My son is 8 and has an incomplete right hand so buttoning and snapping has always been a little difficult for him. He hates to wear button shirts and used to hate wearing zip/button pants but in the past year we have only let him wear his comfy pull-on pants once or twice a week. My question is are we being overly hard on him or should we keep "raising the bar" so to speak. The big issue now is button shirts. He is fine with polos or a shirt with just a couple buttons on top but when it comes to dressier shirts that obviously have more than a couple buttons, he strongly dislikes them. Is it mean of me to buy him the shirts & ask that he wear them once or twice a week, to church or whatever ?
I don't think you're being mean. I think you're challenging him and raising him to be self supporting in spite of his handicap. You're not letting that define who is, nor letting him use it as an excuse. Good for you.
shes only four, but I hope she demands it forever. I think you're doing right by. him.
I don't think you're being mean exactly, but if I'm understanding right he is wearing button up shirts multiple times a week.. why? It just seems like they can be saved only for special occasions. I don't know the nature of his birth defect or anything, but maybe he can use a tool to help him if he needs to wear button up shirts more often. Here's one on amazon that may help..
http://www.amazon.com/Aids-for-Arthritis-Grips-Button/dp/B0006Z3GYG?tag=americaninven-20
Would you treat a child with no defects the same way? What if a child with no defects wanted to just wear tshirts and sweat pants, would you force them to wear more formal clothing as well? I agree with Kate that I allow dd to choose her own clothing unless it is picture day or somewhere more formal than school. Also look into tools that could help him. Has he been through physical or occupational therapy for his defects so he could be taught coping skills with dressing and other life skills?
Quoting Katenemsmom:
I think it is mean to make him wear clothes he strongly dislikes. I let my kids choose their own clothes from an early age. At 8 he is capable of making choices. Save the difficult clothing for picture day.
I would keep raising the bar. If he didn't have a birth defect you would push him with other things, right?
So push him with this! Just know his limits, and make sure not to over do it.
Quoting Pukalani79:I don't think you're being mean. I think you're challenging him and raising him to be self supporting in spite of his handicap. You're not letting that define who is, nor letting him use it as an excuse. Good for you.
If it were me, I would make sure he practiced so he was capable of buttoning, but I wouldn't force him to wear button up shirts. Kids with no hand probems only wear button up shirts once a week, if that. Jeans though... yeah, its one button....
how long did you wait for another?
- oahoah
on Mar. 18, 2013 at 12:48 AM