September 24, 2008
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What kinda kid were you?
THE hardest part of going back to work for me, isn’t doing dishes,
or dealing with the mess others have left
or getting up at 2:30 in the morning…
It is not being able to send the kids off to school.
Everyday I wonder-
Did they brush their teeth?
Are they wearing socks?
Did their clothes match? Hope there weren’t any holes in inappropriate places!
On Wednesday I have the day off, so this morning I got up to oversee morning rituals,
only to find my worst fears had been realized…
Well maybe not my WORST fears.
Isabelle has been wearing her snow boots out the door to school, then putting her gym shoes on when she gets there!
Now… there would be nothing wrong with this in the winter, but it was 80 degrees out yesterday!
I am quitting my job and staying home!
That would be an over reaction, wouldn’t it?
But it does bug me…
Why?
Because I don’t want my kid to be the weird snow boot kid…
She didn’t care, and didn’t know why I was upset.
Why I was frantically searching for different shoes, only to find shoe after shoe that didn’t fit.
Finally coming up with a pair of clogs she refused to wear because they didn’t go with her jeans.
So off to school she went in her snow boots, promising to put her sneakers on as soon as she got there.
So we will be going shoe shopping tonight after the cross country meet.
My question for you is…
Do things like this bother you? Did they? When you were in school?
DO you remember a weird snow boot kid? What kind of kid were you?
I was the blend into the bus seat, invisible kid, I can’t say I was unhappy about that either. I had heard too many kids make mean comments about other kids and what they were wearing or doing.
Comments (54)
When I was younger, and even to this day, I always dressed for myself. If it made me happy, if it was my favorite piece of clothing, it made me happy. To me, when kids dress “weird”, they’re expressing their creativity. Growing up, everybody I knew, including myself, went through a phase where we would do just one thing out of the ordinary to set ourselves apart from the rest of the crowd.
Does she draw? Paint? Anything artsy craftsy?
If you are worried about her, give her another creative outlet. My parents put me in dance, and that gave me a good workout as well as a creative outlet. Painting, sketching, and sewing are even great tools to use.
Chill out, Mamma Bear {This is what we all call my mom, because she reacted the same way to me}. She will grow out of it eventually. I promise.
first thing that pops into my mind is ——- she’s outgrown all her other shoes, this is her logical solution so she won’t have to walk around with her toes curled up…………?
you’ve got a lovely way of capturing a lot in a few words, loved this one!
It would bother me too, if my kids were the snow boot kids.
I was the shy, quiet girl with the cat eye glasses. Yeah. 
well ang nothing has really changed. I still climb trees, chase reptiles in the creeks and collect insects. But all those things aside I was a girl chaser. I remeber having some 6th graders saying that gross when I was in 3rd grade holding hands with my girl on the playground.
I was the kid with the liverwurst sandwich
my grandmother made my clothes in the 70′s and early 80′s, so, I was a tacky sight looking back…. This post was so funny.
I was the shy, quiet kid who didn’t care too much about how she looked. I was friends with kids from every part of the social spectrum and got along with everyone, but was not popular. I guess I was individualistic without standing out. I was an odd child.
This stuff does bother me, too! My big issue is that my daughter always seems to end up wearing some part of her breakfast on her clean clothes when she’s running out to catch the bus. Urgh! I think we feel like the way they look (fashion, tidiness, etc.) reflects on us as mothers, huh? Silly, but I think it’s just part of being a mom. As a kid, to most people I was the shy girl in glasses who was one of “the brains,” but with my friends and people I felt comfortable with….lookout….bossy, chatty, silly and carefree. You know what, nothing has changed.
I was the kid whose drunk mom came to the school and yelled at the teachers and bus driver. It’s a wonder I wasn’t the kid who killed herself because there were many times I just wanted to die right there on the spot. Now I am trying really hard not to turn into the mom who thinks she’s cool but really isn’t. I think in some ways that the kind of kid we were influences the type of mom we want to be, do you think so? But on the other hand there are the ones who breed their kids to be like them and that is sad, sad, sad.
I totally see Is as being the weird snow boot kid and enjoying every minute of it because she’s “worldly”. As in thinking there is more to the world than the way someone dresses. But I’d still take her shoe shopping. *wink*
I love that picture. I don’t remember a weird snow boot kid, but I do remember the weird sickly kid who liked to chase people and wipe his snot on them. And yes that did bother me.
