Parenting QA: How To Deal With Daily Battle’s Over What My Daughters Wears?

October 20, 2014

Q: I’m all for fashion and encourage my child to be creative. However, I just can’t agree with what my daughter wants to wear and it is getting harder to dress her without us having a battle. How should I handle the morning dressing ritual?
A: There is definitely a struggle that we face as parents between allowing our children to express their independence and our desire to have them reflect our family values. I think it’s important to pick your battles and decide what is really important to you. If you are concerned about modesty, for example, you may want to draw your boundaries early as many girls as young as 8-10 are starting to dress “sexier” than is age appropriate. But once you and your daughter have agreed upon the boundaries you have set, find a range of options that are acceptable and let her explore. What may not appear fashionable to you – or even seem to “match” – is part of the learning and creative process. But if she is choosing from the pool of acceptable options, a little flexibility can go a long way!