So why, when the temperature is definitely below zero outside, and the kid is wearing fleece pants, a coat, and gloves, is she also wearing CROCS?!?
I swear, I have to get after both of them every single time we get in the car--"No, you may not wear Crocs!" "YES, you have to wear socks?!?" "Will, I swear, at least bring the coat WITH you in case we have car trouble or there's a fire drill at the library!"
The other night, Matt picked the kids up from the library, and asked them to meet him upstairs after they'd collected their things. Will arrived without her coat, admitted that yes, she'd left it downstairs in the children's department, and then suggested, "Let's just leave it. We can come back tomorrow and get it."
Seriously, if it was twenty degrees warmer, which would still be VERY cold, I wouldn't care. If they want to be uncomfortable, that's not my concern. I must insist, however, that the children NOT suffer from frostbite in their extremities while under my care.
So this morning, as part of getting ready to head out for math class, I reminded both children to brush their teeth and hair, walked Will around the house to find her hairbrush after she tearfully insisted that she "can't find it!" (it was in clear view on the playroom floor, next to a teaspoon and a roll of masking tape), reminded Syd again to brush her teeth and hair, reminded both children that they must wear socks and shoes, reminded them again to bring breakfast along for the car ride (Will didn't; Syd did, but handed it to me, uneaten, at the door of the classroom), and then flat-out screamed at Will in the car, sigh, as she successfully turned ten minutes of memory work into ten minutes of power struggle by mumbling her answers so quietly that I couldn't hear her, then declaring at my protests--in, I might add, a much louder volume--that THIS is her normal volume and she ALWAYS speaks just like this and she doesn't understand WHY I keep making her speak more loudly!
Of course, then, as we're climbing the stairs to their classroom, and I'm following behind Will and instructing her to please be more respectful to Mr. Phil than she was to her mother this morning (I know, I know...), I of COURSE notice that the child is, yes, wearing close-toed shoes, but no, she is not wearing socks.
Did I mention that it's eleven degrees outside?
I'm seriously considering showing her a Google Image search entitled "frostbitten toes." That's seriously where I'm at right now with this whole socks business.
And people think stay-home mom's have it easy :0)
ReplyDeleteThankfully my kiddo thinks that shoes feel uncomfortable without socks, so that is a battle I don't need to fight. However, we keep our house at 65 degrees and I am ALWAYS telling her to put a sweatshirt on because her goosebumps are about to poke my eyes out.
We played a little with doing some memory work in the car. It was pretty cool, except I couldn't remember the rest of the words on her spelling list. I should probably plan better and actually bring it with me next time.
hahaha! i totally relate, because i've said those same words on the way to the car. like today. my other thing is: no you may not wear snow boots (since they don't really need jackets today and it's dry out). boots + crocs = easier to put on.
ReplyDeletealso, totally different subject, and unsolicited advice :)from a curly girl: will's hair is kinda curly, try not brushing it. it's something that mom's with straight hair usually don't realize, but you shouldn't brush curly hair at all. comb it (or finger comb it) only while wet WITH conditioner on. then rinse and let it dry. i can't remember the last time i used a brush (probably about Willow's age), and we only use it on my curly daughter when she needs dance recital hair.
Kirsten, does your hair not get stringy when it's not brushed? I feel like both kids' hair wants to separate into locks when it's unbrushed, but I've never had her try combing it in the shower with conditioner before. I'm going to try it! Also, you are SO right--poor Will and her wavy, curly, mop of hair!
ReplyDeleteI have to have lists in the car for a lot of things, so I can't do those if I'm focusing on where I'm going or if it's dark. When all else fails, though, there's always states and capitals, Latin and Spanish vocab, and the multiplication tables!