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Primary education

Join our Primary Education forum to discuss starting school and helping your child get the most out of it.

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Original poster

Any other summer borns struggling with dressing self?

24 replies

caffeinated · 23/08/2013 21:35

DS isn't even 4 for another week and we have worked on this all summer and he still gets so frustrated. Is his teacher going to hate me if he just can't do it?

He can do trousers, struggles with socks and tops. Can do coat.

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Periwinkle007 · 23/08/2013 21:49

oh bless him - he isn't 4 yet. he won't be alone.

I have one who has just finished reception and one who is about to start reception.

the one who started last year is the oldest in the year (literally only in the year by a matter of hours) and she was able to do all of that when she started school because she had already turned 5 by the time they started. There were plenty of others though who weren't able to.

my youngest is 4 and a bit and she is able to do most things, we have had a bit of a practice with the whole blouse, tie, pinafore thing and I think she will be ok but she may struggle with the zip on the pinafore getting caught with the blouse and the top button on the blouse but she won't be alone and staff don't mind helping if children are giving it a good go themselves.

it is great he can do his trousers and his coat (coat is especially helpful as it will be the one he has to do the most)

they may well not get them to take off socks for PE so perhaps don't worry about that. What sort of top does he have to wear? a shirt or polo? perhaps focus on that and ignore the socks for the moment.

Original poster

caffeinated · 23/08/2013 22:00

Thanks Peri, he is our 3rd child and older sisters just could do it, wasn't an issue. Polo shirt and jumper. He doesn't always get his t shirt on the right way round. Struggles with buttons but will probably not fasten them on pe days to make it easier.

OP posts:

Periwinkle007 · 23/08/2013 22:06

well the classroom will no doubt be hot and stuffy so don't worry about the jumper. back to front t-shirt is pretty good for his age so the teachers will like that he is trying.

duchesse · 23/08/2013 22:21

DD3 (4 on Tuesday) isn't bothered about dressing and undressing because she gets a lot of practice, due to the fact she is pretty much incontinent. I am quaking. She pees in her pants about 7-8 times a day at the moment (roughly once every 20mn). Her teacher is definitely going to hate me.

Regarding clothes, I think your DS will learn quite quickly. It's also remarkable how differently they behave in different environments (ie at school vs home).

BrianTheMole · 23/08/2013 22:23

He won't be the only one, don't worry. He'll get the hang of it soon enough.

Periwinkle007 · 23/08/2013 22:36

duchesse is this a new thing for her? do you think it could be stress related.

fairylightsinthespring · 23/08/2013 22:41

DS was 4 a couple of weeks ago. He can do pants and trousers (but not buttons). He can do his t shirt if its handed to him the right way round with the back rolled up to the neck, IYSWIM. He can't do his socks or shoes. Don't know about coat as he hasn't needed to wear one lately! I do think that there is such a vast difference at this age between the winter and summer borns and am hoping that any teacher worth their salt will be expecting this and be ready to deal with it.

PoppyWearer · 23/08/2013 22:44

My DC1 has just finished a reception, heading into Year 1 and in spite of my efforts still hopeless/unwilling at a lot of this stuff.

Don't worry, the teachers/TAs will help more than they let on. I've been helping out in our school and have seen it first-hand.

fuzzpig · 23/08/2013 22:47

My DS is the same, he will be 4 next Friday. I am so glad we finally managed to find some elasticated waist school trousers today, most of them had fastenings. Wlll be getting polo shirts rather than 'proper' ones which DD had when she started. She was a late June baby but was much more ready than DS is.

I know in our school they don't make them change for PE for about half a term IIRC so that gives a little more time to work on it.

duchesse · 23/08/2013 22:54

Peri, alas not. She's never been reliably dry yet. Her siblings were the same. DD1 had tons of investigations and scans between 3 and 4 which showed nothing wrong. All three older children were still routinely coming home from school wet and smelling of old wee until they were 7/8. It is no surprise, but DD3 is the worst yet.

Periwinkle007 · 23/08/2013 23:37

ahh bless her. I suppose some people just have weak bladders don't they.

duchesse · 23/08/2013 23:40

Yep. And she's one of em. So frustrating though!!!

Periwinkle007 · 23/08/2013 23:45

does it upset her or is she ok about it? I suppose the main thing is her being confident. my daughters used to get upset if they had accidents and become very withdrawn but if she manages to stay confident in herself then it is just frustrating from a parent point of view.

duchesse · 23/08/2013 23:51

She just brazens it out till challenged- tbh she seems pretty unbothered. Just like her siblings before her. There was me hoping that only having one to deal with at a time might make all the difference. At least I now know it's most likely genetic rather than caused by not having enough time for the each of older children (3 in 4 years).

Stillhopingstillhere · 24/08/2013 08:48

Mine is 4.1 and was six weeks prem so should have been year below.

He can do trousers and jumpers if fairly roomy. Socks, shoes, doing up zips forget it. He also gets extremely frustrated and then won't even try. I've not pushed it too much because it seems to do more harm than good. I'm worried too.

mrz · 24/08/2013 09:01

He won't be alone and IMHE age doesn't come into it. I've had many children who are the eldest in class still struggling

Original poster

caffeinated · 24/08/2013 09:55

Oh I feel so comforted. I'm hoping seeing other kids doing it makes him determined to but the head teacher went on and on about it at the induction day that has left me slightly panicked.

OP posts:

mrz · 24/08/2013 13:30

I had children in Y1 last year who still put clothes on backwards

queenfromars · 24/08/2013 13:53

Ds will be 5 in November, so one of the older ones, but he struggles with dressing himself

Changebagsandgladrags · 25/08/2013 19:15

Psst Marks and Spencer have school shirts with a Velcro top button.

HarumScarum · 25/08/2013 19:40

DD was very nearly five when she started Reception and couldn't get dressed at all. Socks were a complete mystery to her. Tights were a total non-starter. Blimey, jogging bottoms were a bit of an issue. Your DS will not be alone and teachers are very used to this. DD's going into Y2 this year and still has trouble with doing up her coat zip.

PatriciaHolm · 25/08/2013 20:19

DS came out of school once wearing his shorts the wrong way round. And he's an April born! Don't worry, it's normal, he'll get it.

Sneepy · 26/08/2013 11:40

DD1 routinely came out on PE days with her clothes inside out and wrong way round through Y2. So did many of her classmates. I wouldn't worry.

Adikia · 26/08/2013 20:12

DD will be 5 in October and she cant get her uniform off by herself or do it up having put it back on and socks are still a big challenge, she can get her PE kit on and off though. unless its inside out, she can't deal with inside out clothes at all!

My big brother spent most of his time up to about half way through yr 1 with his trousers undone, jumper backwards and/or inside out and shirt buttons not lined up properly and even I didn't pick on him for it so it can't be that unusual.

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