Fall/winter gear requests

I'm considering sending a notice to parents to bring proper gear for fall/winter. Has anyone had a parent react negatively to this? I'm trying not to sound high maintenance, but I'm getting tired of dressing the kids (one in particular) in layers of clothing and ill-fitted shoes. The one dcb has shoes that are fairly new but too small (were when they were purchased) that parents KNOW are too small but continue to send; he should be starting to put shoes on himself and the poor kid can't even squeeze the bottom half of his foot in. They also send him in multiple sweaters because they can't get him to wear his coat - the layers aren't enough to keep out the wind anyway, so he's not warm like he would be in a proper jacket (and I feel like this shouldn't need to be said, but if you have to bring your 3 year old into my house bundled in a blanket in the morning, he's not dressed to play outside).

Another has a sweater and vest, which is fine for now, but he's pretty small and it won't be for long, I'd rather he be bundled to be honest.

Do you include the difficulty in dressing 5 kids when they don't have proper clothing? Or just request proper clothing and not give a reason? Has anyone ever reacted negatively? I want to be sensitive in the event that they can't afford these items.

I should add that I'm in northern Alberta, so it's pretty darn cold here (already). And we NEED to be outside when we can. I go a bit crazy when we have cooped up days. As such, I provide gloves, mitts and snow pants for all the kids. I feel like their parents can provide for the top half.

Thanks :)

I tell parents what has happened to kids for not using the right clothing, like "Michael was tripping and was having difficulty walking because his feet are growing. I think he need big shoes". "July was crying during outdoor time since she was very cold. I think she needs a winter jacket now" This kind of things had happened even after I informed everybody about the proper outweard they should bring. This usually works when they heard how uncomfortable, not able to play, not able to walk, etc their kids were.

I currently have everybody's winter jackets, snow pants, mittens and hats here. They leave them here everyday. I return them on the weekend for washing only if they are heavily stained.

I do send out a winter gear email in the fall, but at this time of year I also give parents a bit of time to get it all together. Where I am it has become very suddenly cold this week and none of us are ready...so we are mostly staying in this week and I am sure this weekend all parents (including me) will be scrambling to stores to pick up missing items such as mitts, hats, snow boots so that we are more prepared for next week if it stays cold. I will send out reminders though that it is cold and I remind them of what kind of gear we will need. Some first time parents don't know what to buy as their baby has never played outside.

I am in the process of writing this as well for my families. I have one of those 3 y o that won't wear a jacket for the parents but they bring it because he knows with me he doesn't have a choice. Any kid that refuses to wear something I have them sit out until they put it on e.g. jacket, hat. They get cold pretty quick so I only usually have to do this once per season.

I am curious as well about asking families to be more understanding of how much work it is to get them ready. I have one girl who wears converse lace ups every day but cannot lace them or even put them on. I am going to include a line in my email to think when purchasing if their child can put this on themselves or with a little assistance. I am also confused as to why a 14 mos old was sent with gloves. Yeah that's not going to work.

How does everyone handle the wet snowsuit/snow pants issue? I don't want to throw dirty snow pants in my dryer that I put clean clothes in. Is it too much to ask for a spare pair of snow pants?

Here is the letter I sent out a month ago - feel free to use whatever part of it you want- I am in Manitoba so we know what cold weather can be like! I have to say I have gotten a good response from all parents so far so it must have worked!


Well fall is among us! Time to think of winter clothing and the dreaded white stuff! First of all I would like to remind parents to continue to bring hats everyday. I would also ask all parents to go through their child’s box and make sure the extra clothing you have supplied will still fit your child and be appropriate for winter (I need an extra pair of pants, a shirt, underwear and socks left here).
Please keep this in mind when buying your child’s winter gear for the season – children’s outerwear should be easy to get on and off. Children aged 3 should be able to put on their own boots, ski-pants, jacket and hat (with a little help from me) and children aged 4 and over should be able to do their own zippers and put on their own mittens. Please buy clothing that is easy for your child and practice letting the kids dress themselves at home.
Once the weather gets cooler/wetter please send fall coats with sweaters to put under, wear socks, rubber boots or runners, bring splash pants, winter hats and mittens (the thin stretchy mittens/gloves work great for fall and are under $1 at Walmart).
I ask parents to bring the following to daycare daily once it snows:
• Winter Jacket
• Winter hat that covers ears – prefer ones with Velcro or that can be tied under the chin to prevent it from falling off.
• Snow pants
• Gloves/Mittens – MUST be waterproof! I do prefer mittens but if your child can put on gloves feel free send those.
•Winter boots – MUST be waterproof as well and rated for -20.

