Cici and Nina Last night, I made a simple suggestion to my girls that it would be fun for them to switch the clothes they usually wore. Cici and Nina (one of their many nicknames) have their own sense of style. Cici is a skirt or dress fanatic and Nina wears pants everyday. When I made the suggestion, I thought for sure we would have some fun with it and in the end they would end up wearing what they normally wear the next day.
However, Cici at the end of my simple suggestion became hysterical. I honestly had never seen her so upset. She was ranting on and on and on about how she didn't want to wear pants and when I reached out to her she pulled away and ran around the room. Seriously - it was such a dramatic moment for her, I thought she had to be kidding. As her mom, I felt that her behaviour was way out of bounds and since she made such a fuss (it lasted all evening into bedtime until she fell asleep) that I would have to stick by my suggestion and make her wear pants.
Alas, Cici is in pants and Nina in a skirt. What would you have done?
7 comments:
I have a niece that refuses to wear pants ever. I don't know that they have ever made her wear them, but I never see her wearing them. She thinks girls should only wear dresses or skirts.
I probably would not have made your daughter wear pants. It would drive me nuts to have a skirt/dress only daughter (I HATE dresses) but in a way its probably comforting to her to have that individuality from her sister, and her clothes are something that she can exercise her agency about, and you don't have to worry too much (until she is a teen and wants to choose immodest clothing.)
Ohhh, the joys of motherhood! I wonder if she was just overly tired last night? I know when my kids are tired their behaviour is always more extreme.
I've been spoiled with my kids because they have pretty much let me pick what they wear. However, I do have a more stubborn one (Luke) who prefers his choice or nothing. Sometimes I let him do it (depending where we are going) After all aren't we suppose to choose our battles. It is much easier said than done for sure.
Ahh the joys of letting them become independent. :)
hi michelle: when i was a kid, i would throw tandrums "i want to wear pants and shirt! i want to wear pants and shirt!" the only time i wore dresses was to church. my mom let me get away with wearing what i wanted most of the time. now, as an adult, i wear dresses/skirts to work almost everyday. she will probably outgrow this eventually. but if she isn't hurting anything and if she is still wearing dresses when most appropriate, like to Sacrament, then is it okay to let her have a little independence in her clothing (yes, as long as she is not immodest)? choose your battles, too, i agree :)
hug em :)
I guess I would have a nice talk with her about how to properly handle her feelings, especially when she doesn't like something that's going on. I would have given her examples of times I had to work through my feelings when I wasn't happy with what was going on so she would understand that things like that happen to everyone.
It's amusing from where I sit though.
"When I grow up my mummy says I'm going to be a proper little madam!" (that's an old TV advert here)
It sounds par for the course, really. It's upsetting, I agree, but maybe she's just experimenting with boundaries.
Erin tries to insist on putting together the most ridiculous 'ensembles' of clothes, and sometimes I let her (and she looks a complete CLOWN, but what do I care?) and sometimes I have to stamp my authority and give her an option of 'you put this on, or you go out in your knickers. Now I'm going to count to 5...'
They look too cute in that pic to cause you such strife!
hi michelle: i loved that comment "When I grow up my mummy says I'm going to be a proper little madam!"
ever since our teen daughters were little, we have been telling them we want to "grow up and be good contributors to society, not social deviants." no kidding, just like that :)
oh, your post brought me back to my childhood temper tandrums over pants and shirt. i enjoyed this. thanks for bringing up memories that weren't bad.
blessings to you and your little ones this night :)
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