Won't get dressed

tbone_bride · January 2013

My DD is 2 and a half and has started to refuse diaper changes and getting dressed. It's bad to the point that I can barely get out of the house. Any tips or advice? She just wants to stay home she says.... It's killing me! Will this stage end soon?

rnbeth477 · January 2013

Have you let her pick out her outfit? Maybe give her two shirts to choose from, and two pants, etc... Let her pick where she gets her diaper changed - on the floor, on the couch, on the bed...

wed2be · January 2013

I have this same problem and am thinking of using a sticker/reward chart.

TiffanyBerry · January 2013

Let her pick her outfit, and when she refuses anything more than a shirt (or even that), pack up some clothes, and stick her in the car naked. I mean, sometimes, not leaving the house isn't an option, and you can give her as many choices as possible about what she wears (and consider things like fabric bothering her skin or tags tickling her), but in the end, I'm a fan of natural consequences. As in, we've had low-40's and lower temperatures, with wind and rain, here in Seattle in the past two weeks. But my daughter has refused hats and coats and mittens and sometimes shoes. So, I don't put them on her, we go where we're going, and she gets cold. I carry her clothes (that she picked out) with me (yes, it's a pain, but oh well) and when she gets cold, I ask her if she wants to put on some more clothes. She can either be cold or put on more clothes.

MammaBear81 · January 2013

rnbeth477:
Have you let her pick out her outfit? Maybe give her two shirts to choose from, and two pants, etc... Let her pick where she gets her diaper changed - on the floor, on the couch, on the bed...

This, and if my kid refuse to get dressed then they are in "night time clothes" and they need to go back to bed. See how fast they get dressed when the alternative is going back to bed!

BelhurstBride · January 2013

We let DD pick out her clothes, as well. She can also make the choice to dress herself or have me or my DH do it.

Erinmmo · January 2013

our daughter is this phase too so its nice not too be alone in it- she is 27 months and diaper changes are a struggle- sometimes I have to put the TV on or sing a song to get her to lay still. Also, when I take off her jammies in the morning to change into her day clothes I have to chase her around- she will even hide behind a chair or something. So wierd- I am going to use some of the suggestions posted. I also try to distract her while I am changing her clothes- hey whatever works. Oh and she probably takes her shoes off and on at least 5 times before we go- so now I cant put those on until we are litterally walking out the door. Or if we are driving somewhere I just put her in the car shoeless.

This too shall pass...........I hope soon!

Ago · January 2013

We are definitely going through this phase and it is getting a bit better. She wasn't into choices - her choice was always nothing. We tried sticker charts, which helped for 3 days. I've at times put her to bed in comfortable day clothes and just take her in what she's wearing in the morning. We've had to pretend we were putting her dirty diaper back on her - somehow this was more acceptable to her. Sometimes talking about exciting things going on that day or fun weather (it's raining! it's snowing!) would help her get into appropriate clothes.

acaudill75 · January 2013

I know with DD1, when she would whine about not wanting to wear something, it was because she had something else in mind that she wanted to wear, so I would open the door to her armoire and let her point out what she wanted to wear (it was always a dress), and then I would let her wear it, even if she had worn it the day before, as long it was clean of course. If she flat out refused to put something on and would run from me, I began to realize it was because she had just gotten up and wanted me to pay attention to her and feel the warm fuzzies, but I was focused on getting her dressed, out the door and me to work on time. She didn't understand my need to not get fired for being late all the time, and just wanted my attention and to play with me. It was very frustrating and I had to just take a deep breath and tell myself, these two minutes won't matter to me, but matter very much to her, so go a little slower. That, and getting a little older and out of diapers has made getting dressed in the morning a (little) less stressful situation for both of us. She still takes her shoes off as soon as we get in the car. Can't break of her that.

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