When one child comes without appropriate clothing, it prevents all children from going outside. Please make sure you bring all items required. If it’s easier, please feel free to leave a “daycare set “with me if you are worried about not remembering every item each day.

Thanks for your co-operation and don’t forget, there’s no such thing as bad weather, just the wrong clothing.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by torontokids

How does everyone handle the wet snowsuit/snow pants issue? I don't want to throw dirty snow pants in my dryer that I put clean clothes in. Is it too much to ask for a spare pair of snow pants?

---

I have one of those coat stands with two layers of hooks. I put an old blanket down on the floor and the stand on it - our outside door is off the kitchen. I bring it into the kitchen and get it ready before we go out. Then they stand on the blanket for dressing and undressing. I have a chair their to put them on for doing boots. The wet stuff is then hung up and stays there rest of the day. At some point during naptime it will have finished dripping and I just pick up the stand and carry back to the front door area, move boots to matt and hats and mitts were put on one of those dryer things over the register at the front door anyways so already there, dry , and warm for home time. Blanket is shook out the door for mud and folded - washed at the end of the week.

In winter we do lunch early and outside after for about 20 minutes then back in to bed. That way we are taking advantage of the warmest part of the day and going to bed keeps them away from the drying clothes in the kitchen.

As far as wet clothing goes, I have hooks for all the kids. Their stuff gets hung up and I have a hanging bin (the mesh kind with different compartments) that we put mitts in. I don't dry anything and it is the parents responsibility to make sure their child's clothing comes back the next day dry.

I also don't allow laces for any children's footwear (it is in my contract) and there is no way I would be supplying snow pants or mittens. Parents can buy a 2nd pair to leave at your house from the 2nd hand store. If you supply stuff like this then I find parents get even lazier and expect more. Be firm and yes unfortunately you have to spell out exactly what you want and require.

My kids are to wear hats every day of the year. This helps because the kids know they must always have a hat on their head and I don't have to worry about getting them to keep it on. It always amazes me that parents give their children options on what to wear. I never have any kids fight me to not wear something - there is just no option!

You are quite generous to provide the bottom half of clothing. Your parent's should be thankful and at least have the decency to send the proper top half of clothing. I do have a few spare things here but I don't let the parents know about them. I send home clothing reminders about 2x a year (summer/winter) and request certain stuff. I try not to get too specific but I do let them know that they need to be in proper gear. If they send something that doesn't work I speak to that parent. Nobody has ever had an issue with it and for the most part, most of my families leave spare things here.

As for wet clothes, I do dry them if needed. My laundry room is in the basement where my daycare is so it's no hassle for me. The past winters I have gone outside in the morning but I think this year I am going to try the afternoons because like playfelt said, it's warmer!! This way it also means that I am just dressing the kids, not dressing and undressing! lol.

I have sent seasonal newsletters home outlining which clothing is needed to be labeled and left at day home. I have also outlined that when children are not sent in proper outdoor clothing that it prevents the others from going outside to play, I'm not having a child get frostbite because their parents don't send them in appropriate attire. This year I have requested fall items (light toque and thin mitts/gloves) and gave everyone a head's up about proper winter attire at the same time so they can start shopping now. I have also let the parents know that it needs to be kid-friendly to put on by themselves, as much as possible.

"Please keep this in mind when buying your child’s winter gear for the season – children’s outerwear should be easy to get on and off. Children aged 3 should be able to put on their own boots, ski-pants, jacket and hat (with a little help from me) and children aged 4 and over should be able to do their own zippers and put on their own mittens. Please buy clothing that is easy for your child and practice letting the kids dress themselves at home."
No lie, I just stole this, printed it out and put it up on the wall at the daycare entrance. So, thanks!!! LoL
I just wanted to add that if a specific family is consistently showing up in clothing that is NOT weather appropriate; it only takes sending them home in the morning ONE TIME. Make it inconvenient for THEM. And they will remember from that point on. We all forget sometimes. But I am not missing our outdoor time because Jimmy's family never brings him mittens.

