Tips for helping girls get ready for school independently

My daughter Kate just turned eight.

Something new this school year is that Kate is wanting to be more independent in many areas. One area I have really noticed her wanting independence is when it comes to choosing her outfits for school and wanting to style her own hair.

Instead of letting this become a battle we sat down and discussed how this could work in a way that would not cause extra frustration for either of us in the mornings.

Here are some tips for helping girls get ready for school independently.

These are some of the things that are currently working in our home.

• Kate and I went through her clothes and selected certain outfits that she liked as school outfits.

• We hung bottoms and a coordinating top together on a hanger.

• The other clothes were folded and put in drawers as home clothes.

• Every morning Kate selects one of the outfits from her closet and get dressed on her own.

• Many of the outfits include a skirt, so she did not want to wear running shoes, so we found that the Enzo Drea shoes were the perfect solution. Not only do these shoes infuse her outfits with a bit of fun and excitement, the sparkling gem embellishments add that touch of glam that she loves. The shoes have a slip-on design, cushioned footbed and flexible rubber outsole which make them comfortable for school. Kate can wear the Enzo Drea shoes with jeans, tights or a skirt, so not having to make a decision about what shoes to wear each morning saves us time.

• As for Kate having her hair done, she chooses to have her hair down, in a ponytail or in a side braid – all other hairstyles are done with the help of mom or they wait for a non-school day where she has more time to play around with what she wants. She has a mirror in her room and (for the most part) gets ready on her own.

It’s hard to believe she is growing up. I’m glad she is learning to be independent and I’m happy as a mom to help her on this journey.

Of course there are days where she needs a little extra help, and that’s ok. I wonder what other things she will want to start doing on her own this year.

Every child is so different – my youngest daughter was born independent and wanting to choose her own clothes from the moment she could talk, I have friends children who were in middle school before they wanted to choose their own clothes. I try to follow the lead of my children and help them become independent in different areas as they show interest.

Do your children like to get ready for school on their own?

The shoes featured in this post are Enzo Drea shoes – available in toddler size 8 – youth size 4 and can be purchased at Zappos for an average retail price of $49.99.