Polly Pocket!

Everybody has their own style, whether they realize it or not. I've known people that said, "Oh, I don't have any distinct style, I just throw on what's in my closet". The thing is, the clothes they picked out to "just throw on" were picked with a certain style in mind. So they have a style!

Kids are no different and for my boys, it started around second grade probably when they started to form their own little opinions , much to my chagrin. Both of them would argue that they weren't wearing that stupid outfit and didn't I know that styles had changed?

Number one son had a very different style than number two son. Number one really was more relaxed and not really concerned until he got older. Then came the hair-do. Yes, the hair-do. When he was about 15, he begged for a mohawk. A purple mohawk.
He was a normal kid in every other way. He was a kid that didn't get into trouble, a kid that listened well to advice, did his schoolwork and had an open mind that gave him an insight into
the fact that just because people dress differently, doesn't mean we can assume one thing about them. I let him get the purple mohawk. Turns out it was a good thing to do. He was so embarrassed that he wanted it gone ASAP and I still got credit for "allowing him to be him". This was a child that wore rugby sweaters with tie dye tshirts. Baseball jackets with dress pants. He was embarrassed though, of the hair.

Number two son? Starting first grade, the child wanted to carry a briefcase instead of a backpack. To wear a suit and tie to school daily. To public school. He's my little Alex P. Keaton. I had to protect him. I let him carry the briefcase and he did so for 4 yrs. I wouldn't give in on the suit and tie. Sometimes , we give our children freedom of expression and sometimes...
we need to protect them from themselves!

This post was written in conjunction with Parent Bloggers and Toys r Us for the Polly Pocket-Pop 'N Swap Fashion Frenzy Superset!