Conference moira::parenting

    Could it be the type of clothes you dress him in?  You mentioned
    putting a t-shirt over his head.  Perhaps a onesie that snaps up
    the front or a shirt with buttons half way down the front would
    help.  Maybe he doesn't like things pulled over his head.
    
    Good luck,
    Terry

    Aaron has kind of a large head (he gets it from his father) and for a
    long time he hated having things put on over his head.  The way we
    handled it was to put on things that had buttons (like a polo) or a
    large head opening (a onsie that's one size larger than he actually
    needed).  I don't remember when he finally got over hating having it
    put over his head to a point where he helped.  I know it was before he
    turned a year, probably around 8 or 10 months.
    
    I second the suggestion, try something that has a larger opening if
    it's a pull on or something that button's up front.
    
    sandy

    
    Must be the age, Bridget is 8 months old now and she hates anything
    pulled over her head.  I try to use the snap front onesies as much as
    possible or else we go one size larger and I avoid clothes that have
    a small head opening.  She also has a big head (which she gets from
    her father).  This has been going on for quite a few months, I just
    try to get it over with as quick as possible.
    
    Kathy
    

    How well do I remember this!  It would sound like I was beating
    Angeline every time I dressed her.  Now, at 20 mths, she still
    hates getting dressed.  She'll start snuggling and cuddling with
    me to stall it.  Usually after I put on her onsie and shirt she'll
    look at me and say "all done?"  a couple of times.  "No, we still
    have the bottom half"., so then she just hugs me some more.
    
    Plays me like a fiddle, that kid.  :-)
    							cj *->

    We turn getting dressed into a peek-a-boo game, since Lindsay
    was about six months old.
    I ask "ready to play boo?", she nods, we pull the shirt on 
    S L O W L Y, while I say "Where's Lindsay?", and as her head
    peeks out I say "BOO", as she's starting to learn to speak
    sometimes she says "BOO".  We have a blast getting her dressed.
    She's 16 months now.
    
    Janice

    This will take a while to kick in, but you can try ignoring him
    if he persists in crying or resisting after trying to distract
    him with 1 or 2 toys (at the most) or singing.  Don't look at
    him, don't say anything, just get the job done as quickly as
    possible.  When he realizes he isn't getting any response from
    you from his crying, he'll stop doing it.  This is based on the
    theory that his crying is just a mechanism to get a response from you.  
    This is also advice for children who don't like the diapering process.
    
    A key point is if he stops crying, start talking or singing to him
    again.  This reinforces his cooperation.  Ignore again if he starts
    crying again.
    
    By the way, I agree with the notes about trying to use as large as
    possible openings, and playing "peek a boo" or "where's (child's
    name's) fingers/toes?"
    
    But if Faye (13 months) can't be distracted or calmed off the bat, I 
    revert to ignoring her.  She stops her crying pretty quickly now, and 
    often it doesn't even start anymore.  She's happier, and I am, too!
    
    Come see me if you want to talk some more!  
    
    Jennie

    Thanks for responses all.  I definitely have tried the larger clothing
    idea, snap front onsies, etc.  I was looking for ways of dealing with
    the negative reactions, rather than ways of trying to prevent it, ie
    larger clothing, since preventing it is not an option anymore.
    I like the peekaboo idea, I've been using that to keep him occupied, 
    but never thought of incorporating it into the dressing process.  I also 
    like the idea of ignoring the negative behavior.  I'll try those two 
    approaches, and let's see how it goes.