Child is deeply attached to T shirt

mmalaka

I know about the case when a child become deeply attached to something like a blanket I know a family with a child like this, he take his blanket with him everywhere.

my child (a girl of 3 years old) is deeply attached to a T shirt we had to buy another one that is exactly the same coz she refuse to change it, she just switch between both of them, if she saw one of them inside the washing machine she just wait infront of it until the washing finish to get it, me and my wife tried to change that by dressing her a different Tshirts with nice cartoons but it did not work, I remmber one time when we tried this she become so sad and refused to play or do anything (she usually very active) so we gave her the Tshirt and she become very happey. It is a summer T shirt and she refuse to put anything on top of it and the winter is coming....

Any Advice?

Dfens

Lots of layers, little vests & a long sleeve top underneath for indoors wear. She'll probably get over this phase in a while.

Davidth88

Thats so cute , I have in my minds eye now a little girl looking forlorn in front of a washing machine ........


Layers is a good idea , lets hope she does not grow too quickly before she gets bored of this eh !

littlebitdull

I have no personal experience of this. But if you feel you want to indulge it for a while I would also suggest getting a polo neck or similar top for under it.

If you want to get her out of it maybe start with one day a week, then build up gradually till its not such a big thing for her.

My own three children became attached to a particular teddy each, and certainly the younger one (9) would still insist on having her ted with her in bed each night. I never saw the harm in it myself, but it was easier with a toy than an item of clothing.

mmalaka

Dfens wrote: »

Lots of layers, little vests & a long sleeve top underneath for indoors wear. She'll probably get over this phase in a while.

I will try that but I do not think that we can fit a lot of layers under that T shirt...

mmalaka

littlebitdull wrote: »

I have no personal experience of this. But if you feel you want to indulge it for a while I would also suggest getting a polo neck or similar top for under it.

If you want to get her out of it maybe start with one day a week, then build up gradually till its not such a big thing for her.

My own three children became attached to a particular teddy each, and certainly the younger one (9) would still insist on having her ted with her in bed each night. I never saw the harm in it myself, but it was easier with a toy than an item of clothing.

it is much easier with a toy, but we got a unique child she does not care about toys at all... her most popular toy is my laptop:D

LolaDub

My little girl is very attached to a princess dress-its a snow white costume dress. She can live without it but every morning tries to find it and goes mad to put it on. I don't really know what to do other than let the phase go on its own course. Would you bring her clothes shopping and let her find something herself?

kizzyr

Did you ask her what she finds so special about the t-shirt? When I was little I had a vest (of all things:o) that I loved and wouldn't wear anything my mum picked out if I wasn't able to put that on under everything.
It was the feel of the material that I loved and I'd suck my thumb and rub my stomach through the vest when I got tired or upset.

Weidii

I was like this with a blanket when I was a kid.

My mam dealt with it by taking the blanket from me and telling me that she sent them to a poor child who had no blanket. I was really upset about it for a couple of weeks, but eventually got over it and didn't figure out that it was in her wardrobe all along til quite recently

kizzyr

Weidii wrote: »

I was like this with a blanket when I was a kid.

My mam dealt with it by taking the blanket from me and telling me that she sent them to a poor child who had no blanket. I was really upset about it for a couple of weeks, but eventually got over it and didn't figure out that it was in her wardrobe all along til quite recently

Did you leave it there or take it back? My little sister was really attached to a pink blanket that she used to call her "pinkey". If it was missing at bedtime she would cry and cry and then cry some more. Eventually she gave it up and was a decision she made herself. Recently she was staying with me for a while and when I went into her room after she left to change the sheet on her bed I discovered her pinkey under the pillow! She had left it behind by mistake.
It was so funny when I called her to say she left something behind.Poor 23 year old girl was mortified:D
Apparently its so soft she loves the feel of it on her face when she goes to sleep and puts it over her pillow to lie on. Big baby.

needadvice

I've always taken a very laid back approach to such matters. This is familiar territory and I'm guessing......could be very wrong....... that she is your first. Its going to sound mad but I would virtually ignore it I would let her wear it I would only have one or at least never three and treat it as the most normal thing in the world, She will dress if cold but not cause you tell her to which is attached to criticising what she's choosing. Honestly take a deep breath and leave it alone. It will pass.

lostinnappies

AAAWWWWWHHHH, how cute is that lol.

