Outfits and hair styling: morning routine simplified

[ringstrue]

Our schedules will change soon and I'm not going to be at home during DDs typical morning getting ready time. I need to get DD and DH to do her hair and outfits well w/o me. I don't have horribly high expectations but I can't have her going to school with birds nests and in all pink every day. 

- Are there any good "how to do a pony tail" tutorials for the hair-challenged? DH is as bad as they can come when it comes to fixing hair skills. I tried to teach him once. It was BAD. 

- Are there any good methods for organizing clothing by outfit so that DD can pick out her clothes and get ready more independently?

[countthestars]

Can you and DD pick out outfits either on Sunday or the night before to make life easier?

[chickens987]

Jun 15, 2016 14:47:03 GMT -5 ringstrue said:

Our schedules will change soon and I'm not going to be at home during DDs typical morning getting ready time. I need to get DD and DH to do her hair and outfits well w/o me. I don't have horribly high expectations but I can't have her going to school with birds nests and in all pink every day. 

- Are there any good "how to do a pony tail" tutorials for the hair-challenged? DH is as bad as they can come when it comes to fixing hair skills. I tried to teach him once. It was BAD. 

- Are there any good methods for organizing clothing by outfit so that DD can pick out her clothes and get ready more independently?

I left a baggie of ponytail holders at daycare in DD's cubby. If her teachers care, they'll put it up

RE: #2, she picks out her clothes the night before and I "help" her - veto anything inappropriate or make sure she has the right items. You could also get one of those hanging organizers (http://www.target.com/p/8-shelf-closet-organizer/-/A-12227062?ref=tgt_adv_XS000000&AFID=google_pla_df&CPNG=PLA_Storage%2BOrganization%2BShopping&adgroup=SC_Storage%2BOrganization&LID=700000001170770pgs&network=g&device=c&location=9007781&gclid=CICzm9bmqs0CFVA8gQody2sICQ&gclsrc=aw.ds) and put her outfits for the whole week in there on a Sunday.

[spk926]

I would make it a routine to have DD pick her clothes the night before and set everything she will wear in a pile on her dresser. Or get something like this and do a week at a time.

[bluelikejazz]

Can you get a bunch of accessories so all he has to do is brush and throw in a headband or clip?

And maybe get one of those daily outfit organizers you can do together on Sunday and she can dress herself on wednesday from the "wednesday" pile? Throw the headband in this pile too.

[spk926]

Also, in regards to the pony tails, I think what will help him the most is practice. DH can't do them either and when I was in the hospital having DS and the NICU for a week after I always laughed when I got pictures of DD sent to me by him, my mom, or her daycare lady. The first thing I spotted was her crazy hair. But he tried so hard and she didn't care.

[rootbeerfloat]

We try to pick out clothes the night before. DD is particular about her appearance and doesn't always match, but this is not a battle I fight. Also, all of DD's everyday clothes are basically in one drawer. She pulls out what she wants.

Re: hair. I have to remind H to brush it, and he can make a reasonable ponytail. DD won't ask him to do anything beyond that, but she is also content to wear hair her down.

[numbers]

I bought tons of these hanger clips and use them to organize DD's clothes by outfit. I freaking love these things.

www.containerstore.com/s/closet/hangers/hanger-accessories/super-hold-clips/123d?productId=10004056

[momof2]

I realize I am in the minority, but why do you need to solve this? Your husband is an equal parent and if he wants to send her to school with bird's nest hair and zig zag pants with a polka dot top, why not let him? And if he doesn't like things this way, I'm sure he can figure it out. This is the kind of stuff where I think moms "overmanage" dads to their detriment long term.

In our house, my kid picks out her own unmatching outfits all the time. I don't care -- she can decide what she wants to wear. I do only keep seasonal clothes in her closet. She has been doing this since she was about 2.5. This actually makes my husband cringe -- he would like more matching, etc. I don't care and if he cares, then he can go upstairs and get her dressed. :-)

And there is no way, I would try to teach my husband to do hair. That would NOT be a success for us. :-)

[MadamePresident]

Can you have your husband practice pony tail on you? I can imagine trying to learn on a wiggly kid can be hard.

[lauralala]

She's almost 7, right? Do you think if he makes sure her hair is brushed well, she can handle a low ponytail or a side clip of some sort? I would make sure he has detangling spray if tangles are an issue. If her hair is brushed well, she will be fine even if it doesn't have a ponytail.

I ditto pp on picking clothes the night before. Absolutely have her help pick what she wants to wear, and then leave it where she can put it on in the morning.

