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Ugh, following for tips. Getting our 3 year old to dress himself is our white whale! We've tried all sorts of things, but nothing's worked long term. He picks his clothes out the night before and I think that helps, but everything else is a crapshoot. I think he's stalling because he doesn't want to go to school or maybe he's angling for more attention for us? But, yeah, I have some epic meltdowns over here

Its tough. We have started using the buzz word "Focus". You need to "focus" on getting dressed and then you can go back to playing. If she does all her routine without loosing focus I do lots of praise and sometimes a small reward (because you did such a good job getting ready so fast, mommy has time to make you chocolate milk this morning for in the car).

When I am solo, I don't get her till right before we leave. Or she comes out of her room when she hears me in the kitchen. We go right to the bathroom and while she is going potty, I grab her clothes. Then I get her dressed right there in the bathroom. I will even put her socks, underwear, and pants on while she is still sitting down. She know that we have to get out the door. This morning she was goofing around and I just sit there and don't respond to her till she lets me get her dressed. Then teeth and hair and we are out the door.

@Mamaof2: I can't wait till DD can do this 100%! Right now she can do bottoms and shirts with buttons. But she can't do anything over her head.

I had to show my son that I was the boss. This meant that I didn't dress him on his bed, where he would jump, fall, use it as a trampoline, etc. I had to designate a spot in his room and basically put an X marks the spot piece of tape on the floor and that is where he had to stay (it worked in daycare to have the kids sit for reading, so I figured I would try it). It is also out of his reach to play with any toys, lol.

I also have all the clothes in arms reach, I realized he would use the time when I would be picking stuff out to fool around. I also used a timer, which my son hated, but he realized pretty quickly that it was either get dressed without it, or get dressed with it.

My LO is younger I think (23mo) so maybe different, but I just give him a choice at every stage if possible, and follow through if he messes around. So first he can decide does he want to get dressed now or after I shower (he chooses now surprisingly often). Then he can decide does he want to choose his clothes or want me to choose them. Then does he want me to come and dress him where he is at that moment (usually in the living room with the TV on), or does he want to be dressed on his changing mat (he absolutely does not). If he messes around he gets one warning before he is taken to the changing mat and dressed laying down. I never chase him around as he thinks that is hilarious. I also do a lot of asking him to put his own limbs in the holes etc. - but I am sure you are already doing that if LO is older.

We put a 42" tv in our room and put Peppa Pig on for her. Her concentration window is about three episodes so I have to get her dressed first (on our bed), then shower - she usually starts destroying the place by the time I start drying my hair. If I decide to shower first, the game is lost!

I posted about this a few weeks ago. Getting DS dressed is often the worst part of my entire day. My entire morning is usually spent corralling him and getting him to do things he has absolutely no interest in like getting dressed, putting on shoes, getting in the car. I'm mentally exhausted from the struggle by the time I drop him off in the morning.

Lately I've started getting him dressed while he stands in his learning tower and eats breakfast. I've become a pro at putting a diaper on him while's standing.

Other things that sometimes work are counting to 3 and giving him a choice of getting dressed in spot X or Y. He's such a weirdo about counting to 3, he actually loves it and gets really excited when we get to 3.

I get her dressed immediately after waking her up in her room - as in, she is not allowed to leave the room until she's dressed / hair done. Recently I've started letting her watch a 60 second kids video on my phone when I do her hair because she hates that part, I save it for last though so we have to get the rest of our clothes on before she can get it.

We pick out her clothes before bed and lay them out. Then she's not allowed out of her room until she's dressed.

Right after she gets up we get dressed and then can go down to breakfast. She knows that's the routine so it has worked so far.

We had a really rough time this summer and I realized that she needs to be dressed by 9am or we have a fight. Getting her dressed first thing has literally taken all the pain away.

We have the struggle daily. It's so aggravating! Interesting that so many do it first thing in the morning before doing anything else. LO is so grumpy when she wakes up so I never thought to do that but going to give it a shot.

@Mrs. Oatmeal: YES this. Unless we're going to the park.....

We always get dressed first thing in the morning before coming downstairs. She wakes up, picks her clothes, goes potty and we get dressed in the bathroom 90% of the time. Then brush her hair and brush her teeth and come downstairs to play while I make breakfast.

I also always wait until after breakfast unless there is a pressing reason not to (like we are really in a rush, or she soaked through her diaper and needs to be changed anyway). We are all pretty slow in the morning though.

Most of the time she isn't too bad about it though, and when she is fooling around and driving me crazy, I either end up yelling and losing my temper, changing her while she is watching tv and barely even notices me, or sometimes remind her of the fun place we are going and why we have to hurry.

Sing? We have a ridiculous song that I sing that's essentially me directing her what to do. We use the same one on the one year old for distraction. I implemented no more being on the bed when dressing this morning.

i had problems when i tried to rush him on daycare mornings and wanted him dressed right away. he would insist on keeping his pjs on. i finally stopped fighting him and let getting dressed be the last we do and it was easier that way. on weekends i give him the choice "pjs or clothes", until we actually have to go somewhere. lately though, he has been letting me dress him first thing, so it seems his obsession with keeping his pjs on for as long as possible was just a phase.

So far we haven't had too many problems. My older LO picks out his own clothes and gets himself dressed for the most part. If we are in a hurry or he is being particularly pokey, I will help him. Getting dressed is the last thing we do before leaving the house since I'm always afraid of breakfast messes or toothpaste drips and having to change again.