No problem LOL. There is nothing I hate worse is parents who do everything for their child. I don't have time, I don't just have 1 too get dressed. When they hit aged 3 they should pretty much be able to do most things themselves. When they get to school the teachers certainly don't have time to get 20plus kids dressed which means you need to start before they go to school.

Good luck! I hope it helps!

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Artsand crafts

I currently have everybody's winter jackets, snow pants, mittens and hats here. They leave them here everyday. I return them on the weekend for washing only if they are heavily stained.

---

Thats a good idea! I offered this and had one parent take me up on it.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by mickyc

I also don't allow laces for any children's footwear (it is in my contract) and there is no way I would be supplying snow pants or mittens. Parents can buy a 2nd pair to leave at your house from the 2nd hand store. If you supply stuff like this then I find parents get even lazier and expect more.

---

It's funny because one family apparently didn't read my note all that well, bought the their own and when I offered this morning to just use the ones here rather than dress their son in them every morning, dad told me "well it's cold in the car on the way here so we'll probably just put them on him every day" (they didn't do this last year) - this was the kid showing up in just a hoodie last week...

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by mickyc

Well fall is among us! Time to think of winter clothing and the dreaded white stuff! First of all I would like to remind parents to continue to bring hats everyday. I would also ask all parents to go through their child’s box and make sure the extra clothing you have supplied will still fit your child and be appropriate for winter (I need an extra pair of pants, a shirt, underwear and socks left here).
Please keep this in mind when buying your child’s winter gear for the season – children’s outerwear should be easy to get on and off. Children aged 3 should be able to put on their own boots, ski-pants, jacket and hat (with a little help from me) and children aged 4 and over should be able to do their own zippers and put on their own mittens. Please buy clothing that is easy for your child and practice letting the kids dress themselves at home.
Once the weather gets cooler/wetter please send fall coats with sweaters to put under, wear socks, rubber boots or runners, bring splash pants, winter hats and mittens (the thin stretchy mittens/gloves work great for fall and are under $1 at Walmart).
I ask parents to bring the following to daycare daily once it snows:
• Winter Jacket
• Winter hat that covers ears – prefer ones with Velcro or that can be tied under the chin to prevent it from falling off.
• Snow pants
• Gloves/Mittens – MUST be waterproof! I do prefer mittens but if your child can put on gloves feel free send those.
•Winter boots – MUST be waterproof as well and rated for -20.

When one child comes without appropriate clothing, it prevents all children from going outside. Please make sure you bring all items required. If it’s easier, please feel free to leave a “daycare set “with me if you are worried about not remembering every item each day.

Thanks for your co-operation and don’t forget, there’s no such thing as bad weather, just the wrong clothing.

---

I sent home a very similar note and included a line about outdoor time being important for their child and our group and that if they arrive without the proper items that they have 2 choices: deliver the items by 10 am (our first outdoor time) or else have their child picked up by 10 am for the day. I also included that we are outside for 1-2 hour blocks, both morning and afternoon, so to make sure that the clothing will keep their kids warm and dry. I also mentioned that clothing needs to fit properly (not too big, not too small) and that I will be reinforcing their self-dress skills here so please send simple clothing so they are not frustrated. I also encouraged extra sets to be left here. Basically very similar to the above :)

I didn't have any complaints or comments. All my parents arrived with a big bag of clothing the next day! But they knew when they signed up that I emphasized outdoor time in a huge way.

And I also don't do any laundering... I do enough as it is ;)

I send out a notice in my newsletter as the weather turns and remind parents to send extra socks and pants and to ensure little ones are dressed for the unpredictable weather.

I have had kids come in mittens and hats that are more "fashion" than practical and I then tell the parents the truth and say that "Little Susie was pretty cold today and was crying when we were outside." Her hands were red when I took her mittens off. I love how cute her mittens are but they aren't very warm. I wish they made the cute mittens warmer but does she have anything else that she could wear?"
This usually makes parents feel bad for their little ones and they show up warmer the next day.

I have also been giving pointers on what brands/type of mittens are warmer. I have seen a lot of different kinds and am starting to recognize a good hat or mitten when I see it :)