Why do kids dress for June when it's January?

[The Straight Story]

Why do kids dress for June when it's January?

NEW YORK -- Among the great spectacles of winter, along with the northern lights and frozen lakes, are coatless kids.

No coat, no gloves? No prob!

These teens and tweens are chillin' out, literally and figuratively, in their sweatshirts and kicks. Maybe a boy will accessorize with a baseball cap, and a girl might choose stylish boots - but nothing weatherproof, please! Some boys even wear shorts year-round, and many parents say they've given up the fight.

For example, Jack Rogers, 12, of Fishers, Ind., was wearing shorts last week. "I know lots of kids who do that," he said.

His grandma doesn't understand. "It's 15 degrees. Why doesn't he have a coat on him?" she asked.

"I told her, 'I have to pick and choose my battles,'" recalled Jack's mom, Shelley Rogers Landes. "I need to let him make decisions that really are inconsequential at the end of day."

In a telephone interview, Jack explained his reasons for dressing light in winter: "Coats are just a hassle, putting it all on. It makes me bulky. I just like to be in short sleeves."

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2011/01/03/AR2011010302833.html

[valerief]

1. They don't have to walk anymore, I guess. nt

[slackmaster]

2. Maybe the country has been stealthily invaded by Finns

:hide:

[pnwmom]

3. Because they're driven everywhere? And never spend more than

a few minutes outside? I don't know, but I gave up on my son some time ago. But when he's with me, I make him take a coat -- even if he never puts it on.

[jberryhill]

10. I'm so glad to hear I'm not the only one

I puzzle over this every winter, and wonder what I have done wrong that mine is the same way.

[pnwmom]

48. Probably your children's friends are doing the same thing.

For what little comfort that is.

(But tell them to put a coat in the backseat, in case the car breaks down!)

P.S. I read somewhere that when you're cold you burn more calories. My kids all had a healthy weight so I decided maybe whatever they were doing was working for them.

[me b zola]

4. That's how many of us adults dress in the pacific north west

...unless we're on our bikes, then we need to break the cool/cold air and wetness more efficiently. :shrug:

[Davis_X_Machina]

5. Conversely, the girls at least...

...will still be wearing those suede-and-fleece boots when the temps are in the 70's

[virgogal]

9. Uggs with a bikini-----quite a sight.

[hlthe2b]

31. I can't believe how sweaty those things make your feet...

That they can stand to wear them inside, is amazing, much less in the summertime.

[virgogal]

35. I know. Fashion trends and peer pressures rule at that age, They

eventually smarten up.

[FLAprogressive]

6. The real question is why do kids dress for January when it's June????

[nadinbrzezinski]

7. It will be inconsequential until kid

gets trapped in a cold car that broke down for a few hours.

Then it will really be inconsequential... since well, shit fifteen year olds do not get hypothermia.

I get it, sort off, when the locals go play in the snow. It is not like most locals own the clothes... but people who live in cold country... are just IDIOTS!

[jberryhill]

8. My 17 year old has a teflon coating that makes outerwear slide right off

I don't freaking understand it at all, and I am a parent of one of those kids you see outside in a t-shirt with their arms held closely and their hands jammed in their pockets.

He has perfectly good winter gear, but getting it on him is more difficult than diapers when he was that age.

[virgogal]

11. Don't waste your time trying. I used to say,"So freeze,not my problem".

They were never sick.

[jberryhill]

13. I worry about him getting stuck somewhere and having to tough it out or walk

[virgogal]

33. Then he'll learn the hard way. It will get better in about 2 years so

hang in there.

[pnwmom]

55. I'm not so sure about your timeline.

Speaking as the mother of a 23 year old. Oh well.

:)

[virgogal]

57. They are all different,aren't they? My 3 boys became fairly sensible around

19 or 20.

Sensible meaning coming in out of the rain and wearing a coat when it was freezing outside.

The partying etc. went on for a while longer.

[pnwmom]

58. My daughter was born sensible

but not my sons.

They are all equally lovable, however.

:)

[virgogal]

62. You've got that right.

[jberryhill]

64. You have a point

Come to think of it, my older one bought himself a warm coat this year.

[pnwmom]

49. LOL. n/t

[seabeyond]

12. rule. jeans from dec 1 thru march 1. regardless. no argument. and

if the day is going to be under 50 before or after those days.

why is this a battle? dont know. but it is. i dont know how many kids i see short sleeves, shorts in 30, 40 degree weather.

[OneTenthofOnePercent]

14. "many parents say they've given up the fight"

This. Parents aren't parents anymore. They've gone soft. They try to be their kids' best friends or peers. Evidenced by the quote in the article, 'I have to pick and choose my battles' it seems that the parents are not firmly dictating any behavioral qualities.

