ceecee Report post Posted December 7, 2005 Just wondered if anyone had any advice on this one.I think I have read somewhere that lots of kids with as dislike dressing up so maybe someone will have some ideas. My three and a half year old son(N.T.) has a huge fear of dressing up.He has been asked by his playschool teacher what he would like to be in the nativity play a shepheard or a prince(He told me princess but I think he made a mistake somehow )He is adament he doesn't want to do it because he hates dressing up.He has told me he will join in providing he doesn't have to dress uo but that remains to be seen Anyway i am not bothered whatsoever.My elder daughter was well into it all and I have sat through countless nativity plays with her all dressed up so as long as he's happy I will watch him regardless. But I do feel they are trying to force the issue a bit saying things like' we do try to encourage them to overcome this' But does it matter.Now he is saying things like I don't want to go to playschool today.I might have to dress up.I reassure him he wont and then they seem to try again with him. What does everybody else think?? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
oracle Report post Posted December 7, 2005 My personal opinion is don't force this child to dress up. He may well overcome this fear as he becomes older but not if he is forced to dress up now. When my sons was 5 he was asked to do this for a Nativity Play. At the time he has no dx but he was so upset that I put my foot down and said no. He was still included in the play as they simply wrote in the part of a narrator. He was brilliant and outshone every other chilld on the stage Well I am his Mother. Point is there are ways round this. There could be lots of reasons why your little chap does not want to dress up. Including the fact that he may feel that he is no longer himself if he looks different. My youngest could never cope with himself looking different. I well remember our first visit to the swimming baths. He could not cope with looking at himself in his swimming shorts. It could also be sensory. Until he can tell you why - and that could be years away, I would refuse to let him be pushed on this one. Carole Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Hectorshouse Report post Posted December 7, 2005 ceecee .... awwww nativity plays ... seems like eons ago now. A the NT one (but dubious as he's 15) never liked dressing up for things like this, T however .... always has and still does, usually ends up like some kind of odd looking fairy, or princess ... a little bit camp my little boy, and actually likes it when cousins (the female ones) come around or we visit them and they dress him up, I've had some very bizarre visions of him before now .. but hey he liked it and was happy, he still likes to put on my nail varnish given half a chance, and I have the most gorgeous pictures of him as an angel when he was at toddler group .... awwww gone all goey at the memories. HHxx Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
loulou Report post Posted December 7, 2005 Hi ceecee, I wouldn't push him to dress up if he really doesn't want to. It may be that he could wear something of his that is slightly "modified" to look like a prince/shepherd. When my son was 5 (pre diagnosis of ADHD/ASD) he was made to dress up in the school nativity. I didn't realise how stressful it was for him at the time. He still talks about it now . He was a king and they made him wear these gold trousers, which were a very scratchy, prickly material, which was totally distressing for him. He also had no help and therefore had his shoes on the wrong feet . He refused to go on the stage, but he was sort of "pushed" on it, and he subsequently chucked his present for baby Jesus into the manger! He wouldn't join in any of the singing, and i spent the whole time fighting back the tears in the audience. A truly horrible experience. Anyway, on a brighter note, he is now in a special school and GUESS WHAT HE IS IN THE PLAY? A king again! He is actually really excited about it, but said he would rather have been a lamb . Loulou x Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
laine Report post Posted December 7, 2005 Yeah C hates being the centre of attention (hard to beleive when he is throwing wobblers in public places ) lol Seriously though we just take it from him if does it he does it. This year he says hes not so we will see. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
lisann Report post Posted December 7, 2005 HH Yes Char likes dressing up in B 's dressing up dresses glad it's not just him he looks very camp but loves it so I let him. As to the not liking dresiing up I wouldn't make him.Let the teachers know and they usualy have parts which don't require dressing up.Let them know it would cause too much stress to make him !!! Lisa x Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Klou Report post Posted December 7, 2005 We are in this camp or chould I say stable this year. Ds is a king. When his nursery teacher told me she actually said 'a' wise man'. She looked at me and I looked at her and we both laughed. It is just so fitting a description of him anyway. However I have got the material and made a costume from the 'no sew' nativity costumes pullout I saved from a magazine years ago (as a teacher you never know when these things come in handy!). I tried to put it on him to check the size yestersday. When he finally let me (he had chosen the fabric) he wanted it straight off because "I can't see my clothes" and "I am not at nursery". Hopefully as long as he just has vest and pants under it he will wear the ting for thirty minutes for the play. He too hates dressing up. Unlike just about every other child I know who love it and get their mothers and siblings to be all manner of different things in the games they play. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
