Zimmermania

Friday, April 20, 2007

Sob Story

So, apparently my Niece enjoys saying "No!" She is 3 years old and very stubborn. I wanted to do a test bog jacket before making an adult sized one, so I figured that a little girl in northern Vermont could use a nice bog jacket in superwash wool. I made it for her in brown (a good dirt disguising color) with stripes of fuchsia, blue and tan, did I-cord around the neck and down the front, and even made matching buttons. The problem is this - She doesn't say she dislikes it, but she absolutely REFUSES to try it on. She is anti anyone telling her what to do right now.

Anyone know how to entice her to see if it actually fits?


17 Comments:

  • Tell her she will look just like her favorite princess and how pretty the colors look on her. Also, let her pick out some fun buttons. It doesn't matter if they look crazy on it..the point is to make it her own. Good luck!

    By Anonymous Anonymous, at 8:00 AM  

  • She's three right? That's three for you. My granddaughter is also at that stubborn age. Her winter jacket is just a wee bit too big for her and she has a fit if she has to wear it!!! And no one can get it on her.
    She'll try it on eventually...just a matter of picking your battles I guess.
    Barbara C. (would love to see jacket myself)

    By Anonymous Anonymous, at 8:00 AM  

  • My daughter was like that about the first sweater I made for her (and a quilt that took 3 years to make). Just give her time. Or tell her she is not allowed to even try it on, and under no circumstances should anyone try to take a picture.

    BTW my daughter came up to me later in the day and said, "I like it NOW."

    By Blogger Beth in WI, at 8:17 AM  

  • hm. My son is three now. Telling him he will look great works sometimes. having someone else tell him to wear something (i.e. sandals instead of wellies in really hot weather) will work -- daycare personnel instead of myself. ARgh. Well, there you go, three-year-olds. The good thing is, that they can also change their mind, sometimes.

    By Blogger Lara 900, at 9:04 AM  

  • Threes are more terrible than twos... My kids are 2 and 4 right now, when I need them to wear something I tell them sadly "Everything else in in the wash... if you want to play outside this is what we have to do."

    Mostly you need to find a (sneaky) way to let the decision lie with the child. The special button idea is great.

    By Anonymous Anonymous, at 9:27 AM  

  • Have a younger sibling or best friend try it on. She'll want it for herself after that!

    Your tale made me smile. My boys are now 10 and 13 and this brings back memories ...

    By Blogger kathy in Juneau, at 10:23 AM  

  • tell her she can't have it!

    By Blogger knitspot anne, at 10:34 AM  

  • no kids here, but I'd try to barter with candy hehehe. 1 sweet for trying the jacket on, another one for having a pic taken etc :)

    Cheers Eva

    By Anonymous Anonymous, at 10:46 AM  

  • I've got a 2 1/2 year old, so I can TOTALLY relate.
    Sometimes, I pretend the pants are talking, the soap is talking, etc., to make him interact with the object. The jacket could say, "Hello! My name is jacket. Can you say hello to my sleeves." Nutty, but sometimes it works!

    By Anonymous Anonymous, at 11:08 AM  

  • Tell her not to try it on with a big smile...tell her not to try it on because you want it for yourself...that usually does the trick with my three year-old.

    By Anonymous Anonymous, at 11:37 AM  

  • As some said : tell her she can't have it. That you'll give if to another child even. Then when she sais she does want to try it, refuse it at first (gently though), and most of the time they really want to wear it then!! :D

    I don't have kids but work with kids with delepmental delays and I have one that's going through his "terrible 3's" right now (he's 5), and it often does work!

    Hope you can solve it!

    Greets from Belgium!

    By Blogger Emily, at 12:48 PM  

  • aww....some good ideas there, like the idea of choosing the buttons to match :^)

    By Blogger picperfic, at 1:05 PM  

  • The trick of asking, "do you want to put on the right sleeve first, or the left sleeve?" works astonishingly well. Except when it doesn't.

    By Blogger AuntieAnn, at 4:16 PM  

  • I'm not a big one for manipulating children. I'm finding the bribery and reverse psychology ideas offered here a bit shocking. (And yes, I have two children of my own, a 5 yo and an almost 3 yo.) Involving her in her own jacket by picking out buttons is probably the best idea, although the BEST idea would have been to involve her from the get-go. My kids pick out their own yarn, or at least get to approve it; they help design their sweaters and hats (yes, even at 5 and not-quite-3). Trying to figure out how to transform their ideas into knitted objects is challenging and satisfying for me, too.

    By Anonymous Anonymous, at 4:44 PM  

  • I agree, bribery is silly. Just leave the sweater around in her room, and she may or may not put it on eventually. If you make a big deal out of it, it will definitely become a big deal.

    By Blogger Liane, at 1:26 AM  

  • Benadryl? (I watch too much House.)

    By Blogger knittingjuju, at 8:20 PM  

  • My first reaction was to just drop the subject with the child, to leave it alone completely. Just leave the sweater out, and say: here's the sweater, and so-and-so would like you to try it on to see if it fits. When you're ready to put it on, let me know, OK? It may take a few days, but I am confident that leaving the decision up to the child will work.
    Who wants to be manipulated? JMHO.

    By Blogger Karin, at 6:02 AM  

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