Giving Kids Choices: First Lessons In Children's Fashion

When children get their first chance to dress themselves for school or for a trip to the park, they often know exactly what they want - but it's not exactly what you, as a mum, would like to picture them wearing outside for the whole world to see. Given the chance, a little boy's clever idea of a cool outfit could involve anything from sleeveless undershirts with baggy shorts, one grey knee sock and one neon yellow normal-length sock, a knitted sweater tied diagonally across the body like a sash, and his kid sister's cloth laundry hamper on his head (Wait'll my friends see THIS superhero outfit). You praise your son's creativity while inwardly laughing and reminding yourself to be a bit more specific next time you offer to let him get dressed by himself.

Parents won't find it extremely difficult to steer their children's fashion sense in the right direction. To help your child make the right clothing choices that match (and to ensure that the superhero outfit stays put at home for at least one more day), you can sit down with him in front of the closet and talk about the appropriate clothes for different occasions. Explain to him that dressing up in fun and wacky combinations is perfectly acceptable (and even encouraged) during playtime and spontaneous costume days. For going out to the mall, the family's favourite pizza place, or to the park, more basic choices of shirts, sweaters, shorts, and sneakers are perfectly alright.

You can also explain how you choose to buy his clothes not only to suit different occasions, but also to suit different temperatures and weather conditions. Show him which shirts are made of natural fibres like cotton, which is a breathable fabric that is good to wear during hot days. Lighter colours are also better worn during warmer weather, while thicker and darker-coloured clothing pieces can be good for wearing during the evening or in colder temperatures.

By allowing your children to learn about the different types of clothing materials and the best occasions and weather conditions to wear them in, children will have a better idea of which pieces to choose for themselves after quickly assessing the event or the time of day he is dressing for. It would also be a good idea to take them along during shopping trips. That way, they'll be able to see the many choices available and develop an ability to pick out styles that they prefer. Whether you're on a trip to find designer kid's clothing or more basic pieces for casual days, your children will learn to appreciate the chance to make decisions for themselves and to discover the styles that they like.

Pretty soon, your children will learn to make simple choices for themselves in other ways, too, like picking out kid's room decor materials, the movies for weekend family viewing nights, or the sports they want to join. With your guidance, they'll become more confident in making their own decisions in terms of their personal style, choice of activities, and other essentials in a child's world.