Me and Josiah, my nine-year-old son were going through our homework. During one of our commercial breaks, he told me how the day faired at school and how one of his classmates was punished at the school assembly.
He really tried to describe the friend but I honestly I can’t keep track with his friends because he is so friendly. I get introduced to a new friend on a daily and children these days have sophisticated names; gone are the days of Mary and John.
Since I couldn’t put face to name, my son tried his last luck at description and I could tell he was really putting too much effort. So he went on to say, “Mum, the boy whose mum is always dressed in short dresses and torn jeans.”
Now he fully got my attention, I quickly said, “now I know him,” afraid to another get kind of description. I drowned in so many thoughts. “How do my children’s friends describe me? How do my children feel when I wear these damaged jeans that are actually torn like my son calls them. What outfit is too short before my son?”
Thank God it was bedtime so I gave reason to cut the conversation short. Some parents will say it’s none of a child’s business on how they dress, but if you are going to be your best at parenting, then it’s only right your dress the part.
I myself do not seek my children’s permission on what attire to buy or not to buy, but every time I see an outfit I like, I remind myself of the little lady and gentleman who is looking up to me and saying ‘when I grow up, I want to be everything like my mother’.
Surely motherhood does not come with a memo because if some parents knew that you get to a point where you have to sacrifice and let go of some funky hair styles, accessories or dress code for the sake of parenting, they would hold on giving birth. Anyway it’s never too late to clean out our closets and own motherhood with every grip, no one said it comes easy but it is worth it!
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