I had no reason to worry: the process of transitioning Camber from dresses and skirts to long pants went as smooth as silk.
"Everyone is wearing pants today," I announced before my star students got out of their beds this morning. Before my daughter could say "No way, Jose!" I added, "It's not an option: it's snowing."
The long moan that came from the pink bedroom turned into a loud shriek once its occupant realized that while she was sleeping, I had removed all of the beloved short-sleeved muumuus from her dresser drawers.
The loud shriek escalated into an angry yell when, after ten minutes, I informed the pants hater that her failure to get dressed was causing her to miss breakfast.
By the time that the hideously ugly, itchy, scratchy, sweaty jeans made their way onto my daughter's body, breakfast was over and school gear was being assembled. Due to the fact that she had trouble keeping her hands to herself , Camber had to put her socks and shoes on in the corner.
"I'm never wearing these pants again!" she screamed.
I decided that it wasn't the best time to tell my daughter that because of her 45 minute temper tantrum, she was going to have the privilege of wearing the exact same pair of pants to school all week.
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Yep, that's my daughter, Emma, almost every morning. We argue about jeans or skirts and jeans always win. Only because she told me once that her teacher got after her for "not sitting like a little lady." I felt kind of like the Soup Nazi when I said, "NO MORE SKIRTS FOR YOU!!!"
P.S. I'm glad to see that Cameron's home. :)
I really enjoy reading your blog. Hopefully the second day of pants will not be as hard as the first...30 minutes instead of 45?
My daughter is 8 and we have been fighting over pants since she was 15 months old. I am in Florida and today was our first cold morning so out came the pants for the first time as well. I'm glad to know that I am in good company!
I'm so glad that Cameron is home and doing so well. Congratulations!
Hee hee, my daughter has been refusing to wear any pants that aren't tight enough to display her 'hoo ha.' Of course, these all disappeared while she was at grandmas, and now she actually has to breathe comfortably. Oh, the abuse she suffers!
oh wow, luckily my daughter has been a victim of an overly frumpy mom and she thinks skirts are only for Sundays. Maybe you can teach her that little "who wears the pants in the family" saying and make her feel authoritative.
And welcome home (yours, of course) to Cameron.
Once my sister wore this dirty torn up sweater to school after my mom told her not to. She was in kindergarten and hid it underneath her jacket. She thought my mom would never know. Good thing the elementary school was across the street from where we lived and my mom saw her on the playground during recess. She was forever shamed. If it hadn't been snowing outside I'd say let her wear the muumuu in the cold and see how much she still loved it.
Ah yes, the transition from shorts/short sleeves, dresses to long sleeves and pants. Always an interesting time of year!
I too am a member of the daughters who hate pants club. Thank goodness if I allow it the majority of the time on the few occasions (hey we live in Florida) I ask her to wear jeans she will.
Boy oh boy... girls and clothes. It will never end. My daughter's nine and we do the same thing EVERY morning, her thing is there is never ANYTHING to wear of course.
SO jealous of the SNOW! You know we never see anything good here in NC! SO jealous!
That's Awesome! I can't wait to hear how the rest of the week goes...
Grand daughter is the same way, I'm just glad leggings are in. We got a pair to match her little dresses and she's as happy as can be!
It is good to hear, I'm not the only one going through these tough times. We argue daily about what to wear to kindergarten. Life is tough when your 5.
Maybe, I should be grateful for three boys. However, I have the opposite problem not dresses but getting boys to be leave the house clean. They would go without a bath forever if I would let them
Well... at least getting ready for church shouldn't be a problem.
tights? leggings?
my daughter doesn't wear pants either and we've compromised on tights and leggings under her skirts. She's fine.
We've been toying with the idea of relocation, but we've nixed a few location possibilities because Chebbles would probably have to wear PANTS there. Thank goodness we live in California, for the time being, where we'll pay all the extra taxes and deal with the weirdos, just so I don't have to fight the pants fight.
Those a cute jeans, though.
My daughter is the same way. We also have continual fights over down-sleeve-shirts (ie. long sleeves). She beleives they are all made by the devil himself.
BTW, I love the spiders on the walls. :-)
Hi Jana! Holy cow - I haven't been able to read your blog in a while and wow - a new baby! Congrats on your newest addition. Cameron is absolutely beautiful and I'm glad to hear that he's home now and doing well.
Ah, memories. Two of mine were the exact same way.
