Would you send your kid to (pre)school looking crazy?

CubbyMama

DH brought K down to my school for lunch before he dropped her off at afternoon preschool yesterday. 

She had dressed herself and was wearing pants with purple and yellow hearts all over them, and a bright pink shirt with butterflies on it.  She looked like a walking circus.  I couldn't help it...I put a sticker on her shirt that said, "I dressed myself today!" so people at preschool wouldn't think we are insane.

ETA: I should also say there is a decent chance that DH actually picked out that outfit and was blaming it on K, in which case we deserved to have the teacher judge us.  Sorry, K!

Do you let your kid dress themselves like a freakazoid and then go out in public?  Do you care?  I think it's kind of funny and don't care THAT much, but if it had been me and not DH dressing her, I probably would've talked her out of that particular ensemble.

ilovemygirls

I *prefer* that when my kids go to school that they match.  They don't have to look like a fashion plate, but I do encourage an outfit that goes as much as possible.  If it could turn into a big fight about it, eh, I let it go & let them wear the disaster.  That all being said, I think it's adorable when I see kids out (esp. with their daddy's) and it's clear that they've dressed themselves.  I'm not a total control freak about it & try to pick my battles, but- that doesn't mean I don't prefer they look 'put together' most of the time. My SIL lets her kids wear whatever they want AND doesn't brush her kids curly, unruly hair because she can't deal w/the tantrum surrounding it all.  Now those kids look like a hot mess...

mlm1128

In an effort to minimize those fights, I only buy solid colored pants. I don't care if the colors don't really match, but the mixed prints hurt my eyes. I have more of a fight from her about shoes.  She goes every where in princess shoes.  People are always giggling and pointing, but she thinks they are beautiful and I could care less what the grown ups think.  They make her happy.

michelcreek

I can't stand it, but I totally let them pick out their own clothes.  I try to help by removing anything hideous and sometimes if they're lollygaging, I pull two shirts for them to choose one. 

r9stedt

Lucas wears his boots with his shorts all the time.

AggieCouple

ML goes to school like that a lot now.  She has a lot of colorful hand-me-downs and I used to at least try to make sure she matched. But, our deal with not wetting the bed is that if she goes dry all night, she's a big girl who  gets to pick out her own clothes.  Ditto for Sunday church if Saturday night is a success.  Almost unfortunately, this trick has totally worked, and she goes to school in the most outrageous outfits.  My only restrictions on those mornings is they have to be weather-appropriate and nothing that would hamper movement on the playground (if not the latter, she'd wear skirts/dresses to school everyday).

Mickschick

I *try* to pick out the clothes but if they get really adamant (when I say they I really mean Morgan) then I just let it go.

 DH's company picnic was on Sunday and Morgan wore black capri leggings, a purple, cream and orange colored Tu Tu and a tee shirt that said, "Daddy's Little Princess". At least she was dressed. LOL!

AnnapolisLari

I let DS wear blue and brown plaid shorts with black and orange Babylegs to the DMV last month, so probably.

veloelle

Not that crazy. I taught her about taking one color of a piece of clothing and match that color w/ the other piece. She's actually pretty good. If she's way crazy not matched, I'll tell her we'll pick out one new item; she'll keep the pants or shirt, and we'll pick something that more closely matches. She'll still pick it w/ help.

Yesterday she had on a brown/white zebra striped dress w/ hot pink edging. She picked white/pink polka dot socks w/ flowers around the top. She said the pink and white matched the dress. Not exactly, but her reasoning and thought process was so cute, so no big. And her DC teacher loved it.

The only thing I refuse to let her wear out are dress up items, because if I'd have let that happen, she would have never, ever worn clothes and I didn't want that battle. At home she's generally in some sort of undress or in dress up.

AnneUCSB

This is one of my biggest pet peeves... when kids don't look "put together."  I pick out the boys' outfits everyday (luckily they have no interest in picking out their clothes) and they wear what I set out for them.  They also both have to have their hair sprayed with the water bottle and combed so they don't have bed head.  It doesn't matter where we are going.  If we are leaving the house, they look put together.  I do let them pick their pajamas every night and I don't care what creations they put together for that (long sleeve guitar shirt with trains shorts or whatever). 

Purrrfect433

For our hippy-dippy, anything-goes preschool? Yes. I allow them to wear whatever they want, provided it's not nice clothing. They will ruin it too quickly. Their preschool is so loosy-goosy about all the sensory activities, which is great for the kids. HARD on the laundry. Also, I like that they are learning a life skill and happy to pick out their clothes and put them on by themselves. We can work on the basics of coordinating later.

We are entering our third year at this co-op and it's changed me a lot. My idea of how kids should be dressed for school changed drastically when I saw several kids come in pj's, old, ill-fitting costumes or running around in just their undies. *I* was shocked and appalled until we had a parents class and they discussed the merits of relationship-building with your child when the end result really doesn't matter all that much. As in, do you want to build a relationship with your child where they feel happy and secure in their abilities or do you want them to think your approval hinges on them looking a certain way. If letting her go to school in a crazy outfit builds a better relationship, yay! There were several times in the beginning when he insisted on wearing something and I put my foot down and it ended up being such a disaster that he stayed home:( Not the sort of relationship I want to build, kwim?

Rebekah1021

Not really. Thankfully, DD is into her clothes matching. I like her to look put together when she goes to school.

Playing at home, I could care less.

WBs_Bride

veloelle:

If she's way crazy not matched, I'll tell her we'll pick out one new item; she'll keep the pants or shirt, and we'll pick something that more closely matches. She'll still pick it w/ help.

This is what we do. If we're going out in public or she's going to school, I want her to at least not hurt someone's eyes!