Circle of Life

Boy it’s funny how life circulates and repeats itself from generation to generation!

I’m having one of those flashback moments from being a kid to being a parent.  I thought it would all die with me, because I thought that I was the only one who ever went through what I went through.  Little did I know then that this has been going on for generations and will continue long after I die…….

The desire from my child to have “designer” clothes from our shoestring budget…….

Talk about a flashback.  THIS is one of those moments your parents LIVE for!  My mom and dad will be happy to know that as I write, my daughter is pining for Brandy Melville clothes from the Spectrum, while I’m trying to steer her towards TJ Maxx, Target or Kohls.  There was practically a look of horror on her face at the mere mention of it, but it was hard to see beneath the very large eye-roll (which I’m becoming OH so used to!)

As a parent, you want to give your kids everything they want.  You really do!  It’s hard to say no!  Especially when they work so hard and get good grades like mine do! (ok…one of them but I’m not telling you which one!)

As a child, for me it was Chemin de fer, Ditto, Jordache, Sergio Valente and God knows what else, because like anything, those have faded in time and turned to dust.  But at the time, it was a priceless item that would stand the test of time!!!

As I look back now, it’s almost comical.  But I can see the desire to get the name brands, because as a child, I wanted them too! 

However….how do you get to common ground with a child and her demands, when the budget doesn’t exactly line up?? 

I remember annual shopping trips with my dad, for school clothes with all the kids.  I cringe now thinking of the bill he paid, but I do admire how enthusiastic he would get when it came to shopping for us!  He loved to give.  And we looked forward to receiving.

I find that I have taken more the position of my mother.  Not interested and don’t care.  But AS a mother, I also stare at the mounds of clothes that cover the floor and wonder where the deficit is in the wardrobe department.  When my daughter said they are all winter clothes I gave her permission to cut them down to summer clothes.  She actually did with one pair of her jeans and I dare say, they turned out really cute!  And saved me about 50 bucks. 

So where do we go from here?  It’s recital season, I dropped almost $50 on a pair of shoes she isn’t likely to wear and now she is asking for a complete summer wardrobe….NAME BRAND of course.

I offered her a budget of $30 and a ride to wherever she wanted.   But I realized she’s not that stupid, because $30 bucks will get you a ride to Disappointmentland in the name brand world.  So she sits in her room thinking I’m the worst parent ever. 

Such is the plight of a parent.  As you see, it didn’t end with me and I realize now that I wasn’t even creative enough to invent it.  It just is what it has been for generations and generations.

I’d like to give you a happy ending to this story, but that would include a winning lotto ticket and I don’t see that happening.  So, I’ll just sit in my office and wait until the OTHER child comes and tries to hit me up.   Then at least I’ll have a matched set!

Ahhhh….the joys of parenting…..