It can be tempting to always pick out your child’s outfits. If you do, you can be sure that what they’re wearing is weather and situation appropriate. But if you let your child take control of their own wardrobe, you’ll discover that there are so many benefits and it can even aid their development.
Steve Cochrane from premium branded childrenswear providers Childrenswardrobeshares his insight into the benefits of letting kids find their own style...
Childhood is all about exploring, discovering, and being creative. Letting your kids choose which clothes they want to wear could help with their confidence, independence, and financial skills too.
So, below I'll be taking you through five reasons why you should give your kids free reign over what they wear— at least some of the time!
Why you should let your child choose their own clothes:
Reasons to let your child choose their own clothes
1 of 51) It encourages them to be independent
Every child is different: some may be chomping at the bit to pick their own outfits, whereas others may be more than happy to let you take charge. But allowing or encouraging your child to choose their own clothes can help them to become more independent and inspire them to take responsibility for their own daily routine. Plus, by putting them in charge of assembling their outfits, you’ll have one less task to do on a morning.
2 of 52) It allows them to practise decision making
It may seem like a small thing, but letting your children decide which clothes to wear while they’re still young can give them a head start on developing their problem-solving skills. Practice makes perfect, so kids who are given plenty of opportunities to weigh up their options and make decisions will become even better at doing it later in life. If they’re reluctant, try laying out three options for them and let them pick which one they like best.
3 of 53) It lets them express themselves
The style of clothes we wear communicates our personalities to those around us. Allowing your child to choose their own clothes is a way of letting them explore their personal style and discover who they are, as well as how they want to be seen, which can help them to become more confident in the future. This means that they’ll be much better at expressing themselves when they need to.
4 of 54) It can teach them about money
If you take your kids shopping with you and allow them to choose their own clothes from the store, you can introduce them to money, maths, and budgeting at an early age. This could encourage them to have healthy attitudes towards spending and they’ll be more likely to be sensible with their cash when they have their own income.
5 of 55) It gives them an opportunity to test limits
It’s important for kids to push boundaries and I’m sure that, given the chance, every child would love to leave the house wearing a dinosaur onesie and fairy wings. While we know these aren’t practical, especially during cold or wet weather, insisting that they wear something more sensible before they leave the house means they miss out on a valuable learning opportunity. Let them wear what they want; they’ll soon learn to go for comfort as well as style!