Wednesday, April 06, 2016

if the only reason is because of what people will think, that's not good enough

My son declared that he's wearing the same shorts to school for a third day in a row. My reaction on the SECOND day was that it's not okay. However, this kid has a will of steel and battling with him is not high on my list of fun things to do. So, second day okay.

On the cusp of this third day, I am thinking the thoughts I had about the second day, only magnified.

What will his teacher think?
What will his classmates think? Will they go home and tell their parents that Jackson wore the same shorts for the third day in a row?
What will you all who are reading this think?

Honestly, those are the only reasons to confiscate the shorts and refuse to allow him to wear them. '

They're not THAT dirty (no, I am not going to smell them.) The eyeball test makes them look practically clean, except they've got a distinctive belt that proves to me that they are indeed the same shorts from the past two days.

Nothing BAD is going to happen to them from wearing them. If the other kids in his class pick on him for wearing them, that's something he's got to deal with. I don't want to layer on top of it by asking, "What will your friends think?" I've got enough issues; I don't need him to have the same ones some day.

It's kind of gross. Maybe even REALLY gross. But it's actually not that big of a deal. I'm not going to go into a spiral on mom-guilt about laundry, because the truth is if I could get them off his body (and he has actually showered each day and put them back on...so I guess you could make the argument that if I were quick enough I could've snatched them and taken them to the washer while he was in the shower) then it would be an epic battle. I am SO TIRED of epic battles with this beautiful boy. I just want to love him and hang out with him.

So, the only reason I would forbid it is because of what other people think. And that's not a good enough reason to battle.

It's a reason that I do or don't do a lot of stuff. It's been a reason pretty much since I was 3, I think. It's kind of getting old. I'd like to quit it. So I'll start by protecting my son from my neuroses (in this case). And I'll try to learn from it myself.

2 comments:

Mary Beth said...

Go, Mama! I wear the same clothes most of the time - that is, I have a uniform of sorts, identical slacks and various tops, mostly solid jewel tones. I prefer it this way, it's easier, and as my guru Jack Handey says, "If you wear the same clothes every day, people remember you better."

realsarah said...

Thanks you, Mary Beth! I like that Jack Handey quote, too ;)