Are you putting your kids in their winter coats yet? I have my youngest in hers with hat and mittens because its chilly in the morning and because she has a new coat and hat and loves it! But on the other hand my oldest hates winter coats, she hates the bulkiness of them. And even though I've bought a coat not bulky (still fits her from last year that she picked out) she does not like the time that comes when she has to wear it. She is currently going to school wearing a very thick sweatshirt. Which she is happy with. I think its not warm enough for mornings but by afternoons its perfect. Should I put my foot down and make her wear a winter coat or not? Are your kids wearing their winter coat. I know in the UP they already got some snow.
Oh and she also hates snow pants, last year she never wore them so was not allowed to play outside during recess. (Just stood on the sidewalks which was her schools policy) She was content with this so I let her do it. I think this girl is bound to move to Florida when she can. :)
I corrected some spelling errors - oh my its too early I guess.
Oh and her sweatshirt is sherpa fleece lined....guess I should have specified that. And I have definitely thought about a pea coat, so maybe we'll try that. If anything I can wait until the end of the season this year to try to find one on clearance for next year.
LOL Jackie....you must know my daughter she hates her sleeves bulked up too, I had to teach her the trick of holding her sleeve as she puts her coat on. She is adamant about this...and if for some reason she is not able to she will change her shirt! Also in MI we definitely have those days when heat and AC are required on the same day.
And I have told my daughter when I think its too cold she will wear her winter coat. I guess today although cold, I did not make her. I am still wearing a spring coat, but then I go in and out of heated buildings so not much of an issue. I just worry when she is out for recess. I also send her with ear muffs, although I see she slipped them off before getting out of the car this morning. Sneaky little one.
Today and yesterday mine did - they are 7 and 9. This morning they even wore hats and sweater gloves, but we walk too. Before that, my DD 7 would wear hers but my DS 9 would wear a thick hoodie. I think that in this weather right now, a thick sweatshirt / hoodie might be fine, especially if it is over a long sleeve shirt. Once the High Temps are consistenly below 45 - I would make her wear the winter coat though.
I think that might be one of those battles not worth fighting. But if you feel you have to, I would make it a very clear cut affair. For example, our school has the policy that if it's below 60 degrees kids need to wear a jacket or a hoodie. There was never a discussion about "should I wear a jacket or not". If it said the temp was 59 in the morning, he had to wear his jacket, if it was 60, he didn't have to. It worked very well for us. So I suggest you do a similar thing. You tell her that if it's below 45 or whatever she needs to put on her coat, anything above she can go with the sweatshirt. That way you won't have any discussions in the morning.
Yes, here in the WI we have a snow day today! We got quite a bit of the thick heavy stuff last night and even lost power for a long time. My kids are out playing in it right now. My kids have been wearing their fleece jackets to school lately and my daughter has occasionally worn her down jacket. Neither of them have worn hats or mittens to school yet. But that all changed today :) I figure you don't want to take out your warmest clothing yet because that is what you wear when the temps are around zero to 20 degrees. If you wear those jackets right now when the temps are around 40 then they won't keep you warm in the next few months. Where we live we have lots of layers!
Would she like a pea coat? Not as bulky, but a good quality one will definately keep her warm.
Maybe compromise & do some layers like turtle neck over a sweatshirt but add a fun hat or ear-muffs (a girl can't screw the do, right?!), a trendy scarf and some gloves. We're in Chicago and I fine I can get along pretty well in the crossover weather (like now) if the extremities are covered up. My mom always made me wear tights under my clothes because I hated snow pants too. Have fun & good luck!
For my daughter I have a winter coat designed for snow and super-cold temps, and a wool pea coat that I am using on her right now (temps in 40s and 50s). Like Charliesmom suggested, maybe your daughter would like something like that better. Or a very thick, sherpa-fleece-lined hoodie.
/i am from texas but hate HATE bulky clothing. i remeber the yr it snowed when i was little and could not put my arms down. HATE that clothing wont let me move.
also make sure the clothing under the bluk is flat and straight if the sleeve bulkes up under the coat its like a thorn in my side. very aggervating. i would rather stand on a sidewalk than try to run around in bulky clothing. btw in texas its freezing and damp (a completely different kind of cold here says my northern state friends ). In the mornings waiting for the school bus were layered up. Its one of the only places we put the heater and the ac on in the same days. 30 might not seem that cold to some but add humid wet cold air not the dry air you might have and its COLD. like bulky coat hot chocolate cold...then we peal layers off for the 65 durring the day ...and it only lasts for a few months of the yr. then its summer the entire 8 months of the rest of the yr.
I'm a lunch lady at an Michigan Elementary and I get to fight this battle every lunch time with 400 kids!!! My rule of thumb is, if I feel cold they have to wear their coats and jackets. I'm pretty resilient (we go outside if its above 10F) but yesterday the wind was what made it feel cold. Lots of kids seem to "forget" their coats but when the choice is something from the lost and found table they seem to miraculously find their own stuff!! Kids seem to not feel the cold and running around they soon heat up but we have had cases of pneumonia in school already this winter so I get them to bundle up when I can - any help from parents at home reminding their kids to layer up is gratefully received!! Of course, my son asked this morning if it was warm enough for a short sleeve tee for school.......
depending on how old she is and just how cold it gets would determine what I would do. there does come a point, and i'm sure you already know this, when it is just too cold and she just plain has to. for now though, if it's not to that point i'd let her just wear the sweatshirt and not fight about it. I am a person that absolutely LOVES the winter and all that comes with it. I love the cold weather. I hate to wear a winter coat though! If I have to be out in the weather for a long time I will wear it. My winter coat is usually a permanent resident of the back seat of my car. I prefer to wear a heavy jacket or just a sweater/sweatshirt, and a hat when needed. My husband and his parents are always getting on to me about how i'm going to "catch my death of a cold" by not bundling up anytime the temp dips down below 60 degrees..lol
It's cold here today and yes the kids are wearing heavy coats. Mittens are a must to chilly not to. :)
A big YES from MN. Winter gear in the a.m., sometimes we've been switching to fall jackets - but in the mornings it's been in the low 30's and we walk to school. Winter jackets, hats and mittens are a must.
When I took the dogs out this morning I saw ice in the downspout so my girls are wearing their winter coats. No hats, scarves or gloves/mittens yet. They have several coats/jackets because sometimes it just isn't cold enough for the big winter one but it isn't warm enough for a jacket. They each have an in between coat which is what they had been wearing up until today. I think you should make your older child wear her winter coat if it is 40 or below or get her a mid-warmth coat that she can wear until *winter* winter.
