Stripes with Checks: What to Do When Your Child Is A Wacky Dresser

When your child is a wacky dresser your emotions are likely to run the gamut from embarrassment to frustration. The following are a few of the emotions you may feel followed by some advice on how to handle your wacky dresser:

Embarrassment. When you are sitting at the park and someone mentions to you how patient you must be to allow your child out of the house like that, you can’t help but feel a few twinges of embarrassment at your child’s appearance.

Pride. Your child is self-confident enough to not care about the stares and whispers about their clothing. They dress the way they want and they feel comfortable; they are not worried if it does not conform to the typical standards of “appropriate” dress. Your child is not succumbing to peer pressure or social pressure, but rather they are being themselves. That is something to be immensely proud of.

Relief. Your child is learning to express themselves, and is using positive methods to do it. Isn’t it better that they express themselves with clothes rather than piercing, tattoos, drugs or alcohol?

Frustration. You have clothes for your child which you consider “appropriate” and yet they dress in wacky clothes or create wacky combinations. This can be really frustrating, especially since the more you work to get your child to dress to your definition of ‘appropriate’, the more they resist and continue with their wacky clothing combinations.

Despite the many emotions a wacky dressing child can bring out, the fact is that your child dressing wacky is really not something you should be too concerned about. If you can learn to leave appearance out of the equation and just appreciate your child for who they are, wacky clothes and all, you and your child will be far happier.

If you try to force your child to dress or act a certain way, you are basically asking them not to be themselves and telling them they should be, and you are, embarrassed about who they are. You are telling them that unless they fit a specific mold, they are not accepted. You are putting conditions on your love for them. Even if you do not see it that way, your child likely will. So, if your son wants to wear bright pink pants, let him, and love him anyway. If your daughter combines a flowered skirt with a striped shirt, smile at her unique taste in clothes and her lack of self-conscious behavior.

Asking your child to dress the way you want them to dress is asking them to be you, rather than themselves. So, be content to let your child dress wacky as long as it does not hurt or offend anyone, and be grateful that is the extent of your frustration with that child.