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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

to expect a (just) 5 yr old to put on his own socks?

20 replies

greedyguts · 20/05/2010 13:20

He's going to school in August, so I've been encouraging him to dress himself. However, he draws the line at socks. Says he can't do it & downright refuses to even try to put the bloody things on. We have a huge palaver over it every morning.

AIBU to expect him to be able to put on his own socks? And if so, then how can I teach him?

OP posts:
MrsGravy · 20/05/2010 13:24

YANBU but what is it with socks? My DD could dress herself from the age of 3 and STILL at 5.5 balks at socks! She CAN do it if I insist but she always puts up fight.

DS is 3 and will try and put any item of clothes on - except socks.

So, in summary, I've no idea how to teach him but at least it's summer so you can revert to no socks for a while??!

islandofsodor · 20/05/2010 13:34

YABU. Socks are very fiddly for children. Ds aged 6 does his but always gets the heels in the wrong place.

organiccarrotseedsareplanted · 20/05/2010 13:35

What a nightmare. My son's been dressing himself since around 3, and we've never had a fight about it (other than when he wants to wear his Dalec tee to school instead of uniform ). YANBU to expect him to be ABLE do it - but how to persuade him - I have no idea.

Sorry, that's completely unhelpful!

haggisaggis · 20/05/2010 13:37

It took my dd a long time to master socks. She does have coordination problems though. However, some socks are not very stretchy. It can also be hard for children to turn the sock so the heel is in teh right place. DD finally mastered it when I bought her (on the OT's advice) socks with different coloured toes and heels.

ChippingIn · 20/05/2010 13:37

Big boys put on their own socks, if you aren't a big enough boy to put on your own socks you are not big enough to do/have xxx

Works a charm!!

LO's could do own socks from under 2 and own tights from 3 - so YANBU in thinking he can and should do it!!

mistressploppy · 20/05/2010 13:39

My DH is not very good at putting his socks on. Too fat

chiefcook · 20/05/2010 13:41

YANBU
My DS is 5 next month, he puts his socks on, he has trouble with his vests which he can't tell the front from the back.

Since DS2 arrived 7 months ago, he suddenly cannot put shoes on (probably because I have to put the baby down to put them on for him)

I try to let this ride as much as possible.

chiefcook · 20/05/2010 13:42

Just remembered, i got socks with different colour toes and heels do he knew where the heel was supposed to be, then when he had mastered that, I pointed out the seam that runs along the toes.

It took a few tries, but it seems to have worked.

frasersmummy · 20/05/2010 13:42

greedy...

I feel your pain...ds is 5 and going to school in August and I was worried about the sock thing

someone bought ds socks that were 2 sizes too big... I put them in the drawer thinking he will grow into them

a few days later he dresses himself fishes out said socks and puts them on with a great deal of self congratulation.. and clapping., They were up to his knees and his heels were up at his ankles but they were on!!!

From then he has been working at it..but I got them on yesterday mum...we didnt tell him they were too big and he now mananges proper sized socks

another great secret of motherhood... when people say their little one can dress themselves at 3 ... they dont say oh except socks

a few days later he could get any socks on no bother.

Original poster
greedyguts · 20/05/2010 14:10

Brilliant advice. I am off to buy some enormous bright heel & toe socks. I'll wear them myself once this sock(boot)camp business is over.

OP posts:
earlyonemorning · 20/05/2010 14:10

This reply has been deleted

This has been deleted by MNHQ for personal reasons.

Downdog · 20/05/2010 16:17

DD (2.5) is still working out how to take off socks! Over the heel first, over the heel first etc etc

Kathyjelly · 20/05/2010 16:32

My ds (21 months) will happily put socks on his arms but fights anyone putting them on his feet. I don't understand it either.

FoghornLeghorn · 20/05/2010 16:37

DD1 (5) is rubbish at socks. DD2 (3) is brilliant and even DD3 (1) is better at it than her sister.

It's no biggy, just help him til he gets it - he will soon enough (well I'm hoping DD does)

colditz · 20/05/2010 16:39

Buy socks that are VERY stretchy and slightly too big.

upahill · 20/05/2010 16:42

DS1 and DH used to put socks on their ears to pretend to be elephants to make me laugh.

It always did!!

biddysmama · 20/05/2010 17:00

yanbu... i have the opposite problem with my 8 year old ds who prefers not to take his off....ever...

CheekyPinkSox · 20/05/2010 17:22

My DS is 3.5 and he can dress himself including putting on his socks correctly.

Pikelit · 20/05/2010 17:30

Once people get to school, if they couldn't do their socks before, they soon master the knack.

RiverOfSleep · 20/05/2010 17:36

My DC are 5 and 3 and CAN both do their own socks but 5yo often makes a fuss about it. It has taken a lot of patience, stickers and different socks to get to a point where he does it himself more often than not.

At pre school they play a sock game where everyone takes off their socks, put them in a big jumbled up pile, then have a race to put the right ones back on again. Which is fun but would take a lot of time in the mornings!!

This morning both DC whinged about their socks so I put them (the socks) on my hands and gave them a talking to about being helpful socks and bla bla bla, they nodded and said 'sorry, I'll be a good sock now' and the DC put them on straightaway. (I think they were scared I'd gone bonkers tbh).

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