The majority of parents are going from a climate controlled house, into a relatively comfortable garage, into a relatively comfortable car, dash into and out of the child care building, and finally into their climate controlled office. They have spent a total of about a max of 15 minutes outside. It's not uncommon for my clients to be dressed for their 75 degree office, rather than the weather outside, even when it's below freezing.
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| A child perfectly dressed for winter: Fleece top and pants, undershirt, coat, hat, and mittens in her pockets. Comfortable for an hour outside in even the coldest weather. |
Unfortunately, they have a tendency to dress their children in the same manner. In the rush of the morning they do not take into account:
- Their child being outside. Regulations require that the children spend ONE HOUR outside if the temperature is between 0-90 degrees comfort index. That can be pretty darn cold and hot, especially after an hour. Even if it is done in 15 minute increments, it can become uncomfortable if children are not properly dressed, including hats and mittens.
- Children play close to the floor where cool air collects in the winter time, requiring additional clothing layers, or heavier clothing to remain comfortable.
- Children's body temperatures are not as well regulated as an adults. They feel heat and cold differently from an adult. Even if the parent is a hot body, their child may not be, so dressing them according to the parent's comfort level could cause the child distress. Children almost universally need at least one additional layer to an adults.
- Layers are easily abandoned. Child care providers would much rather strip off layers as a child indicates they are hot, which they will, rather than not have the clothing necessary for comfort.
- Infants pull off socks and shoes and their little feet get SO COLD in the winter. Plus, the socks and shoes magically disappear almost instantaneously, making it nearly impossible to rectify the situation. I now require all infants to be dressed in footy sleepers over socks and a onsie for the winter. No more sock and shoe issues, nor creeping pants and shirts exposing delicate skin while outside.
- Leggings should be considered underwear in winter. Leggings provide no more protection for little legs than pantyhose do for an adult when a cold wind is whipping through. When the temperature falls below 60, leggings are not appropriate as a sole layer of protective warmth. They are wonderful, however, as a second layer when the temperature falls below freezing, underneath pants.
- Children are either moving or sleeping while in care. I don't know many adults who are comfortable working out at the gym or sleeping in jeans or frilly dresses. Children's clothing should be suitable for both of those activities, and only those activities.
- Children crave autonomy. The ability to dress and undress is one of the cornerstones of beginning independence and encumbering that ability with snaps, zippers, buttons and tight clothing causes frustration and a loss of personal pride in the child.
- Clothing should not be a time sucker in care. I've had a baby blow out her diaper, only to find that in order to get her frilly dress off of her, I had to un-do a dozen teeny tiny buttons down her back. Given that they had just done up said buttons not an hour earlier, she wasn't really keen on being still for it. Twenty minutes later, I had her in a new outfit. That twenty minutes was torture for both of us, and all the children lost out because of my time being wasted with such a useless task.
- String-tie shoes are a safety hazard. I don't allow them. I've had too many children trip over their laces and fall flat on their faces. Even double tying them, especially with the round polyester laces, does absolutely no good in ensuring that they stay tied and hazard free.
I couldn't care less if a child's clothes match, frankly I'm all for freedom of choice and expression wherever a child can safely do so. But I do care about a child having to sit out a soccer game or a tag game because they only have flip flops on their feet. I do care that they have to wear a coat they don't like because it's the only one I have in their size available in the extra clothing bin.
Most adults to not see clothing as an issue. We've been around a while. We know the types of clothing we are comfortable wearing and the level of clothing we need to be comfortable in any weather. Children are new to this world and each one is highly individual. Placing our personal preferences and requirements upon them, without really thinking about their individual needs is simply thoughtless and unfair.
Parents often have no idea of the consequences of their choices in this matter and how impacting they can become in their child's day. So, here's the post for you to share with them. My clients have already heard it all. It has obviously not made a full impression given this morning's arrivals, so I'm sending it to them, as well. The last conversation I had regarding clothing before today:
Parents often have no idea of the consequences of their choices in this matter and how impacting they can become in their child's day. So, here's the post for you to share with them. My clients have already heard it all. It has obviously not made a full impression given this morning's arrivals, so I'm sending it to them, as well. The last conversation I had regarding clothing before today:
Me: "WHITE!! Seriously? WHITE?"
Mom: "But it goes with her cute little shirt so well."
Me: "This is no place for cute. This is a place for practical and comfortable.
I think we'll have spaghetti today...and paint something. Maybe some mud play also."
She just smiled.
Tags: child, care, network, kansas, city, missouri, clothing, daycare, winter, dress, dressing, coat, hat, pants, shoes, weather, inclement
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