Never Wear White With Cream

About twenty plus years ago (oh, man, I feel so...wise...saying it like that)...

I was a teacher for a small group of children in our church primary class.  One little girl always came to our children's group dressed to the nines.  Gorgeous little girl, cute little dresses, not a hair out of place.  Her mother was the same way...a fashion plate.  One Sunday, that little girl came to class and sat down and her mother looked at her and said, "Oh, no, what did you put on?  No, no, Briana (or Kelly or Lisa or whatever her name was) We never wear white with cream!"

I just sat there, stunned.  I didn't have any children of my own yet but I knew absurdity when I heard it.  I'm all for teaching your children good grooming habits and what to wear in different situations but...WOW.  That little girl was like, five?  Four?

Today my three year old wore a cute little plaid skirt and a cute little pink t-shirt.  She ran into the backyard, kicked off her shoes, and jumped feet first into a mud puddle.  She proceeded to have the most glorious hour a toddler can have.  She looked for dinosaur bones.  She ran.  She played with our four dogs.  She hid in her brother's "clubhouse".  She dug in the dirt and planted plants and I'm not sure that outfit will survive but that's not the point.  Kids need to be kids.  They are cute.  They are fun to dress up.  But above all else, they are fun to turn loose sometimes.  They are fun to turn loose and observe, because what you are looking at is pure joy and energy in motion, and I will never understand, not in a million years, why someone would want to damper that with the silly concern of whether or not their child's clothing selection jives.  I'm thankful for mud puddles.  And I'm thankful for the gorgeous three year old in my life who reminds me each day of what is truly important.