what's with no coats?

Good Day! - posted on 01/03/2010

I've had strangers tell me to put a jacket on my kid in 60 degree weather when we are INSIDE. I do not appreciate it. She is very hot natured. By the way, we live in the South so it doesn't get very cold anyway. Plus I think its more common for babies to be overdressed. They don't need any more clothes than we do in cold weather.

Sharon - posted on 01/03/2010

OH! and then there is science... of course...

Sharon - posted on 01/03/2010

Oh yeah, I know this because I frequently go outside in 20F cold with wet hair to fix an aviary cover or rabbit blanket and I haven't died yet.

Sharon - posted on 01/03/2010

LMAO! ugh - you cannot get sick because you were out in the cold.



You get sick when you've been exposed to a virus or bacteria.



HOWEVER if you are already sick and are exposed to extreme cold, it can make your condition worse.

Christy - posted on 01/03/2010

i would personally never take my daughter out without a coat on in the winter. all kids go through a phase where they don't think they need one or think they know better than their parents but until my daughter is old enough to understand that she can get sick if she goes out without a coat she will be wearing one, even if it requires a swat on the butt or a bit of whining to get her in it.

that said, i would never approach anyone, friend or stranger about their child not wearing a coat. all parents have different approaches to teaching kids what they should and shouldn't do, including teaching through experience. i would say that as long as the child isn't in danger of frostbite there's no real problem with that.

Jane - posted on 01/03/2010

OMG yes! I live in Wisconsin & it gets VERY cold!! My oldest is 13 & when I drop him @ school I see some kids in shorts! All I say to myself is "where are their parents?". With my 8 month old I put like 3 shirts, a sweatshirt, hat, snowsuit on him when I go out. I haven't seen alot of babies not being bundled up but a lot of school age kids. I would say something to my son's friends (like do you have a hat or something like that) if I'm giving them a ride & I know that mom or dad isn't home in the morning to see what they're wearing but other then that I just shake my head @ some kids.

Medic - posted on 01/03/2010

my son since about 2 years has hated wearing coats....loves hoodies and beanies and forget getting mittens on him but hes like me im hardly ever cold and will wear flipflops till about 30 degrees....but i let him walk outside see how cold it is and go get dressed...hes gotten better at agreeing to layers because he has had a few outings where he got cold but i cant stand it where people think its their place to say something they dont know how many layers he has on or really if he is even cold people make comments to me all the time about me not dressing warm enough and i feel like thats not their place either

Jaime - posted on 01/03/2010

I think that there will come a time when kids start to think they know what is best and will refuse to wear a coat or hat, mitts and a scarf in winter...but as long as it's not life-threatening then I will let my son make that decision and see how long it lasts...I have a pretty good idea that it won't last long once he realizes how bloody cold our Canadian winters can be! (He's only 10 months right now, so I have some time to prepare for his adolescent attitude). If a parent is being out-right neglectful and not dressing a young child appropriately for the weather, then it is definitely cause for concern. However; if a parent is carrying a child from a car into a store without a coat, then it's not so much of a worry...at least not for me anyway...I guess it just depends on the circumstances and the weather conditions. Generally speaking, I think that most parents dress their kids accordingly...but there's always going to be that ONE parent that just doesn't give a shit...

Rebecca - posted on 01/02/2010

I am in Canada and it has been so cold here for about 2 months that i couldn't imagine not putting a jacket on my kids. I would not however say anything to a stranger becuase for 1 i know how kids are and 2 it's really not my business. I babysat a little girl who was 4 and lived one street up from me and some mornings she would wak here without her jacket on and the parents would come on the defensive and say she said she din't want it...i not once judged but i made a deal with the little girl that every day she wore her jacket to my hosue, she could use my tinkerbell blanket. She never came another day without it:)

My daughter, who is almost 6 months, sweats so bad, it's nuts. She has sicne birth. I have to dress her in thin clothing and i can't use a snow suit on her, i can only use the snuggly thing that goes on her car seat and really she's outside for 2 minutes to get to the car so i'm not too worried. My son on the other hand is 2yrs old and he runs wild. He puts all of his stuff on before going outside, even his boots and i'm so proud he can even get them on the right feet:) anyways, he knows if he doesn't have his jacket,mitten,scarf and hat on with his boots he's not stepping foot outside and trust me once the door is open he's gone like the wind so he has to be dressed properly because sometimes it takes us 5 minutes to ger him in the car lol.

Like others have said, every child is different and some can't use thick items. I say if it's not your child then don't say anything and dont' stare. We all know what is best for our own children and what they can tolerate. While visiting relaitives last year, my husband was carrying our son and i do believe it was in Montreal to a shopping center and a complete stranger came up and scolded my husband for not having both mitten on our son, they were on the string and not on his hand and then the man proceded to pull our sons pant leg down because it was up about half and inch and showing his leg...i'm sorry but don't touch my kid.

Sharon - posted on 01/02/2010

I agree - babies & toddlers are different - lol but I ALWAYS remember the ever perfect...

half way to the store...

"Where is your jacket?"

"in the car."

ARGH!!!

I always feel like a tard too. Dressed in multiple layers, all snuggy from the wind and I've got a kid trotting along like a day at the beach almost, lol. OY!

Sharon - posted on 01/02/2010

When my daughter was little I always put a lovely warm coat on her, but she'd ditch it within five minutes of being out. Some kids don't feel the cold like we do and also, body heat mainly escapes from our head, hands and feet so perhaps the mittens, hat and scarf are all some kids need to keep warm.

Lindsay - posted on 01/02/2010

I have issues when I see the mother dressed warmer than the child but now that we are into the really cold temps, I see it less often...or I get out less often!



I also agree with Sharon though. Sometimes you truly don't know the situation but if it's a baby or young toddler, there's really no excuse!

Sharon - posted on 01/02/2010

Ashley, I've actually had strangers say
"OHHH!! Its so cold! Why doesn't he have his coat on?"

"Because he thinks he knows better than his mama! and chose to not wear it."

"haha! I'll bet he's learned his lesson then!"

the conversations went something like that. People are always understanding - ok well ususally. I'm sure there's a woman out there saying "I would have MADE them wear it!" it wasn't gonna kill my kid and they weren't sick so no one was really in any danger.

But I have a neighbor who is GROSS and her kids never have jackets on, usually because her cats have pissed on them or because her cigarrettes are more important than good clothing.

Erin - posted on 01/02/2010

I live in Ohio too!! Man it is suppossed to be a real cold week!!! It was 10 where I live today....where do you live? I live near Columbus.

Sharon - posted on 01/02/2010

I think its the same every where. both mom forums I chat on have the same complaint.



But I've seen that complaint for years.



Sometimes my child will be really obstinate and fight and fight and fight about putting on different clothing, to teach them a lesson - a long as it isn't harmful - i'll let them wear what they want. Like going without a coat. I HATE that. I do remember letting my kids get cold while walking from the truck to the store and saying "Now see? this is why I wanted you to wear a coat!"



However they're all past the toddler stage and learned their lessons early on except my teen seems to be regressing... he thinks he's cool to wear a t-shirt only when its 52F outside. argh!

Ashley - posted on 01/02/2010

i guess the kids cant be too bothered by it if their not complaining.........and not to be rude but was it strangers you went up to and asked them or friends?? i mean we live in ottawa which is one of the coldest city's and i always have jackets on my kids but i if i didnt and a stranger asked me or even a friend for that matter why my kids didnt have jackets on...i'd tell them to mind their own business.......and no i havent seen that where we live because it's -30 here for most of the winter