can't keep clothes on... at wits end

Ok so my girls are almost 2. Up until now they have been wearing feety pajamas and overalls because they wouldn't keep their clothes on. Now they have learned that they can shimmy or stretch out of the tops of their overalls and feety PJ's to get out of them as well. I tried doing feetless PJ's and putting them on backwards but they still just stretch out the necks and shimmy out the tops.

Today I decided to count how many times I put their clothes back on. From 9 am to 1:30 pm this afternoon I was up to 11 times. I had to put on 11 diapers, 6 pairs of pajamas, 5 shirts and 5 pairs of overalls over the course of 4.5 hours. This is starting to make me crazy.

I am afraid to do pins because I am afraid they will open them and because there are two they help each other out. I have tried letting them go nude for a while but they like to watch themselves pee and then play in it. One day I thought they were napping. I went to check on them and they were actually just wiping poop around their room, on each other and grinding it into their rug.

I would like to start potty training but when I have attempted it they just take the potty apart and fight over the parts or use it as a step stool to open doors and draws. I know they are close to being ready but I don't think we are 100% ready and I feel like I need potties with less parts for them to disassemble.

I was planning on letting them go naked in the summer and working on the potty training then...but I am also dreading them having access to my kitchen and bathroom because they keep climbing on the counters and ransacking everything. My kitchen is very small and I have to store some things out on my counters.

What have you found to be the most escape proof clothes for your nudist toddler? Or how are you handling keeping clothes on your toddler if they are serious strippers?

Message edited 4/22/2013 3:17:48 PM.

Re: can't keep clothes on... at wits end

hmmmm wait for a chillllly day, open the windows and let them be cold?

can't keep clothes on... at wits end

Im only three weeks in with my first so no experience with clothes. But what if you bought them a familiar costume that they might get excited about wearing. Like cinderella dresses or something like that. They might be a little young to get it but I though I would give the suggestion

Re: can't keep clothes on... at wits end

My trio is 22 months and my DD just started doing this last week. Every day at nap time and night time she takes off her clothes/pjs...then she screams bc she wants to put them back on. It is DRIVING ME INSANE!!! I have tried to put them on backwards and have put two piece PJs on instead of the footsies (since she knows how to unzip) and same as your daughters, she stretches out the neck and goes that way. If you come up with any solutions please share! Its driving me insane, and everyone is loosing sleep over it! My boys have NO interest in taking off their clothes. I hope they do not learn how to!

Re: can't keep clothes on... at wits end

I wonder if they enjoy getting a reaction out of you. I would try reverse psychology - no reaction. As hard as it will understandably be for you (or anyone) I would wordlessly deal with it. Oh and if I have ever heard of a mom deserving a calgon take me away moment - you are the winner. I am so incredibly sorry that you have to deal with this. Huge internet hugs for you.

Have you tried button sweaters? I would worry about choking though, but buttons might work.

So I did a search using the terms clothing for children who are escape artists and these items came up:
http://www.escapeejays.com/

http://www.littlekeepersleeper.com/store/Default.asp

I think the LKS one has feet and looks a bit sturdier.

Message edited 4/22/2013 9:04:10 PM.

Re: can't keep clothes on... at wits end

Can they get the snaps open on a onesie?

When DD went through this phase she couldn't get a onesie open so I always kept one on her.

Re: can't keep clothes on... at wits end

OMG.... So sorry for you! But I hope you are taking pictures to embarrass them later
No recs on the clothes, but I wanted to mention that I love the baby bjorn potty seat-- big seat and little seat
They have fewer pieces than other seats to take apart, stand on, etc. And they are cheap enough that you can get two.
One of my cousins duck taped her kids into her diapers. Baby couldn't get that off...
GL!!!!!!!!!!!

Re: can't keep clothes on... at wits end

I'm sorry I am no help but I think that is the cutest thing ever! I know YOU don't find it cute lol Hopefully its a phase and will pass.

