Sometimes parents dress their kids like business professionals for [some cruel, twisted form of] fun. If parents still dress their children in outfits like this for no good reason after the child is able to choose his or her own clothes, they hinder their creative freedom. Children want to wear the clothes they like, not what their parents feel like they should wear. Of course, parents can help their children make decisions about what to wear on a given day, but to subject them to a childhood void of creative freedoms like this one would slow their creative and personal growth.

Some parents see it necessary to dress their children without giving them any say in the matter. This may be the case for several reasons. If the parent was raised with no creative freedom over their clothing, they are likely to project the same practices onto their child. Some parents may worry about what other parents, even strangers, will think about them when they see their colorful children in public. However, whatever makes parents hesitate is well worth sacrificing for the child’s creative development.

When a parent allows a child to have creative freedom, they are required to let go of some amount of certainty. They no longer have control over the outfits their child picks, so they let go of the certainty of knowing exactly what their child will wear every day. With this comes the fear of being looked down upon by other parents, another obstacle to overcome for the benefit of the child.

It may be overwhelming for younger children to choose one outfit from their entire wardrobe each day because their decision-making and processing skills have not fully developed. In order to avoid overly stressful situations or snags in the family's morning routine, parents can consider laying out a few mix-and-match options for their young children to choose from.

When children are given the responsibility of picking out their own clothes, they are given an opportunity to develop their decision-making skills from a young age. This decision-making process, though it may seem trivial, enables them to make healthy decisions through older childhood and into adulthood. This will work to their advantage when it comes time to choose a job, a school, a career, and even a partner.

Since the idea of letting children choose their own clothing is still foreign to many parents, it is the responsibility of those who work with children and families to inform them of its importance. These people include teachers, children's ministers, child and family therapists, and writers for books and magazines on parenting. These people have strong influences on parents and children alike, and their voices are heard by many families on a daily basis. For these reasons, they should be actively working to inform parents of young children about the creative and personal growth that will occur when children are given freedom over their wardrobes.

Ultimately, the idea of letting children choose outfits independently may scare parents at first, but the benefits of this parenting practice outweigh the drawbacks. Children will be free to grow creatively, make smaller independent decisions, and express their unique personalities. Parents of young children should strongly consider loosening their hold on their child's wardrobe and encouraging creative development by allowing their children to choose what they wear.

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