Tuesday, April 7, 2009

Arguing with kids over clothes: so not worth it


This is what Max wore to bed last night. Yes, pajamas topped by a jeans jacket. "Eeens ack-et!" he calls it.


This is what Sabrina wore to bed last night, as well as ALL DAY Sunday, except for the two hours I was able to coax her into slipping leggings and a shirt on top for a kid's birthday party. In the last month, she has worn her pj's to gymnastics, to music class, to assorted supermarkets and once, to the mall. "My peejamas" she calls them.

I read once that little kids often dig in their heels on outfits because they have few other areas in life where they can assert control. And so, I let Sabrina wear the pj's in public, I let Max sleep in the jeans jacket.

This does not make me a Mommy wuss. At least, I don't think it does.

18 comments:

  1. No, your not a wus. Jacob has gone out many a time with his Superman pajamas that have a cape. I try not to interfere with their clothing choices...even when they don't match! I feel lucky the days I can even get them dressed and keep them that way!

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  2. I let Connor pick his own outfit out about one day a week-- usually on a day when we won't be going anywhere. He usually picks based on texture, so he's right there with Sabrina. "Peejamas" are the attire of choice in this household, too!

    ~Jess

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  3. Aww that's adorable, my cousin when she was 3(who is 3 1/2 years old now) went through a phase for about two months where her PJ's were her favorite outfit!! So much in fact, that her Mom decided to buy three pairs of the same PJ's so that at least if she insisted on wearing them everywhere they could rotate and get washed haha. It wasn't until her Mom, my mother in-law, sister in law and myself all had a "discussion" about what "dress" we were going to wear for Gabi's 1st birthday, and involved her in the discussion. She got so excited about wearing a dress that she moved on from the pj phase and was so proud of her little dress at the party. It was adorable and a phase she had to go through. I don't think it's wussy at all to entertain their little eccentricities :) Their expressing themselves and learning about controlling their environment, it's adorable.

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  4. Awww....feeling bad now that I wouldn't let Kasia wear her fuzzy Dora Christmas dress to school yesterday..... :(

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  5. You should have seen the year that Moo would not wear anything but his spiderman costume. We went through 3 costumes that year. Now we have 4 star wars shirts that are the only shirts he will wear. It could be far worse! It could be barbie or the fairies or something.

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  6. I forgot to say that every time he ventured out (a kid in a wheelchair) in his spiderman outfit, he had everyone who saw him smile. And he would always strike a pose for them too . . .

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  7. You're not a wuss! Or if you are, then so am I.
    If someone asks about an outfit that is particularly ridiculous, I just shrug and say [like you did], "Some battles just aren't worth having!" I've never had anyone disagree. Besides, I LOVE seeing little kids out-and-about in outfits that they clearly picked themselves. They never look anything but completely adorable.

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  8. LOL I've done the same. One day we even had wear your pajamas to school day.

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  9. They both look adorable and I like that they both know exactly what they want. What's wrong with "peejamas"? They are possibly the most comfortable "clothes" (after sweatpants). I love days when I can stay in my "peejamas" all day (a real rarity). Maybe Sabrina will start a new trend!!

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  10. Daniel went through a jersey phase last year. He wore a Red Sox jersey, assorted hockey jerseys, and a couple of football jerseys - and nothing else. It then took a turn for the worse when he wouldn't wear anything but two Red Sox shirts. He also wouldn't wear any pants other than jeans. If I tried to coax him into anything else, World War III would break out.
    This year, he went through a Star Wars t shirt - and Chuck Taylors - every day phase. I've since learned to pick my battles.
    I'm with Sabrina on the pajamas - wouldn't the world be a much happier place if we all walked around in our PJ's all day?

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  11. I wear my PJs all day, every day! They are so comfy, I just don't see the need to put on clothes. I think I will try the jean jacket look next time I run across the street to the supermarket! Stay tuned....

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  12. Cute!

    My DH barely knows the difference between pjs and day clothes. When he's dressing the boys, he just grabs whichever clothes he sees first. They are often out in their pyjamas on the days when dad is in charge.

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  13. Ah ha ha ha ha!!!

    So it isn't just my kids!!!

    I feel so much better now! There are days when I feel like I am surrounded by a bunch of "perfect" parents who dress their kids in designer clothes and sometimes give me "the look" when I let Buster wear something that just "does not go."

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  14. My theory when it comes to life is "pick your battles". I think this applies to parenting too. I couldn't agree with you more - clothing is not a battle worth fighting. Besides that jean jacket looks pretty cool!

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  15. Violet wanted to wear her footed jammies ALL the time a couple months back. I decided...whatever! If it was really cold out, I either let her keep it on with a snowsuit on over (obviously with snow) or I would put legg'ns and a shirt under and she was content. Really, in the scheme of things, it just doesn't matter.

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  16. Just read an article on this in one of those "awful-parenting-magazines-that-my-cousin-insists-on-sending-me-even-tho-I-can't-relate-to-any-of-the-articles" -- you know the one? Anyway, a Mom spoke about always having to look "perfect" for her mother growing up and how now she lets her daughter wear whatever because...who cares? It's not a reflection on her parenting skills -- it's her daughter being creative and individual. Experimenting with things for herself. Bravo Ellen. You're the opposite of a wuss. A wuss would force her kids to NOT be unique and have their own voice.

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  17. Well, I have to say... It's a might bit better then the kids around here, who's parents let them run around barefoot on in there underwear OUTSIDE in 50º weather...

    OR the two kids mom and I seen on our walk the other day playing outside after school with their uniform pants still on, but just socks, and NO SHIRT (again, it was around 50-60º out...

    I do detest for parents who let there kids go to school or the mall in there PJs... I think it's so lazy... So much so, the local schools added a rule... "No PJs, slippers or lounge pants" to the books.

    And yes MOM, you'll be happy to know. I DO yell at my judo kids that come with out coats or just their sandals on in cold weather...

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  18. Tristan isn't at the age yet where he picks out his own clothes, I'm sure when he does, we will end up in mismatched outfits, combinations ourselves.
    It really is okay, I think, its one way they are showing expression.

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Thanks for sharing!



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