Re: can't keep clothes on... at wits end

No adivce on clothes but maybe you shoud try potty training just using the seat that goes over the regular toilet/

Also i would maybe try the 3 day traning potty method, its on e book that can be emialed to you, they have a section on mulitples too. For the 3 day potty traning they arent suppose to be wearing pants for the 3 days so theres a plus for you
good luck

can't keep clothes on... at wits end

dd will be 3 at the end of May and is always naked at home. In fact at a playdate with a boy, I went to check in on her and she took off her pants there hahaha. I don't fight it anymore. It's such a struggle. If she's cold I tell to get dressed. If she wants to do something, like meet daddy in the hall after work she needs clothes. Usually its just no pants. I have finally got her to at least undies. haha

It's a pain but at home I see no problem with it.

We did go through the taking off diaper part and me putting back on etc. It took a while but I tried not to give a reaction adn just did it.

What about putting the diaper on backwards? They are girls so it shouldn't matter to much and they might not be able to get them open

Re: can't keep clothes on... at wits end

Duct tape for diapers? lol

Re: can't keep clothes on... at wits end

no advice!! I can't help but giggle every time I read you post. I'm still giggeling knowing that this is my very near future. One of my girls at (17m adj) loves being naked. In a few months feel free to point and laugh at me when they are both naked all the time. I'm going to need a lot of sunscreen lol

can't keep clothes on... at wits end

my younger dd went through the clothes off phase around that age! thankfully, it only lasted about a month!! Every time i would turn around she would take her pants off/ her diaper off. Shoes and socks FORGET IT ! they would be off CONSTANTLY! I dont know if it helped or if she just phased out of it- but i would not say ANYTHING when putting them back on. I would just get everything back on her without saying a word. Eventually she stopped. So maybe no reaction = getting bored of the activity? Idk! Good Luck!!!

can't keep clothes on... at wits end

I am hoping it is just a phase but it's been several months. :o( Depending on my mood or how many times a day I have gotten them dressed already, they get either no reaction, a mild or a crazy lose my mind reaction. I don't think it's my reaction, I think it is their reaction to eachother. One gets it in their head to start stripping and then the race is on. Then they laugh and run around saying "naked, naked, naked" or "pee pee, poo poo, do do" "oh do do!!" or some combination of that.

I am definitely going to start working on their potty training. My problem with letting them have access to the bathroom is they are half orangutan and can't keep their feet on the ground. They climb into my tub or stand on the edge of it, they climb on the toilet and turn on the sink, they take my kitchen chairs and use them to get to stuff on the counters. This week they learned how to open the back door and keep letting themselves out. I put a padlock on my gate.

They are very determined babies. My sister calls them "madness and mayhem" or the "flying walungas". My mom calls them "search and destroy". FYI my sister has 11 year old twins and a 14 year old, even they can not believe how determined they are.

Today I ordered a few pairs of escapeejays. I have a feeling that they will be living in those 24/7 for a few more months. Onsies are no good they go right out the tops. Yesterday I tried putting their overalls on backwards and then criss crossing the straps so there is an X in the back. I tightened the straps as tight as I could. That worked for about a day and a half until they managed to pull an arm inside and do some sort of houdini maneuver to get out of them.

I was using the "special outfit" thing the last few months. One of them fell in love with the children's place feety pajamas with bunny ears on the feet. I had 2 pairs (one for each of them) she only wanted those so I went out and bought 4 more pairs and she would only wear her "bunnies". Then I had some coupons and they were on sale so I bought 8 more pairs. Thats a total of 14 pairs of her precious "Bunnies" and while they are still the only PJs she wants to wear it doesn't stop her from wanting to go commando. As for the diapers, I did the put them on backwards thing but it doesn't help. They either just pull them down or have their twin give them a hand.

Oh and forget about shoes. I've given up on putting socks on them because they yank their shoes and socks off the first chance they get. I figure at least 4 shoes is easier to deal with then picking up and putting on 4 shoes and 4 socks.

I am really looking forward to getting over this phase. It's been almost 4 months now.

Message edited 4/25/2013 8:45:43 PM.