Hoppo Bumpo (n): A children's game. Played by folding one's arms and hopping on one leg. Aim is to bump opponents, so that they lose their balance. Last person standing wins.


November 03, 2008

The pyjama game



Parenting. Oh the dilemmas; the worries.

Is my child getting the right nutrition? Do we read enough books together? Is the TV on too much? Are the fraught attempts to brush teeth doing any good?

So many questions. And some that no-one really likes to ask; the real quandaries.

For example: should toddler and preschooler pyjamas be laundered after each wear? Or do we simply test them using the 18-year-old boy method (throw them at the wall and if they stick they need a wash). Is it OK to economise and put your child straight to bed in their day clothes? Or conversely pretend that you always dress them in a flannellette pant-suit during the daytime? Can we pretend that last year's long winter pyjamas are this year's shortie summer set?

Its time to take action. To allay my concerns about night attire.

I've raided the stash this evening and cut out three new pairs of pyjamas for Argy from a favourite pattern - Simplicity 8493 (toddler and child's sleepwear). I really like this pattern - its a nice comfy style for the little ones and there are long and short variations. The pants are also cut in just two pieces.

So laid out here is the promise of frog, tractor and digger jammies. I do hope I have time to sew these in the coming days - I'm getting sick of throwing the current pair at the wall.

19 comments:

  1. That is too funny! The new jammies are going to be well loved. The fabrics are so much fun. I know many children who wear their jammies several times before a wash. Now you can go back worrying about TV consumption.

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  2. Cool jammies! But to answer your question, yes it's alright to do those things. But is it pushing the boundaries to let a one's toddler wear the same socks two days running (or even walking)? Please say yes ;)

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  3. BTW just noticed the teeth-brushing comment, and thought I'd mention that I've been finding it much easier now we brush ours together. Sometimes we even brush each others.

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  4. Well I do all those things depending of what level of tiredness I have achieved and I guess the child.

    Cool PJ's! I have a t-shirt and shorts pattern that I plan on making some summer PJ's out of - soon!

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  5. OOoohh argy will be jumping into bed to wear these little numbers. I do love the look of the frogs. To add to the tooth brush debate, electric toothbrushes work well in our house.

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  6. Perfect fabric for preschool PJ'! I love your blog where you aren't afraid to address all the difficult questions in life!!

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  7. They're going oto be so cute! Thanks for the pattern recommendation...I'll have to look out for that one.

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  8. Don't worry - my son slept in his day clothes for most of his childhood. The fight to get him dressed twice in a 24-hour period was huge; into pyjamas after his bath, into day clothes in the morning. It was a battle of the wills with many tears along the way. A friend pointed out that I could avoid the morning hassle by skipping the pyjamas, and it was such a relief! From then on he had his bath at night and got dressed in his clothes for the next day. Our mornings suddenly were so much calmer.

    So, do whatever works for you! Those are cute jammies, though.

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  9. Great PJs! And oh, all the worries - they are the same as mine! Brushing teeth, hmmmm, an ongoing dilemma. Nutrition - hah! TV on too much? Of course!

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  10. We are a few nights per pj set kind of family here for my daughter. Saves water and time as she falls in love with each pair of pj's that she is currently wearing. It's a battle to get her to switch to a new clean pair. So 2 - 3 nights per pair it is.
    Don't worry. I'm worrying the same kind of worries :). Great fabrics btw.

    ETA my word verification is blegish... that sounds like the state pj's need to get into to qualify for a wash!! Who knew that the word verification had it all along......!!

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  11. Ha - great post. I am with you on the 'do you wash them after each wear' thing.. Do you?? I do, mainly because they are encrusted with weetbix. tasty.

    You have put me to shame. I have to do the digger pjs pronto. The Doctor's asking for them.

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  12. Ohhhh that looks like a terrific pattern. Great range of sizes in that one.

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  13. Those are great looking PJ's!

    You are SO FUNNY. My main advise. Love them and love them lots and that in the end is what they will remember.

    Well my boys get their PJ's washed once a week along with their sheets etc. They have a shower in pm so go to bed clean.

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  14. Dressing in day attire before bed always saves time during the morning rush :)

    If you really need motivation to get to the gym/walk in the morning wear your gym clothes to bed - in the morning just roll out of bed and head out the door.

    Thanks for your shower cap tutorial it has saved my day - I was in need of a convict outfit for my daughter tomorrow and your tutorial - with a few tweaks, really saved the day making for a great bonnett, will post a pic over the week.

    MMMM Parenting poses many challenges but many more rewards

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  15. My youngest (nearly 3) found a nightie with cupcakes and monkeys on it at Target the other day that we HAD to have. Since then she has pretty much refused to take it off. I get it off her with much carry on to go out in the morning but the minute we're home she's got her clothes off and the nightie on again. I think your boy's pj's are going to be lovely and he probably won't want to take them off!

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  16. LOL! OH heck no. Several days in a row here. But perhaps that is because we do not have enough pairs of pajamas?? I shall have to make some. The pattern suggestion will do nicely! And then I can buy new fabric! yeah!! :-)

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  17. hahaha well now I will have to wash my pj's because I laughed so hard I think I did a little wee.

    I do the old trusty sniff test on the pj's. My hubster thinks I am gross but he isn't the one that has to battle the washing every day!

    The pj's look great and I'm sure they'll carry off as a 'lounge suit' for day time. Whatever the bloody hell that is?!?!

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  18. I think the trick is to make the pj's out of fabric that could be mistaken for day wear! Ollie just received some for his birthday that could go either way....

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  19. Yes to all of the above.

    I've even had the boy in clothes he wore on the Sunday, slept in, and insisted on waering to kinder on the Monday.

    There was no outward stains that I could see, so I said 'fine'.
    The husband was horrified, but there was no-one there that saw us on the Sunday, so 'pfft' ;)

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