We started off the school year with 5 pairs of jeans, just enough to get Dallin through the week. Within a few weeks, one pair became no longer usable because the snap broke out of it. Within a month, another pair was discarded into the "I hate those pants!" pile. For whatever reason, Dallin had decided that they didn't fit right and there was no way on earth he was going to even think about putting them on. Three pairs of school pants just doesn't cut it for a mom who both hates to do laundry and refuses to let her child (who would willingly do so) go to school in dirty pants. So a few weeks ago, off I went to Park City to supplement the wardrobe.
Before I went, I checked the sizes and brands of all the jeans he would wear so that I could match them. As soon as I got home, I had him try them on to make sure they were acceptable, and he pronounced them to be just fine.
So now why are we down to only 2 pairs of pants that he will willingly wear??? Within a week of buying the 2 new pairs, he started refusing to wear them. I have not taken to this happily--in fact, I have gone into Very Mean Mommy mode! Whenever there have been no other options (because all the other options are dirty), I have insisted that he wear them. I have even sat him on my lap and dressed him in them and prevented him from changing. I am so frustrated! And then today, he refused yet another pair of pants that he has been wearing all year long with no problems. I am about to lose my mind! I really DO feel for him and empathize with his dislike of whatever it is he dislikes about these pants. I know he's not making it up. But I can't go out and buy new pants every time he decides he no longer likes a pair. I just can't. And I think that to do so would be teaching him lessons I don't want him to learn. I feel like we need to be teaching thrift. Clothing is not expendable. Daddy works hard for the money to pay for those things. Mommy has done everything possible to accomodate his tastes and preferences, but I can't be buying new clothes every week. That's just not an option.
So I basically made him wear the pants today. As I have with the other pairs. It ruined what had otherwise been a pretty beautiful morning with lots of connecting between me and the kids. It's ruined the past few mornings too, which have gone perfectly smoothly until it's time to get dressed. He doesn't just complain or cry. He screams and rants and sobs and carries on for a good 20 minutes. He usually refuses to eat breakfast because he's so upset. I feel terrible. But I don't want to set a precendent of wearing dirty pants or buying new pants all the time.
I realized today that the things that are bugging him are things that are just unique to denim. Jeans always feel stiff and tight when they have just come out of the dryer. Once you wear them for a little while, they loosen up and soften up. When I quiz him at the end of the day about how his pants did, he always says they were fine. There are no other options. He will not wear cords, sweats or any other non-denim pants (he thinks they all look like Sunday pants). This is it.
Before I went, I checked the sizes and brands of all the jeans he would wear so that I could match them. As soon as I got home, I had him try them on to make sure they were acceptable, and he pronounced them to be just fine.
So now why are we down to only 2 pairs of pants that he will willingly wear??? Within a week of buying the 2 new pairs, he started refusing to wear them. I have not taken to this happily--in fact, I have gone into Very Mean Mommy mode! Whenever there have been no other options (because all the other options are dirty), I have insisted that he wear them. I have even sat him on my lap and dressed him in them and prevented him from changing. I am so frustrated! And then today, he refused yet another pair of pants that he has been wearing all year long with no problems. I am about to lose my mind! I really DO feel for him and empathize with his dislike of whatever it is he dislikes about these pants. I know he's not making it up. But I can't go out and buy new pants every time he decides he no longer likes a pair. I just can't. And I think that to do so would be teaching him lessons I don't want him to learn. I feel like we need to be teaching thrift. Clothing is not expendable. Daddy works hard for the money to pay for those things. Mommy has done everything possible to accomodate his tastes and preferences, but I can't be buying new clothes every week. That's just not an option.
So I basically made him wear the pants today. As I have with the other pairs. It ruined what had otherwise been a pretty beautiful morning with lots of connecting between me and the kids. It's ruined the past few mornings too, which have gone perfectly smoothly until it's time to get dressed. He doesn't just complain or cry. He screams and rants and sobs and carries on for a good 20 minutes. He usually refuses to eat breakfast because he's so upset. I feel terrible. But I don't want to set a precendent of wearing dirty pants or buying new pants all the time.
I realized today that the things that are bugging him are things that are just unique to denim. Jeans always feel stiff and tight when they have just come out of the dryer. Once you wear them for a little while, they loosen up and soften up. When I quiz him at the end of the day about how his pants did, he always says they were fine. There are no other options. He will not wear cords, sweats or any other non-denim pants (he thinks they all look like Sunday pants). This is it.
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