It's a sweltering 10 degrees outside! Who needs hats and mittens?!! You learn so much about some parents in this business!

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I know. I have the same thing. I have one in particular that comes in with no mittens everyday. It's not even been 10 here and his hands are freezing. Then at the end of the day when it's about 18 degrees, he refuses (lol) to put a hat or mittens on for mom. She just says, oh you're going to be cold. Yea, he doesn't care. All he cares about is he just won that fight. DUH! I don't recall ever having a discussion with my kids when they were 2 on whether or not they would wear a hat and mittens when it's been below 15 degrees out. It was a given.

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One didn't have the hat she wanted so she wouldn't wear it and it's just "easier" not to put mittens on the other one. Well my kids wear everything because I tell them to!!! It has been well below zero and they come in half-dressed.

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I have 2 brothers who come in every day with no coats hats , gloves , no matter how cold ( one even wears shorts). Mom does not care she said then they will learn if they get cold .

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When my son was in pre-k they called that learning by "logical consequences". My son is almost 11 and I still use this sort of thing with him today.

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I would never accept a child into care that didn't have the proper outdoor gear.

What if you had an emergency (fire, gas leak etc) where you had to immediately leave the house?

Those little guys would be outside with nothing to protect them from the weather.

Unfortunately, YOU would be the one responsible.

There are alot of other ways to teach children natural or logical consequences without involving their health or safety.

I would REQUIRE the parents have all the proper clothing for their children before leaving them with you.

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I parent like this to an extent. While I may permit them to go out and get to the point of uncomfortable. I would still have the necessary gear with me. If it was dangerously cold, then no, just not an option. I also will not insist multiple times they must wear it, and then cave at their resistance. If weather depicts that certain gear is a must, then a must it is. If they will just be miserable, and maybe learn that wearing the gear brings warmth and comfort next time, then well it can be a fast lesson to learn. Would depend on age too.

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They come with everything. Either carrying it or in their bag. I have to go looking for what we need when we go to the school for my kids. It was a fight at first but now they know what they need for here. I told parents that they were wearing my kids' stuff before they sent it.

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Having my own back-up gear is a life saver.

I don't like waiting for the parent to drive back home, with their child, to pick up THEIR forgotten items. I really don't like having to go through another round of drop off behavior for their error in planning.

I am responsible for the kid having winter gear once they step across my doorway.

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I do this to a certain degree with my kids and the dck's. I call it learning through experience. Sometimes you can tell them until your blue in the face that ____ will happen if they don't ____. It's not until they actually experience it that they realize what you mean, then the next time the situation arises they remember and now they know what you mean.

Most dck's here are reluctant at some point to wear mittens until their hands are cold then they are much more willing to wear them. Once they see what is meant by "your hands will be very cold without your mittens" they don't argue much.

Being dressed for the weather at daycare is a different story though since you are the one held accountable. Coats and hats are not optional.

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