'Back to School' is Tuesday, the 11th for my brood. Thanks to construction, the cursed Fates, and that nothing is simple, easy, or ordinary in Dawn's world. lol
Hubby and I attacked the clothes shopping, alone, on Friday. Why alone, you ask? Why weren't the kids in tow?
I'll tell you why... because the night before they (read: Fuzzy and Pumpkin) sent Hubby and I (more Hubby than I) over the edge with complaining about how they don't get the right 'brand' of clothes yadda yadda, all the OTHER kids get this and that and they get nothing.
Oh yeah, wrong thing to do as your parents are heading out the next day to shop for you. So, Hubby had them fetch his work shoes to look at how they soles are worn through, and my capri pants that are wearing thin in the seat, and asked them if they had clothes like that.
It shut them up, and made them contrite, but they needed a punishment to drive it home. The punishment was that we would shop alone and they would live with our choices. Period.
Of course, they loved everything we got anyhow, but they didn't get to shop, so hopefully, lesson learned.
Obviously, we do without for our kids as our choice, but dang it, they do need to appreciate it. I am more patient with the appreciation coming in bits and pieces as they grow and mature.
Hubby not so much, but he had nothing as a kid. And, I mean little to nothing, so he does not suffer an attitude of 'not appreciating' at all.
Yesterday, Hubby and my mom took the kids to a friends house in Upstate NY, who was having a kids day party that she does each year. My dad and I passed on it. The thought of driving 2 hours there and back was just too much, for my head and my body. So, dad and I did food shopping, as it was time to get lunch stuff and 'school' snacks.
We all went out to Houlihan's at 6pm, when the travellers got home, and heard about their fun day.
Today has been spent clearing out the closets. I went through all three closets and bagged the outgrown items to give to the less fortunate. I tackled Pumpkin's scary mess of a room, and we reorganized it and hung up her new clothes. Pumpkin did help in the process, too.
I still have to finish up the boy's room, but I needed a break and decided to spend it with you! I have to take breaks or else I really suffer after a day like this. Now, I will still suffer, just less! Dang RA/Lupus. lol
I totally missed Caturday, so I will have to put up a cat picture for you all at the bottom! Hope each and everyone of you is having a fabulous weekend!
Leigh, I will get to the meme! Hopefully, tonight!
be well,
Dawn
24 comments:
that should teach them. i never complained about my clothes because there were some kids who couldnt afford any.
http://journals.aol.com/silverdoe64/yathink. Dawn, meet Julie, shes a great lady whos blog I read. Check out her latest blog............. She's talking about fashion to her kids, but gives in to by him some fancy trousers!
Remind you of your kids???????
Gaz ;-)
Good lesson for the kids, a friend of mine did ALL her shopping for her kids one year at a thrift store because they were 'brand' complaining so much.... LOL!!! I thought that was way over the top, but she was really mad!! LOL!!! Where do you get all these cute kitten tags... they're adorable!!
Joann
Oh ya it is a big thing for them...wait until they are teens...man...Aeropostle, Hollister, on & on...and you know it still continues with my college student a bit but you'll be happy to know they go down a bit to wearing sweats & pajama pants with t-shirts with obnoxious sayings...like the ones in Wal-Mart & K-Mart. I have to temper those in class & tell them nothing offensive or you'll even get "Big Johnson" ones. Ugh!
Enjoy the upcoming school week.
Missie
my son was ok and once he worked he bought his own... starting at about 15.
Lucky me :)
hugs
d
The school system here now has uniforms which I am grateful for :)
I hope they all have a good first day back!
Hugs,
Gretchen
Hahahaa...that coordinaytin' cat!
You have reminded me that I need to stop just shutting the door to my son's room and actually try to DO SOMETHING with it. Yikes.
Hey, I don't get the right brand of clothes either...will you shop for me? --Cin
Wow.. I'm not the only one cleaning closets out too! I have 5 garbage bags of clothes in the garage!! Busy time.. Take care - Julie
When my Bobbi got her b-day money she bought alot of hers...David isn't so picky as long as he has pants and some cool t's he is fine...I know what you mean about appreciating though....
Michele
I think that is brilliant the way you and hubby handled school clothes shopping!! Me and hubby have a lot of worn out things to show our kids. I will have to try that next time they are complaining. Yay... you got to your closets all ready!? I wish I had done mine.... hope ya have a great day!! Hugs,
Lisa
Love the coordinating kittah! I'm with you on the punishment. Tell them about wearing toughskins from Sears. Just let them suffer that way! LOL Or Garanimals. Heaven help us! How did we survive?
Traci
I think that was a good punishment and lesson you taught them. We have to have that conversation with our kids at times. They really don't know how to do without like we did!
Lori
brilliant on how you got them to see what they had. hope your weekend was a good one. (((hugs))))
Cindy
Ah, I remember the school shopping days. ;( Not too bad when my son was younger, but the teen years drove me over the edge! So, I set a budget, gave him the money and sent him out into the cruel world of high prices. Well, the shoe prices came down, the tee shirts didn't have to be the $30 ones, and jeans came from K-Mart, not Hot Topic. And we survived it all.
Hope the kids have a great first week of school.
Smiles, Leigh
good for you i bet they will learn to like what they get and worry less about what everybody else has. enjoy your week
Deb
I was all too happy to have my mom shop for school clothes without me! But that was an era without all the fashion/lable pressures.
Russ
You know something...I am so proud of you and your husband...I too was raised poor...poorer than most...and my kids never had the very best...and I swear if I had a million dollars thrown in my lap...they still wouldn't...I am a firm believer that you only truly appreciate what is hard to come by...How do peolple expect children to learn to appreciate anything if it is ALL just given to them???? Yes, I am proud of you two...Yall are good parents and you both have the right attitude about raising children that will grow up to be responsible adults. I can just see your kids in the future, telling THEIR KIDS..."I remember when my mama and daddy set us down and taught us a valuable lesson about OUR priorities!" lol
God bless you both.
love ya,
carlene
Kids these days have no clue. They do learn eventually. I went shopping with Skye the weekend before last and was surprised she was actually price shopping. It's a whole new ball game when they have to pay for their own things out of pocket. When I left home at 16 all I had was one extra set of clothes. It remained that way for almost a year before I could afford something more. Good for you teaching them to appreciate things more. (Hugs) Indigo
I remember acting the same way when I was a kid but my mom would show me her four year old jeans, they were tossed a couple years ago, and my dad would sacrifice and walk around in work boots that could house a duck from the water and that would make us shut up fast. Remind them it could be worse. There were many years as a kid I didn't even have school clothes when school started and they never were the cool stuff. Usually it was my cousins hand me downs or borrowing from my sister. Either way they should be feeling pretty blessed that their mom and dad will take from themselves for them to have! -Dawn-
Awwww, that is an adorable cat picture!!!
Mine went back to school last wednesdaky and it is so hard getting in the groove of it. Linda
What a way to teach a lesson! Good for you guys!!!
Gillie
I like the lesson that you taught the kids. I think it was a great lesson. Tish G.
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