ugh

[flea]

This morning with Casper was sort of reminiscent of the bad old two year old days of screaming fights over getting dressed. Or the bad old four year old days of the same (remember that time mr. flea had to drive Casper to school in her underpants?) She did not want to wear any of the choices she had (i.e. everything that was clean - I was not limiting her choices). She ended up going to camp in a YMCA t-shirt and plaid shorts that she likes but I agree are a little bit too small, and there were floods of tears and I had to basically leave her there crying, with no support from the stupid (male) counselors (and no help from Casper at pulling herself together).

We've had a lot of trouble with clothes this summer. Nothing is right. A couple of weeks ago I went through all her clothes with her and pulled out everything that didn't fit or she said she didn't like. (Including two brand new pairs of Gap Kids shorts that she picked out.) This left nearly nothing, with a special shortage on the bottom. This weekend she picked two new pairs of shorts at Old Navy and I told her that was it as far as me buying her new clothes this summer. But of course they are both in the laundry, and I refuse to do extra laundry simply because Casper can't frickin decide what she wants to wear.

I have no idea what the problem is, and while I'm somewhat sympathetic, I feel like we are offering her as much autonomy about clothing choices as is reasonable. She can wear anything she owns - even jeans even though it's 90 degrees - and at this point she has had input into the purchase of almost all the clothes she owns. I explained this morning about the laundry and the environment and the fact that doing laundry is work for me.

I think some of her social anxiety about the YMCA is getting focused onto the clothing issue. I just don't know what to do about it, beyond what we are already doing.

Comments

[casperflea.livejournal.com]

Unfortunately I don't think that's it. Our routine is I ask if she wants to pick her clothes or she wants me to pick. Almost always, she wants me to pick. So I pick something, which she rejects (usually only in part) and she's allowed to switch out the shirt so it matches better or whatever.

Isaac is still a nudist, huh?

[burrell.livejournal.com]

Yep, when he gets the chance. I do try to keep him in at least underpants, but it doesn't always work out that way.

[wandsci.blogspot.com (from livejournal.com)]

Maybe try picking out two or three options, and letting her choose between them?

Another idea- you could pick the outfit the night before. Maybe she just needs time to adjust/make the decision. I know I do if it is a big event... I wouldn't want to get up the morning of a job interview or something and just grab something from my closet. Maybe everyday of camp feels as important as a job interview to her right now?

Of course, since my daughter is only two, I haven't really got any experience in this, so my ideas may be bunk.