Growing up, my mom always dressed us alike. At least the oldest five of us, once the younger three were born we were lucky if anyone matched their own clothes, much less matched their siblings. I was thinking about this today trying to figure out what the kids will wear to my brother's wedding. I thought for sure my 11 year old daughter would not want to wear the same dresses as her cousins are wearing. Surprise! She still wants to match them. (Matching me is quite another thing- when I say "twinsies" if we are wearing something similar she heads upstairs to change).
I always love when the we get the little cousins together and we make a cute matching shirts for them to wear for the occasion (Fourth of July, Sporting Events etc...) My kids are getting their own style as they get older and (sigh) it's not mine. No, no one has gone goth yet, but I know the evolution of their own style is coming and I have mixed emotions. As a bit (NOT MY WORDS) of a control freak, I would love my kids to dress in clothes I like forever (don't get me started on my husband, he would pick out every pair of shoes in the house if they let him- One of my best friends dubbed him the shoe whisperer).
So as my kids continue to get older and their opinions get louder...I made a chart of when I started losing control....
0-2 Years Old- Total control on outfit
2-4 Years Old- Occasional Control, but I won't lie there have been occasions where a disney princess dress is the only thing worn for weeks
4-8 Years Old- Modified control Sports clothes all the time, if it has a stripe or a number, they'll wear it, that's it. However, thank God for school uniforms Monday-Friday
8+ the opposite of control....Kool Aid hair for my daughter and the boys are sleeping in their clothes (and then don't understand why they need to change in the morning)
So, as my kids enter their middle school years...keep me in your prayers :)
