Is it necessary to fold boxer shorts, especially if they belong to a seven year old? Trying to get out of the laundry room quickly this past weekend, I saved all the Sponge Bob and Scooby Doo boxers for last. After the other clothes were neatly folded in Graham’s pile, I threw the underwear on top like sprinkles on an ice cream cone. I know he doesn’t care if Sponge Bob is wrinkle-free. I don’t demonstrate love through laundry.

I was behind with the laundry because I’d unexpectedly gone to the mall for two hours. Paige “needed” back-to-school shoes. We walked out of two stores with four pairs. Granted there were bargains to be had, but does a twelve year old need to start seventh grade with four new pairs of shoes?

Feeling a bit guilty for over indulging her newly budding fashion sense, I asked her, “Do you think Mimi Collins got any of the newest styles this fall?” We had just visited my 91 year old grandmother in the nursing home. I hadn’t noticed any wedge slides or slouchy boots at the activity center.

“What are you talking about??” she asked, barely looking up from the boxes she was inspecting.

“Well, not everyone needs to have new stuff. You’d still learn wearing old stuff.”

“Umm, yeah right Mom.” Pause…. “OH! Mom, thank you, thank you, thank you for the shoes!” She gushed, obviously thinking I was fishing for gratitude.

“You’re welcome Paige, but I wasn’t telling you that for a thank you. Someday you’ll realize fashions change so companies can make money, not because the stuff from last year doesn’t look good.” I gave a summation of trends and economy, more to satisfy my need to instill some value in the dollars I dropped than to teach her something more coordinating outfits.

Back at home Paige played runway model in her room for the next hour. JP and Graham counldn’t quite grasp her constant clothes changing.

The next day I took Graham to his elementary school to find his second grade classroom. During this rare one-on-one time he was talkative. “Mom, I can’t believe Paige already knows what she is going to wear on the first day of school,” he mused.

“And guess what Graham?”
“What?”

“She already knows what she is going to wear on the second day too.”

At this point he got the giggles and said, “Yeah, well I know what I’m wearing on the first day.”

“Really? What is it?”

“Something,” he giggled.

I’m sure that something will incllude wrinkled Sponge Bob boxers and hand-me-down shorts from his brother. And he’ll learn, and laugh, and eat rubbery hot dogs in the cafeteria with as much zest and confidence as Paige in her new shoes.