Can Children Choose Their Own Clothes?
In this sense, you may be asking yourself: Can children choose their own clothes? Experimenting is always good, especially if they have your support and guidance.
When I was nine years old, I had my first argument with my mother because I didn’t want to wear the outfit she had chosen for me.
It would have been a very peaceful situation if my mother had understood that this situation was the voice of a girl who asked for some independence.
That episode was a real drama. We both struggled to impose our opinions. Mom, unknowingly, was starting to face a teenager and didn’t understand it. I also didn’t know that the whim of choosing clothes was a small achievement for me.
Now, the game is different, children have a voice and vote since they were little. They are listened to and respected in matters such as what to wear and parents understand that they can compromise in situations such as children’s preferences for their clothes.
children’s preferences
I have a cousin named Fabiana who, since the age of five, has known what she likes to wear. She chooses colors and types of clothes and like most children she has a favorite diaper that never rests. Among your preferences, there is certainly the pink tulle and the superhero costume.
Now, Fabiana will be seven years old and has very defined tastes. Her mother knows what to buy her and respects her preferences. The mother does this mainly because she remains a child and her tendencies are not oriented towards being or looking, through her clothes, like something she is not.
Have clear rules and don’t forget that, above all, you are dealing with a child . Remember that the child must be able to get dirty during play, for which you must provide adequate clothing, advises psychologist Rosa Jove.
Accompanying the choice of your clothes
“ Children know very well what they want, they are the ones who choose their clothes ,” stylist Custo Dalmau declared on one occasion. And I believe so, what he said is correct. But as in most situations in life, we must be careful. It’s one thing for a child to have an opinion and their tastes to be respected, it’s another for a five-year-old girl, for example, to become a fashion guru.
Ideally, your child should experiment, feel able to make their own decisions, and be able to express them without pressure. And, above all, that at any point in your life you can feel that you have the company and support of your parents to enjoy the freedom to choose, explore, rehearse and make mistakes in a safe environment.
The advantages of choosing your own clothes
You need to understand that you, as a mother or father, must supervise the child’s choices and explain to her the social norms or weather conditions that make an outfit suitable or not.
Offer, within these limits, several possibilities that suit their taste, so that they have the freedom to decide the clothes, shoes or accessories they will use on a daily basis.
It’s also good to know that allowing them to choose their own clothes and decide what they look like has developmental advantages. They feel more respected and valued because they gain confidence in themselves and increase what they feel for us.
Furthermore, the personality strengthens and they become more independent. This helps them make small decisions, which will help to assert their experience and learn to make big decisions.
