Parenting style

Before your blood pressure starts to elevate, I'm not talking attachment versus detachment here (though let the record state, b.), but rather, how do you present your kids to the world? Are you a head-to-toe Baby Gap aficionado (I wish. Someday, Dave Ramsey) or do you let your littles troll in Heathtex primary-colored fleecy separates from the big W?

Me, I'm kind of a hybrid mother dresser. I like a good pair of Striderite sandals as much as the next yuppie child of the 80's, and I'm not above letting my kids sport a little seersucker in dressier settings, but for our daily toil, I tend towards simple denim + knit tops, preferably collared but lamentably often crew necked (boys, they have opinions!) and sensible, weather appropriate footwear. Or no footwear. Because barefooted children learn better, haven't you heard?

Earthing. It's a movement.

Part of the reason I can somewhat control how my children look (and the fact that they sometimes look almost presentable) is that I control the inflow of textiles into this abode. If it's in their closet, I approved it...a sometimes humbling admission when I think of the multiple super hero'd t-shirts and one very embarrassing Chewbacca long sleeve that have snuck their way into the rotation. And believe me, these particular numbers get played frequently.

But wookies aside, my kids usually look pretty good. Thanks to my love affair with thrifting and the seemingly endless supply of Children's Place, Crew Cuts and Baby Gap castoffs at my local Saver's, their closets are preppy wonderlands filled with suitable choices for daily wear. They'll never look as fly as the Patton Clan, but then, we can't all be so fabulous.

All of which leads me to a very troubling and weirdly feminine confession:

Oops, not my confession. Just an adorable baby.

True confession: girl's jeans on my 3.5 year old boy. Hearts on pockets and everything.

Oops. I really need to check labels more closely.

Worse from the front.