Avoid Growing Pains with a "Try-It-On" Day

All across the country this fall, children are returning to school and mothers are chasing around their beloved ones with armfuls of clothing while begging them to try on shoes, pants, and shirts to see if last year's items still fit.  It can be a stressful event for all involved.  Children do not wish to interrupt valuable playtime to repeatedly wrangle clothing over their busy selves.

To reduce this tension, launch a "Try-it-On" Day that you plan ahead with your child so that she or he knows it is approaching and that you need his or her cooperation.  It helps to enlist some help from a spouse or patient friend so that you can finish the job as soon as possible.  A week before "Try-it-On" Day, I lay out piles of the items.  If you buy the same item in a variety of colors, it only requires one try-on so the extras can be taken out of the try-on pile.  If items fit, back in the drawer they go and if not, they go right into a donation bag.  Same-sized shirts or pants from the same manufacturer also typically require only one try-on. Pick a representative from each item to make this job simpler.  

Having an understanding adult helper can make this job so much easier!  One adult can help pull items onto the child while the other is sorting the piles of items that fit and items that no longer fit. Handing an older child the items so that she or he can put them on independently will free the adults to quickly fold and sort.  The faster this tedious task is over, the better for everyone!

Once the task is over, place the donation bag right into your car for drop-off and have a snack with your little sweetie.  Wipe the sweat or tears from the frustrated little face, or, from yours, and know that you only have to do this several times a year or before a planned vacation to a different climate!