I’ve got a fiery little guy. As the temperatures in the Pacific Northwest have plummeted from the 60s to the 50s and even dipped into the 40s, my 7-year-old insists on rocking shorts and T-shirts daily, whether we’re indoors or out.
“It’s freezing outside! Don’t you want to throw on some pants?”
“Nope, I’m good, Mom.”
“How about a long-sleeve shirt?”
Not a chance. I’ve stopped even asking him about a jacket; it’s a lost cause!
Being the youngest, I’ve already navigated this territory before, and maybe my naturally laid-back attitude helps. I typically suggest he wear warmer clothes when it’s chilly. If we’re going to be outside for an extended period, I’ll remind him to grab a jacket, but I won’t force it.
I’ve seen parents take a hard line on this issue. While I don’t consider myself overly permissive, I do choose my battles wisely. Arguing about pants or jackets isn’t something I want to engage in. If he’s cold, he’ll figure it out and put on something warmer. If he chooses not to and ends up shivering, that’s a lesson learned for next time. As long as it’s not frigid outside, he won’t catch a deathly chill.
Interestingly, experts say he won’t catch anything at all. I was curious about the conventional wisdom surrounding bundling up kids, so I did some digging. Aside from the rare case of hypothermia from prolonged exposure to cold—which is unlikely to occur in normal situations—letting kids forgo jackets doesn’t make them more susceptible to illness.
The belief that kids get colds or pneumonia from being cold is largely a persistent myth. Colds are caused by viruses, not by chilly air or their body temperature. While people do tend to catch more colds in winter, that’s more about being cooped up indoors with germs than about the weather itself. It’s all about sharing air with sick individuals, not the temperature outside.
I did find that if a child is already feeling under the weather, being outdoors in the cold could worsen their symptoms. It’s not a hard-and-fast rule, but I know I don’t want to be out in the cold when I’m sick either. So, if your kids have the sniffles, by all means, bundle them up. But if they’re healthy? Let them sport those short sleeves.
I see preparing for the weather as an opportunity for natural consequences. Just like a kid might learn to finish their dinner if they go to bed hungry, they’ll figure out to put on pants and a jacket if they find themselves uncomfortably cold enough times. I’ve noticed that when I tell my son it’s chilly out, he often responds, “I’ll bring my jacket, just in case.” He’s learned from his own chilly experiences, so I rarely have to remind him to grab one anymore. Some kids need to learn through firsthand experience, and the jacket/no jacket dilemma provides a safe way for them to exercise their independence.
Just the other day, we were heading to the store, and it was 45 degrees with rain pouring down. My son was dressed like we were heading to a beach vacation—short-sleeved polo, shorts, and flip-flops. “Have you looked outside?” I asked. He peered out the window, then headed to the coat closet and put on his winter coat. And off he went—down jacket, shorts, and flip-flops.
He was completely comfortable. I didn’t say a word.
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In summary, picking your battles as a parent is vital. Allowing kids to make their own clothing choices, even if it means being chilly, can teach them valuable lessons about comfort and independence. With the right balance, kids can learn to dress appropriately without unnecessary arguments.