[countthestars]

Jun 15, 2016 15:08:10 GMT -5 momof2 said:

I realize I am in the minority, but why do you need to solve this? Your husband is an equal parent and if he wants to send her to school with bird's nest hair and zig zag pants with a polka dot top, why not let him? And if he doesn't like things this way, I'm sure he can figure it out. This is the kind of stuff where I think moms "overmanage" dads to their detriment long term.

In our house, my kid picks out her own unmatching outfits all the time. I don't care -- she can decide what she wants to wear. I do only keep seasonal clothes in her closet. She has been doing this since she was about 2.5. This actually makes my husband cringe -- he would like more matching, etc. I don't care and if he cares, then he can go upstairs and get her dressed. :-)

And there is no way, I would try to teach my husband to do hair. That would NOT be a success for us. :-)

I see what you are saying, but I think this can also be one of those things that Mom gets blamed for even if she shouldn't.

To add to that, my husband doesn't care if the dishes are done every night before we go to bed. But I do, so I make sure everything is all set up and easy for him to do so that he'll do it. I see this as the same thing. Sure, H could get all of the dishes collected next to the sink and rinse them but he won't because it's not important to him.

[redwino]

Jun 15, 2016 15:29:46 GMT -5 peachy said:

He's a grown man, surely he can pick out an appropriate outfit and brush/tie back her hair.

I'm here. Sure one time dh sent dd to daycare in a nightgown and sweatpants but 99% of the time he is able to dress dd appropriately. With practice he learned to comb her hair. It took him less than a week to figure out a ponytail.

I hang all pieces of an outfit on one hanger to make things easier on both of us but that's about it. If her hair is that big of an issue, I would do a loose braid at night so he only has to brush the loose hairs into a ponytail.

[brooklyn]

My dad sent me to school with crazy hair (my mom had to be at work by 6am) and my school sent home concerned notes. My mom ended up hiring a nanny to get me dressed and do my hair, lol. So I can totally see why you want to figure out a way to help him!

[motzie]

With my husband I just try to demonstrate that sometimes it's just a matter of a few more brush strokes to get it right. He always wants to rush. Even with washing their hair sometimes he'll just dump one bucket of water to get it wet before he goes for the shampoo. DD1 has curly hair to her ass, that's not going to cut it. I try to explain in a way of "this will make it easier to rinse out the shampoo" rather than "you're rushing and doing a shitty job." It's still new to him so I try to be patient

[6fsn]

I'm home and still don't care what my kids wear as long as it fits the season and activity. Wanna wear head to toe pink/blue/orange? I don't care as long as it's clean and they put it on themselves. My husband isn't the best at ponytails but he's getting better. My 5 yo can run a brush through her hair and look fine though.

[zarapipe]

Dd is 6 and dh has been getting her ready every morning for the past 5 years. I care 0% what she wears as long as it is weather appropriate and it isn't picture day. Most days she just gets her hair brushed and by the end of the day it looks rough but eh, whatever. I figure in a few years she will figure out how to do the pony on her own. Dh can manage a rough one but dd prefers it down.

[chickens987]

Jun 15, 2016 18:11:44 GMT -5 @fivedogs said:

Jun 15, 2016 14:49:45 GMT -5 chickens987 said:

I left a baggie of ponytail holders at daycare in DD's cubby. If her teachers care, they'll put it up

Doesn't happen in elementary school (at least not in ours).

I didn't realize her DD was school age.

[ringstrue]

Jun 15, 2016 15:08:10 GMT -5 momof2 said:

I realize I am in the minority, but why do you need to solve this? Your husband is an equal parent and if he wants to send her to school with bird's nest hair and zig zag pants with a polka dot top, why not let him? And if he doesn't like things this way, I'm sure he can figure it out. This is the kind of stuff where I think moms "overmanage" dads to their detriment long term.

In our house, my kid picks out her own unmatching outfits all the time. I don't care -- she can decide what she wants to wear. I do only keep seasonal clothes in her closet. She has been doing this since she was about 2.5. This actually makes my husband cringe -- he would like more matching, etc. I don't care and if he cares, then he can go upstairs and get her dressed. :-)

And there is no way, I would try to teach my husband to do hair. That would NOT be a success for us. :-)

Because his method is to yell at her until she cries. That's fine if you are ok with that going on in your house but I'm not.

[glitzy07]

Jun 15, 2016 14:54:03 GMT -5 spk926 said:

Also, in regards to the pony tails, I think what will help him the most is practice. DH can't do them either and when I was in the hospital having DS and the NICU for a week after I always laughed when I got pictures of DD sent to me by him, my mom, or her daycare lady. The first thing I spotted was her crazy hair. But he tried so hard and she didn't care.

I've seen spk926's H try to do a ponytail. It was comical and then I offered to do it for him.