Kids need a firm hand and guidance. Tell the little shits that they need to dress appropriately or stay in the fucking house. Period. Picking and choosing your battles... that's bullshit. The only thing you need to pick or choose should be whether to use the belt or the paddle on their insolent asses.

I don't know... maybe I'm too oldschool.

[jberryhill]

16. I was never threatened into wearing winter clothing

I did it because it was COLD outside.

[seabeyond]

20. let my 13 yr old read your post just now. gave us a chuckle AND

just kinda reinforced my rule again that i wrote above. thanks.

[OneTenthofOnePercent]

26. Sounds like you raised your little ones with some respect...

Kudos.

You see, it's not about spanking kids for meanial tasks like wearing a jacket... that's stupid. Obviously only an asshole would threaten a kid with punishment for frezzing themselves. As you grow up you need to learn that if you disobey there will be consequences. Harp on the major issues and if raised well, manners and obedience will trickle down to even everyday tasks. By the time a child is old enough to have "to pick and choose battles" with they should also have learned NOT TO. If nothing else, they should wear a coat because they were asked to by thier parents (even if they think coats are silly).

And (if you have boys) they will have to relearn this lesson again once they married. The first few years of marriage are like being 12 again (except the sex is real and not in your head). Even though they have a system that works for taking the garbage out at 4am in thier underwear as the garbage truck is barrelling down the street (I'll bet they wished they were dressed appropriately)... when your wife asks you to take the trash out the night before you should just do it. Not because her way is better (b/c it's not) or because you want to avoid a fight (you cannot win)... you take the trash out the night before because you should JUST LISTEN. Also a little bit because the cops said you're going to be on a watch list if they catch you in your undies in public again - but mostly because your WIFE SAID SO.

It's like the simplest task but the hardest thing to teach kids... JUST LISTEN!!!

[pnwmom]

51. Raising little ones with some respect doesn't require hitting them.

And even most little ones who are raised to show respect often want to demonstrate their independence as teens in ways that might irritate their parents.

Good luck on your parenting theories. We have never hit our children (who are all successful young adults now) because we had parents who hit -- and good memories. So we had to learn other methods of discipline that required a lot more patience and discipline on our own parts.

You might win the apparent compliance of your children with your method, for years even. But you won't get all their love. A part of that place in their hearts will always hold a memory of the fear, anger, and resentment that a child felt toward the parent who chose to hit them.

[Xithras]

40. Aww bull.

It was in the upper 30's and foggy as hell here this morning, and my 14 year old son was outside stacking firewood in cutoffs and a tee shirt. I could have yelled at him, but I didn't. Why not?

WHAT'S THE POINT? Why argue for the sake of arguing? What is there to gain from telling him to go put a coat on? It's his body, and if he wants to freeze his ass off while his perfectly serviceable coat hangs in the closet, that's his problem. It's not hurting me, or anyone else, so let the boy freeze.

If he gets too uncomfortable, he'll put his damned jacket on himself.

Why would you argue with a kid over THEIR comfort? If the kid CHOOSES to be uncomfortable, that's HIS problem. Let the insolent little bastards suffer.

[pnwmom]

52. Exactly. The perfect time to use "logical consequences."

Someday the teen will be wearing coats again, but it won't be because you forced him to. It will be because he finally decided he was sick of the consequences.

[pnwmom]

50. I think "pick and choose your battles" makes perfect sense.

If you have a 17 year old who is a year away from all the freedom and independence that comes with college, s/he should be 95% of the way there, developmentally. And, in my opinion, that means getting to decide if s/he wants to risk being cold.

On the other hand, it doesn't mean drinking alcohol or using street drugs, either at home or elsewhere.

I haven't gone soft. But you are "too old school" if you're serious about what you say; it would be abusive to beat any child for not wearing a coat. And in my state, we're not soft on child abusers -- people who use belts and paddles on their children (at any age or for any reason) can lose custody or go to jail.

[blueamy66]

68. I was going to respond.....

but you just did it for me.

Spot on.

[dkofos]

15. Pure stupidity

[pipi_k]

17. Not just kids, although...

any adults I see dressing for summer are at least waiting until March or April to do it.

Sandals. No socks. In 45 degree weather.



It makes me cringe in pain. Maybe it's because I have Raynaud's Syndrome and my hands and feet are cold nearly all year long (except for July and August), and I wear socks even in the middle of summer.


But anyway, yeah...I've seen the young kids running around in shorts even in the middle of snowstorms.

