When you can't change the child, change the environment. That's a philosophy you might have advocated for in your child's classroom, or used at home when behavior problems arise. But what about your child's most immediate environment, the clothes he or she wears every day? If you or your child's teacher spend a lot of time warning against chewing or mussing or tying, try changing your child's clothes to make those behaviors less troublesome. Consider these switches for starters.
For shirt chewers:
Gnawing can leave T-shirt collars slimy, stretched out and hole-riddled. Try shirts with actual button-up collars instead -- they don't show the spit so readily, don't lose their shape as dramatically, and are better reinforced to stand up to abuse. Button-down shirts are good choices, as are polo or rugby shirts that have a couple of buttons at the collar. A hoodie with an open collar can also do the trick.
For food spillers:
Nothing like a grease spot to spoil a solid-colored shirt, or a ketchup spill to make a white shirt tie-dye. If your child's a messy eater, stick to patterns and plaids, the busier the better. They also diminish the impact of paint stains, ink smears, nose wipes, grass stains, and whatever other indignities your child can find to impose upon the poor garment.
For droopy drawers:
Kids who are off the growth charts for weight often have trouble finding pants that both fit round the middle and down the leg. Look for the suddenly popular style of pants that have adjustable waistbands; pull pieces of elastic inside the pants, button them at the right point, and your child can enjoy a customized fit. Most of these have snap fronts even in larger sizes, helpful if your kid doesn't do buttons.
For lousy lacers:
Shoe-tying may be something you eventually want your child to tackle, but with slip-on sneakers gaining in popularity, you may not need to hurry with it anymore. If your child slips too easily out of those slip-ons, try Velcro-strapped styles, or string up a regular pair of sneakers with curly laces that don't need to be tied.
For shoe chuckers:
Some kids are so uncomfortable in shoes that they find a way to kick off even lace-up shoes in class. If your child can't stay shod, see if high-top tennies or workboots will be sufficiently tough to kick off. It may also be worth asking the teacher if discreet shoe loss might be permissable during desk work.
For bad belters:
A child who has trouble fastening a belt may leave it undone, do it too loose, or spend more time in the bathroom than the teacher can tolerate. Myself Belts clip to a belt loop and then Velcro shut to make belting a breeze. The company makes cute designs for younger kids and leather styles for older ones.
For the oft-untucked:
Keeping a shirt tucked in neatly may be more trouble than it's worth for an active child, and other kids just like the feel of a really tightly tucked in shirt. Girls, at least, can benefit from a bodysuit that snaps between the legs, feels smooth and snug, and stays put. Bodysuits.com has a nice selection in women's sizes that can work for older kids and teens. They make men's sizes, too, but since boys' restroom use is more public than girls', your son may not want to be seen in one.
For the uncombable:
It's not technically clothing, but hair is a fashion statement that can cause behavioral meltdowns. If combing the hair on your child's sensitive, wiggly scalp starts the day off in stress overdrive, think really seriously about choosing a short, short cut -- buzz cuts for boys, pixies for girls. The hair will grow back, but once you see how much peaceful the world is without combing, you may not want it to.
