Need some advice re getting my almost 3yo dressed

My mornings are starting to drive me crazy. My DD is a delight 90% of the time. She really is. And if I didn't have to follow a strict schedule in the morning, things would be great. But I have all of about 30 minutes to get both girls up, dressed and out the door in the morning. DD1 (will be 3 in December) is becoming very difficult to dress in the morning. Well, it's been going on for awhile, but I need to fix it now.

I do my best to pick out her clothes the night before. She helps me and likes what we pick out. But then in the morning, she changes her mind constantly--everything from which panties she wants to wear, which socks/tights, changing from pants, to skirt to dress, back to pants. Changing her shirt. Changing her shoes. Then getting her heart set on something that totally clashes or isn't weather appropriate. This morning she flipped out when she started to get dressed. We had picked out tights and a skirt. She started screaming I want pants, I want pants. Ok, what pants do you want. I want green pants. Ok, here are green pants. You can wear these. Nooooooo!!!! Not those. Well then which ones? We have to hurry now. She walks over, and gets excited over a pair of pajama pants. No honey, those are pajamas. You can't wear pajamas to school. Come here and let's put on these pants. Noooooooo! This went on for awhile until I had to yell at her, physically hold her down to dress her, and then she started trying to take her clothes off. Ultimately, she was happy, and wearing the outfit we originally picked out last night. But then we had to pick out shoes. I got her favorite boots, but then she wanted her leopard shoes, which totally clashed with her outfit. I flat out said no, but had to carry her to the car kicking and screaming because she was trying to take off her boots.

I'm not sure how to handle it anymore. I like to give her one or two choices. I'll let her pick out whatever panties she wants. (she can throw a huge fit over them--i want elmo, no i want dora, no, i want the unicorns, no not the pink ones, the green ones, no not the green ones, the pink ones.) My requirements for clothes are that they match, are weather appropriate, and suitable for where we are going. I personally don't like sweats for school/daycare. I believe in getting "dressed" for the day. They also need to fit her. Sometimes she wants to wear her sister's shoes or pants, and they are too small on her. Most days, we end up getting frustrated with each other, and I end up yelling/reprimanding. And she ends up crying. I need to figure out a better way to handle this and am at a loss. Any ideas?

Re: Need some advice re getting my almost 3yo dressed

I don't have experience with this but as a former Pre-K teacher:

What about a rewards chart for getting dressed in the morning with no fights. Give her a sticker for every morning she gets dressed nicely with a reward of something she REALLY wants?

So pick out 2 outfits the night before from underwear to shoes and go from there.

Re: Need some advice re getting my almost 3yo dressed

My DD will do this too. I find giving her a choice works well. If I pick out 2 outfits and then say "pick one" she is ok. I alos have to do it right then and there in the morning. She decides what she wants and then puts in on. We can't pick it out the night before. That doesn't work.

I've also lightened up and decided to pick my battles on the matching thing. As long as it's weather appropriate and not pajamas I let her wear it.

She's also taken to dressing herself lately - so it takes extra time. I just have to remember to keep my patience and let her have some control and the morning rush usually turns out to be a little lesss stressfull and hectic.

I like the rewards chart idea too. I had been bribing her with M&Ms but I may have to try this.

Hope that helps.

Re: Need some advice re getting my almost 3yo dressed

DD just started this. She will be 4 in November.

I lay out 4 outfits and she picks one. Then she chooses her shoes and hair accessories.

Re: Need some advice re getting my almost 3yo dressed

I give her a choice of 2 or 3 outfits and that's it. Whatever she chooses, that's it.

Also once she's chosen her outfit we make a huge game of it. I say "Let's see how fast you can put on your shirt/pants/shoes...etc" Sometimes I'll get dressed at the same time and we'll have a race.

Also I have found letting her get herself dressed has helped with some of the fights. I feel like she feels like she has more control if I'm not forcing her to get dressed and she's doing it herself.

Some days we still struggle, but most days she is good.

ETA: I agree about have her choose in the morning as opposed to at night. Maybe put the outfits together at night, but let her pick in the morning.

I also have to wake her up a little earlier and give her more time in the morning. If I get her up and then try to get her dressed right away, then she's in a foul mood.

Message edited 9/30/2011 12:30:50 PM.

Re: Need some advice re getting my almost 3yo dressed

Re: Need some advice re getting my almost 3yo dressed

Re: Need some advice re getting my almost 3yo dressed

This was dd last year. She wouldnt wear anything but sweats. I just made sure they were really cute sweats and gave her 2 choices.