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Strollerderby
Mom Takes School Shopping to a Whole New Level
Karen Dougherty is every 10-year-old boy’s nightmare mom. Take her views on school shopping, for instance:
“Well, you know how boys are,” said Dougherty, as she carefully hemmed the cuffs on a pair of baby-blue corduroys. “If Michael had his way, he’d probably run out the door every day in a T-shirt, jeans, and sneakers. He doesn’t understand that he’d make a much stronger impression on his classmates and teachers if he tried an outfit with more flair, like a nice mock turtleneck with a peach vest.”
Luckily (especially for her son), Dougherty isn’t real. She’s a fictional creation of The Onion. Their satire often goes too far, but this time they got it just right. Dougherty discusses possible schemes for her son’s wardrobe:
“Fourth grade is a great year for dressing boys because you can really do anything with them,” Dougherty told reporters waiting outside a Nordstrom dressing room as her son tried on the first of several prospective outfits. “You can go Southwestern, nautical, even safari. I mean, why not? There are no rules, really, and I think Michael’s look this year is going to reflect that.”
Hee. “Even safari.” Poor Michael. A friend of mine has a 12-year-old son, and she figures if he leaves the door in relatively closely matched track pants and sweatshirt, she’s done her job.
But satire is funny because it’s based, at least in part, in reality. Parents and kids everywhere are participating in the yearly tug-of-war: School shopping. You want them to look nice, they want to look like their friends. I was able to redirect my four-year-old today away from a bedazzled Hannah Montana t-shirt to something a little more age appropriate, but how many more years am I going to be able to do that without a fight?
How does school shopping go in your household? Fun family time or a constant battle of wills?
Photo: texgear.com
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Madplanner commented on Aug 27 09 at 4:36 pmSo my little guy’s been in school for two years now. Other than replacing clothes that he’s outgrown, and taking advantage of back to school sales, why does anyone get in a frenzy over back to school shopping? In our case, he still fits the clothes he wore in summer so why go buy more? Anyone, help me understand this whole “back-to-school” shopping phenomenon…
Melanie commented on Apr 28 11 at 10:02 amI agree. My baby is in the first grade. Other then replaceing the jeans he has worn the knees out of and buying a few new t-shirts that is the total of our shopping trips. (of course we get the new pack of socks every winter and summer. Where do those things disappear to?) My daughter starts school next year but as long as she can wear her favorite tee shirt every chance it is clean I think we are good.
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