One of the biggest parental challenges today may be choosing your children’s clothing. We’ve all experienced the toddler who has just decided that clothing is optional and nothing is satisfactory. Or perhaps that teenage angst that accompanies every visit to the mall?
Experts have claimed that eating and dressing are two challenges between parents and children that naturally evolve into battles.
Some childrens clothing choices can be explained away by age and inexperience; for example, most people smile at the toddler who has combined flowers and stripes and perhaps a mismatched color or two. However, by the time children reach puberty and adolescence, the topic of clothes can become hostile and volatile. Discussions and arguments abound about proper fitting clothes—too tight or too baggy—or how much to reveal (whether to show the bellybutton or not). And parents exclaiming in disbelief, “It costs HOW much?!”
Experts point out that these issues and debates represent a child’s desire for autonomy and self-expression. Childrens clothing choices can become a badge of honor or disgrace. These choices are also representative of growing independence.
One philosophy of helping rectify the debate when dealing with childrens clothing selections is for parents to decide what they can live with and what they can’t and to let everything else go. For instance, parents might insist on certain outfits for special occasions in return for the kids choosing the attire for school. Explain the rationale behind this, but do not allow it to become negotiable.
Choosing your children’s clothing can also be a pleasant and memorable experience. Many mothers have stated that shopping with their teens has been a time for “just the two of them,” and that has alleviated a lot of the stress involved with clothing choices.
So pick your battles and remember the days when they were “just so cute” in the mismatched shirt and pants.
