Daughter A is back to school today (yeah!!). Last week was the school’s open house and since the school is in our development and not too far of a walk, we trekked on up there to find out this years teacher and classroom.
A’s teacher is very nice, her classroom is nice and one of her best friends is in her class again this year, so all was good…then we walked home.
A – “mom, have you ever watched that show “What Not To Wear”?
Me – “yes” – I’m thinking this cannot go well.
A – “You should be on it.”
I stop walking, turn around and stare at her. You know the scene where everything is so silent and the only sound you hear is crickets? Yeah.
A – “well, I’m just saying that they will show you nice clothes and do your hair and your makeup. And then they give you money to buy new clothes.”
Now, I will admit that my standard “look” is shorts, tshirt and a ponytail with no makeup. Sometimes the shorts and tshirt even match. In my defense, I have a closet full of beautiful clothes that I used to wear when I worked in the corporate world, but then I worked from home for about 6 years and didn’t need to wear them. During those 6 years I may have gained a few extra pounds and most of the clothes in the closet no longer fit. Besides, shorts and tshirts are so comfortable!
My closet – a disaster, I know. My fall project is to clean out this closet!
Nothing more was said until a couple of days later. I was waiting for her to get dressed and it was taking FOREVER. Finally she comes out of her room.
Me – “how can it take someone so long to get dressed?”
A – “well, you know I’m not like you, I don’t just throw on the first thing I grab out of my drawer.”
Ouch! My daughter is getting to the age where appearances are a big deal. You have to have the right clothes, shoes, and “makeup” (which at age 9 consists of lip gloss and some sparkly powder). Now that I think about it, I guess that the little comments like “you are going to change clothes, right?” and “maybe you should put some makeup on” have been A’s way of telling me that “Mom, you embarrass me!”
So that I will not embarrass my daughter any longer, I have made some promises:
- I promise to spend a little more than 30 seconds getting dressed each day.
- I promise that if I do wear a tshirt and shorts they will match.
- I promise that when I leave the house I will at least put on some lip gloss and powder (matte, I’m too old for sparkles).
- I promise to one time this school year show up at school wearing a dress and high heels, makeup done, hair looking awesome.
I’m not giving up my ponytail, though.
Is there anything you do or wear that embarrass your kids?
Then I realized that all of my windows are open and the neighbors across the street who home school their children also have their windows open. I’m pretty sure that they think the B’s are a bunch of weirdos already, but if they were on the fence about it, I think I just confirmed it for them.
