{"id":7323,"date":"2014-02-24T21:08:56","date_gmt":"2014-02-24T19:08:56","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/responsive.jozikids.co.za\/zaparents\/?p=7323"},"modified":"2022-06-22T09:43:29","modified_gmt":"2022-06-22T07:43:29","slug":"but-i-only-want-to-wear-dresses","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.jozikids.co.za\/blog\/parenting\/gender\/but-i-only-want-to-wear-dresses\/","title":{"rendered":"\u201cBut I only want to wear dresses!\u201d"},"content":{"rendered":"

If you were to overhear the arguments that go on in my house every morning, you\u2019d think I was parenting a teenager with actual fashion sense. Not an almost-three-year-old with bizarre Disney-fed ideas of what princesses wear.<\/span><\/b><\/p>\n

After 2.5 delightful years of taking out an outfit and having her put it on, we have regrettably migrated to self-selection \u2013 a process that involves my daughter choosing her most restrictive, unwieldy, playschool-inappropriate dress, refusing to put shorts or leggings under it, and insisting on a headband.<\/p>\n

(Not clips. Not a ponytail. A headband<\/i>. A device that cannot hope to adequately restrain 2kg of curls, nor remain on the head for more than half a minute.)<\/p>\n

\"\"
https:\/\/www.greatbeginningslc.com<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

It\u2019s weird.<\/h2>\n

The princess obsession is weird, because I birthed a little tomboy. Seriously.<\/p>\n

She\u2019s always dirty, grubby, \u2018jelly-flopping\u2019 into the pool, climbing trees, getting paint on her face. She\u2019s into kings, cowboys and pirates. She likes trains. And she prefers to engage in all of this behaviour while wearing a tutu. Toting a handbag. And concentratedly smacking her lips to spread her \u2018lip-thtick\u2019 more evenly.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s impractical.<\/h2>\n

You and I both know that the best outfit for a preschooler is a cotton T-shirt (that is sufficiently patterned not to show stains at the neck) and a pair of shorts, with rubber sandals. But my littlie wants to wear high heels to school. Every day!<\/p>\n

Yes, yes, I\u2019ve put my foot down about the heels (no pun intended). They\u2019re a death-trap in any event. But I\u2019m losing on the dress mania. Largely because, at 7am, I just can\u2019t summon up the energy to fight about it. Chiffon? Fine. Whatevs.<\/p>\n

What\u2019s the craziest thing your child has worn to school? I want to know.<\/i><\/strong><\/p>\n

It\u2019s boring.<\/h2>\n

My daughter has gorgeous clothes. Funky, awesome kiddie chic. Collected with the utmost dedication, from all over the world, by her grandmothers. But she wants to wear one of the same four dresses every day. And woe betide us all if the cursed (more-than-a-bit-too-tight) polka dot rokkie is in the wash.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s dangerous.<\/h2>\n

She definitely \u2018boems\u2019 more than the average toddler, coming home with an assortment of bloody scratches, awful grazes and terrible bruises that makes my heart ache. And I blame the stupid dresses. How can you run, jump, climb, slide and swing in a friggin\u2019 bubble skirt, without killing yourself or someone else?<\/p>\n

It\u2019s sometimes awkward.<\/h2>\n

I don\u2019t know how to explain to my daughter that it\u2019s not cool to have your panties show when you bend over. That T-shirts aren\u2019t dresses. That bikini tops aren\u2019t school wear. She\u2019s 3 – I\u2019m not ready for the \u2018inappropriate clothing\u2019 conversation.<\/p>\n

What words do I use? How do I put it? Or doesn\u2019t it matter?<\/i><\/strong><\/p>\n

It\u2019s not just me.<\/h2>\n

Thank the lord for My Imaginary Well-Dressed Toddler<\/a><\/i>, a Pinterest account that has me in stitches, often, about the mad things we allow\/force our kids to wear. It makes me feel better. Because at least my little madam doesn\u2019t want to wear leather, roller-skates, a Mohawk, a fascinator or a bustle. Yet.<\/p>\n

If you have tips on how I should manage her ensembles, I\u2019d love to hear<\/i> them.<\/i><\/strong> Before tomorrow morning, please, when the sartorial battle resumes.<\/p>\n

This article was originally written for Jozikids by Tiffany Markman in 2014.<\/em><\/p>\n

Note: If you enjoyed this article, and would like to stay updated with more, you can:<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n