To those of you with children: What to do when they refuse weather appropriate clothing?

Question

For instance, refusing to wear a coat when its freezing, or wanting to wear shorts when it is still chilly. Should you force them to dress properly or just let then be cold?

Answer 1

You force it.

Sometimes there just isn't room for compromise.

If my daughter wants to wear sandals when it is 30 degrees out, she is just going to have to deal with real shoes... I'm not going to chance her getting seriously ill because she "refused."

Sometimes you just have to step up and be the parent..even when it isn't fun.

Answer 2

My son is 14 and he has worn nothing but pants and a tshirt everyday.  When the weather is -30C, that is -22F for those of you who aren't metric yet, he will wear nothing but his tshirt and pants.  This has been going on since he was in grade 2.  There are more important things to control in your children.

A person can't get sick from being cold, sure they can get hypothermia, but sick? No.

Answer 3

If the child is small enough to not understand common sense, then YOU, the parent call the shots.  It doesn't work the other way around.  If you have a stubborn 8th grader who fully understands consequences about dressing appropriately for the weather, then you have to let them figure it out on their own.  In the minds of older kids, being cold apparently means it's fashionable.

Answer 4

just let them dress how they woant and if they say im cold say u should have worn ur jacket

i usaed to pull tht stunt on my mom wen i was lil .lol i learn my lesson

Answer 5

it depends.  if they're little, make them do it.  If they're teens, let them be cold, but make them take a coat with them.  when they're that age, you can't make them wear it.

Answer 6

I feel your pain.  When my daughter was in her toddler years, she'd throw a fit about wearing winter hats, coats, gloves, etc.  Every morning, I'd struggle to force them onto her until she finally gave in from exhaustion and allowed me to dress her appropriately.  She loved to bathing suits, sandals, etc. and couldn't understand why she had to wear those coats.

I came up with an idea one day.  I turned on the news right before her bedtime and called her to the TV.  I showed her the weatherman, who was talking about how cold it would be the next morning.  I made it into a little game.  "Ooooh, it's going to be sooooo chilly tomorrow morning!  Let's lay out your coat, hat and gloves now so we won't forget them!"  We made the game so much fun that she couldn't wait to put her coat on the next morning.  Preparing her in advance solved the problem and has worked for other things too, now that she's older.

If you have an older child (you didn't specify), I would just put my foot down.  Letting them go out without the appropriate clothing and risk getting sick is just irresponsible.  They can nurse themselves through the flu when they're adults, know what I mean?

Good luck!

Answer 7

My son is in 2nd grade and he thinks it is time to start wearing shorts but it is still around the high 50's which is a little chilly so instead I let him wear the jeans with a pair of shorts in his bag and if he gets "hot" he can change.  He has came home every day with the jeans still on.  The coat I do not push because I hate wearing one so instead I got them all the thick warm hooded sweatshirts and unless they are outside in the snow playing that is what they wear.  The oldest is 16 and she chooses what she ants to wear and as long as it is tasteful and appropriate I let her but she knows I dont want to hear any complaining when she gets cold, hot etc.  Kids need some independance and ability to make their own choices but you still have to see to it they dont carry it to far.  i compromise with the kids and work out a solution that makes us all happy.

Answer 8

nope I let them be cold. They are old enough to make their own desisions and deal with the consequences when it comes to clothes. My son wears his summer uniform to school in winter because thats what the other boys do. The problem is that this started because my friends son does because he does not feel the cold, he gets hot if dressed for winter (his dad is the same). So now all the boys do it. I don't argue anymore because last winter he was 8 and he can decide for himself. On weekends though he dresses really warm. This winter (autumn here) I am sure it will be the same. There comes a time when you pick the battles and I have decided there are bigger battles to win. I just make sure he has a jumper in his bag if he changes his mind

Answer 9

Make them think that they have the option.  Say, "well, why don't you wear it out for now, and if you feel warm, you always have the choice of taking it off."  Basically you are telling them to wear it, but in their view, it makes them think that they are not being told, that they have the option.

Answer 10

It depends on their ages.  My 1st grader doesn't have a choice.  I make her wear weather appropriate clothing.  My 7th grader sometime gets a choice.  If it's a cool/cold morning, but will be warmer by afternoon, I might let him get away with wearing shorts (he only wears long shorts)/short sleeves, or light jacket.  I always tell him that I don't want to hear anything about being cold, and if someone at school says anything about it, he's to say that he dressed himself today!

Answer 11

I live in Southern California, so here it's never THAT cold.  My son, who is five, loves shorts and pretty much wears them year round.  For me, it's all about natural consequences.  I'm not about to pick a fight over clothing.  My son is very aware of his body, and the temperature, and still makes some crazy decisions sometimes... he may look silly, but it's not really hurting anyone.  My three year old daughter went through a bathing suit stage, that's all she wanted to wear.  She quickly learned, through trial and error, that she wasn't that into bathing suits in the cold and winter... now she makes better choices, she even asks what I think the weather will be like that day.

If I ever thought my child's health or safety was in question, I would step in and force them to do something different (like one time when my son insisted on wearing long sleeves and a sweater vest when it was 100 degrees... I wasn't going to let him get heatstroke to make a fashion statement) but where I live extreme weather is so rare that my kids can afford to figure these things out on their own.

Answer 12

give them 2 choices and let them pick

they feel they have freedom and you dont stress

Answer 13

"THEY" have no choice. You are the responsible parent who must see to their best interests in spite of them. You can't let them manipulate you. I'd see that they wore appropriate clothing, even if I had to go with them and stay with them all day. When all their friends see that.....That would tone down their "refusals." And they would learn that YOU ARE their parent, and that they don't tell you what they will do

Answer 14

Force it, your the parent.

Answer 15

I think it depends on how old they are. Sometimes, my kids dont want to wear jackets and things too. i just say that If they can, take a hooded sweatshirt just in case you do. But If you force it, it will just make it worse. Let them be cold and they'll make better decisions later. plus, cold to you isnt cold to them always.

Answer 16

it really depends on how old the children are.

For the really young kids, you dress them in appropriate clothing and deal with the screaming.

for middle school and up, let them wear what they want. if they freeze, they learn to wear better clothing.

Answer 17

I make my daughter take a jacket with her even if she says she isn't wearing it.  She can put it in her bag for all I care.  I just don't want to worry about her all day.  If she gets cold, she will put it on.