Parent 'helps' with dressing by doing something obviously wrong: sock on the hand, shirt on backwards, shoes on the wrong feet. Child must correct the error. Getting dressed converts from a compliance task to a problem-solving one. The child who refused to dress for a parent will insist on fixing what the parent did wrong.
What you need
- child's clothes (already present)
How to do it
- 1Offer to help, then immediately do something wrong. 'Here — sock on your hand.'
- 2Wait for the correction. 'On the foot? Show me how.'
- 3Repeat with the next item: shirt backwards, shoes swapped.
- 4Each correction means doing it right themselves. Getting dressed stops being about compliance.
Variations
- If they don't bite on the mistake: act genuinely stuck — 'Hm, this isn't working, is it?' — and wait a beat instead of asking directly; most kids can't resist stepping in to fix it.
- How it ends: once the last item is corrected, act relieved rather than announcing the game's over — 'Finally, I got it right' — and move straight to the next part of the morning.
💡 Parent tip
Commit fully to the mistake. Genuine bafflement is funnier and more effective than a wink. The less you let on, the longer it works.
What your child develops
- Agency through correction — fixing an error feels like power, not compliance
- Fine motor practice — demonstrating the correct technique develops dressing skills
- Humour as motivator — laughter at a parent's mistake creates willingness to engage
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