This week my trio was divided up into three different morning camps. P attended an Italian Chef Camp for kids, which was adorable. R went to baseball camp for 3 of the 5 days (before being sidelined by pneumonia--boo!) Meanwhile, K enjoyed a week of cheerleading camp.
I have to confess that I am probably a better stereotypical 'boy Mom' than 'girl Mom' because I don't really get into a lot of the pageantry and frufru-ness that girls seem to enjoy. I tend to be a bit more practical and into the experience more so than the appearance. If it matters to K it matters to me, but since she is not overly feminine, things generally work out just fine for us.
So, back to this week...We received an e-mail late last week with the instructions for all of the cheer camp theme days and corresponding costumes (Hawaiian, Rock Star, etc..). At the end of the e-mail was an announcement that someone was making and selling custom hair bows that would match the camp t-shirts, if we were interested. The cost was $10. K doesn't wear bows anymore--especially not large patterned purple and gold ones. So, I decided pretty quickly we would forgo this option.
The next day at camp registration, I casually mentioned that we would pass on the bow and the issue was resolved in my book. I didn't give it another thought until I arrived at the pep rally today and noticed that my girl was THE ONLY (of 40+ girls) NOT wearing one of these huge bows on her head. The dress code for the pep rally was pretty loose--any socks, any shorts/skirts and the camp t-shirt. The most outstanding part of the 'uniform' appeared to be these huge bows. And my girl was the only one without one. Making matters worse, she had a different bow I had popped on her head this morning after much cajoling...a dinky, solid white one...about 1/5 of the size of her peers' colorful ones.
She grinned through the pep rally and I comforted myself with the fact that my friends know I can be a bit cheap when it comes to things like this. Besides, my husband (a penny pinching, wise steward of money) would be so proud.
The rest of our day was very busy, so it wasn't until bedtime tonight that the issue came up. As I was tucking K in and complimenting her on her pep rally she looked right in my eyes and said, "Did you see that I was the only girl without a bow?"
"I did notice that, but I really don't think anybody else knew," I offered.
"Um, yes they did, Mom, they ALL knew,"
"What do you mean? Did they say anything?"
She then went on to tell me that as they were primping for the pep rally, the counselors just started putting bows in all the girls' hair. When they got to the last girl they realized they were one short--and that girl insisted she was supposed to have one--so they lined all the girls up in the middle of the gym and went down the list of who had paid until there was only one little girl left standing...
"I was the only girl left on the blue line, so they took out my bow and gave it to MK," she said matter-of-factly.
Because I am learning that so much of my children's responses to a situation are connected to my response I just managed a "hmmm"--but I was DYING inside. I would have been mortified at K's age--in front of all those girls--but she didn't seem to be. And for that I am exceedingly grateful!
But as I recounted the story to my husband tonight I let him know that any progress I may have made in unnecessary, frivolous spending might have just taken a few steps back. We joked for a bit about blaming it on her 'cheap Dad' and then wrote a cheesy song that Garth Brooks would be proud of...(To the tune of "Friends in Low Places")
Blame it all on my Dad,
I missed out on a fad
and ruined my cheerleading camp
The last one to go,
My Mom didn't know,
I was the only girl without a big, bright bow.
I am sure there will be many more of these instances as we progress through childhood and adolescence...but I am glad this one ended with laughter rather than tears!
6 comments:
Blog Post Of The Year....No kidding!!! LOVED the song. I am literally laughing out loud....
SO funny! I loved the song!
That's funny. Aren't you glad she is independent!
I'm behind a few days on my blog reading, but I'm glad I'm not the only one who does stuff like this. My oldest daughter HATES bows. I think it comes from her desire to be so grown up. And, I too, am left behind on some of these little mom things bc of my practicality. This same scenario has played out more than once in my life in the past few years. The good news is we are all still alive.
Oh, I would have cried if I were you! Growing up I was that one girl without the bow, so to see my kid in that spot would have hurt me. I hurt reading about your girl in that spot! I am definitely not an overly emotional person, but for some reason, stuff like that gets to me.
I agree with Melissa C.'s comment. I was not that girl in school and I was not a follower and had to have and do as the others but I can not imagine how taking that from her and giving it to the other little girl must have made her feel. I do feel however that coaches should realize that not all can afford or choose to (waste) spend ten dollars on a bow that would not be worn again and maybe try to pick a bow that was much cheaper or have the girls even make them even make them .
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