It's that time of year again - time to go shopping for new spring clothes for the kids. I took the two oldest ones out shopping this past weekend. I took them separately - one at a time - because together would just be a disaster! Spending one-on-one time with them reminded me how different they are from each other. Here's a glimpse into our shopping adventures.
I took Megan out on Friday afternoon. Megan is very easy to please. She likes EVERYTHING she sees. She goes through the store with her usual hyper energy and picks up everything. "How 'bout this Mom?" "This is cute!" "What about this one?" She is something akin to a bull in a china shop, but fortunately clothes aren't breakable. However, it is rather exhausting. The good news is that she is also very gullible. I can easily convince her to like anything I like and to dislike anything I dislike as well (I hope it is still this easy when she is a teenager!). I took her to two stores - Children's Place and JCPenney. We came out with 1 church dress, 1 casual dress, 1 skort, and 3 outfits (shorts & top). Easy Peasy! We'll hit a couple more stores sometime soon and be finished!
I took Rachel out on Saturday and it was a very different story. Rachel is the complete opposite. She hates shopping, which means she already has a not-so-sunny disposition from the minute we begin. She is super picky. She likes what she likes and there is no persuading her differently. Here is a summary of Rachel's clothing requirements:
- First & foremost, clothes must be comfortable. Comfort trumps fashion anytime.
- She will not wear anything that is denim or made in a way similar to jeans (such as belt loops, button & zipper fly, etc.).
- She does not like any kind of pattern - no plaid, no flowers, no polka dots. Stripes are sometimes o.k., but must be evaluated on a case-by-case basis.
- She LOVES skirts, but will not wear skorts.
- The clothing gets bonus points if it comes in her favorite color - turquoise.
- Finally, the more flowy, feminine, etc., the better - as long as it meets all the above criteria.
I took Rachel to 3 stores - Old Navy, Target, JCPenney. We got 2 pairs of shorts (however, the coordinating tops had various patterns and were much to babyish for my exceptionally mature 8 yr. old.), 1 casual sundress, 1 skirt, and 4 random tops (only 1 of which could be combined with any of the bottoms we purchased in an attempt to create a cohesive outfit). Oh yeah, and a headache - a big, fat headache from all the arguing and negativity. Unfortunately, I will likely have to drag her to a few more stores in order to complete any resemblance of a spring/summer wardrobe. Now that I have a better understanding of her "requirements" I suppose I could go shopping without her to try to find a few items, but that is usually like trying to take a shot in the dark (which could actually be less painful for everyone concerned.)
So there you have it - the personality differences between Rachel and Megan as seen from a shopper's point of view. Wish me luck and, when you see them this spring and think to yourself "What are they wearing?!?", just remember, I tried my best!!!
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