I'll never forget Zion's 3rd year check-up when her doctor told me something that totally rocked my world:
"Mrs. Keese, she should start picking her own clothes."
WHAT?! "Uh, sir. I am VERY picky about what she wears and I just can't have her looking a mess... She's a little girl!" He informed me that allowing children to dress themselves helps them develop their independence (psh, whatever) and allows them to find their own sense of style (UGH). So, if you're in shock like I was... Here are few ways, I let Munch help pick her clothes:
1. Accessories. I ask which shoes she wants to wear (she's a sneaker girl). Once she picks the shoes, we play a game to find a shirt to match the shoes... We also do something similar if she has a bow or headband she REALLY wants to wear.
2. Hair. Sometimes, Munch has to have her (as she calls it) "curly fro" blowing in the wind. When this is the case, I know she won't care what's on her body...LOL.
3. Gear Game. I send her to find 5 school shirts. Then 1-by-1, I send her with a shirt to find bottoms to match. It's funny how she will say PINK AND PINK MATCH... without looking at the print or shades of the pink. Sometimes I let it slide other times, I pull another option to see if she likes it.
4. Shopping. I let her pick out the clothes she likes while we're shopping so when it's time to wear it, she is happy to remind me, "mommy, I picked this out for me!" Ownership in their style is key to a smiling face on their way to school. Her style item of choice here lately? "Skinnypants" - skinny, jeans, jeggings, print leggings with funky flats or high top sneakers are her favorite things to wear.
5. Free for all. Sometimes, I just let her go crazy... Usually this is when we have dinner at home and she wants to be a princess and GRACE us with her PRINCESSly presence. Other times, I find a pair of random yellow tights and Munch insists she was just thinking about them to wear with a skirt... AND, if I promise I won't give them away, she will wear them... Thus, we end up with this for our sushi date with friends:
Mommy Tip: Try finding (and ironing) clothes for the week on Sunday evening. This minimizes week night (or morning) debates over what to wear and gives you more time to do the things you love with the people you love in the evenings. I even find MY clothes on Sunday taking the guess work out of getting ready for work ;) Honestly, I get dressed in the dark!
Sometimes I need to remind myself not to worry about PERFECT, the cutest moments (...and outfits) are when we just let kids be kids.
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