Dodge Volume II p60
- Think about the children and families in your program. Do you know how each family feels about children dressing themselves? Is it something they feel strongly about?
Even though I don’t have a program, I do have a family. My parents had no issues at all with their kids getting dressed by themselves. I didn’t begin dressing myself when I was a kid until I was about 5 or 6 years old. Usually, my mother would gather clothing for me to wear, and I would then be responsible for putting them on. Since my parents felt more at ease with me choosing my own things to wear at that age, I began looking for clothes on my own when I was around 8 or 9 years old. I think most parents think kids shouldn’t be allowed to dress themselves until they’re a particular age.
- The next time you are engaged with a child in the routine of dressing, pay attention to what you say. How much do you talk with the child? What do you talk about? Are you giving directions, correcting behavior, describing the routine, talking about articles of clothing, and/or simply engaging in casual conversation? Try to use this time for less directive language (giving instructions and correcting behavior) and more language building. Challenge yourself to use rich vocabulary as you engage in this routine (e.g. “Let’s put your soft, corduroy overalls back on. They will keep you warm and cozy on the playground today. It is chilly outside.”
As a child when my mother use to dress me, she would mostly give me directions such as “put your arm through the hole”. I acquired my independence in dressing in this way. In fact, I think that’s how most kids learn. There would occasionally be brief discussions regarding school, such as how school was and what I learned, but most of the time, my mother would merely give instructions during dress up to assist me in getting dressed.