Best Way for Toddler to Get T-shirt Off??

My 2-year old daughter started doing it herself, and she chose the arm through each hole then over the head method.

Hi Lynn,
We are in the same boat over here. We have been using the arms out first technique. It seems to be working.

Good luck...this is an important skill to know. :-) My son is 3 and we are only NOW starting this (he's the youngest and I will be the first to admit that we baby him, I am doing my best to curtail the baby-ing!).

B.

My son hated taking his shirts off because he did not like it coming off his head. I got him a bigger shirt size and he now does arms first and then head. He is happy and so am I.

I think a little bit of struggling with the daily tasks such as dressing themselves is ok, and gives us parents an opportunity to encourage them, and to help them to develop patience and perseverance. It has been my tendency since I was very young to take over for people when they struggle, so I have to be very mindful of this with my kids and let them develop their own skills.

My son is very independent when it comes to TRYING to do things on his own. I let him attempt it, giving him big praise when he succeeds. If he struggles, I try to talk him through it, or model the action for him. If he whines, I try to calm him down and encourage him.

When I'm REALLY in a hurry to get him undressed, the single most effective way I've found of getting his shirts off is to say, "Touchdown!" When we say this, he puts both hands straight up in the air likfe a ref signaling a touchdown.

Lynn,

I agree with the pp that says buy the next shirt size up, or v-necks? I have found that with my kids, putting their heads in first, then arms works for getting it on best. And for getting off, just reverse it, arms first, then head. Also, "sweat suits" work great at this age. It's an automatic matching outfit, elastic waist and doesn't pinch. I have always kept two sweatsuit on outfit hangers in my kids closets. On days we are rushed or they need a quick change, they immediately know of one "outfit" they can grab.

Since I can see what comes next here, work on laying out his clothes WITH HIM the night before. Put them on his floor. Then in the morning he can dress himself in a pre-approved outfit. My kids still do this at 6 1/2 and almost 5 - it prevents ALOT of morning/before school fights and ensures they have some say while wearing weather appropriate/matching clothes I approve of.

Also, make sure you take out of season clothes out of his closet. Otherwise he'll come down in shorts everyday in Fall, even if there's snow on the ground!

Have fun!

My son isn't that interested in dressing himself, but I have found work-arounds for the times he puts up a battle. When he's not cooperating, he's more interested in doing it the "big-boy way." For getting his shirt off, all he does is lift his arms straight up, and he'll let me pull the shirt off. The big-boy way of putting his shirt on is just as we do it: one sleeve in each arm, then pull over his head. He's very into trains and tunnels, so we talk about putting his hands through the tunnel and that helps a lot, too.

My boys like to pull both of their arms out through the head hole, pull the shirt down around their waist, and do the hula. It stretches out the shirt and drives me crazy, but there is never any fighting.

My daughter is 21 months. She takes her shirts off 2 ways. The first is arms first, then over her head. The second is over the head so it is behind her head and then down the arms. I am so glad she is flexible. And as mentioned, she does hate turtle necks. Large neck shirts are better as they don't get caught. Some shirts, even though the rest is fine, the neck is really small. When I go to change her, I tell her "up" or if she gives me a hard time, reach for the sky. It usually works.

My daughter has been taking off her own shirt since before her 2nd birthday. Not all of her shirts she can do on her own, but most she can. I taught her how to pull her arms through, and then pull it over her head. I think the cross arms at the bottom or the arms to the back of the head are too challenging particularly for the closer fitting shirts.

Lynn,

It sounds like your boy is ready to dress and undress himself. Give it a try! Of course smaller opening such as turtlenecks will be complicated so start off with shirts that have a wider whole for him to stick his neck through. I showed my twins the way I take off a shirt, but they did it differently. "Their way" is the same way that you described is "your way." :) It may be tough for him to get on a long sleeve shirt as oppossed to a short sleeve. But, he'll get the hang of it.

If you see him having difficulty., don't just start helping... as this may upset him because he may be determined to show you that he can do it all by himself. ASK him if he would like a little help and if he says yes, help him guide his hands ( probably best to do one at a time) through each sleeve. When my kids undress, they pull one hand out of a sleeve and then the other one and then they grab each side by the neck/shoulder area and pull up and off over the head.

If by chance he doesn't seem interested in dressing/undressing himself... praising how he's such a big boy is usually all the reinforcement you'll need. (Just "lay it on thick" with the positive words about how he is doing such a great job!)

My kids always wanted me to stay in the room near them. However, I've heard of kids wanting to be alone during this time and then come down to surprise then fully dressed.