My little fashionistas
I am a mom who firmly believes in the phrase, "choose your battles."
There is a lot of power in that phrase. Choosing your battles gives you a certain amount of freedom. Once you decide which battles you're going to fight, you can relax a bit. You no longer have to worry about certain things.
Choosing your battles is also a source of empowerment for your children. They suddenly have a safe place to assert their individualism and independence. It can be a win-win for all involved.
One battle I have chosen not to fight is the clothing battle. Well, at least so far. At this stage, it's an easy one to let go, because I still control the clothing purchases. I don't have to worry about midriff-baring tops or other inappropriate-for-their-age items because I won't buy them.
But until the day they buy their own clothing, unless an outfit is grossly inappropriate for the weather or the occasion, I don't fight it. Peanut has been picking out her own school clothes every day since she was about 3. Same with Loaf. Of course, this means, once in a while they walk out of the house looking like this:
But really? What's the harm? And you have to admit, this photo is going to look great in her rehearsal-dinner slide show someday. ::Insert evil laugh.::
Allowing them to dress themselves also frees me from the task of having to pick out their outfits each day. After breakfast, I send them off to their rooms with an order to get dressed and I have to say, they generally do a pretty good job.
This morning's outfits were especially impressive. They were cute, sure, but what I found so cool is how each is developing her own style. Peanut is more . . . proper. At 7, she is already a lady. If she were alive in the mid-1960s, I can see her paling around with Jackie Kennedy wearing white gloves and a pillbox hat. If her style continues, she'll be wearing a vintage Chanel suit to her high school graduation.
On the other hand, Loaf is my little free spirt. She's a bit more rambunctious and bohemian. In the '60s, she'd contrast her sister's classic style with a peasant dress and love beads.
I love the way they express themselves so clearly and, so far, with no regard to pressure from their peers. They don't care that most of the girls in their class go to school in jeans and t-shirts. This is who they are, and they're proud of that. I hope the conformity battle is one they continue to fight.
There is a lot of power in that phrase. Choosing your battles gives you a certain amount of freedom. Once you decide which battles you're going to fight, you can relax a bit. You no longer have to worry about certain things.
Choosing your battles is also a source of empowerment for your children. They suddenly have a safe place to assert their individualism and independence. It can be a win-win for all involved.
One battle I have chosen not to fight is the clothing battle. Well, at least so far. At this stage, it's an easy one to let go, because I still control the clothing purchases. I don't have to worry about midriff-baring tops or other inappropriate-for-their-age items because I won't buy them.
But until the day they buy their own clothing, unless an outfit is grossly inappropriate for the weather or the occasion, I don't fight it. Peanut has been picking out her own school clothes every day since she was about 3. Same with Loaf. Of course, this means, once in a while they walk out of the house looking like this:
But really? What's the harm? And you have to admit, this photo is going to look great in her rehearsal-dinner slide show someday. ::Insert evil laugh.::
Allowing them to dress themselves also frees me from the task of having to pick out their outfits each day. After breakfast, I send them off to their rooms with an order to get dressed and I have to say, they generally do a pretty good job.
This morning's outfits were especially impressive. They were cute, sure, but what I found so cool is how each is developing her own style. Peanut is more . . . proper. At 7, she is already a lady. If she were alive in the mid-1960s, I can see her paling around with Jackie Kennedy wearing white gloves and a pillbox hat. If her style continues, she'll be wearing a vintage Chanel suit to her high school graduation.
On the other hand, Loaf is my little free spirt. She's a bit more rambunctious and bohemian. In the '60s, she'd contrast her sister's classic style with a peasant dress and love beads.
I love the way they express themselves so clearly and, so far, with no regard to pressure from their peers. They don't care that most of the girls in their class go to school in jeans and t-shirts. This is who they are, and they're proud of that. I hope the conformity battle is one they continue to fight.
Labels: Adventures in Parenting, photos
posted by Kimberly at
9:47 PM
2 Comments:
They're adorable! With the boys, the variety of clothing is not so wide, but they have strong opinions about "soft pants" or "blue pants" today - ok, no problem.
Just caught up on your more recent blogs. It's good to read them again - though truthfully, I'm exhausted by your energy.
If Sophie dresses a bit Bohemian, blame my genetic contribution.
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