For Kids Who Hate Bibs, Wear a Black T-Shirt.
My daughter never had a problem wearing bibs – in fact, I have always considered those with pockets for collecting food to be the breakthrough invention of the century. (An anxious parenting trick I heard from a “friend”: In the morning, as you rush out the door, pour some Cheerios into your pocket and let your child have breakfast in the car.)
But my nine month old son hates bibs. Every time we put it on him, he tugs at it and tries to twist his body. We usually stop it while eating because it is very distracting. His clothes are drenched in spaghetti sauce and banana porridge, but what to do next?
Shari, one of the parents of a child who doesn’t like bibs, shares one good thing. Before eating, she simply puts a slightly large black T-shirt on the child:
I bought plain black shirts from Amazon. I bought them one size larger than her current clothing size. Before eating dirty, I just pull a black shirt over her clothes. When she has finished eating, the shirt is removed and thrown into the linen. Then it is washed with her dark clothes or with our towels. I’m sure they have food stains on them, but they can’t be seen on the black shirt!
The great thing about T-shirts is that they carry clothes better than hard plastic bibs. After eating in a restaurant, you can simply roll them up with the dirty side inward. If your child has a big head like mine, you can cut small slits in the neckline of the shirt so that it can slide off more easily, no matter if you pull it up or down.
As your child grows older, you can also use black T-shirts as artistic robes. Just cut open the back and add Velcro or buttons as a closure.