Dressing on their own?

[Captain]

DD is just over 2 1/2 and she has made absolutely no effort to try and dress herself. I wasn't worried about this until I started helping a friend with her DD who is the same age. I found that she can almost completely dress herself.

What ages do your kids start dressing themselves or at least try to dress? I'm really curious about this and wondering if I should be doing more to help her learn.

TIA

[~Trish~]

My DS started at about 3 years, he is 3.5 now & can dress himself really well. He started out by helping me dress him

[{sarah}]

Zander can do his undies & pants, has been able to for maybe 5-6 months. His tops he still struggles with a bit. Socks & shoes are ok as long as they're not too tight.

ETA: He is 3 years & 2 months.

[Phteven]

Yasin is 3 years and 6 months and sometimes he does and sometimes he doesn't dress himself. It depends on his mood. if you ever see me with a small boy dresed in backwards pants, a shirt that clashes horribly and sandals with socks he decided to dress himself (or DH did it).

[~Trish~]

Chloe! I have to pick out DS's clothes for him or the exact same thing happens! DH is equally as guilty!

[Beach Mama]

My MCHN asked if Iz helps me today and I said other than raising her arm - NO! She just turned one, I thought it was an odd question for this age group!!! I wouldn't worry too much - maybe just some gentle encouragement with zips etc and lots of praise will help!

[Captain]

Thanks for the replies. So it seems it could take a while yet, I'll just keep encouraging her to try.

[Boo Boo]

DD doesn't dress herself yet, but makes it pretty clear to me what she will or won't be wearing - fashionista in the making?????

Laurin

[Astrid]

I really think there is a market for clothing stickers or badges to put on children that say "I dressed myself" or "Daddy dressed me today".

[Antheia]

DD started to try just before she turned 3. She's 3.5 now and can do everything except has a little trouble with socks.

[Lucy]

The only time I ever thought about this was when I enrolled Olivia at Kindy when she was 3.5......they had "Can dress self?" as one of their little questions. I felt so guilty as I had never encouraged it.

But as soon as I realised that it was kind of an expectation from kindy that by age 4 they can dress themselves, I let her go for it. (I am a control freak........easier and quicker for me to dress them, LOL!)

So, Olivia has only mastered the art recently: she was 4 in Feb just gone.

As a result, Charlie (nearly 3) is now trying to dress himself but he struggles big time with buttons and zips.

And Lexie.......pft, she is only 20 months and she is my baby still, so I am enjoying dressing her myself still.

[Nadine216]

Tan - I was just thinking ... maybe she asked wrong (the MCHN) Maybe she wanted to know if Izy is helping you dressing/undressing her by lifting her arms/legs/feet, like you answerd. I do agree ... it's a funny question for this age group.
I know dd does not dress herself yet (14 months) but she can take off her shoes, sometimes without me asking her too , and she knows that she has to lift her feet for her shoes and socks to come off and for her pants to come off. She will also undress her own jacket if it's not buttoned and will lift her shirt up, when I say: take off your clothes, babe.

Astrid - I think you would make a killing with stickers like that

[~breeze~]

DD dresses herself now but I still do it often as we are usually running late to be somewhere LOL. She can put her shoes on as long as they're either buckle up or velcro, nowhere near ready for shoe laces yet (she has just turned 3 a few weeks ago)
knickers go on backwards quite alot but she sometimes remembers that "the tag goes on the back", she's really impressed me alot over the past month or so.
She's been fussy with what she will & wont wear for about a year I guess, maybe a little less?
I personally dont think you have anything to worry about at age 2.5yrs but I would try to encourage her to try doing it herself now & then, she'll probably enjoy it too

[Captain]

Thanks everyone.

I've been trying, but she just looks at me and says, "No, mummy do it!" LOL. I think I'll just let it go for a while. Until she shows some interest in it anyway.

Astrid, I love the sticker idea. I used to get a real kick out of coming home from work and seeing what DD was wearing and would always wonder if they had gone out looking like that!

[Aimz]

I had one of those "I got dressed all by myself today" badges when I was a little kid. I used to feel so incredibly special when I wore it and I would show it off to anyone I would meet that day.

Only now as an adult do I understand why Mum made me wear one!!