A Morning Conversation

A morning conversation:

Miss E : I don’t want to go to school

Me: Well I think you need to, you took a day off last week and we can’t do that very often.

Miss E: I’m not getting dressed.

Me: Ok, but I don’t think you teacher will let you wear pajamas to school

Miss E: (stomps to room, comes out in the 1 skirt she owns that is not school appropriate because it is taffeta, long and she can't walk a full stride in it)

Me: That’s not a school skirt

Miss E: Well then I’m not going

Me: You need to go change

Miss E: (stomps back into room, comes out in pants)

Me: Those look nice. Do they fit ok (they’re new)?

Miss E: Yes

Me: What’s underneath them (my mom radar is up)

Miss E: (Looking down)  Tights.

Me: That seems like it’s going to too hot (she has a history of layering so many clothes that she gets hot and cranky,which doesn't work well for school, and the pants she is wearing are already thick sweatpants.)

Miss E: It’s cold

Me: I want you to take the tights off before school. Do you want to do it after your cereral?

Miss E: No

Me: (starting to feel a little frustrated) Look Miss E, I let you play with legos in your pajamas for an extra 45 minutes this morning, and then I let you have yogurt and cereal for breakfast (usually eggs). And you're making a fuss about this?

Miss E: Yes. I don’t want to wear socks.

Me: Why don’t you want to wear socks?

  

Miss E: Because I don’t like to wear socks. (I have never heard this before)

Me: Well hon you can’t wear those pants and tights to school, it’s too hot.

Miss E: No

Me: Miss E, (more firmly) you need to take the tights off. You can’t wear them to school and I don’t think you want to be late.

Miss E: (ignores me)

Me: 10 minutes until we leave.

Miss E: (ignores me)

Me: Miss E you need to change. You can take off the pants and put on a skirt, or put on a different pair of pants but you can’t wear tights with those pants.

  

Miss E: AAARrrggg, I want to wear that rainbow skirt (1st skirt).

Me: That rainbow skirt is not for school, but you have about 10 other skirts in there that you can wear to school.

Miss E: I want you to pick it out.

Me: Fine. Here, this one will look great with that top.

(much moaning and groaning ensues from her room.)

She finally comes out in a school appropriate outfit. I resist doing a victory dance. 

There was a time when a conversation such as this would have resulted in tears, tantrums, yelling and my blood pressure rising. But, as they say, with time comes wisdom. I have learned how to navigate this situation and yes, it is frustrating. I have learned though that she needs to make her own decisions. We can't force her into anything. As crazy making as it is, it's also something that I love very much about her. She has her own mind. Although I wish conversations like this didn't drag out so much!

Once we dropped her off Mr. T and I ran errands, went to the bookstore, got him registered for kindergarten next year (yikes!), went to build a bear to make his end-of-potty training celebratory bear, or puppy dog in his case, went shoe shopping for me and then headed back to pick up Miss E. Sometimes these days seem trivial, school drop offs, pick ups, errands, it can all fill an entire day. But they are so sweet, spending this time with my kids, even errands, drop offs and pick ups fills my heart with joy. I know that these are some of the best years of my life, clothing arguments and all.