123
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Skater teen wears shoes with holes, and doesn't care
"I always taught him not to care what other people think..."
Then congratulations! You have achieved one of your parenting goals. It's a pretty good goal, and will often stand him in good stead in ...
- 69.8k
76
votes
Accepted
I want my son to tuck in his school uniform shirt, but he does not want to. What can I do to get him to always tuck it in?
You have already seen that you cannot make him do it. So what can you do?
There are two distinct goals in your question: You want your son to learn dressing appropriately, and you want him to tuck in ...
- 3,012
70
votes
Skater teen wears shoes with holes, and doesn't care
This sounds like a 'perfect rebellion' to me. Your teen is very nearly an adult and could be making other choices that really could be much worse than holey shoes.
Part of the growing up process is ...
- 17.5k
59
votes
Accepted
Using baby clothes that have been in storage for years
There is absolutely no reason not to reuse the clothes if they are not stained or otherwise unusable. Check the smell.
Wash them carefully with the soap you find best for babies as you would new ...
- 927
40
votes
Accepted
What is the right age to teach your kids about weather-appropriate clothing?
It largely depends on the kid, but in general our approach was simple: even at two, suggest but not require unless it was dangerous (read: below freezing for the most part). The more chances they get ...
- 61.8k
35
votes
I want my son to tuck in his school uniform shirt, but he does not want to. What can I do to get him to always tuck it in?
Teaching etiquette around attire and appropriate dress is an important lesson for young people to learn. At 14, your child has probably already learned some of the social norms for attire. Forcing ...
- 381
33
votes
Skater teen wears shoes with holes, and doesn't care
Why are so many people failing to consider the peer pressure and the cultural aspects here and basically advising the mother to make her son the odd one out? Notice the skater teens in your own town ...
- 429
21
votes
Skater teen wears shoes with holes, and doesn't care
I can't say much for "why to look a little more put together in school or in public" exactly because I think if he takes advise from other skaters he may find that you don't need to destroy your shoe ...
- 4,576
21
votes
How to punish my teenage daughter for buying thongs?
Punish her for what? Is it stolen money? Is she not allowed to purchase items with her money without your permission?
If you are instead wondering if you should punish her for buying ‘sexy’ ...
- 664
17
votes
At what age can a child be responsible for deciding whether to wear warm clothes?
My rule of thumb is simple:
My children are free to make informed decisions about themselves that will not cause extended suffering or a trip to the ER/doctor or worse.
So, if it's freezing outside,...
- 271
17
votes
I want my son to tuck in his school uniform shirt, but he does not want to. What can I do to get him to always tuck it in?
At fourteen, your son is past the age of automatically listening to his parents for most children. Instead, he's nearly an adult in many ways. The parental role shifts significantly around this time;...
- 61.8k
13
votes
How can I motivate a 13-year-old girl to take better care of her appearance?
With that background, is getting her into some kind of therapy or at least in contact with a school counsellor an option? OR get someone to help the family in the household? Perhaps even both.
I am ...
- 3,109
12
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Accepted
What expenses should I pay for my 16-year-old daughter
Is this okay? She has been telling me that it's not "normal" or "legit" for her to pay for all of her own clothes...
From what you have written, it sounds as though the only major expense you're not ...
- 69.8k
11
votes
Skater teen wears shoes with holes, and doesn't care
If there is really a hole through the bottom, give him a logical reason like you could step on a nail or bee.
Otherwise, be glad he isn't asking for new $200 shoes constantly.
Kids in my area ...
- 211
11
votes
My daughter wants to express herself, but her school has uniforms?
Give your daughter a scenario where she is provided a great opportunity to study at an internship with a major player in the career path she is interested in. The internship may require a specific ...
- 13.4k
11
votes
My daughter wants to express herself, but her school has uniforms?
While you are asking for suggestions re: how your daughter can express herself with the limitations of being uniformed, I'd like to approach this a bit differently. My answer assumes a rigid uniform ...
- 69.8k
11
votes
13 year old daughter refusing to wear a real bra
It's entirely possible that she is uncomfortable with the changes in her body. Perhaps she would feel more confident in a sports or athletic bra? It may "hold her in place" more securly and allow her ...
- 1,489
10
votes
Skater teen wears shoes with holes, and doesn't care
As someone who used to skate (though not very well), the more torn up your shoes, especially the dominant foot, the more you skate. It was kind of like a badge of honor. The same reason a football ...
- 201
10
votes
Using baby clothes that have been in storage for years
I am allergic to mold, so I've had to educate myself on the stuff.
Hopefully the baby clothes are machine-washable? You'll want to use a sanitizer rather than just laundry soap if there is any mold ...
- 101
9
votes
Accepted
Labeling children's clothing
Permanent marker
If you use permanent markers like Sharpie brand, particularly fine point ones, they usually don't come off in the wash. The school my son goes to uses them to mark their house clothes ...
- 1,193
9
votes
13 year old daughter refusing to wear a real bra
In the end, she has to wear the bra and feel comfortable in it, so you should get her input / feedback. Don't just go shopping for bras on your own, but take her with you. While you can also suggest ...
8
votes
How can I motivate a 13-year-old girl to take better care of her appearance?
If she were a black lipstick girl, would you feel any different? How about tie-dyes with hemp jewelry? Barely legal slut outfits?
If you want her to focus more on her appearance, you're asking her to ...
- 2,118
8
votes
Accepted
How do I handle a teen who doesn't care about dressing well?
He'll go to school in the same clothes multiple days in a row, unshowered
I know that if you're living in the US, this is a no-go, but up until a few years ago this was absolutely no problem for ...
- 8,675
8
votes
I want my son to tuck in his school uniform shirt, but he does not want to. What can I do to get him to always tuck it in?
Keep in mind that the way someone dresses is heavily related to their identity, their personality.
When she was a teenager, my fiancée discovered a style to which she is still sticking to now. The ...
- 181
7
votes
At what age can a child be responsible for deciding whether to wear warm clothes?
This is entirely up to you. I allowed my kids to choose their clothing from a very early age, but to cover off the particular after issue around cold weather, if they decided not to wear gloves or a ...
- 26.6k
7
votes
Accepted
How can I make my 6-year-old daughter zip her jacket up?
In short you cannot make her do it.
You can tell her whenever you see her with it undone but is this really worth it if all it causes is an argument or you getting annoyed when she won’t listen? And ...
- 274
7
votes
I want my son to tuck in his school uniform shirt, but he does not want to. What can I do to get him to always tuck it in?
Wait 6 years.
Done.
That's what the teen age is all about. Too old to listen, too young to know better, too healthy to learn the hard way.
In the years to come, your parental influence will get weaker ...
- 581
6
votes
How do you pass hand-me-downs to a younger sibling without fostering resentment?
I am the youngest of four children. I found, especially when I was younger, that it was not an issue when I got hand me downs. The issues arise when I got older and started, not only being self-...
- 61
6
votes
Accepted
Is it ok to take a 2-month-old baby out on fresh air?
There is no inherent risk for even a newborn just from being outside, compared to being in a building, so yes, it is ok. As a matter of fact, exposing a small child to diverse environments (within ...
- 2,758
6
votes
How do I resolve this bikini problem between wife and daughter?
How do I resolve this issue as it is causing a great deal of unpleasant feelings in the home?
There isn't much you can do to avoid ruffling a lot of feathers about this except to keep yourself calm ...
- 69.8k
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