Pretty dress & outside play

[Dreamalittledream]

I confess; I have 4 boys of my own as well as only boy DCKs until January....girl world is a foreign concept. I've been so afraid that they would get their dresses & tights wrecked (not to mention having cold little legs) during outdoor play that I've been throwing on pants of my sons on them if we go outside. I did send a request out that 'splash pants' would be helpful for everyone (only the parents of the boys have complied). What do you all do? Send them out dresses/skirts and all? I have mentioned it to their mom and she has said don't worry about it; that it's only clothes. I still throw the pants on.

[Bookworm]

I honestly never sent my daughter to daycare in a skirt or dress for that reason. Although, I must confess I am pretty much a tomboy and very rarely wear them myself. I also hardly put dresses or skirts on my daughter in the winter due to the cold (she hates tights) or in the summer. I find they get in the way of her playing (especially when she was younger and learning to walk).
I do have a dcm who sends her daughter in nice clothes constantly, but I let her get dirty outside. I do not change her clothes as I don't have time and if the mom wants her to wear those clothes to daycare, I assume she does it knowing that they will get dirty.
I suggested to all my parents that they get splash pants for their kids, but no one has complied yet, so until then, they all get dirty outside.

[Crayola kiddies]

I have told all my dkp not to send their child in clothes they don't want ruined as we play outside and in the dirt .... All my dkp provide the appropriate outdoor wear so I haven't had that problem but if they needed splash pants and the parent didn't provide it we go out anyway.

[Sandbox Sally]

I HATE when the parents send kids in white tights!! If it's coming to daycare, it has the potential of being ruined. I won't stay indoors to save a pair of ten dollar tights. I have been very vocal lately in my interviews about appropriate attire. I have never had a parent chastise me for this, but I have heard many disapproving clucks. Not my problem.

[gcj]

I see where you're coming from and agree HOWEVER being the mother of a 4 year old girl who since she was about 2 1/2 refused to wear anything but skirts and dresses, I get the mom, too. My daughter wears what looks like nice dresses, but have either been given or bought 2nd hand and I know it only fits for a very limited time, so I don't care one bit what happens to it. If you've warned the parents and they continue to send her in dresses then they've made the decision to live with the dirty consequences and probably don't care either.
That being said, I do tell my daughter that she has to at least put on leggings if not splash pants to play outside if it's mucky or just not that warm. And she's mastered how to place her skirt/dress over top of splash pants.
If they don't provide what she needs to play outside, I would let it go. If they're really annoyed by it, they'll either send her in pants or send pants for outside.

Sincerely, the mother of the girliest girl I've ever known!

[Judy Trickett]

I send the kids home in whatever they wore. Yep, that means even if they wore a shiny new white dress with white tights and white shoes. Hey, I am running a daycare here. Kids are supposed to be able to have uninhibited play and THAT is exactly what they get. If a parent doesn't want their pretty clothes to get ruined then they shouldn't send them in pretty clothes.

[michellesmunchkins]

I agree with the other ladies. I have suggested that everyone bring splash pants for the spring weather and if they chose not too, then the little ones get dirty. If we come inside and their clothes are wet from playing outdoors I will change them, but if they are just dirty from playing then they go home dirty.

Kids need to be kids. I always tell my families to never send their kids in anything they wouldn't want to see get ruined. I've never had a problem (knock on wood). To be honest, if they went home perfectly clean I would think they didn't have a very good day. What day is complete without some rolling around on the ground and making dirt castles???

[Spixie33]

I think parents know the risk as long as you have told them about sending kids in things that can get dirty.

My daughter is 6 , loves dresses but I haven't been sending her to school in them because i am worried the teacher will think that it is inappropriate school attire since they often paint etc.

But what good do the dresses do me in the closet if she can only wear them for special occasions once or twice before she outgrows them?

Maybe the parents are like me and just figure it is okay to use the dresses and take the risk because either way the dresses have a ticking clock and she may as well enjoy them as long as they fit her???

I think I will write a note in my daughter's notebook for the teacher telling her not to stress if the dress is ruined.

[apples and bananas]

Same over here. If they come dressed all pretty, I might make a comment at the door when they're dropped off. "oh, what a pretty dress, we'll have to be extra careful at the sand table today" lol And they go home just the way they came. One ruined dress should be enough. My clients have all said to me, the dirtier they come home, the better. I believe in kids being kids. I'm not going to stress myself out over someone getting some dirt on their dress.

[Dreamalittledream]

I honestly think it's a bias on my part; boys clothes are all meant to be rough and tumble...but the girls with their frilly white sweaters...I shudder I used to send my child off and loved his muddy, messy self at the end of the day...as michellesmunchkins said...how much fun are they having if they go home sparkling clean?