Being a parent does not end with simply giving your child what she needs and wants. For instance, you don’t simply prepare preschool graduation gowns and kindergarten graduation caps and gowns during her graduation. You must also let her decide what to wear underneath. Meaning you should let her learn how to decide for herself beginning with simple things such as on dressing up.
Let Her Decide
As little as your daughter is she could already have a favourite show or a favourite toy. And so when it comes to dressing up you should also make her exercise her decision making skills. You can simply ask her what she wants to wear. But make it easier for her by presenting her with 2 to 3 choices only. Otherwise she would be overwhelmed by too many choices. After the dress, you can let her choose the hair accessory she wants to wear with the dress. With her decision already made, what you can do is lay it neatly ready for the next day. This way, she would be able to dress herself up in the morning without much delay.
Provide an Easy to Follow Guide
You also have to teach your daughter logic even if it only pertains to dressing up. For instance, she should know that she should start with putting on some underwear and then dress. Then she can put on her socks and her shoes. She can end by putting on some hair accessory.
You have to have a reminder for her to master the order though. To do this, you can make a poster where this is illustrated. You can draw pictures of the activity. But if you are not that good in drawing, you can easily take some snaps and paste it in the poster. Post it in a spot in the room she would easily see. This would make it easier for her to follow your illustration.
Be There to Guide Her
While she is just starting to learn how to dress herself, you should make her prepare earlier so there would be more time for her to get dressed. Otherwise, both of you would be rushing. This way too you would not have to step in right away when your daughter is not getting it right yet. You would have the luxury of giving her time to learn how to get dressed by herself.
Start with Something Easy
When you start making her dress by herself, you should also make it easier for her. For instance, you should start with slip on pants with elastic waist bands instead of clothing with zippers, buttons and snaps. Instead of complicated hair clips, you can let her use headbands. And then you can let her practice with Velcro straps instead of shoelaces.
Be Gentle with Criticism
Of course, your daughter would not perfect everything right away. But when you make some criticisms you should be gentle. Make sure to praise her for the correct things she has done. And then gently show her how to do the things she did not do correctly.
This may only seem to be a simple exercise. But learning how to get dressed by herself is a very big step and achievement for your daughter. When she achieves it she also becomes more confident about herself.
Let Her Decide
As little as your daughter is she could already have a favourite show or a favourite toy. And so when it comes to dressing up you should also make her exercise her decision making skills. You can simply ask her what she wants to wear. But make it easier for her by presenting her with 2 to 3 choices only. Otherwise she would be overwhelmed by too many choices. After the dress, you can let her choose the hair accessory she wants to wear with the dress. With her decision already made, what you can do is lay it neatly ready for the next day. This way, she would be able to dress herself up in the morning without much delay.
Provide an Easy to Follow Guide
You also have to teach your daughter logic even if it only pertains to dressing up. For instance, she should know that she should start with putting on some underwear and then dress. Then she can put on her socks and her shoes. She can end by putting on some hair accessory.
You have to have a reminder for her to master the order though. To do this, you can make a poster where this is illustrated. You can draw pictures of the activity. But if you are not that good in drawing, you can easily take some snaps and paste it in the poster. Post it in a spot in the room she would easily see. This would make it easier for her to follow your illustration.
Be There to Guide Her
While she is just starting to learn how to dress herself, you should make her prepare earlier so there would be more time for her to get dressed. Otherwise, both of you would be rushing. This way too you would not have to step in right away when your daughter is not getting it right yet. You would have the luxury of giving her time to learn how to get dressed by herself.
Start with Something Easy
When you start making her dress by herself, you should also make it easier for her. For instance, you should start with slip on pants with elastic waist bands instead of clothing with zippers, buttons and snaps. Instead of complicated hair clips, you can let her use headbands. And then you can let her practice with Velcro straps instead of shoelaces.
Be Gentle with Criticism
Of course, your daughter would not perfect everything right away. But when you make some criticisms you should be gentle. Make sure to praise her for the correct things she has done. And then gently show her how to do the things she did not do correctly.
This may only seem to be a simple exercise. But learning how to get dressed by herself is a very big step and achievement for your daughter. When she achieves it she also becomes more confident about herself.