My older sister (by one year) made sure that I was never wearing something that would embarrass her. She would tell me if I looked “wrong” or not! So funny now that I think of it! If I looked bad, somehow it was an extension of her.
I have to admit, I am bothered by my kids weird choices sometimes. From a very early age, I taught my girls not to mix patterns: if the had a patterned pant/skirt/shorts they had to wear a solid top. I don’t care about the matching colors as much as the glaring clash of patterns!
Lighten up!!!! It looks like you’ve raised Is to be a little stronger than you were at her age and that’s a good thing! I sent my kids to school in lots of garage sale/handmedown clothes but I think I tried to keep a slightly classic but timeless look to them (which is the best style with secondhand clothes). They wore lots of polos, oxford shirts, t-shirts and jeans. Good shoes were a bigger deal to me – whatever it took. I started wanting to “fit in” when I got in Jr. and highschool but enjoyed a little quirkyness too. Before that I didn’t care. I don’t remember any weird snowboot kids so maybe I was the weird one & just didn’t realize it. Have you tried getting everyone to get all their clothes, shoes, books, etc. and lay it out the night before thing? It might relieve some of your stress. I love the picture – you hang it there, it’ll all be OK. Peace
@jillcarmel - me too
……..I loved liverwurst sandwiches….was that weird tho 
?
@shellisland - Oh you know you were the cutest most normal blonde haired girl at Due West……don’t even go there (well there was the time Lynn Kirk’s parents paid her way into being lil miss Due West … that really pissed me off)….you know I was the weird one…..
Mornin Glorie……first I’m sorry you have to get up at 2:30….my word….what time are you going to bed? Maybe your just tired….but I was wondering why doesn’t Is just wear the sneakers to start with? but it doesn’t bother me that she wears the snow boots….at least their on the correct feet…they are aren’t they
? Let em be different Ang….in this world you don’t really want the norm for your kids….ilym…..you know your doing a great job with your whole family…..I also know it’s stressful being a working outside the home too Mom…….You Go Girl……
Aw, I would want to quit and stay home too. I might have been the wierd snow boot kid in some ways. I still kind of do my own thing. And that may have bugged a bully or two a long the way. But I wouldn’t go back and change it. If find being the grown up version of the snow boot kid to be pretty cool. I am happy and well adjusted. I wouldn’t worry too much =0)
People were wearing ugg boots (pretty close to snow boots) last summer and the year before. I wouldn’t be too worried about it… I don’t see anyone becoming a social outcast over something like that. : )
I was just there really. I was never the popular kid but i wasn’t unpopular and i did have a decent amount of friends. Although i did get some bullying for the fact i was one of the chubbier kids but my clothes never really mattered. (we did have school uniform so maybe that was why
) 
There was one girl in my class who was very quiet, kept herself to herself and sat on her own. We did try to talk to her but she was very reluctant and some girls in the class took offence to her quiet manner and bullied her a bit. I felt bad for her but she never really tried to make friends which was a shame.
Don’t worry about your daughter, she could be the cool snow boot kid.
@jillcarmel - @mlbncsga - ME TOO! I loved liverworst… I still do… pickled bologna too… mmm…
Strangely enough, Mathew’s biggest challenge at the moment is one that I experienced at his age. The kids tease him because he is clever. He’s good at a lot of things (which I wasn’t as ar as that goes) and he gets upset because they don’t want to play with him sometimes because he’s too good. He hates that he gets teased for being clever….but like I always reassure him : it’ll make him popular in high school – ALL the cool kids will want to copy his homework – LOL!
((HUGS))) Angi!
You know, that doesn’t bother me AT ALL. I mean, who’s to say what’s normal and what’s not? Sure as her mother you have a HUUGGGEE say, but I think if she’s happy then so be it. That should be all that matters. And if she gets picked on for wearing her snow boots but she just shrugs it off, I think you should be proud of her. That’s a talent most people don’t have. My mom always had a rule that she’d rather have me feel relaxed and happy in what I was wearing then buying the latest trend and having me feel weird. So often I’d show up to school in some very…interesting clothes. I even wore a tail a few times. Yes, a tail. I’m not kidding :-p I’ve worn prom dresses to school, opera gloves, my hair has been every color you can imagine, and sure, I got picked on more than once. But you know what? I look back at that time and think, “Wow, I wore some kick ass clothes back then.” Once school life is over, you really can’t get away with wearing those types of clothes any more so I say, let her live it up! At least then she’s making her own choices too.
Just make sure she doesn’t leave the house naked >.>;;;
I was the fat kid.
