren't worth it. He will soon learn that his boots are too hot in the warm weather but as long as they aren't causing any problems let him wear them.