Life is way to short for these types of power struggles. Why in the world can't she wear thick tights or leggings with her dresses? Even a turtleneck under the dresses, if they are her favorite?
as a kid I used to fight to wear these awful brown cordoroy pants, my mom-why cant you be more girlie?! I remember stuffing a dress into a snow suit on the days she would win. now my 2.5 yr old BOY fights to wear only "Fuzzy pants" meaning he looks like my jobless brother-in-law everyday.
Ah - the ever present outfit fights in the morning. I struggle between two choices: let my daughter dress herself every day and experience the cold, in addition to taking pictures and embarrassing her in the years to come : OR: take away all her clothes and just leave the ones I approve of.....choices, choices
(for a minute there I honestly thought those spiders were real!)
Whatever you do, make sure to take pictures of her outfits (which probably won't match) and humiliate her when she's in high school/college with these clothing choices. Kids love that. The really love when you show up at their dorm with said photos and show them to eager dormmates.
Hmm, so does that mean that I can use dresses as a form of discipline on my four boys? Excellent.
ps, I cant remember if I thanked you since I used your burying bad habits idea for my FHE. The comments on the evening ranged from "that was amazing", to "mom, this is just creepy".
I have a son that is just as difficult to please. His pants have to be just so. Not too loose in the waist, just the right length, the pockets in the perfect place and size....the list goes on and on. He actually wore the same pair of pants all week to school but with three other boys to battle, I didn't notice this week. Kids and clothes.
Hilarious! I love it.
My friend last year removed all her daughter's clothing from her closet and made her wear her same outfit for a week.
Her daughter had made the complaint that she "had nothing to wear" at 8 years old! So my friend proved to her what that actually meant.
And, I'm glad to know I'm not the only one who sticks their kids noses in corners.
btw, that spider totally freaked me out (the little one, by the time I'd scrolled to the big one, I had it figured out.)
Don' t bother washing them either.
I never realized some kids hate pants. I don't like Danielle wearing pants- It takes longer to change her diaper.
Wow - you ARE the meanest mom! Just kidding! I think that we've all BTDT. Good luck - hopefully she'll learn a good lesson and won't complain about wearing pants after this week!
Oh, I remember those days well! I especially remember the outfits that were loved in the store, that were necessary to any continued existence on this planet and were suddenly evil and horrendous after we brought them home. I also remember how fun it was to let the girls pick out fabric and patterns, spend the time sewing exactly what they wanted, and then they suddenly didn't like it anymore. And didn't want to wear it. (Mean mom that I am, I made them wear it anyway!)
What I find hilarious is that she had no trouble showing off those cute jeans on Sunday!
Sounds like the time I FORCED my daughter to wear a coat. Oh, and I'm sorry I haven't been commenting, but I've been reading, captivated by all that goes on in your home and so glad your baby is home.
P.S. I want spiders on my wall!
Man. I have never really had to fight with my kids about clothes. You make me realize the vast uncharted territories of parenting that still await me . . .
Man, you really ARE The Meanest Mom.
I think I love you.
Corey
www.watchingthewaters.wordpress.com
I usually have a problem getting my son to wear clothes!We live in the tropics so no need for warm clothes, but he is 2 and loves to take his clothes off and just walk around infront of our house!
I know it's been said, but I'll reiterate:
Pick your battles. If you have power struggles over really small things (like pants vs. skirt) you won't have clout when something big comes along. Just let her wear tights or leggings under her dress. Or, meanest mom, you should know this..let her be cold a couple of days. Maybe she'll end up choosing pants on her own.
We have the opposite problem. Come Sunday mornings, I have to empty my daughter's drawers of jeans... lest she show up to church in all denim and Hello Kitty.
Ah...so glad that I'm not the only one who endures clothing battles.
I appreciate all of the "pick your battles" comments mostly because I completely agree! I have no problem letting my precious darling wear skirts to school in the winter, but since she refuses to wear tights (they are just as disgusting as long pants), she freezes in her classroom and I get semi-nasty notes sent home from her teacher saying things like "It's important for your child to dress appropriately" and the like. See my dilemma?!
If only I lived in Florida...
You just made me way more happier then I should for being in Cali! My fashion diva were's only dresses and skirts and has to be bribed to wear pants.
She tells me that is what tights are for mom!
I only have a b skirts vs pants is not a battle I have had to fight recenly, I hated skirts so it was more pants vs skirts at our house, but I did once nanny a little girl, and I am a huge pick your battles person, but she use to wear these skits and expose her panties all day long, and let me tell you I may be a pick your battles kind of girl and indecent exposure is one of those battles i will pick--I am all for the pants Meanest mom, because skirts are only good for one thing--exposing the panties, well that and goin to church in, with shorts underneath ofcourse
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