Has your child all of a sudden become more vocal about their wardrobe and what they are wearing? This is fantastic news as it means that they have once again reached another stage of their development. Every child reaches a stage where they want to be more independent. Part of that is asking to choose their own clothes.  

While some parents fear this stage, as it means that kids can end up dressed in a mismatched way, it is a stage to celebrate. The fact is that recent studies have shown that parents who allow their kids to pick what they wear, don’t regret the decision at all. Their children may look slightly strange while they experiment. But in the long-run, it is highly beneficial for their child. 

Intrigued to know what some of the benefits are of allowing your child to dress themselves? Below are three benefits that come with giving your child free reign over what they wear. 

It teaches independence 

As a parent, you know the importance of teaching your child independence from a young age. Additionally, allowing them to dress themselves is a great way to do this. Accepting that your daughter will wear her favourite party dress on a muddy walk instead of leggings, a t-shirt and welly boots or your son to wear his Spiderman outfit to school mufti day will teach them how to be more independent. Plus, they learn how to accept the result of their decisions, such as a muddy party dress.

Children hate being told what to do and how to dress. But the issue is that often they have no understanding of why they must wear a coat outside or wellies on a muddy walk. However, by letting them make mistakes, they are more likely to understand why you set certain rules.  

Allows for self-expression

From a young age, children are trying to figure out who they are. As a parent, you would usually attempt to pick outfits for your child that fit their personality. However, this can make some children resentful as they have their own ideas about what they would like to wear. Maybe you usually buy everything from Next or Marks and Spencers. However, your child likes what their friend wears from this shop or that shop, which causes resentment. Allowing your child to select what clothing they wear gives them the opportunity to express themselves which is incredibly important.  

Teaches them to respect boundaries

Allowing your children to dress in their own way is good. However, there are some instances where you will need to put your foot down and not allow them to wear a certain outfit. While your children may not like it when this happens, it will teach them to respect boundaries more. They will learn that while they have the freedom to choose what they wear, they need to be practical about it.  

An increasing number of parents are allowing their children to dress themselves and choose what they wear. There are many benefits of this, as you can see above, so if you are yet to let your children dress themselves, now could be a good time to start.