Which means, they will begrudgingly wear clothes whenever we go out in public, but as soon as they are home again, they like nothing more than to run around in their skivvies. They call it "Being Tarzan!"
It takes a lot of effort (emphasis on the word A LOT) to get the children to wear clothes. Even when they go out and they understand that they have to wear clothes, they resist something fierce. I don't understand it. These are little people with far less body fat than me.
And I'm cold.
One day last week, the girls wanted to wear their gymnastics leotards to school with their plastic high-heeled princess shoes.
"But why?!" they moaned at me, when I held pants and long-sleeved shirts up for them, instead.
"Because," I replied, "It is December. And although that doesn't mean much to you, it means that it's nearly winter to me. And although we live in Southern California, it is fifty degrees today and raining. And even though I know that you would probably be perfectly fine wearing a sleeveless leotard to school all day under these weather conditions, I would feel a little negligent dropping my children off for school wearing the equivalent of a bathing suit when it is so cold I can see my breath."
Whenever I do drop them off to school in their short sleeves, and I see all the other children are wearing jackets and hats, I feel like shouting, "I tried to get them to wear a coat! I tried! They ransacked the summer clothes that I had tucked away in the GARAGE and insisted on wearing tank tops!!"
So what does it say about me that I'm more concerned that the other parents will think I'm irresponsible, than I'm worried about my children freezing their hinnies off?
If the truth be told, I'd like for them to be uncomfortable so that maybe, just maybe, they will realize that their mother - that lady that just gabs and gabs and gabs - perhaps she really does KNOW WHAT SHE IS TALKING ABOUT.
Tonight when I didn't turn the heat on in the house and instead bundled myself and Henry up in sweaters and hats, Elizabeth decided that maybe it was a little chilly.
So she fashioned herself some leg warmers.
Love the leg warmers, what a cutie she is. Hopefully this is a phase that to shall pass.
ReplyDeleteKathy
My 8 year old was never cold. Ever. She used to take her pajamas off as a 1 year old, and I started zipping her into them backwards, convinced she was waking up early because she was cold.
ReplyDeleteI finally realized my folly, and currently could not get her to dress "appropriately" to save her life. I continually told her teachers at school that she will not wear a jacket, so no, don't force her and stop telling me about it every day.
And my fashion-challenged 6 year old quickly got me over worrying about other parents judging me. I've been specifically told by her that she DOES NOT LIKE for things to match. Ugh.
That's so funny! They must be so active they stay warm!
ReplyDeleteHave you read Barbara Coloroso? She is a firm believer in letting them go to school in a tank top...if they are cold, they won't do it again.
Hmmmm...easy to say, eh?
Love the photo!
ReplyDeleteYour kids must be related to my kids. I
finally stopped trying to get my middle
kid to wear pajamas to bed... he sleeps in
his undies, even in December. My
11 year old daughter finally broke down
today and wore both a heavy sweatshirt
and a jacket to school (we're in Northern CA..
it's 43 and rainy). My 4 year old will
consent to put his jacket on for about 5 minutes and
then takes it off and hands it to me. I had to
hide their shorts so I don't have the fight every morning about why they can't wear shorts to
school in December.... :-). -Anita R.
My neighbors little 4 year old was playing in their yard - wearing ONLY a pair of red rubber boots. I stopped and said "Alyssa, you need to go in the house and put some clothes on." She said, "I'm not naked! I'm wearing boots!" Be thankful they will wear something!
ReplyDeleteHow creative MY grandchildren are? They are in the 'make beleive " stage and this too soon shall pass. I think it is great to let them have a say in what they want to wear---they all look great and healthy. Elizabeth is a little doll.
ReplyDeleteNoni
...and your nervous about homeschooling... you'll do great. Brian (6) comes to school as a clone trooper, iron man, fireman, etc. He even made a knight suit out tinfoil!!! (long story) He does his school work and then he's off to save the world...Thankfully we are to the point where I'm the only one who knows his "true identity"... ;-)
ReplyDeleteLove, Marg.
I can't get my 11-year-old son to wear a hat or gloves, or to zip up his jacket. The temperature has not been above 0 here for 48 hours. Leotards in 50 degree weather sounds perfectly balmy to me!
ReplyDeleteThey probably tell their teachers they are cold lol
ReplyDeleteOh I so enjoy coming here to your blog because you write about a lot of things that I go through but when I envision them x3 I feel so much better - my son wants to wear shorts & short sleeved shirts -no socks every day ..we live in Ohio ..he puts these on as soon as he comes home from preschool and has become quite the homebody because he doesn't want to have to wear pants to go anywhere.
ReplyDeleteIf they won't wear their jackets or sweaters to school, just send them in in a bag. We teachers have magical tricks to get children to wear appropriate clothing. (well, mostly positive peer pressure!)
ReplyDeleteThis totally reminded me of my niece, but All Things BD already chimed in about her :).
ReplyDeleteI'm loving the "leg warmers". Thank goodness she was born in the '00s since she was FAR too trendy for the '80s.
Tights come in a variety of colors, with the most popular being pink and black. Ballet dancers usually wear either tights or leotards for comfortable body maneuver. The tights that Ballet dancers wear are tight-fitting which allows the fluid movement when the dancers are performing.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.dancedirect.com/uk/Category/Ballet/Leotards/