Hi Moms,
My sons loves to say "You do it". He can take of his jacket and his pants and socks but nothing else. If I hold the shirt or pants he puts his limbs into them. He does not (can not?) put on his clothes. He used to be able to put on and take off his shoes but they were much easier to get on and off than this pair he has now. He will be 3 in March. When were your children able to put on and take off shirts, pants, ect. without your help?
DS is 2.5 and can take off (most) pairs of pants on his own (shoes and socks, too), but that's it. He can't get them on on his own, and can't get his shirt off yet.
The age that they "can" and the age that they want to is way different! I still help my 8 year-old daughter sometimes, mostly with pjs, because it's nice to do.
My son is 3.5 and he's been able to get clothes off since mid-2's, and he can get most of his clothes on now, but not always correctly. I often help him, and encourage him more and more to do it himself. Sometimes it's just faster to help (when we're going out, etc.). It's a gradual process cause it depends on their motor contrl. Sounds like he's doing fine.
I'd say they both learned when they were 2 - 2 1/2. Do they dress themselves everyday, no. But they can. My oldest is 5 and when she can get away with it, mornings before school, she wants me to dress her. I don't really mind, I know she can and will do it if the need arises. (She is not a morning person, so dressing her while half asleep is better than forcing her to get our mornings started right)
One thing I would suggest, to get him going with it. Is to help him put is arms in the shirt first, then allow him to put it over his head. Or put his legs in the pants and allow him to pull them up. Also, you could get dress clothes and have him practice with those.
I wouldn't worry about it too much, except for when he starts school, you'll want him to be able to pull his pants up after going potty. Or when in Kindergarten, they push that kids are able to zip their own coats, put on boots, gloves, hats and snow pants on their own. Just keep working with him.
My daughter turned 3 in August and she usually has no trouble taking things off but I still help her with putting stuff on - I try to encourage her to try as much as possible. She can get her own shoes on but needs help with everything else. She's still trying to get the hang of pulling her pants up and down over her bottom and getting her arms through the sleeves on shirts rather than sticking them through the top.
Maybe try doing it part of the way (half, or most), then see if he can do the rest. A tip I heard along the way, when you are trying to teach your kids a new skill, is to start it and have them do just the last part of it. Then gradually do less so they end up doing more as they get better at it with practice. Some kids have more independent personalities than others.
Mine was about 8. LOL.
My son at 3 1/2 went to a Montessori pre-school and they had things to play with that helped them learn about buttons and zippers and tying shoe laces. Pull on shirts and pants are easier (not always right side out and occasionally backwards), but pants with buttons/flys and button up shirts were harder. Also kids up through kindergarten needed help getting winter jackets on.
My son is 3 1/2 and still does not dress himself. I am waiting till 4 to have him start doing some things on his own. He can take his cloths off. LOL When he goes to the bathroom in daycare they help him a little to pull up his underware and pants. I think every child is different so I would take it one day at a time. :)
My oldest is almost 4 1/2 and she started picking out her clothes and dressing herself head to toe, everyday last summer..so 3 3/4? Before that she had NO interest in what she wore, and while she has practiced dressing and undressing since she was about 2 1/2-3 she never did it consisently until last summer. It wasn't something I was pushing either, I figured when she wanted that particular independence she would take it. I have a 2 1/2 who has just started undressing himself, he can put his shoes on if they are the right kind...but def. not put on a shirt or pants...I don't think I am underestimating him, just honestly assessing his abilities at this point. Your son sounds very normal, though if there are certian things you know he CAN do, make sure HE does them everytime and that he doesn't pawn it off on you :) In my limited expereince at least age 3 to 3 1/2 before they can consistently dress and undress...
By 2.5 she could mostly dress herself. The Montessori preschool at 3 taught her some extras like putting on her jacket and zipping it up, tying shoelaces and such. She learned from the older children.
My daughters both did this really early, about around the age of 2. Now, it matching is a different story, i hang all the clothes on hangers that hold a whole outfit, this way theres no halloween costumes in july.
DS just turned 5. He has been able to take clothes off since probably 2-2-1/2 and put some clothes on since 2.5-3. He can get himself dressed (at Montessori he takes off/puts on shoes, sweater and coat) but he has no real interest in it. And in reality it is faster for us to do it together so we do. I am not worried at all that he will be 18 and still need me to put his pants on.
Dear BP-
Most of my kids dressed themselves by four ish...IF the shoes were the 'velcro' kind...and didn't mind undies backwards (what's up with some with the tags on the side? A 'trick' for new dressers?)...and a WILD selection of colours...patterns. I would generally pick out an outfit the night before.
My now 'older' kids MAY need a review on 'dressing'...lol
This is the second post today reminding me of similarities between teens and 'tods'...Maybe I should write a book and market BOTH targets!
Take Care
michele/cat
mines 2 1/2 he can completely undress himself. but the problem is when he takes off his shirt it goes down not up he can kinda put his pants on but not really and his shirt he can only do with help. no socks yet and only sandals no tennis shoes. hope this helps
My daughter could put on pants and sometimes her shirt depending on the type and her socks around two and a half, but my five year old son still claims he "can't do it." Good luck and be firm!
My daughter started showing an intrest in taking on and off her clothes around 2 1/2. She can put on and take all of her clothes off but a lot of the times she will go into the the I cant do it. You do it! I think it is just a phase and he will outgrow it! Hope this helps
All of my kids were 2 when they started dressing themselves for the day and in PJs at night. Our son who is 4.5 sometimes has us help him snap a button on his jeans, if it's tough.
Our daughter who is 2.5 years old picks her own clothes out and gets dressed. She doesn't want any help.
My five year old could mostly self-dress around 3 - 3.5, but doesn't mind if we dress him sometimes now. He does everything now and has since about 4, including shoes, boots and snowpants but excluding the start of the zipper on his coat. He still sometimes has trouble with pant snaps. (Shoes are velcro closure, we don't really have anything with buttons; if so, we do those). My daughter is fiercely independent and at 2.5 insists that she do it and can put on and take off underwear, pants, socks. She needs help with undershirt and most shirts, as well as boots and shoes. She has mostly leggings/pull up pants. She can put on her coat (she does "the flip" - lay the coat with the inside up, and arms closer to the child, child puts arms in sleeves and "flips" the coat over his/her head), but can't start the zip.
