Toddlers and clothes seem to repel each other, particularly when it comes to getting dressed in the morning. Little ones might find it hard waking up before school, getting them dressed can turn into a bit of a nightmare! After all, have you ever tried to dress a very sleepy child who is an extremely fussy dresser? If so, you will know all the tears and tantrums that this has brought to your morning routine! It can seriously slow you down and add a lot of unnecessary time and stress to your mornings. That is certainly not the best start to the day for you or your little one. It is a lot easier to do if you do not have to wrestle your little one through every step. Here is how to get the job done efficiently so that you and your child enjoy it.

Pick Out Clothes Together

Your little one is much more likely to want to get dressed if they are invested in the clothes. If your little one is a little older, consider letting them pick some of them out; for younger kids try to select items that are both super-comfy and adorned with an image of something your little one loves, be it a truck, a princess, a favourite cartoon character. If they are still resistant to putting the clothes on, you could make the picture “talk” to them about how much it wants to be worn that day and go on all the day’s exciting adventures.

Easy Wear

If your kids are still quite young, they might struggle with intricate fashion pieces and garments that are difficult to put on. This could even be the case when you help them. So, it is a good idea to stick with items of clothing that are easy to pull on. For instance, jumpers and t-shirts that are easy slip on over their heads and elasticated trousers and jeans that just need pulling up. Try and keep clothing that requires on buttons and zips to a minimum.

Plan Ahead

One way you can really cut down time when dressing your children, whether they are fussy or not, is to get all their clothes ready the night before. You should pick out their clothes for the day together so that they also get a say in what they wear. Plus, this gives them the chance to get used to tomorrow’s outfit – if they have any qualms or issues about what clothes you are laying out for them, they can let you know now. That way, you can switch any outfit pieces while you have plenty of time and not when you are in a rush the next morning!

Make It Fun

Little ones love fun and games. Why not challenge your toddler to a race to see who can get dressed first? Or "Accidentally" putting their clothes on backwards is another sure way to get them giggling and wanting to fix the situation. A fun game of having your toddler mimic you as you dress with them will help them calmly dress themselves. Have your little one show you the proper place on his body for each item, but pretend not to believe him, forcing him to show you by – voila! – getting dressed!

Patience is Key

You should always be very patient with your little ones when it comes to getting dressed in the morning. Give them time to wake up and get ready for the day. Just because they start complaining as you start dressing them, it does not mean that they are completely unhappy about the clothes you are giving them. They could just be a bit cranky after being woken up! So, be patient and you should find that they come around to their usual selves in no time at all.

In Case of a Return

You should, hopefully, already be keeping all the receipts for your clothes until you are 100% sure that you are happy with your items. This is especially important when it comes to the clothes that you buy for your little ones. After all, kids regularly change their minds and what they like, what they like in the shop might not be what they like once they get home. So, be sure to keep the tags on the clothes on until they wear the garments out and about for the first time. You should also keep the receipts until then too, so you can always return the items for a refund if your children change their minds about them.