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Behaviour/development

Talk to others about child development and behaviour stages here. You can find more information on our development calendar.

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Original poster

stripping twins - urgent help needed!!!!!!!!!

10 replies

pop · 16/05/2004 21:00

I have 2 year old twins who are stripping down to nothing on a regular basis - bad enough during the day as I have to dress them every time we leave the house but this weekend they have started taking everything off as soon as they wake up in the morning so instead of leaving them to chatter away and fall back to sleep we are faced with very early starts and very messy beds (nappies off too) Any advice gratefully accepted!

OP posts:

Are your children’s vaccines up to date?

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marthamoo · 16/05/2004 21:09

My first thought is to dress them in something they can't take off - dungarees, maybe with a couple of nappy pins to fasten them if they can undo the clips? And for night-time, sleepsuits, possibly put on back to front so they can't get at the poppers. Unless they help each other get undressed....

I'm sure, like everything else toddler, this is just "a stage" but very annoying nontheless.

helenmc · 17/05/2004 18:45

my girls went through exactly the same. When their elder sister broke her arm, we asked our neighbours to look after the twins whilst we went to hospital. Apparently they had a nightmare chasing the girls round the garden trying to put their clothes back on (they were 2 at the time). Unfortunately pop I can't remember if we ever cracked the problem, or they just grew out of it. But even now I will find them just in pants, and they are 7 today.

Mirage · 17/05/2004 21:15

Hi Pop

My sister is nanny to 2 1/2 year old twin girls & had exactly the same problem with them.It started at about 2 years old & they hardly ever do it now-so it may be just one of those stages.

I do remember that their older brother had done the same thing & that their mother was determined not to let the girls get away with it too,as 3 kids under 4 years old all refusing to get dressed would be a nightmare!

So what they did,was basically ignored it.One of the twins once refused to get dressed to go to playgroup & her mum just said that it was ok,she could go in just her pants,but that she would guarantee that it would be the 1st & last time she'd do it as she'd soon get cold & the otherr kids would laugh.Sure enough,as they neared the front door,the little girl had a sudden change of heart & quitely got dressed.

They also wore a lot of dungarees too.The back to front sleepsuits idea is great too.

So,sorry,no real advice,but it seems fairly common.

Paula71 · 17/05/2004 21:23

I wish I could give you a solution my ds twins did the exact same thing at about the same age! Nappies and everything!

I just had to ignore it and thankfully it didn't last more than a couple of times. I think the fact I didn't react helped (although I had to walk out the room one time to stop myself!)

Try and distract them when they start stripping, whatever it is they enjoy best and will keep the absorbed until you want to go out. For mine this is either books or drawing.

jac34 · 17/05/2004 21:35

I have DS twins now 5, but I can remember them going through the same phase, would agree with the back to front sleepsuits idea.
Also, don't want to worry you but at about 3.5 to 4ish, they went through a phase of completely stripping their beds every night.Every thing came off including the duvets out of the covers, I remember one night making up two beds, three times over, not very funny!!! Our solution there was to split them up into seperate rooms every time they did it,they hate being apart and quickly stopped.
We had a couple of nights of heart ache though, with them calling to each other from seperate rooms, really broke my heart.

Bron · 18/05/2004 21:28

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

SoupDragon · 18/05/2004 21:35

DSs still like to be Tarzan (just pants) aged 5 and 3. Which is fine in the comfort of your own home but fairly embarrassing in a family pub or ball pit.

tweeny · 18/05/2004 21:40

maybe try confiscating their clothes if they take them off. they love to be in control! if they're anything like my twins (5 yr olds) they'll be demanding them back again pronto!

Original poster

pop · 19/05/2004 21:51

thanks everyone for advice it is heartwarming to see that other people go through the same things and that my children are not just deliberately trying to make my life difficult! My dear MIL suggested that maybe they are bored and that I am not doing enough with them AAAAgh feel like I do more than I am able for anyway as have a 4 year old as well and am split 3 ways so that coment did not go down too well!!! What is the sunflower story????

OP posts:

eddm · 19/05/2004 21:59

Pop, my mother still brings this up even though my sister is now in her 30s. As a toddler sis used to take all her clothes off at every opportunity... neighbours used to ring the bell and tell mother sis had left her clothes in a neat pile under the lamp-post (it was always a beautifully neat pile). This was the 70s so kids were allowed to play out but everyone else wore clothes! I think she just grew out of it so no help there really, just more evidence that you are not alone. Imagine is even more opportunity for trouble-making when you've got two of them to help each other though. Sympathy.

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