Winter brings increased anxiety and almost “Dread”-like symptoms to most parents.  It’s one thing for those without children to deal with extra layers, gloomy darkness, and bulky boots – but to worry about an additional set of clothing layers or two depending on how many kids you have is panic inducing.  The amount of dirty articles of clothes, muddied and wet and the layers that you have to put on your poor kid just to make sure they avoid the split second of illness triggering cold, is a full time job.  How do you minimize the anguish, here are some tips to reduce your headache until those warm light summer months come back again:

• Think technology – light layers are available that are just as warm is fleece or thick cotton but with a quarter of the thickness and weight. They might be slightly pricier but they are more durable, easier to clean and lighter on your kids’ bodies.
• Thin Industrial type area carpet – don’t worry about the way it looks and don’t waste your time with plastic water trapping trays – go for the more durable industrial floor area carpets to put next to the front door and to leave your boots on until they dry.
• Depending on how cold it is, opt for hoodies instead of ear muffs. They are “cooler” for kids, easier to hear from and still protect (slightly less so) from wind in comparison with ear muffs.
• Forget scarves for kids, they will get lost, dirty and forgotten – scarves are for adults, and in most cases even for them they get dirty, lost or forgotten. Unless you’re doing a photoshoot or into fashion statements I don’t find scarves particularly practical – especially for kids.
• For breakfast or before you go out to the car drank something warm, including warm milk and hot chocolate for the little ones. This will give you enough heat with out the added unnecessary clothing overkill to get you in to the car.  Most o our clothing woos are to cover the gap of 15sec walk to the car in winter, so if that can be addressed in another way you can minimize the bulky clothing.
• If your kids are completely bothered about having thermal underwear, compromise by only asking the bottoms be worn. For the top between two layers, a jacket and gloves you should be set – plus it’s the legs that are usually less protected in winter.  Kids can handle the additional layer at the bottom because it’s only that and the pants, whereas for the top it can be overwhelming with all the other things they have to wear there.  Consider that thermals become the underwear (so wear thermals without additional underwear) it’ll make them more bearable and at that point underwear loses its use.
• For crazy windy and cold days consider towels instead of face masks, (cool little towels not beach towels). They are easy to remove and put back on, and they are not seen as an extra “layer of clothing” that kids will get claustrophobic with.
• Of course it goes without saying that bribery and negotiations are a must with kids. So what they are willing to agree to on one day means that you’ll have to compromise on something else another day, just keep that in mind when picking your battles.

Any other ideas?