If you’re in the habit of setting out your child’s clothes before school, now is a good time to stop. Let them make the decisions about what they need to wear. If it’s OK for something to be in the closet, your child should be allowed to wear it when they wish. What your child wears to school should be up to them, within reason.
Don’t just buy them clothes. Sudden growth-spurts can make it tough to dress a pre-teen, so you need to make sure items fit properly and flatter your child. Take them to the store with you. Some 12 year-olds may be perfectly content to let a parent continue picking out clothes for them, while others may suddenly have a new-found interest in what’s “cool. " Both of these are normal reactions. It’s still good to get some input.
Let your kid explore different stores and try on clothes. As long as something is appropriate and within your budget, let your child have some input. Make a day of it. Hand-me-downs might be an essential part of staying in budget for your family, but try to get the kid new clothes every now and then. You can still shop on a budget. Make it clear what you can afford to spend before you head to the mall, and let your child make decisions about how to spend that money.
No overly revealing or crude messages on clothing. Nothing over a certain price price point. Clothes must be clean and fit properly.
If your kid comes home suddenly hating all their clothes and wanting to wear something unusual, talk to other parents. Find out if their kids have done similar things lately. It could be a new trend you don’t know about. Find out about what kinds of rules other parents have for their own kids’ wardrobe. Try and find out whether or not you’re more or less strict than other parents. That doesn’t mean you need to change, but it’s helpful to know.
Even if you don’t want your child doing laundry alone, let them know the process. Teach them how to do it and let them help. This will show them that wearing a t-shirt once and then throwing it in the hamper probably isn’t necessary.
Use your child’s interest as a teachable moment. If your 12 year-old wants to learn about make-up, show them how to apply it appropriately instead of denying them and letting them try and figure it out in the bathroom at school.