I figure...whatever. If it's about fashion, then they'll be cold. Just like when I was younger and wore the stupid shoes...platforms...very high heels...squished up pointed toes...that ultimately ended up ruining my feet.

Young people often have oatmeal where their brains should be.

[uppityperson]

18. We used to do this back in late 60's early 70's. Leave house and dump clothing

It's not a new phenomenon and I don't really know why except we just did/they just do.

[etherealtruth]

37. "We" did it in the late 70's / early 80's

We also engaged in a lot more harmful behaviors.

Kids! (us and them)

[uppityperson]

39. Isn't that the truth. eom

[NV Whino]

19. They're all going to grow up to be UPS drivers.

[OneTenthofOnePercent]

28. LOL, best post of the thread!

[pnwmom]

53. Wearing shorts all year! LOL. n/t

[pscot]

21. Global warming.

[sad sally]

22. Notice how the news-reading tv people dress?

Men will have on a 3-piece suit and long-sleeve shirt; woman sitting next to him has on sleeveless top cut down almost to her navel, displaying cleavage, very short skirt and maybe nylons.

My husband has commented many a times that either one of 'em is freezing or one is sweating, 'cause it just doesn't seem right.

[JVS]

25. According to what I heard, the guy is wearing boxers behind the desk.

[northoftheborder]

23. I didn't realize this was a national phenomenon.

My grandchildren are the same. boys. They wear the least amount of clothing possible, regardless of the weather: baggy shorts, jeans with holes, those socks which have no ankles, sometimes sandals, thin t-shirts, maybe a sweater with a hood. If it's really cold, (in the 30's here) and they have to be outside over time, they might wear a knit cap, long sleeved knit shirt, and some sort of thermal jacket, thin, but they say insulated. I don't understand it. I'm not cold natured, but I will have on a quilted coat with hood, neck scarf, heavy socks, long pants and gloves in the same weather.

[peace13]

24. I'm 53 an up until a couple of years ago I always wore shorts in the winter.

My son was the only kid at preschool with shorts and a sweatshirt on in November. We were never sick. I put the coats and hats and blankets in the car. If we got stuck we had them.He wears a Carhardt(sp) jacket like many of his friends now when it gets could out and seems perfectly normal.

When he was younger I was more of a stickler for him carrying his cell phone and a credit card in case he had an emergency. I also wanted to hear from him to know that he got to his destination when the weather was bad. See, some parents aren't lazy for a fight. They let their kids make as many decisions as they can. I know I always tried to teach my son to think so that if he hadn't learned a rule for the situation then he could use his head and work it out.

[pnwmom]

56. Why do women wear sleeveless dresses and no stockings in the winter?

Should we have our heat so high indoors that women can wear sleeveless dresses and no stockings and still feel comfortable? What a waste of energy.

It's all about fashion, whether it's adults or teens wearing the stupid clothes.

[cleanhippie]

27. For the same reason we all did "strange" things that grown-ups didn't understand.

[happyslug]

29. Applies to Adults also, my sister notice this riding the bus to work

Those people who drove to work in a car rarely wore coats. They drove to their work and walked from the parking lot to the office.

Those employees who had to wait for a bus dressed in big heavy coats to keep warm while standing still (Typical of most Bus stops). Those who walked or rode a bike wore lighter clothes then those that rode the bus, but still more then a typical automobile driver.

Children today wear clothes they find to fit the weather they operate in, and for most children that is a run from a warm car to a warm school. Most do NOT walk to school (and those that do, tend to dress for the weather) but from one warm place to another (Malls are popular with teens, no need to coats and easy to get to from their cars or their parent's car).

It is rare to see a child outside in cold temperatures for more then 15 minutes at a time. If you go out in a Sweat shirt and do something active, it is all you need. I remember one time in the 1980s when I was in the National Guard we had to wash the dirt off out trucks in 30 degree Fahrenheit temperatures. As long as we were active, the field jackets came off for they were to warm while we were active (i.e. running the hoses). Once we had to stop using the hose and wait for the next truck to come by, on went the field jackets for we got cold quickly standing still waiting. As long as pre-teens and teenagers are active, light dress is sufficient above 10 degree Fahrenheit. You need your coat when you have to stand around waiting. Most teens never stand in the cold, they go into a shelter, a mall or a car. Most School buses hook their horns to tell the children to leave their home to get on the bus (When I took a School Bus I had to walk down block, it did NOT stop at my house, so I had to make sure I was at the bus stop while before it came by, and thus in cold weather always wore a coat).

