November 6, 2023
I have a spirited little guy. This autumn, as the temperatures in our corner of the Pacific Northwest have dropped from the 60s to the 50s and even into the 40s, my 7-year-old adamantly insists on sporting shorts and T-shirts every single day, whether we’re indoors or outside.
“It’s chilly outside. Don’t you want to put on some pants?”
“Nope, I’m good, Mom.”
“How about a long-sleeve shirt?”
Not a chance. I’ve stopped even asking if he wants a jacket because I know the answer will be a hard pass.
Maybe it’s because he’s my youngest, and I’ve navigated this wardrobe debate before, or perhaps it’s just my laid-back nature, but I’m not fazed by his clothing choices. If it’s cold, I casually mention that he might want to wear something warmer. I always suggest he take a jacket if we’ll be outside for an extended period, but I don’t force the issue.
I’ve seen some parents take a tough stance on this matter. While I wouldn’t label myself as overly permissive, I do believe in choosing my battles wisely. Engaging in a tug-of-war over pants or coats isn’t worth my time. If he’s cold, he’ll eventually reach for something warmer. And if he chooses to stay in his summer attire and ends up shivering, he’ll learn from that experience. As long as it’s not freezing outside, he’s not going to suffer any dire consequences from the chill.
In fact, according to experts, he’s not going to catch anything. I was curious about the common wisdom surrounding kids bundling up, so I did some digging. Aside from the risk of hypothermia from prolonged exposure to extreme cold (which is unlikely in daily life), letting kids go without a jacket doesn’t make them more susceptible to illness.
The belief that chilly weather leads to colds or pneumonia is mostly an old wives’ tale. Kids contract colds from viruses, not from the air temperature or their body heat. People do tend to get sick more during winter, but that’s largely due to being cooped up indoors with germs rather than the weather itself. It’s the close quarters with sick peers that spreads the illnesses, not the cold air.
I did read that if a child is already under the weather, being out in the cold could exacerbate their symptoms. While that’s not set in stone, I know that when I’m feeling unwell, I don’t want to be outside in the cold either. So, if your kids are sick, definitely bundle them up. But when they’re healthy? There’s no harm in letting them wear short sleeves.
I like to turn weather preparedness into a lesson about natural consequences. Just as a child will learn to eat their dinner if they go to bed hungry, they’ll understand the value of wearing pants and a jacket after experiencing the discomfort of being cold a few times. Recently, I’ve noticed that when I remind my son it’s chilly outside, he replies, “I’ll grab my jacket, just in case.” He’s had enough cold experiences to know better, so I rarely need to insist he takes one anymore. Some lessons are best learned firsthand. The jacket/no jacket debate is a safe way for kids to assert their independence and see the outcomes of their choices, provided it’s not dangerously cold outside.
Just today, as we were gearing up to head to the store, it was 45 degrees and raining. My son was dressed as if we were headed to a beach vacation—short-sleeved polo, shorts, and flip-flops.
“Have you looked outside?” I asked. He peeked out the window, strolled over to the coat closet, and grabbed his winter coat. And off we went to the store—down jacket, shorts, and flip-flops.
He was completely comfortable.
I didn’t say a word.
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In summary, while it can be tempting to engage in clothing battles with your child, sometimes it’s better to let them make their own choices. They’ll learn valuable lessons about comfort and consequences along the way.