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Expert Q&A:
How should I react when my 3-year-old insists on changing into dry clothes when he is barely wet?

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Shalom Fisch
Answered by Shalom Fisch Ph.D.
"I'm very grateful—I get to indulge my hobbies for a living," says Shalom Fisch. "But the truly rewarding part is that I get to help create educational media that make a concrete difference in children's lives."

Shalom (Sholly) Fisch is president and founder of MediaKidz Research &; Consulting, a consulting firm that provides educational content development, hands-on testing, and writing for children's media companies, such as Thirteen/WNET, DC Comics, and Sea World/Busch Gardens, among others. Prior to founding MediaKidz in the summer of 2001, Dr. Fisch was vice president for program research at Sesame Workshop, producers of Sesame Street and other educational media. In his 15 years at the Workshop, he oversaw curriculum development, formative research, and summative research for a broad range of television series, outreach projects, school-age magazines, and interactive material for online and CD-ROMs.

Dr. Fisch has served as an advisor and reviewer for various government agencies and nonprofit organizations, such as the U.S. Department of Education, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the Coalition for Quality Children's Media (a.k.a. "Kids First!"), and the National Institute for Child Health and Development. In the academic realm, he has been an adjunct professor at Fordham University and New York University, where he received a Ph.D. in experimental/developmental psychology.

Rounding out the picture, Dr. Fisch has also maintained an active sideline as a freelance writer since 1984, with most of his credits consisting of comic book stories for Marvel and DC Comics (featuring characters ranging from Spider-Man to Scooby-Doo). In addition, he has written TV scripts, several books for children and adults, short stories, magazine articles, and material for the Web. His book Get in Gear was a finalist for the Royal Society's Aventis prize for best children's science book of 2003. He also literally "wrote the book" on children's learning from educational media—twice—through his two academic books, "G" Is for "Growing": Thirty Years of Research on Children and Sesame Street (2001) and Children's Learning From Educational Television: Sesame Street and Beyond (2004).

Dr. Fisch lives in New Jersey with his lovely wife, Susan, and brilliantly talented children, Nachum (age 13), Chana (10), and Miriam (6).

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Question


My 3-year-old does not like to get his clothes wet (even if it is just a drop from a runny nose). He gets very upset and will not forget about it until we change his clothes. It gets to the point that even if he is having a lot of fun, he will ask to go home if I don't have extra clothing to change him.

Answer


There are many reasons why some kids don't like to get wet or dirty. Some children are simply neat —they like their clothes clean and their toys in order. Others dislike being wet because they're learning to use the potty (or have recently learned how), so they worry that being wet means they're "babies." Others don't like the feel of wetness, and they prefer being warm and cozy. And so on.

You and your child's healthcare provider know your son best, so you'll be the best judges of what's behind his behavior. Does he also complain about being wet during bath time, or is it just about his clothes? Does he enjoy things like finger painting, or does he dislike the mess? Talk to your provider, and see what he or she recommends.

 



Once you pin down the issue, you'll be able to help your child discover how much fun water can be. Activities like playing with toy boats during bath time and experimenting to discover what floats or sinks in a bowl of water are great ways for him to get used to water —and they can be a lot of fun for both of you. In the meantime, when he does get wet and gets upset, try encouraging him to put dry clothes on by himself (with help from you as needed).

 

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