LOL as soon as you mentioned the snow boots I thought, “yeah I remember that weird snow boot kid”.
I guess I was one of the meanies.
Actually, I wasn’t. I was always the kid that was nice to pretty much everyone, but was still pretty insecure and tried to blend in. I talked to the nerds and the cool kids, and hoped I didn’t do anything to draw too much attention to myself.
Hmmmm, sounds like we were the same kind of kid! Kids on the bus were so damn mean!
I understand exactly what you mean about wanting to be with your kids and get them off to school. It is so hard to work full time when you have kids, my girls are teenagers now but it is still hard. In fact maybe harder…. I have heard these statistics that teenage girls are most likely to get pregnant between the hours of 3 – 6 (because parents are at work) so I go to work early so I can get off by 4! That only gives then a 1 hour time frame! LOL….jeez, hang in there
I remember I used to wear my snow pants under my dress all day because I wanted to be first our for recess! LOL! My Mom also cut my bangs too short and they always stuck straight out. I was a dork.
What colour moon boots? Mine are fluorescent yellow and I wear them exclusively inside as I received them from my son (he thought I might stop hating snow) and I want them to last ‘forever’. It is important that your daughter can wear what she feels like wearing keep other kids at bay. And it is important she has shoes which fit her feet… ยง;>
I love the picture!!
I never wanted to wear my boots. Tennis shoes were good enough…even in snow up to my waist (as a kindergartener, a foot or so of snow’s about waist level!)
I was the quiet kid who didn’t have real parents and preferred that no one saw me.
If she’s ok with it, I wouldn’t worry too much about it. It builds character, right?
@PinkPixieGurl329 - @relaxolgy - @shellisland - @Criggles12 - @DiscoveredAngel -
The whole time I was frantically searching she was saying “Mom it’s okay, no one picks on me!” She knew that’s what I was worried about. She is an amazing soul, unique, and I am lucky to have her.
The shoes she has at school are her gym shoes, which are supposed to be only used in the gym. lol
Thanks you guys.
Don’t worry about her being the weird kid that wore things that seem out of place to others. They are perfectly normal to her. She will find out who are her real friends and who are the snooty ones that she don’t need to hang with anyway.. My Care Bear wears a tutu and high top sneakers….but she isn’t in school yet. They seem to have more imagination and artistic aptitude than regular kids.
I was the “too shy to speak” kid that was not noticed.
hyper active…but kind.
Ok,I just burst out laughing when you said you didn’t want her being the weird snowboot kid.I’m glad I wasn’t drinking a cup of coffee when I read that.Snowboot kid is better than pick your nose and eat it kid!!! I was the get along with everyone kid.(Did your beard grow or am I imagining things?)
You reminded me of how blessed and lucky I was to send my kids off to school each day with the awareness of all your worries. Now I do worry at times about their life in college, but hopefully they remember.
Great post!
I remember the boy who kept his golashes (we called them rubbers) on all day.I gues that is worse!
Hearing what people say about others behind their backs has caused me to become paranoid about what others are saying about me.
I still hate wearing things that stand out… partly from embarrassment, but also partly from the fact that when you stand out, people notice you. And when you’re noticed, it’s harder to glean information by listening to random conversations. Being able to unobtrusively pick up relevant information from several conversations at a time is a survival skill I found far more important than my natural independent streak that would say “who cares what anyone thinks I want to be comfortable”.
I was a preppy kid. I loved clothes and dressing fun. I had an older sister, and I wanted to be as cool as she was. I don’t remember a snow boot kid (since I’m from Florida), but I do remember a weird kid who wore the same clothes every week. I don’t know why he stands out in my memory.
I had big white plastic ‘over the shoe’ boots. Because I wore corrective shoes that were bigger (due to the metal in them), the boots were HUGE. My mother said my legs looked like toothpicks stuck in big marshmallows. I wore them all day (most of the winter) because I couldn’t get the shoes out by myself. So yeah, I was the snow boot kid. I was also the smart kid. I didn’t get picked on much. Those that tried had to deal with a pintsized redhead with a tongue like a sword. In kindergarten I once told a kid he was “an ineffectual intellectual with a poorly developed vocabulary” – he just stood there gaping with a vacant expression – I guess as a second grader he wasn’t sure what it all meant. But he left me alone after that. Don’t quit your job. Let her make some decisions on her own. It is only clothing – if it works she will be imitated, if it doesn’t she will make a different choice next time. My sons went through phases – for about 2 years one wouldn’t wear stripes. The other refused to wear black jeans. They are over all that now. No one remembers (except me) when one son insisted on wearing his pajama top to school. Oh well, they survived and are not social outcasts!