On the other hand when I was in High School and had to take the Streetcar I wore light jackets for the simple reason I would walk down a whole city block, and wait for the Streetcar that came every 2-3 minutes. I never really cooled down from walking to the Streetcar stop. The reverse was true, I had to walk about 4 city block to get to the streetcar stop, but I had it timed that I would get to the Streetcar stop within minutes of the next streetcar home (I went to school during the morning rush hour, but left school about 1:30 pm, at that point the Streetcars came every 20 minutes so I had to be careful how I left my high school to get to the Streetcar stop).

Now, looking back 30 years, I did own and used a heavy goose down "Stadium Coat" but I used it riding the Streetcars on the weekends (When I had to wait for it) or do other activities when the weather was cold AND I was NOT being that active. I liked that coat, but looking back I did NOT wear it that often, except on the weekend when I was forced to ride the Streetcars to get around.

I bring this up, for I remember my Father in the early 1990s saying how bad the children of that time period (the 1990s) were. I then looked at him and told him "Every time we drove by Morganza in Washington County PA, you also pointed out the old State School for Juvenal delinquents and that your best friend went they, and your teachers were telling you that you were next". He then shut up and grin, the Kids of the 1990s were no worse then they had been in the 1930s, you were just hearing the old people forgetting what they did as teenagers.

The same with this new "problem" of Teens NOT wanting to wear coats in Winter. It has always existed WHEN teens had the ability to go from a one warm place to anther. Today that is easier for My parents NEVER drove me to or from School or any other event. I had to go the same way my Parents had done when they were teens, by foot. In such situation you get use to wearing coats, but in situation where you are going from a warm stop to another warm stop, why were a coat? It is no more affect your body then opening up a freezer and then closing it.

[pnwmom]

60. Which reminds me . . .

We never wore coats for P.E. class, no matter what the temperature was outside. And I don't remember ever being too cold then.

[NYC Liberal]

30. I've worn jeans and a t-shirt out when the temp was in the 20s

Not a big deal, but then again I'm not 12 with parents telling me what to do. :shrug:

[hfojvt]

32. adults do the same thing

I used to sit in my window in Wisconsin and watch them walk to the bank. You'd think they never heard of a hat or gloves, and a scarf? Puh-lease. Nobody wears a scarf.

And the reason they do it? It doesn't look cool, and it's too much trouble.

From where I sat, they looked miserable and also stupid.

A big thing for me is the kids who wear short sleeve shirts and then complain because the thermostat is not set at 78 or something. "It's cold in here" they complain.

This comes from not having to pay a heat bill.

[JonLP24]

69. I think Burberry scarfs are cool

but I don't wear scarfs or even own one.

[tabasco]

34. My boy wears his coat all winter.

[SpiralHawk]

45. Wow - great dog!

Thanks for sharing - does your bowser have a name?

[tabasco]

71. That's Smokie.

They called him Bear at the shelter because he looks like a bear cub when he has his winter coat.

In the pic, that's more of his summer coat.

His mama was a Lab mix and nobody knows who his daddy dog was.

[Motown_Johnny]

36. Werewolves

[fishwax]

38. meh -- I often go without a coat in cold weather too

Obviously if I'm going to be outside in the cold for an extended period of time (walking home from work, for instance, which takes about an hour) I'll put a coat on, though.

[flvegan]

41. I'd never wear pants if I could get away with it.

Warm house to warm car to warm office/store/gym/whatever...

[HockeyMom]

42. January IS June in Floriduh

What I hate about this state, although MY shorts and capris have been packed away for months now. I REFUSE to wear them in January, even in Floriduh.

[happyslug]

43. Reminds me of my National Guard Days, and people OVERDRESSING for the weather

One of the complaints of my old National Guard Unit was that the unit had a poor understanding of wearing their cold weather clothing. The problem started with the Military Mindset that Buttons are to be Buttoned, and Zippers, Zipped. That is excellent on a Dress Uniform, but it is terrible advice for men in the field in winter. We would start with wearing out Field Jackets and Liners in Formation (a little Chilly, but comfortable) but never opening them up as we did any active work. This had the tendency to lead to overheating.

People in my old unit (and people in General) had a difficult time understanding that when active, winter clothes should hang on your body, excess heat should be permitted to escape. The best way is to simply un-zipper the Coat and leave it open. Gloves would be removed and depending on the temperature Winter Field Pants removed. Helmet liners would be removed and put into pockets with the gloves. That is how you are to wear heavy coats in winter, open when you are over heated, but being able to be zipped up and/or button up when it gets cold.

