Best way to deal with fussy five year old?

This morning, my older son threw a bit of a fit when he couldn't wear a new shirt of his to school, because he wore it yesterday we haven't done laundry yet. Any recommendations on the best way to deal with fussy five year old? Typically, he's very...

well behaved, and if he does throw a fit we put him in his room for a time out after we try to reason with him. Is there a better / easier way of calming him down?

Hi thedude,
I have a serious question...why couldn't he wear the same shirt two days in a row? Children need to make choices it gives the self-esteem. As parents we need to pick our battles very well. Save the no's for more serious situations. Because we know we all have to say no sometimes. The night before give your child a choice of two outfits to wear; and hey if they happen to be a green shirt and red pants...so be it. We try to spare our children the teasing from making bad choices when in reality they only learn from experience even at 5. We make the harder tougher choice for them till they mature but wearing a day old shirt would not be concidered a serious occurrence. No coat at -10 is is however and that's when our intervention is needed.
Using time outs are great and encouraged but take note...if his room has a TV, playstation, books and toys you have just sent him to disney world LOL. Time outs need to be in a quiet, bare and unstimulating area. We don't want them hating going to their bedrooms or see the room as a place of punishment or they may have trouble going to bed at night. Try the stairs or a chair up against a wall. He is five so the rule is one minute per year. So never give him a time out longer than 5 minutes.
Hope this helps,
Sue...good luck

The shirt was dirty, and our kids aren't allowed to wear clothes that have been sitting in the dirty clothes pile.

Thanks for the advice, it's appreciated.

Ick, I think you were right in NOT letting him wear the same shirt two days in a row. I think that would encourage bad hygiene.

If he throws a fit just ignore it, and DO NOT let him get his way. He only throws the fit because he wants to win. You're the parent and what you say, goes. Tell him you're done arguing. That's that.