Thursday, September 27, 2007

Letting go...

I'm going to risk sounding completely crazy, but I really, really miss those days when I could dress my kids. It's been adjustment for me to "let go" and let them dress themselves. I'm writing this after sending Malia off to school this morning, grimacing as I blew her a kiss and sent her on her way. Should I really care what she wears??? I know I shouldn't, but I do. She loves to wear capri's...so this morning she had on this cute yellow outfit, capri's and a short sleeved yellow jacket to complete the outfit. But she insisted on wearing yellow socks, pulled all the way up past the bottom of her capri's, her black dress shoes and her t-shirt underneath the jacket coming down past the sleeve of the jacket. I don't know if you can visualize it...but it was just one of those moments when I had to take a deep breath and remember, "it's really not important." She is enjoying her new found freedom.

7 comments:

Anonymous said...

Oh! The outfits they come up with. My kids are into dressing themselves also. And it is hard on us Mommies...you just want to put a sign on them that says "Mom took no part in this!"

Jensen Five said...

I am right there with you! The other day Jaidyn came off the bus and she had pulled her dress socks all the way up past her knees and they really looked pretty ridiculous, but I bit my tongue! What a great mom you are for not saying anything, though! Think of the independence and cofidence she is gaining!

Ditto Family said...

DEENA!! Oh my, I feel like I have this experience almost every day. It was easier to let go with the boys but Alysee...that is another story. Yesterday I bought her the cutest jeans. They were just the right length and just the right fit. But she is sure they are too long and too something. I put my foot down and said "well you will be wearing these in the winter and you will learn to like them." That's almost a nice as you were, right?

After having sent her off in lime green hibiscus shorts and a purple and white shirt in another flower print I figured that mom has got to have a say sometime.

Can I also mention my grief about hair? As you know, I love doing buns in her hair. She looks so cute and then has curly hair the next day. But she has informed me that she will not be wearing buns anymore. In order to avoid another war I have just about let go of the buns...I've demanded a few night time buns though so she could have curly hair in the morning.

So I guess when Alysee and Malia are playing together at Christmas we can both roll our eyes together at their CHOSEN outfits for the day. We will know that we did not have a say.

Julia said...

I routinely feel that people around here must think that my kids are homeless when they see what they are wearing. But, unfortunately, that's usually after I'VE dressed them in too-small clothes that I'm trying to make work for just a few more months. I don't feel sorry for them,though. They all have way more clothes than I do, and usually from trendier stores (if they had a Gymboree for adults, maybe my mom would buy me something once in a while :)).

Stephen Robbins said...

I dunno Deena . . . I remember wanting to wear your horrible, 1980's button down silk print shirts to kindergarten because I thought they were cool. Thankfully you, or someone else, put their foot down. Maybe try giving her "guidelines" rather than complete freedom?

Either way she'll eventually learn (hopefully). I remember it was Ryan Koos who first made fun of me for wearing a T-shirt that came out below the sweatshirt I was wearing.

family member said...

I remember a little girl who used to insist on doing her own hair. I think we now call them "wings" on the side. As she got older she was indignant that I would let her go out in public like that!!
And there was a time that Deyce wore this cream colored dress with layers of ruffles everytime it came out of the wash. It was strange, but one day it just disappeared.

family member said...

That was really MOM