How to encourage your child to dress themselves. 6 parenting tips.

With everything that needs to be done in the morning, picking out clothes and dressing your child can become quite the battle. Very young children might still need your help to get dressed, but older children should handle the task on their own. Some children might just be stubborn, anxious or too tired in the morning to dress themselves.

1. Avoid arguments and temper tantrums by getting your kids to dress themselves.

Whatever stage your child is in, you can help your child begin to dress themselves and save you time by using the following stress-free tips.

2. Make sure your child gets enough sleep.

Some children are just not morning people which makes decision making and doing things all by themselves even harder. Try moving your child’s bedtime up 30 minutes to give them extra rest. Ensuring they are well rested will also guarantee they are awake and happy enough to tackle clothes.

3. Include your child in picking out their clothes.

When you go shopping for clothes, give your child decision-making ability, within reason. Show them two shirts and let them decide which one they want. Then ask them to find some shorts or skirt that go with the shirt. Embrace a color palette that's interchangeable to afford your child more options and you fewer arguments. They will start to learn how to coordinate and be able to have some control over their clothing, which they'll find rewarding.

4. Lay out clothes the night before.

During your child’s bedtime routine, you can pick out an outfit for the next day and lay it out on a chair or hang it up. Some children might simply be intimidated by the decision of what to wear. Taking decision-making out of the equation might just be enough to get your child to dress themselves the next morning.

5. Put outfits together on hangers.

You can also put several outfits together for your child at the beginning of the week. Every morning your child can pick which outfit they would like. This technique saves time, removes the intimidation of choosing an outfit, and still allows your child to play a part in picking out their clothes each day.

6. Give your child just enough help.

Start by asking, “Would you like me to help you get your shirt on? Or would you like to do it yourself?” If your child wants help, then help just enough to get the chore done, making sure you are helping and letting your child lead. If your child doesn’t want help, then resist the urge to help. Another way to help indirectly is to reward the child’s advancements using a chore system and universal wishlist. Each day, your child will do a little more on their own and pretty soon they will be dressing themselves.