Awww….and I do understand your feelings, and frustration, on this. On the other hand, I was the weird ‘snow boot’- kid and I turned out okay. Well…pretty okay, hehe!
Hang in there, luv”
Hugs,
L
I was a quiet, preppy kid who loves to learn a lot about things. I also love dressing up. I’m basically the goody-shoes kind of kid. Haha! You must be very proud of your daughter. She’s comfortable being herself. :)
I can imagine that it must be very tough not to be helping to get kids off to school. That is such a mom thing to oversee. Are you able to be there on the other end: when they come home? That’s just as important.
I was a quiet, sensitive kid. At least that’s what my second grade teacher wrote on my report card. Not the most popular kid, but I always had a couple good friends. By the time I reached fourth grade, I was known as the class artist. That helped my social standing a little.
I used to wrestle with the question of whether to let D1 be herself, or be made fun of. I decided to let her be herself. She was made fun of, which lowered her self-esteem. She went through a dark phase in junior high. Now she is a high school junior, still being herself, but much less weird, more confident and isn’t being made fun of anymore. It seems there is some leeway to be yourself in high school, as long as you don’t do something completely wacky, like wearing snow boots when it is 80 degrees outside. JK. She will be fine. I would just try to make sure she always has a “normal” option available.
@DanishDoll - Oh man – were we suppose to wear something under our dresses for recess…
…what was I thinking….
@mlbncsga - Ill bet you were real popular with the boys when you played on the jungle gym!
Mornin Glorie……..I’m going to post about liverwurst today if I get time……well….about school lunches really….did ya’ll get new shoes? I love shoes….
@DanishDoll - well….not really….
….. well…maybe…. I never gave the boys much notice….I was always buzy trying to get to the monkey bars first….I’d climb up to the top and evidently show my butt with no regard to anyone else’s view…
…I loved being a kid…..
Yeah…. those were good times!
I haven’t worn snow pants in a long time! LOL!
@siennachartreuse - Hyper active? No way! I would say, calm strength and confidence describes you know… of course the computer hides it if your bouncing off of walls!
hello
YES – they bother the heck out of me. We homeschooled for 14 years….and sometimes my husband can really tick you off……but it was him, and his hard work that ALLOWED this, and we both think it has been a great investment for all of us.
I want to be with them. to be able to be useful for them. how can we connect our lives!? well, prayer is really really #1, cuz sometimes being there 24-7 doesn’t do it either! HEART. love ya….good luck with all!
oops…read wrong! but each are different. Things like that generally didn’t bother me.
I was the kid everybody thought was weird cause I believed I had magical powers till grade 6. (:
I remember a snowboot kid at my elementary school. I even remember his name. The thing is that no one ever saw him with anything but his snow boots on and no one ever saw him walking in them normally (he always wore them in such a way that the soles of them were twisted off to the side so he was actually walking on the inside of his boots).
In high school I was the kid who almost never wore shoes, even in the winter I only wore sandals.
*sigh* yeah, I was that weird snow boot girl in school… except it wasn’t snow boots, it was my mom’s old hippie clothes, I use to wear bell bottoms in 5th grade (well that’s the first time I remember wearing them and getting made fun of…) I also wore those moccasins that were really cool (in the 70′s) and got made fun of all the time… I didn’t really care, it would upset me and sometimes I wore the really BIG bell’s at home, but always loved them… I also liked to wear flowers and stripes… I always thought they looked cool together… but that was also a no no… I laughed so loud when the “flare” jeans came back in style and was slightly bummed that my mom’s old pants no longer fit me…
so no I really don’t care too much about what others say about me, and I try not to care too much about my boyz, boys can usually get a way w/ a little more from other boys than girls can get away w/ from other girls… that being said I try to keep ET from going to school in the same clothes over and over, and have really had to fight w/ him about wearing the same socks for more than a day… the shoes are another thing, their dad bought them those crocs and I really don’t like those shoes, but he can put them on and off by himself and his gym shoes he cannot… I would like to get him new gym shoes w/ out laces that have the elsastic or even velcrow… but I’m going to have to spend a pretty penny to get one’s that will last (got a nice cheap pair at Target…they broke affter 2 days…so they got returned and he will just have to make do until next month…)