Thursday, March 15, 2012

Comfort has its place, but it seems rude to visit another country dressed as if you've come to mow its lawns.

The shorts battle continues.

Jordan is a pretty flexible kid, but he is stubborn, and when he takes a stand, he can be intractable. (I'm certain he gets this from his father. Don't you think?)

There are some pieces of apparel to which he is adamantly opposed.

There's a pair of blue pants I got him that he calls the "crunchy pants" and he refuses to wear. He loves the "cold pants" - which are nylon track pants with stripes down the side. I can't figure out why he dislikes the jeans, although on the really cold days we forced the fleece-lined ones, and after initial resistance, he was fine.

Generally, the softer and more pliable the material, the more he likes it. Pockets help. Immensely. The better to spirit home these weird pieces of plastic fruit with velcro on them from daycare.

No clue what's so compelling about the plastic fruit.

So this morning I was downstairs making tea when I heard the shrieks and wails through the monitor. "THESE PANTS ARE LITTLE! I DON'T WANT THE LITTLE PANTS!"

I went rushing up with a pair of lightweight pants that had been sitting on the dryer. (I'm good at the clothes washing and drying. I suck, however, at the folding. I hate the folding.)

Nick stopped me cold. "It's going to be in the 80s. He needs to learn how to wear shorts." He was angry, he was on a mission, and he was all kinds of bound and determined to send Jordan off to daycare in shorts.

I wanted to point out that in hot countries all over the world there are plenty of people who NEVEREVER wear shorts, and in fact criticize American adults for the shorts-wearing. One of my favorite David Sedaris lines is about an American couple on the metro in Paris: "Comfort has its place, but it seems rude to visit another country dressed as if you've come to mow its lawns."

But I have learned that engaging in battle is not helpful when one parent is mad and determined and the kid is screaming his head off. I know, because I've been the mad and determined parent faced with a logical argument. It just makes you want to stab the other parent and then everything goes all to hell.

So I went back to my tea, and they soon descended, Jordan in shorts and sobbing hysterically. Very upset about the little pants. Beside himself upset.

Jordan was so angry he shoved his milk off the table, which then put him into a time out. And then, when Nick was out of the room Jordan took of the shorts ("I DON'T WANT TO WEAR LITTLE PANTS!") and begged for good pants.

I found him some good pants.

He used to like shorts. He's fine with his swimsuit. I feel confident that as it gets hotter, he'll wear shorts. And if he doesn't, we'll put him in light cotton pants. NON-CRUNCHY light cotton pants.

Just because Nick was forced into humiliating British shorts outfits, no matter the weather, doesn't mean our son needs to be. I'm OK with the no shorts until he's ready.

And you know, looking back at the look on Nick's face in that shorts photo, he was none too delighted about his get-up.

17 comments:

  1. your son's opposition to shorts is incredibly endearing. also, i've heard tale from other boy mamas that they often go through a NO PANTS IN GENERAL phase... so maybe you're lucky he at least likes long pants?
    also, H&M has some really cute, super light weight kid pants, and uber inexpensive (if it comes to that : )

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    1. You make a good point - he could be in a no pants phase, and that would be much harder!

      Also, you are the kid shopping queen, and we need pants (he's almost outgrown all of them suddenly!) - thank you! Will check them out!

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  2. It snowed here yesterday. Please. Please stop talking about shorts.

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    1. Ugh, sorry. That sucks. I will try for your sake.

      Also, come visit! Bring the husband! Bring the kid! Come stay with us!

      Nick has been dying for snow. He desperately wants to take Jordan sledding. Me, I'm so grateful that I can now wear dresses without maternity leggings and my slip tucked all up under my boobs. Plus my legs are now too big for my boots. I think I would curl up and die if we got snow now.

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  3. What if you tried putting on shorts yourself (or Nick) and wearing them around the house to show him that shorts are okay?

    On the other hand, this is some funny stuff. :)

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    1. Nick will be sporting shorts this weekend, for sure, so maybe J will turn around. And maybe he just doesn't like that one particular pair of shorts? I'd assume he would, because they're made of the same stuff as the "cold pants" he loves, but who knows?

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  4. My brother refused to wear jeans for most of his young life - his favorite pants were sweatpants. My mom finally figured out it was because jeans were too, um, binding in important places.

    The little pants story is very cute, though. :)

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    1. That's pretty funny. Mom, they're constricting my junk! I don't know if that's the case with Jordan, as I would think the diapers would provide ample room - it's not like any of these pants can be tight. But hmm. Maybe they do just constrict movement too much.

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  5. I might have said this before but amazing how much Jordan looks like young Nick. And kind of funny what children will tolerate. My young son HATED his hands to be dirty. Try that on a boy, who's dad is a cowboy.

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    1. Isn't it crazy? Everyone else says it immediately, and I don't really see it until I look at photos like that. And then they are carbon copies.

      That is so funny! And so difficult! No dirty hands out on the range!

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  6. MAN, I do not miss *those* days! The boy child was fine with whatever clothing, the girl child, rarely. Socks were always a problem, and any shirt or dress that had a tag was always a disaster (which I understand, as I frequently cut out the tags on the back of my shirts. I can still conjure up her wailing in her three-year-old voice (she's 20 now) "IT HAS A TAG!!"

    Good luck! Onward!

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    1. Oh, Liz, I am the same way - IT HAS A TAG! Betty is just like this as well. Tags immediately have to be cut off off off! They just bug the back of both of our necks too much. Although Betty, I think, is kind of a compulsive tag cutter. She cuts them out of everything, even from places that don't bug.

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    2. Oh, but then there is the itchy tag stump! Tags enrage me. Urgh!!

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  7. I'm with Jordan; I don't wear crunchy pants either. There are so many wonderfully soft fabrics, why would anyone want to wear the cruncy stuff?

    As for the shorts: The day Nick puts on shorts Jordan will want to, too. I just betcha.

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    1. I learned my lesson with those pants. Cute, lots of pockets, roll up cargo style. But CRUNCHY! NOOOOO!

      I think that is likely. Not 100%, but likely.

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  8. I knew Jordan looked like his father, but wasn't aware of just how much until I clicked on the link and saw the photo of young Nick in shorts. Looking very unhappy.

    Good luck with the little pants!

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    1. I know - it's nutso! I the the squinty-scowly baby picture is even more striking. They're definitely peas in a pod.

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