The Great Clothing Debate

Sydney Reese Arrant: I love you more than words can express, but we fight daily about clothes.... and you are only 5 years old. I am concerned. I am concerned about teenage years, prom dresses and, quite frankly, tomorrow! Well, not tomorrow because after our little tiff tonight we picked the rest of the week's clothes so that we can be saved of this argument for the rest of the week. Do I struggle with this because it always happens at 7:00 at night - after the killer hour, the hour that everyone is tired, hungry, gripey etc. and by 7:00 I am just ready to read stories and get you guys to bed???? Well, yes, but more than that I am concerned about self esteem and not understanding the value of a dollar. When you read this years from now and have no idea what I am talking about, here is a refresher course: Every time I purchase something new for you I bring it home, we talk about it, we try it on, we discuss what we can wear it with. What pants will it go with, what shoes, what type of weather it is appropriate for. Then I say to you, "Now Sydney, before I cut the tags off of this and wash it - will you wear it without hesitation in the weeks and months to come?" You typically answer with a resounding "Yes Ma'am" and then we argue about every 3rd or 4th day about said clothing piece because you won't wear it and you won't tell me why. You just shrug your shoulders and say "I don't really think so....." - This leads to a battle of epic proportions (see "killer hour" above) because I am usually tired, stressed out and ready to just end the night and I end up raising my voice. Then I feel really bad about things and wish I could take it all back, but mostly what I wish for is your confidence level to increase ten-fold, for you to be able to put on anything in your closet and feel FABULOUS, for you to know that hard earned money was spent on these items and they are not meant to collect dust in your closet. I want to know what's going on in that head of yours. And, as I type this I know that this is the tip of the ice berg...that many more nights will I wonder about my precious angels "what is going on in that head of hers?".....