Getting dressed

Just wondering when/if you all have started teaching your kids to do buttons, snaps, etc.

My boys are just over 3. They are capable of getting dressed mostly (although I have to stand over top of them and make them still - they would probably run around naked all day if I let them! :laughing. But, their getting dressed on their own is only with elastic waist pants. Pants with zippers, snaps, etc. I still help them.

I'm wondering because we are sending them to preschool full-time in the fall. DS1 needs husky jeans/pants or stretchy knit pants (the pull on khakis or jeans won't hardly go over his hips and bottom). But that means dealing with snaps/buttons and zippers, which he can't do well yet. He still waits until the last minute to go to potty and will be way more likely to have an accident if he's slowed down by a snap and zipper, which could be a problem at preschool all day long.

They are on time or ahead on all milestones for their age....so I guess my real question is is it realistic to teach him zippers and snaps at this age? Or will it just frustrate us both?

 

Honestly I think it would just frustrate you both. Pull on/off pants are the best. My 7.75 year old son still doesn't do buttons, so he pulls his pants down and up, even jeans, but he is a string bean. My almost 5 year old is just starting to dress himself, but he is slow to do most everything. Good luck!

 

I agree - I think this would be frustrating to both of you. Stick with pull-on and -off pants with elastic waists. As far as I have seen none of the kids at our pre-school wears pants with zippers or snaps, and quite a few wear sweat pant-type or stretchy knit pants.

I think comfortable clothes that are easy to handle are really important for pre-school, especially at the beginning, because the kids have to make a big leap in independence - it is a lot different to dress yourself knowing that mom is at hand to help if you need her than to dress yourself knowing that you have to do it on your own. Our pre-school has a buddy system so the kids from the oldest class (equivalent to K in the US) each help one of the 3 year-olds dress for outside play etc. but many of the nearly 6 year-olds still struggle with zips or lace-up shoes.

 

Ditto, I dress my kids in clothes that are easy to pull-on and off. The pre-school that my kids go to also encourages the kids to not wear lace-up shoes.

 

Personally, it really depends on kids. If they want to learn and do it or not. My kids can zip/unzip and button jeans. But it takes them forever to do so. And they can't hold until then.. So we wear elastic waist pants. As for preschools, you will get a handbook. It always requires to dress your kids convenient for them to dress themselves. Most of the schools, kids will have to change themselves if they have accidents. Or at least teachers will encourage them to do so.

About waiting until the last min, it's normal for boys. My boy is that way too. And I was worried when they started at school. I kept asking his teachers to remind him more often. So far, no accidents. And at home, he does go to bathroom himself for both no 1 and 2. Don't stress yourself on it. They might do better than u expect. Plus, they are expected to have accidents at school. Gl!

 

My kids got it at 4 or so. I never had to teach them, they just got it on their own. Some snaps are still a bit hard but overall it's fine.

 

I agree with the others with buying stretchy or knit pants for now. That being said, my DS has done his own buttons, snaps, and zippers for quite awhile. Snaps are also easier to teach than buttons. And I honestly wouldn't worry at first whether his fly is open or closed (just leave his pants unzipped). Zippers aren't that hard--it's just a matter of fitting their fingers into the opening and grasping the zipper pull. If he can zip his jacket up and down, he could probably zip his pants up and down. And if he is anything like my DS, he won't even bother with the zipper most of the time. I would try to teach him how to do the snaps first, and then how to button (you could totally do it!) if he wants to learn. Zippers would be last depending on his ability to grasp that pull. If he can learn to zip and unzip, I would just leave the button or snap open at the top, until he has mastered that. Otherwise, stretchy pants are really fine.

 

Thanks, everyone. I think I'll work on the zippers and snaps some, but plan on doing the knit pants, at least to start off with.

My biggest concern is the durability of knit and sweat pants on the playground, etc. at preschool. So far, I haven't found any more durable materials (khakis, etc.) that he can pull up and down on his own - they are all too tight on his hips and bottom, even if I go up a size and then they are too long on his legs. I'm going to keep looking and hope I find something eventually.

Thankfully DS2 is fine with most anything - he's only 1/2 inch shorter, but 5-6 lbs lighter, so he's more of a bean pole.

 

Wal-Mart's Faded Glory brand has slip on/off pants and jeans which are stretchy and run on the shorter, boxier side.

 

Mine are 4 and can get dressed and my daughter can now do zippers and snaps and buttons on the shirt, but not buttons on the pants yet. My son has no interest in trying to do his pants up at all, but can do buttons on shirts really fast.

 

My boys can do zipper and snaps. No idea where or when they learned. Although most of the time they just don't bother undoing them since they can slip on and off jeans without undoing anything.

As for durability of sweat pants. My two wear them to school almost all the time. Mainly because they do a sports program which requires them to wear sport type clothes. But also for comfort. They are on the floor a lot. Circle time, work rug time etc. They also play hard outside. I have not had a problem with even cheap Target sweat pants. They are very rough and tumble boys. We also spend a lot of time outside, playing in creeks, hiking etc. and they always wear sweats on these outings. They come home covered in mud and water and the sweats clean right up.