My little fella was the same with a hat of his. I swear i didnt see his hair for about 6 months. Fortunatley for us his head grew too big for it lol so he figured it was time to give it up.

Perhaps you could try taking her shopping and make a big deal out of finding something "special" for her to wear which could be her new fad. Make a bid deal out of it.

Nevyn

Honestly I would have not bought a second one and I would have made her tough it out if it was in the wash.

Going shopping for a pretty pink fleece may be a distraction and get her to wear it over the tshirt.

I had something simular once and started getting one of the teddies to wear it at night to 'mind' it and when he started to grow out of the top teddy would mind it for him and when he was away for the weekend it disappeared.

kelle

This brings back memories! My son became so attached to a "Cheeky Monkey" long-sleeved jersey he refused to wear anything else. Thank goodness it was long-sleeved as it was wintertime. We'd wash it when he went to bed at night, and then put it in the dryer ready for next morning. If we didn't he would (like OP's daughter) sit in front of the dryer waiting for it! We tried to get an identical jersey, but my sister-in-law had bought it in a clearance sale so there was no hope of getting a copy! He stopped after about 3 months, probably discovered something else he preferred - it's so long ago I can't remember why.

Demonique

My sister was very attached to her bottle (or was it me? Can't remember which of us it was). My parents hid the bottle and told her a big bird came in the window and took it away and she accepted that and thought nothing more of it

TargetWidow

My mother made the mistake of telling my older brother " a bold monkey" came in the night and stole his bottle when it was time to get rid of his bottles. About 3 months later she was bringing him for a night stroll though the Rose of Tralee festival to see all the stalls and fireworks and they came across a man with a little cappucin monkey taking photos. My brother suddenly booted the monkey with his big tough clarkes shoes and roared "Bold nunkey- stole my boppley!" The monkey was stunned but unhurt (except possibly emotionally, at the unjust accusation!) The man was furious and my poor mother was mortified! We still tease my brother about it today. Careful what you tell them if you must. They might hold a grudge!:D

zoemax

My four year old was the same with her pink blanky. It had to go everywhere with her when she was younger and she could not sleep unless she was rubbing the tag from the blanket on her face. If she really wanted to get your attention or if she had been scolded for misbehaving she would rub the tag on your face to get back on your good side. She had this blanket from birth and still has it but she grew out of having to carry it everywhere a while back. It sits on her bed now but she rarely holds it, unless she is sick when it comes back out. My three year old son is exactly the same with a blue blanket, rubs the tag on his face the same way. He has already started growing out of it and again only looks for the blanket when going to bed. I'm am sure your one will grow out of it at soon enough.

Weidii

kizzyr wrote: »

Did you leave it there or take it back?

I took it out and made a dog bed for a sick mutt with it. Needless to say it was soon wrecked. Brought a tear to my eye :P

luckat

Why on earth should it matter? It's her body! If she wants to put her own favourite T-shirt on it, what business is it of anyone else's?

Half my friends spend their life trying to get rid of their husband's scruffy old favourite jacket. Live with it!

Daithi McGee

You can either wean the child off it, slowly cut lumps out it and blame reason beyond their understanding. That is the best way for the whole blanket thing or you can try what my parents did with dumbies.

Start a fire and chuck things into it then ask your kid to throw in the T shirt.

Hell of a catch 22 when you are only 3

mmalaka

Last week we tried to change the T-shirt for Sara (my child) we got for her a nice orange T-shirt with some kind of cartoon logo, she cried so I gave her the old T-shirt to hold it, she started looking to it and like comparing it with the new one that she was wearing, she stopped crying but she hold the old T-shirt for a while, she was moving in the house, playing, with the T-shirt in her hand, then she just forget about it. and now it is about week, she changed a lot of T-shirt and never asked for that old T-shirt that she used to be attached to it...:);)