Winter gear vent

[sunnydays]

We had our first bit of snow yesterday and boy were the kids ever excited and eager to get out there and play in it However, I just need to have a little vent here on parent's choice of winter clothing for their kids! I have been telling them exactly what kind of gear to get for the past two months, and I have still ended up with non-funtional mitts, hats, etc! Yesterday I had two without snowpants (one at least had rain pants) and one with mitts that are very thin and he just throws off (same thing with his hat). Even some of those who had all the "proper" gear, in my opinion lacked the quality that would actually keep them warm. It bugs me when I see a parent arrive in a long, North Face, down coat and yet her child has a thin, cheap snowsuit...and he's the one who will be playing outside while she is at the office all day! So yesterday at pick-up I told each parent what was missing and sent them scampering to the stores...with specific guidelines to help them because I know for those who have 1 year olds, this is all new. The one little guy came with a new hat and mitts today...the hat is great, but the mitts do not stay on and are not waterproof...sigh! It just makes for such a difficult outside time when he is crying cause his hands are cold and every time I put the mitts on they fall off or he takes them off. Now I have to break the news that they will need to go and get more new mittens...but if they had listened to me yesterday they could have avoided this! Okay...vent done...just had to get it off my chest

[apples and bananas]

Hahaha... vent away!

No snow here for me yet, but I already have hats with no velcro so they're just flying off, and I never get rain pants and I live on a farm so the yard is always muddy. I just let them get their own pants muddy and take them off to dry them in the afternoon. Aparently none of the parents mind... cause I still don't have any rain pants. LOL

It's funny, because if you look at the schools... the kindergarten teacher sends home very specific instruction on what they need... but it doesn't seem to matter when it comes to home daycare. Apparently we are percieved as having 5 of eveyrthing just hanging around in the closet just in case.

Keep pushing those parents... they need to get it!

[sunnydays]

Well today the parents with the new non-functional mittens will arrive to find their son in my daughters pink mittens from last year...they are waterproof, have strings, and have velcro bands so they can be tightened on...exactly what I described to them before they went shopping last night! I do try to use positive reinforcement just like with the kids (I really rave about any atricle of clothing that is particularly great), but parents are much slower learners than kids! I also sent out a play by play (in my nightly email that I send to all the parents) of what it's like to get 6 toddlers and preschoolers ready for outside time (and on time to get my son to school)....explainin g that if 3 out of 6 of the kids have mittens with no strings or clips and I have to go searching for them because little Johnny decided to take off with one and hide it somewhere really clever...well, we could miss my son's bus or (we have the option of walking as it isn't far) arrive at the school after the bell and the doors are locked (like today). LOL, I guess I wasn't done venting!

[crafty]

This is what I have the most difficulty with. Man I have a little guy sill in his splash pants too. Luckly he is like an oven and is never cold. His hat and mits don't fit him they are too small and the boots are way too big. IT,s been like this for a year with him. I am having such a hard time to get him properly equiped. I know the parents are having a hard time financialy so they get what they can but when they tell me they bought a brand new camera or Iphone and cant even get their kid dressed appropriately it makes me so mad.

So thanks for the vent too

[bright sparks]

Thanks for this thread. It has given me the push to give parent's a specific "Winter Wear" checklist in the hopes that they will come with sufficient clothing from the start. One can hope right.....lol

[sunnydays]

It might be too late for that as most parents have already bought their winter stuff, but you can try! I told them in September and October what to buy...it helped for some, not for others.

Thanks for this thread. It has given me the push to give parent's a specific "Winter Wear" checklist in the hopes that they will come with sufficient clothing from the start. One can hope right.....lol

[playfelt]

For mine it was more a first snowfall was the wakeup call. But it meant some parents went shopping on their lunch hour and bought things according to the size on the tag or what size their robeeze slippers are - not even in shoes. Needless to say the coat is too small, the boots too big and she is here with nothing cause parents brought her in them and then proceded to take the coat and boots with them to exchange on their lunch hour. Ok so wasn't going out anyways since not everyone even remotely has proper clothing.

Big thing these days is that parents are told not to put child into carseat in winter coat because then the straps aren't tight enough. Too often I get a child in sock feet wrapped in a blanket dropped and then asked if I would store the blanket so it is warm for home time - ummm what about the snowsuit, I still need one even if he isnt' wearing it in the car.

Got a feeling we will still be venting in this tread for most of the winter. Parents do not think.

[Other Mummy]

....or how about the "cutsie" bunny hats with the ears that stay on for a nano-second LOL! I even resorted to stretching the hat to fit DCG's head (she's 23mo). Nudda. Guess what I'm giving DCM tonight and asking her to bring a proper fitting warm hat tomorrow!

[Dreamalittledream]

Having had 4 boys of my own and also having put the word out to please consider donating splash pants/snow-pants/mitts/hats that no longer fit to us...I now have a huge bin of stuff in all sizes. So,while I ask for the proper clothing, but I do have back ups...just in case.

[bright sparks]

It might be too late for that as most parents have already bought their winter stuff, but you can try! I told them in September and October what to buy...it helped for some, not for others.

I get that, but its not my responsibility to tell parent's how to dress their children properly, so if they lacked common sense or the ability to ask my recommendations then oh dear nevermind, off they go back to the store. Like I have got a million other things to do other than parent them.