The Military likes looking "Smart" as do teenagers. Winter coats hanging on your body does NOT look "Smart". Thus Teens, like many people in the Military, prefer to take off the excess clothing when over heating as oppose to keeping in on you but unzipped and unbuttoned. The reason for this without the unbuttoned and unzipped coat the teen (and the Soldier) looks "Smart". The teen (and the Soldier) having a coat open and just hanging on the body looks like a bum, but has the advantage of having a coat on him if the weather turns bad (Which is how Army Winter Clothes are design to be used, but my unit, falling back on summer training to look tip top, had a habit of NOT doing).

Teens will learn the lesson if force to be out in the weather for a few hours at a time (Teens who hunt with their friends and family member all dress warmly in cold weather situations for they will be outside in the cold for hours at a time). For brief period of cold (15 minutes or less), most teens and adults will survive naked in sub-freezing weather but as you get closer to Zero Fahrenheit that becomes less and less possible.

As I have said before more a product of a Writer forgetting his or her own teenage years AND ignoring the fact that the vast majority of people live in climate control situations i.e. not to hot or to cold no matter what the temperature is outside (And thus in the temperature outside for only brief periods of time).

As to shorts, I can never understand people who wore shorts even in summer. I tend to walk in woods and other natural areas and they are to many plants with thrones for me ever to be comfortable in anything that exposed by legs to those thrones. It is rare to see someone in the country, other then on a well traveled trail, to wear shorts. I see women more then men but as the trail is less used (and thus have more thrones) you see less and less shorts even on women in the summer. Maybe it is picking to many raspberries and blackberries in my youth but shorts were never on my list of things to wear.

[bigwillq]

44. I only wear a hooded sweatshirt

No gloves, no hats, no scarf. No coat.

And I wore just a hooded sweatshirt through this past high school football season, and stood on the sideline, even when temps went below freezing. No gloves, either.

I lived.

[Synicus Maximus]

46. Because they are teenagers and therefore brain damaged

[hedgehog]

47. One explanation - take a look at the lockers in the local junior high

and high school. No way you're going to jam a heavy sweater in there, let alone a parka!

[pnwmom]

54. Good point. And they've eliminated lockers in many schools,

so kids have to drag their stuff around with them all day.

[Lucian]

59. It's such a hassle to take ten seconds to put on a coat.

:eyes:

And these kids are the future of our country. May god help us all.

[HEyHEY]

61. Go Darwin!

[Contrary1]

63. It was also 61 degrees last week in Fishers, Indiana...

One never knows which way to go here.

[Sen. Walter Sobchak]

65. My girlfriend literally got in a debate with a pair of teenagers at Disneyland

She pretty much got them to acknowledge that they miss the attention from boys when their dressed for winter, as it was about 45 degrees and they were wearing only tight t-shirts and short skirts. The weight of their makeup probably exceeded the weight of their clothing.

[Ilsa]

70. For little kids, it's because parents can't afford coats. nt

[Manifestor_of_Light]

66. Sometimes it is June in January, in Texas.

I wear shorts and a t shirt most of the year.

Now, when the low might be 40 and the high 70, between cold fronts, I will wear shorts in the afternoon when it's sunny.

different people have different metabolisms and different parts of their bodies might get cold.

when it's cold, I tend to put slacks on before I put on long sleeves, because my legs feel colder. Someone else might wear a jacket and shorts.

we still have not gotten to the coldest part of the year.

We have a saying in Texas: We have two seasons - summer and February.

[Dappleganger]

67. Being in Florida...

we will put on socks this time of year. ;)

[Kalyke]

72. Ahem... I'm 40 and I HATE coats.

They make me feel claustrophobic when I try to drive in them and, to be quite honest, my workplace and most businesses I visit keep the air inside TOO hot. I go outside and pace our walking trails at work just to cool down.

[supernova]

73. I can't put my arms down!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HW4IZ0Flh3M

[TwilightGardener]

74. Famous battle between myself and my sons. They will wear nothing heavier than a hooded sweat jacket

no matter what the temp. And they will wear shorts if it gets into the 40's or above. I am done fighting. Let them freeze their asses off.

[bigwillq]

75. Me neither. That's all I wear!

Hooded sweatshirts, that is. I like your sons! :) :hi:

[TwilightGardener]

78. Then I'll have to say to you what I say to them:

"No one thinks you're cool because you don't wear a coat. It's 14 degrees, you look like an idiot! WEAR A COAT, you little..." :D

[bigwillq]

79. But Mom.....

:rofl: :) :P

:hi:

And, btw, I do look cool. So there.

[Odin2005]

76. At the opposite extreme I saw in an Emo Girl dressed in a heavy hoody when it was 90F out.

[Arkansas Granny]

77. If they have warm clothing and just choose not to wear it, let it be.

Part of parenting is raising them to make their own decisions. If they get cold enough, they might decide to wear warmer clothes.