I can't afford to replace my daughter's daycare clothes every week

"I don't see anything wrong with what I do instead," a mum has shared in controversial clip.

“This is your reminder that it's okay to send your kids to school in clean stained clothes,” mum Marla Branyan has claimed in a viral TikTok video.

Holding up her toddler's pants, she adds: “I have a three-and-a-half-year-old. She goes to preschool. She's stained these [pants] while at preschool.

"Why would I not send her to school in the stained clothes that she stained at school?"

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"She's messy. She's living her best life"

Marla further explains her stance by saying, "I'm not sending my kids to any type of school, no matter what age, in their 7-day best. It's just not happening unless they are naturally less of a messy kid than my precious little three-and-a-half-year-old baby girl.

"She's messy. She's living her best life and I will continue sending her in the stained clothes because I can't afford to keep replacing these pants every single week. Okay, I can't. And Goodwill only has a variety of patterns. They don't have plain stuff."

The video is captioned: "I think most preschool teachers and daycare providers would actually prefer kids NOT be in their nicest/name brand clothes [because] it takes some pressure off the teachers/providers to help keep those clothes as clean as possible. Kids need freedom to be messy and dirty, and that preschool and daycare age is a great opportunity for that."

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Image: TikTok/Supplied

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"Let them get messy"

The post attracted thousands of comments - and not everyone agreed.

“Childcare worker- we appreciate the parents who let them get messy ❤️” one viewer wrote.

Another added, “I’m the director of an early childhood education center and it’s sooo much better when kids come in in play-able clothes! They eat! They paint!"

And a third said, “Choosing a school that isn’t a fashion show has been my best decision. Let them be kids and get dirty.”

This viewer noted there was an ethical point to Marla's approach: “It is irresponsible to continue to buy new and over consume.”

She replied, “Absolutely! And sometimes it’s also an issue of worrying about appearances too much and putting those worries on our little kids who should be enjoying preschool.

Then there were those who did not approve.

“Do you go to work in clean stained clothes?” one viewer countered.

“Wearing clean clothes reflects self-worth & discipline, showing that one values personal hygiene and respects oneself & others. It boosts confidence & mood, contributing to a + self-image & mindset,” another claimed.

Marla jumped in to defend her stance.

“Stained clothes do NOT = dirty. Stained clothes don’t mean you aren’t clean. Are you referring to adults or children in the rest of your comment?”

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Originally published as I can't afford to replace my daughter's daycare clothes every week