To let my DC wear (fresh, clean) pajamas in the day?

[PlinthOfSoap]

DS is 3. Very particular about clothes, and very into a character. I have found character clothes, but they are pajamas. We don't have non pajamas clothes for this character. I haven't found any yet that meet DS requirements.

The tops are fine as you wouldn't know they're not t-shirts. There is one pair of shorts and one long bottoms, both of which look a bit more like pajamas.

I think that DS is very little, and I think at this age, if he wants to wear them during the day (to be clear, I mean just using them as day clothes, not letting him keep them on after wearing at night!) it's fine, and neither he nor I will care if people know they are pajamas. DH thinks it's not OK and they should just be kept for bed.

AIBU to let him wear clean pajamas in the day as day clothes?

Nobody cares what a 3 year old wears.

Absolutely fine. My DGS wears his favourite character PJs some days when he sees it in the drawer!

Absolutely fine and no one cares
.. tho I do wonder if there are occasions where you’d wish you’d pushed for a range of clothes less character focused - eg plain tops and bottoms in the same color palette, maybe slightly more ‘proper’ trousers or cardi/shirt
present as a mix and match wardrobe by the character so if you need it’s no big deal to have a more conventional look.

@PlinthOfSoap if it bothers DH so much, just use the tops as T-shirts with plain shorts or trousers.

Of course it's fine - practically no different to the thousands of little girls running around happily in leggings and t-shirts! And the summer short PJs are actually the same as shorts and tshirt sets.

I am a bit biased as my son wore similar pjs out all the time, until just before he started school, some for daytime and others for bed. He dresses like a typical boy now, in jeans etc, so I don't think it did any lasting damage...

One of the advantages of being 3 is you can wear what you like and no one cares.

3 year olds wear all sorts. Costumes, capes, tea towels fashioned into capes, tutus, pyjamas, all of the above at the same time.... It's a joy and totally fine.

At 3 mine lived in his spiderman costume! Day or night 😂

That's DH told then! Plain clothes definitely not as acceptable as the pajamas.

This. Let them be creative

You needed mumsnet to give you the confidence to tell your DH that you’ll dress DS how you wish to?

@PlinthOfSoap you need to work on your parenting confidence!

My youngest was super Mario for about 18 months. We’ve only just left the phase over the past 2-3 ish months and now he’s Gruffalo… He has SEN so his phases / interests are quite intense. Our holiday photos last year are funny, he’s only ever wearing either his super Mario costume (which naturally gained lots of attention) or his Mario swim suits. We have about 4 Mario costumes.

Of course you're not BU. As long as he is comfy, cosy, clean and happy, then it's nobody else's concern.

I’m 27 and sometimes wear clean pyjamas in the day!

Earlier this evening before bed both my kids asked to be taken to a farm for a visit tomorrow and they said they want to wear their pj's for this.
Ages at 2 & 4. 🤷‍♀️

To me it depends. At 3, I would let DC wear pyjamas at home, popping out in errands, visiting grandparents etc. I wouldn't be keen if visiting other places e.g. restaurant, party, day out.

Personally I take the approach of starting as I mean to go on. For that reason, I wouldn't start a habit where my kid wears pyjamas outside. My kids wear weather appropriate, decent clothes in the day time. We have old/rough clothes that they wear if they are just chilling at home or locally. Pyjamas are for bedtime.

Give over

What?

I know a lot of parents are fine with their children dressing in ways that are not appropriate for outdoors and then wonder why they want to attend a funeral in converse and dirty jeans as an adult. That kind of thing is looked down upon in my circles.

Pyjamas are rarely weather appropriate at any time of year. Just put on some shorts or trousers that are meant for going out.

"That kind of thing is looked down upon in my circles."

Could you elaborate, please?

Scruffy children wearing clothes inappropriate for the occasion is looked down upon in my community. Taking pride in your appearance and looking clean and tidy is promoted.

Probably because we havent had much but our pride and self respect. So coming out of the house in ironed, clean, well fitting clothes is pretty much what everyone can do irrespective of other barriers like poverty.

And as I said, I think it makes for good habits. You can't tell your teen they need to dress appropriately for their grandparents funeral when you've taken the approach of letting them wear what they want every other day of their life irrespective of the occasion.

Pyjamas are only pyjamas because someone decided they were.

If the outfit had not been described as "pyjamas" - or you hadn't mentioned it - then would your DH have been bothered?

I have a pair of crop leggings which were part of an M&S pyjama set, but I bought them as colourful crop leggings which I frequently wear in the summer, during the day, outside the house.

I have never even had a pyjama day. I think pyjamas outside the home is inexcusable for most.

A three year-old wearing pyjamas all day at home doesn’t even feature on my radar. It’s cute!

I'm with your dh - it's good for him to understand boundaries and norms. I would compromise and say he can wear them in the house but not out and about.