Is there a way of getting a 2yo dressed that doesn't involve two people and a restraint policy?

[runlikeagirl]

Dd is 2.6. Every day is like a scene from the exorcist, with her screaming, hitting, raging and me and Dh trying to get her dressed. She is very strong and very determined.

We have tried letting her choose he rowe clothes (even with no limitations) and this results in all her clothes on the floor and a still refusal to get dressed. She's not interested in stickers and sadly doesn't seem to understand bribery yet ;)

Any help gratefully received.

DS is 14 so it's been a while since we had these issues but when he was young we used to race each other to see who got dressed 1st. Can't remember exactly how he was when we used to do this but it had the desired effect.

I would let her do it herself, my 2.2 year can put on loose clothing and socks.

Failing that I would start dressing her in leggings and long sleeved top as pyjamas so she is already dressed when she wakes up!

While my 3yo can't put anything on himself (except a coat). So he'd DEFINITELY be naked if left to dress himself.

I learned hard way when my DS was difficult to dress ONLY 2 choices of outfits at that age!

Does she have a pirate costume? That was the only thing DS1 wore for about 2 months at that age!

Or if pirates aren't her thing, does she have a character from books or TV that she loves? Could you get her a costume and then go in one morning all co-conspirator and tell her there is a really great surprise for the CM - look, a Dora/Elsa/Barney costume - isn't it great? Quick, let's put it on now to surprise Daddy as well....?

DD's usual outfit is leggings and a top (she's 2). We tend to dress her in this the night before if we need to be out early. She sometimes gets a choice of 2 outfits to wear. As someone said upthread, we're really trying to pick our battles as toddlers at this age often have tantrums because they can't control what's happening around them. Sometimes changing the way you react to a tantrum can throw them as they are not getting the reaction they expected iyswim.

God, DS has come out of this phase recently thank goodness. It is just a phase I think. No specific thing worked, maybe just not making it into a drama, massive amounts of positive phrasing of sentences and time

Oh yes, you've just reminded me of the lad who was Buzz Lightyear every time I saw him. For months!! He was a third child, I think his mum had decided not to sweat the small stuff.